The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) is a romantic drama film made by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. It was directed by Raoul Walsh and produced by Buddy Adler from a screenplay by Sydney Boehm, based on the novel of the same name by William Bradford Huie. It stars Jane Russell and Richard Egan, with Joan Leslie, Agnes Moorehead, and Michael Pate. The music was by Hugo Friedhofer and the cinematography by Leo Tover, with costume design by Travilla.
This adaptation downplays the novel's critique of Hollywood and the film industry.
Plot
In 1941, Mamie Stover (Jane Russell), a San Francisco prostitute, is chased away from the city by several policemen. On a freighter to Honolulu, she meets Jim Blair (Richard Egan), a successful writer who thinks of Mamie as a Cinderella-like beauty. Flattered, Mamie enjoys not being associated with her former occupation and falls in love. A shipboard romance is cut short when Mamie notices Jim being welcomed ashore by his sweetheart Annalee (Joan Leslie).
As they part, Jim lends Mamie $100 to help her build a career. She visits an old friend, Jackie Davis (Jorja Curtright), who introduces her to Bertha Parchman (Agnes Moorehead), the mean-spirited owner of a honky-tonk. Even more cold-hearted is Bertha's vicious and sadistic manager Harry Adkins (Michael Pate), who thinks nothing of the hostesses working at the club. Mamie applies for a job, although according to the thirteen rules restricting prostitutes in Honolulu, she is not allowed to have a boyfriend, visit Waikiki Beach, or open a bank account.
Mamie earns enough money to pay back her debt to Jim, so she invites him to the club. Jim learns that Mamie has become the main attraction of the club, having acquired the nickname "Flaming Mamie." She is disappointed by Jim's disapproval and rejects an offer to return to the mainland. She does convince him to rekindle their affair, which puts a strain on his relationship with Annalee, who is jealous of the amount of attention that Jim is giving Mamie. In the meantime, she persuades Jim to write a check to her father on her behalf. Seeing a response addressed to "Mrs. Jim Blair" upsets Jim, but he reluctantly agrees to go along. He supports Mamie when Harry beats her up for going out with him.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor temporarily fades Mamie's personal setbacks. She purchases a piece of land cheaply and rents it out. Jim responds to Pearl Harbor by enlisting in the infantry. He convinces Mamie to marry him after World War II and to leave the honky-tonk. Returning to the club to announce her resignation, Mamie finds out that Harry has been fired for encounters with the military police. Bertha, fearing the loss of the club's biggest attraction, promises to make Mamie a star and offers her half of the profits, as well as a possibility to deceive Jim.
Misleading Jim does not work, though, as someone sends him a promotional poster of Mamie, posing for a club performance. Before he can respond, he is hit and wounded by a bomb. When granted convalescent leave, he returns to Hawaii to confront Mamie. After an argument, Jim concludes that their lives are too different and leaves her for good. A heartbroken Mamie leaves Hawaii. In San Francisco as a rest stop, she tells a police officer that she has lost a fortune and is returning to her hometown of Leesburg, Mississippi.
Cast
- Jane Russell as Mamie Stover
- Richard Egan as Jim Blair
- Joan Leslie as Annalee Johnson
- Agnes Moorehead as Bertha Parchman
- Michael Pate as Harry Adkins
- Richard Coogan as Capt. Eldon Sumac
- Alan Reed as Capt. Gorecki
- Eddie Firestone as Tarzan
- Jean Willes as Gladys
Production
In May 1955, it was reported that 20th Century Fox had bought the rights to Huie's novel of the same name.
The role of Mamie Stover was originally intended for Marilyn Monroe, though a script had not been written yet in September 1955 when she was linked to the project. When she turned it down, the role was offered to Jane Russell, whose confirmation was reported in November 1955. Lana Turner was considered for the lead role, but an extended vacation prohibited her from taking the part. Joan Leslie was assigned to co-star in December.
Russell was originally supposed to wear a red wig for the film. Learning that her eyebrows had to match the coloring, she decided to dye both her hair and eyebrows. Filming took place partially on location in Honolulu. The remainder of the scenes were shot on the lot of Fox. The film was Joan Leslie's final film appearance before retiring from the screen.
References
External links
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover at the TCM Movie Database
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover at the American Film Institute Catalog
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover at the Internet Movie Database
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover at AllMovie