Ep 13: Ginger Rogers in Lady in the Dark (1944)

Mitchell Leisen’s Lady in the Dark (1944) may rate as one of the most troubled productions in Hollywood history, but none of the backstage drama translates to the finished picture. Ginger Rogers exhibits so much range in her role as a fashion magazine editor who has a psychological breakdown when she suddenly can’t make a decision. In the middle of her crisis, Ray Milland, as the head of advertising, lobs insults and competes for her job as the boss. Dream sequences include snappy dance numbers and out of this world costumes. I close Ep 13 reading interviews with cast and crew members collected by David Chierchetti in his book Mitchell Leisen: Hollywood Director.