Had John Wayne done many more like this, there
might have been no John Wayne. Come to think on it, he did, and virtually all
for Republic, the lower trough company to which he was bound after transform of
Stagecoach, and with which he stayed on non-exclusive pact when better judgment
might have got him far as possible from limp vehicles like this. Lady For A
Night was among worst of them, more a showcase for Joan Blondell in any event,
Wayne offscreen
for extended sections and ill-used when he's on. Blondell was about through
with starring parts, or they with her, but was notably billed here over Wayne, and dominated
virtually all ad art. But what madness cast this quintessential urban dweller
in Dixie crinoline mode? Money was spent
toward covering lack of much else, Republic tendering this Lady in terms of
Scarlett O'Hara and Jezebel.
Epoch-making Gone With The Windled many to try at repeated records. Republic blew trumpet of
GWTW costume designer Walter Plunkett performing same duty on Lady's behalf. Parallels
halted there, however, Lady For A Night being fancy dress on store dummies, and
dull besides. Post-Stagecoach Wayne/Republics tended that way,
few of their "specials" special despite Herb Yates' willingness to crowd space with
extras. Lady For A Night continues to let down Wayne
watchers for its total lack of action --- not a shot is fired --- and
there's but a single horse chase Republic must have worn out for trailers.
Olive has recently let out Lady For A Night on Blu-Ray, for no plausible reason
other than Wayne being in it, bulk of his good Republics (The Quiet Man, Rio
Grande,forthcoming Flying Tigers)
having been accounted for.
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