Themes: Fighting the System, On the Campaign Trail
Main Cast: Kay Francis, Anita Louise, Veree Teasdale, Louise Fazenda, Marjorie Rambeau
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 82 minutes
Plot
Based on the 1935 Broadway play by George S. Kaufman and Katharine Dayton, First Lady is not, as might be assumed, the story of the first woman president. The central character, played by Kay Francis, is the granddaughter of a president (though clearly inspired by Teddy Roosevelt's daughter Alice). Ms. Francis is married to Secretary of State Preston S. Foster, whom she hopes to propel into the White House. Her principal rival is the wife (Veree Teasdale) of a mildly corrupt supreme court justice (Walter Connolly). The rival is planning to divorce her husband and promote her own, younger presidential aspirant (Victor Jory). Kay retaliates by mounting a mock campaign for the befuddled justice--which snowballs into the real thing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Proving what a fine comedienne she could be when given half the chance, Kay Francis takes on the formidable Verree Teasdale in this well-appointed political satire. And Teasdale does make an awe-inspiring opponent. Based on a George S. Kaufman play, First Lady is a sort of "The Women Goes to Washington" with all the barbs intact, but blessedly sans any Capraesque sentimentality. Francis -- whose problem with the letter "r" is especially delightful in a comedy situation such as this -- comes out the winner in the end, of course, but Teasdale more than matches her in the quips department until defeated by what can only be described as a dirty trick. Yes, Francis gets down and dirty in the final scene and you cannot help feeling sorry for the fashionably gowned Verree, whose hopes of becoming the First Lady of the land are eventually and inevitably destroyed by the righteous Francis, who stoops to a bit of blackmail in order to achieve her goal. Reviewing the comedy for the New York Times, however, Frank S. Nugent steadfastly refused to concede and pronounced Verree Teasdale "First Lady of the Strand Theater" on the occasion of the film's December 23, 1937, New York premiere. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
Max Parker - Art Director, Stanley Logan - Director, Ralph Dawson - Editor, Leo F. Forbstein - Composer (Music Score), Max Steiner - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Sidney Hickox - Cinematographer, Harry Joe Brown - Producer, Hal B. Wallis - Producer, Rowland Leigh - Screenwriter, George S. Kaufman - Play Author, Katharine Dayton - Play Author
