Footlight Glamour (Blondie)

Today's Blondie film is Footlight Glamour.

The main focus in hindsight of this film is the early role of Ann Savage, who is better known for her film noir work. 

She is not really put to great use here. She is a rather formal and stuffy young daughter of a potential client, who has the acting bug. The film is largely about the performance of a play that she has written. Her father doesn't want her to be involved in acting, especially since he thinks a man is only helping him as a way to get her money. 

The film is overall amusing, basically among the better group of Blondie films. It has an extended set piece involving the performance, which gets more and more absurd. The bits involving the fact that the outfit Dagwood wears was previously used by a magician are the funniest parts. 

The film is also the last one before a short interim in the series during the middle of World War II. It includes various war-related jokes, if not as totally focused as Blondie for Victory. So, there is a joke about ration cards and meatless days.  There are also references to a couple older workers at the office, the younger ones doing their part in the war.  

The supporting cast overall is well-handled. The mailman here has a bigger role since he is involved in the play. Cookie, the youngest, has a few amusing lines. The annoying neighbor boy Alvin also has a few good wisecracks, including a pun on "giving the bird." 

And, it's nice to see Mrs. Dithers too. Finally, there is something reassuring about Mr. Dithers being resigned to how Dagwood is. He knows that Dagwood is part of things and it's his fate to deal with him. If only we were more accepting in real life. 

There are a few standard things that are more tiresome. The last few minutes are handled by Dagwood thinking Blondie went away with a director. Like Blondie at times being distrustful of Dagwood involving a man, this is simply stupid. He knows she is not going to leave her husband and two children like that. 

The bit where she says she is done with acting and glamour (a sort of title drop) at the end is also a bit tiresome. Blondie in the comics now is not as heavyhandedly "I'm a housewife and I'm glad for it" and in fact over recent decades (when I read it more), don't recall that. 

Of course, it makes more sense for her to be like that in the 1940s. Anyway, Blondie being in a non-professional play, money going for some war charity, is not a problem. It's annoyingly antiquated. After all, putting on a show like that seems perfectly innocent, including something to do for church or a Christmas pageant in Little House on the Prairie! 

So, the film is not a complete success. Nonetheless, overall, it was an enjoyable entry. I would give it two and a half stars.