Over 21

Over 21 (1944), a comedy by Ruth Gordon. [ Music Box Theatre, 221 perf.] When Max Wharton (Harvey Stephens), a newspaper editor who is barely young enough to be accepted by the armed forces, enters officers' candidate school, his wife, Paula (Gordon), gives up her successful career as novelist and screenwriter to be with him. Army rules and regulations sometimes make things difficult, but not nearly as much as Joel Nixon (Philip Loeb), a Hollywood producer insisting on revisions in Paula's latest script, or Robert Drexel Gow (Loring Smith), Max's demanding publisher who attempts to get him out of the army. By the time Max is transferred to Arkansas, Paula has understood that they will have to wait until the war is over to live properly again and accepts Gow's offer to replace Max as editor. Ward Morehouse of the Sun insisted, “The jokes are better than the story,” only to add, “But as entertainment the piece is immense.” With this, her first play, Gordon displayed a competency and versatility rare among leading actresses.