Rating: 
Summary: Touching story of beggar turning society lady -- for a day
Review: "Lady For A Day" is the original "Apple Annie Story". An elderly woman surviving on her earnings as apple seller in the streets of Depression Era New York City, does all she can to hide her sad existance from the child she has sent to European boarding schools, and not seen for many years. Pretending to be married to a member of "High Society", the mother corresponds faithfully, awaiting each reply like a precious gift. The big lie catches up with her when one day her daughter writes that a genuine Prince wants to marry her, but his Royal father insists on meeting the girl's family. The old woman is devestated, ashamed of herself and suicidal; how could she meet her daughter's Royal fiancee in her dungy one room flat, penniless. Enter a charming "dude", who is successful running various rackets, and who takes pity on what is about to happen in the old lady's life. He spares no expense to transform not only the woman, but an entire society of unfortunate street folks into "respectable, elegant high society people". They all receive last-minute charm lessons and grammar polishing drills; all for one brief act: To impress the old lady's daughter and her fiancee and his father. When the Royal visitors arrive, there is a sad circumstance that threatens to destroy the entire plan, but the surprise twist at the end is simply wonderful. This is a brilliant film, a true Capra gem. If you enjoyed "It's A Wonderful Life" (and who hasn't), then you will also love "Lady For A Day". I highly recommend this film!
Rating:
Summary: Touching story of beggar turning society lady -- for a day
Review: "Lady For A Day" is the original "Apple Annie Story". An elderly woman surviving on her earnings as apple seller in the streets of Depression Era New York City, does all she can to hide her sad existance from the child she has sent to European boarding schools, and not seen for many years. Pretending to be married to a member of "High Society", the mother corresponds faithfully, awaiting each reply like a precious gift. The big lie catches up with her when one day her daughter writes that a genuine Prince wants to marry her, but his Royal father insists on meeting the girl's family. The old woman is devestated, ashamed of herself and suicidal; how could she meet her daughter's Royal fiancee in her dungy one room flat, penniless. Enter a charming "dude", who is successful running various rackets, and who takes pity on what is about to happen in the old lady's life. He spares no expense to transform not only the woman, but an entire society of unfortunate street folks into "respectable, elegant high society people". They all receive last-minute charm lessons and grammar polishing drills; all for one brief act: To impress the old lady's daughter and her fiancee and his father. When the Royal visitors arrive, there is a sad circumstance that threatens to destroy the entire plan, but the surprise twist at the end is simply wonderful. This is a brilliant film, a true Capra gem. If you enjoyed "It's A Wonderful Life" (and who hasn't), then you will also love "Lady For A Day". I highly recommend this film!
Rating:
Summary: What a Fantastic Film!
Review: I just finished watching this film on cable... Countless tissues later, eyes red, I came right over to Amazon to find it on DVD. It's apparently only on VHS, but I do hope they release it on DVD. This film was beautiful! So well done, a true classic. I'm not one to rant and rave about the usual movie fare, but this film grabs you and keeps you "right there" with the characters.... Lady for a Day is a keeper, the perfect movie for a rainy afternoon.
Rating:
Summary: What a Fantastic Film!
Review: I just finished watching this film on cable... Countless tissues later, eyes red, I came right over to Amazon to find it on DVD. It's apparently only on VHS, but I do hope they release it on DVD. This film was beautiful! So well done, a true classic. I'm not one to rant and rave about the usual movie fare, but this film grabs you and keeps you "right there" with the characters. ... Lady for a Day is a keeper, the perfect movie for a rainy afternoon.
Rating:
Summary: An Underappreciated Capra Classic
Review: I love this movie. All of Frank Capra's films are great, but this is the one I like the most(this and YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU). It's a wonderful story of a "woman of the street" trying to put on a good show for her daughter when she comes to visit(and introduce her fiance). It's a touching and funny film and goes sadly unheralded(at least Criterion released in on laserdisc). I often think of it in the same class with the Barbara Stanwyck classic, STELLA DALLAS. A must for any classic film fan, an absolute must.
Rating:
Summary: An Underappreciated Capra Classic
Review: I love this movie. All of Frank Capra's films are great, but this is the one I like the most(this and YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU). It's a wonderful story of a "woman of the street" trying to put on a good show for her daughter when she comes to visit(and introduce her fiance). It's a touching and funny film and goes sadly unheralded(at least Criterion released in on laserdisc). I often think of it in the same class with the Barbara Stanwyck classic, STELLA DALLAS. A must for any classic film fan, an absolute must.
