Society Girl
Cast & Crew
Sidney Lanfield
James Dunn
Peggy Shannon
Spencer Tracy
Bert Hanlon
Walter Byron
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
When society girl Judy Gelett discusses her upcoming party with her sometime paramour, Tom Warburton, he suggests that she sponsor an exhibition boxing match between Johnny Malone, the contender for the middleweight championship, and "Killer" Cullen. Tom arranges the bout with Johnny's manager, Doc Briscoe, and on the night of the party, Judy arbitrarily decides to root for Cullen, which annoys Johnny. After Johnny wins the match, he and Judy meet, and the sarcastic taunts they trade cannot hide their mutual attraction. As time passes, Johnny's deepening relationship with Judy distracts him from training for the upcoming championship fight between himself and "Hammer" Swanson. Doc, realizing that Johnny is losing the drive and discipline required to become champion, tries to persuade him not to spend so much time with Judy, but to no avail. Finally losing his patience, Doc asks Johnny to choose either the fight and his friendship, or Judy. Johnny promises Doc that he will not see Judy until after the fight, and then calls her to tell her that they must separate for the next two weeks. Late that night, however, Judy sneaks into the training camp and takes Johnny to her mansion, where they spend the early morning hours. When Johnny returns, he finds the furious Doc waiting for him. Doc berates Johnny for being manipulated by a high-society "dame" who wants "something rough for a change," after which Johnny punches him. Doc apologizes but still insists that it is time for him and Johnny to part company. Later, Johnny presses Judy to marry him, and although she does not intend for their liaison to become permanent, she reluctantly agrees to become engaged if he keeps it a secret. Soon after, Johnny weighs in for the fight at six pounds below Swanson, and the reporters quickly see that he is in terrible shape. From Johnny's casual remark that he and Judy are friends, the reporters also conclude that they are engaged. The front page stories about the wedding upset Judy, who reveals to Tom that she loves Johnny but fears her society pals will treat him cruelly. Dismayed by the seriousness of her feelings for Johnny, Judy decides to escape the situation by taking a cruise. She tries to break off their engagement, but Johnny arrives with tickets to the fight and refuses to accept her rationalization that their marriage could not work because they come from different worlds. When Johnny sees the cruise ticket, he understands why Judy has refused to attend the fight, and slaps her. At the stadium, Johnny is too dispirited to fight and is quickly knocked out by Swanson. Doc, who is in the audience, attempts to revive the unconscious fighter. After listening in horror to the radio broadcast of the fight, Judy rushes to the hospital where Johnny has been taken. Her sincerity and evident distress convince Doc that she really loves Johnny, and when Johnny awakens, Doc tells him that he will promote another fight using Judy's money. Johnny is reluctant to accept Judy's help until Doc casually remarks that she would make a good wife. Judy then convinces Johnny of her love with a kiss.
Director
Sidney Lanfield
Cast
James Dunn
Peggy Shannon
Spencer Tracy
Bert Hanlon
Walter Byron
Marjorie Gateson
Anne O'neal
Eula Guy Todd
Eric Wilton
Crew
L. B. Abbott
George Barnes
Lewis Beck
Sam Behrman
Jasper Blystone
Margaret Clancy
Barry Conners
David Cox
Elmer Harris
Philip Klein
Sonya Levien
W. W. Lindsay Jr.
George Lipschultz
Chester Lyons
Ray Nolan
H. C. Smith
Gordon Wiles
Larry Williams
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, the play written by John Larkin, Jr. and Charles Beahan "was adapted from an unpublished and uncopyrighted story of the same title written by Charles Beahan." Variety noted that this "quick adaptation" of the Broadway play (the play opened December 30, 1931, while shooting on the film began 21 March 1932) "switched the finish." According to a New York Times news item, the film marked the first use of a "living stage," a permanent outdoor set made up of flowers, shrubs and tree from nearly every country, which was planned exclusively for motion picture work. Prior standard practice was to rent private gardens. According to a modern source, the producer was Al Rockett. Modern sources also note that Spencer Tracy turned down the film Man About Town in favor of this picture and was surprised to find out that he had been cast in a subordinate role. Fox also released a dubbed Spanish version of Society Girl entitled Chica Bien.
