To play ballerina Lina, Loretta Young enrolled in classes at the American Ballet Company in New York. Though she would have a double for the most difficult steps, Young took her dance training seriously. She even moved the furniture out of her apartment living room and installed practice bars and mirrors to create a rehearsal space. Young practiced in this private studio with her dance partner as well as her double. Other members of The Men in Her Life cast made use of the space as well with Young's apartment turning into a sort of "revolving door" party spot.
The Men in Her Life was based on a novel by Lady Eleanor Smith called Ballerina. Smith was a rather enigmatic figure with a life as interesting as one of her characters. She was a member of the British aristocracy; her father held the title of First Earl of Birkenhead. Yet, Smith enthusiastically embraced the notion that she had gypsy blood. She spent many years traveling across Europe learning gypsy folklore. She was also fascinated with circus life and with the ballet and her interests are clearly reflected in her writing. She published eleven novels and a book of short stories, many of which focus on gypsy themes. A number of Smith's stories were made into films. In addition to The Men in Her Life, Smith's film adaptations include: Red Wagon (1933), based on her first book, the film starred Charles Bickford as a circus performer; Gypsy (1937) another circus drama; The Man in Grey (1943) starring Margaret Lockwood as a governess who has an affair with James Mason; and Caravan (1946) about a writer with amnesia (Stewart Granger) who falls for a gypsy.
The Men in Her Life was directed and produced by Gregory Ratoff, who had first directed Loretta Young in Wife, Husband and Friend (1939). Ratoff, who was born in Russia, began his career as a performer with the Moscow Art Theatre. He fled to Paris during the Bolshevik Revolution and began appearing in the Russe Revue. Eventually the show - with Ratoff in the cast - found its way to Broadway, thanks to theatre magnate Lee Shubert. Ratoff eventually began directing and producing theatrical productions before relocating to Hollywood where he made his film debut as an actor in Symphony of Six Million (1932), starring Ricardo Cortez and Irene Dunne. Ratoff's first big screen directing job came with 1936's Sins of Man which he co-directed with Otto Brower. Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) starring Leslie Howard and Ingrid Bergman is probably the most famous film Ratoff directed. He also made several memorable appearances on screen, including his role as Broadway producer Max Fabian opposite Bette Davis in All About Eve (1950).
Distributed by Columbia Pictures, The Men in Her Life was the second film from the studio by that title. It was not, however, a remake of the earlier 1931 film; Men in Her Life (1931) was a story of blackmail and murder that starred Charles Bickford. The Men in Her Life (1941) was the first independent production from Ratoff. It would be nominated for one Academy Award for Best Sound Recording.
Producer: Gregory Ratoff
Director: Gregory Ratoff
Screenplay: Frederick Kohner, Paul Trivers, Michael Wilson, Eleanor Smith (novel)
Cinematography: Arthur C. Miller, Harry Stradling, Sr.
Film Editing: Francis D. Lyon
Art Direction: Nicolai Remisoff
Music: David Raksin
Cast: Loretta Young (Lina Varsavina), Conrad Veidt (Stanislas Rosing), Dean Jagger (David Gibson), Eugenie Leontovich (Marie), Shepperd Strudwick (Roger Chevis), Otto Kruger (Victor).
BW-89m.
by Stephanie Thames
