Maisie Was a Lady (1941)

My favorite so far, 19 August 2019

The Quick Pitch:  Thanks to a drunk millionaire, Maisie Ravier finds herself out of work once again.  To repay her, her hires her on as a maid. Maisie soon discovers that the family needs more attention than the house.

I’ve only see four of these movies, but Maisie Was a Lady might be my favorite so far.  This was Ann Sothern’s fourth Maisie film and director Edwin Marin’s third. By this point, they knew what they were doing.  They both understood what made Maisie work. Maisie Was a Lady features a very strong and capable supporting cast. I’m a bit shocked that actors like Lew Ayers and Marueen O’Sullivan appeared in secondary roles in a Maisie film. They were real pros.  Also in the cast is C Aubrey Smith. Some of his scenes with Sothern are the highlights of the movie. Whether arguing about Maisie’s jewelry or how to address the family, the two worked incredibly well together. The plot is a bit predictable. Has anyone ever watched Maisie Was a Lady and not predicted how things would end up for her?  Finally, the movie looks great. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but sets, lighting, and cinematography are all better than expected. Given the fact that these weren’t big budget affairs, MGM certainly got a lot of bang for their buck. 

My biggest gripe with Maisie Was a Lady has to be the serious tone of much of the movie.  I’ve come to think of Maisie as rather light-hearted, fluffy entertainment. Topics like alcoholism and suicide aren’t what I expect.  

7/10