Rating: 
Summary: The rating is for the DVD
Review: I should have listened to the other person who mentioned scratches on the movie. However, while he found them only slightly distracting...I found them to be so disruptive that I lost track of the movie. This print was transferred from a copy that had severe sprocket tooth scratches. These scratches lasted for almost 20 minutes. While my rating of the movie itself would be 3-4 stars, I cannot recommend...even to fans of the movie...to buy this copy. I wouldn't even be happy if I had bought it for under 10 bucks....but at this steep price, I advise against it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Mother's Lie for Her Daughter's Well-Being
Review: is the basis of this movie based on a Damon Runyon story. An old apple seller sent her daughter to the continent years ago, and has been writing her fantastical letters about a high society life she leads back in New York City. When the daughter writes that she will visit with her royal beau and his skeptical relative, the old woman is distraught. Here's where the colorful Runyon characters step in, and put together a sham high society life in hopes that the old lady will pass muster with the doubting relatives. Warren William headlines as the gambler who masterminds the charade, in a departure from his usual high society image he projects himself. May Robson brings real pathos to her role as the apple seller--there's a scene at the end when she greets guests at her charade reception where the glint of a tear in her eye brings a tear to yours, guaranteed.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Capra DVD
Review: Lady for a Day is a fine Capra film. The story concerns a street vendor Apple Annie (May Robson) who has deceived her daughter that she is a High Society lady. The daughter, who has been living in Spain, decides to visit and what's more brings along her prospective fiancé plus his father, a Spanish count. So as not to scupper her daughter's marriage, Annie must enlist the help of her underworld friends to continue the deception. The film is at times very funny with a tone which looks ahead to the Screwball comedies of the later thirties. It is also often rather moving, with May Robson's terrific performance eliciting a great deal of sympathy. The rest of the cast is equally fine. Warren William as Dave the Dude is that most unusual of characters a gangster with a heart of gold. Guy Kibbee, familiar from so many thirties films, is always fun to watch. This time he plays a pool shark who agrees to pretend he is Apple Annie husband. Jean Parker, as Apple Annie's daughter Louise, will be familiar to anyone who has seen the 1933 version of Little Women in which she plays Beth. Her role in Lady for a Day could hardly match that role, but she still performs well with her memorably unusual voice. She also looks absolutely stunning. It's even possible to glimpse a young Ward Bond, as a policeman on a horse, obtaining an apple from Annie. The print used for the Image DVD is not perfect. The main problem is that towards the end of the film, the right hand edge of the picture has been damaged so that white marks appear on the print. This only affects a small portion of the picture, but it is a little bit distracting. For the most part however, the print is clear and sharp. Even when there is some damage, the rest of the picture is fine. I have seen any number of thirties and forties films which have survived in worse condition than Lady for a Day. Moreover the sound quality on this DVD is above average for a film from this period. The wonderful dialogue is easily audible and the soundtrack has very little background noise. As an extra the DVD includes a commentary by Frank Capra Junior. This is a DVD which Capra fans should enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: The 1933 Columbia Pictures logo
Review: LADY FOR A DAY is worth seeing if only to see that 1933 Columbia Pictures logo which introduces the film. This movie deserves a cluster of stars, the Frank Capra 50 star rendition of Damon Runyon's wonderfully Broadway story of Apple Annie. The characters are in the tradition of the Lemon Drop Kid--Moose Moran, and Oxford Charlie; in this movie it's Dave the Dude. Dude, played by Warren William, is portrayed as Runyon would have expected him to be portrayed. And what a supporting cast to "Apple Annie," May Robson; cast including Walter Connolly as the Spanish Count, and Ned Sparks, with his monotone delivery, is Dude's mobster sidekick. Of course the brassy, nightclub bombshell, moll-to-be Glenda Farrell rounded out the bunch of Broadway mugs. It just wouldn't have been a 1930s Manhattan movie without the New York celebrities including Irish cops, the Mayor and Governor. Their evening police escort with motorcycle sirens and headlamps blazing was in the Grand B movie tradition for a Grand A movie. It was a fairy tale as weren't all of Damon Runyon's tales? Well written, well cast, well done. Take it from Dude's muscle-man, Shakespeare, "Ee-say, is-thay, ovie-may-- Or else! Yer may find yerself takin' a ride up tah 42nd Street.
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