Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady
Directed by	Edwin L. Marin
Produced by	J. Walter Ruben
Screenplay by	Mary C. McCall, Jr. Elizabeth Reinhardt
Story by	Elizabeth Reinhardt Myles Connolly
Based on	characters created by Wilson Collison
Starring	Ann Sothern Lew Ayres Maureen O'Sullivan C. Aubrey Smith
Studio	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	January 10, 1941
Running time	79 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Maisie Was a Lady is the fourth in a series of films starring Ann Sothern as good-hearted showgirl Maisie Ravier.

Plot

When wealthy drunkard Robert "Bob" Rawlston (Lew Ayres) loses Maisie her carnival sideshow job as the Headless Woman, he offers her the use of his car to get to town. However, she is pulled over and arrested by a motorcycle policeman who recognizes the automobile. The next day, when Maisie tells her story to the judge, a hung over Bob remembers enough to admit that he probably did lend her the car.

The judge orders Bob to hire her for two months at $25 a week, the terms of her previous employment. She refuses to accept money for nothing, but offers to work as a maid at the Rawlston family mansion. Bob hands her over to the head butler, Al Walpole (C. Aubrey Smith), who has worked for the family for 30 years.

When one of the guests, Link Phillips (Edward Ashley), makes a pass at her the next morning, she disdainfully brushes him off. The other guests are not much better; they ridicule her for her lack of polish. However, Bob's sister, Abigail "Abby" Rawlston (Maureen O'Sullivan), apologizes for her friends' rudeness and makes her her personal maid.

Maisie learns that Bob and Abby's father, "Cap" (Paul Cavanagh), has been away frequently. When Cap sends word that he will be unable to attend the announcement of his daughter's engagement, Abby is deeply disappointed. Maisie becomes distressed when she learns that Link is Abby's fiance.

Things come to a head when Link's jilted girlfriend and supposedly Abby's friend, Diana Webley (Joan Perry), arrives, determined to avenge herself. Abby is devastated when she discovers that Link is only marrying her for her wealth, and that all her so-called friends knew about it and were laughing at her behind her back. She tries to commit suicide. The doctors are none too optimistic; Abby has lost her will to live.

When Cap shows up, Maisie gives him a tongue lashing for his neglect of his children. Abby had sought from Link the love and support she did not get from him, while Bob had turned to drink. Seeing the error of his ways, Cap encourages Abby to get well. When Abby is recovered enough, the whole family decides to take a vacation, with Maisie along as Abby's companion.

Maisie realizes that she and Bob have fallen in love. For a moment, she cherishes the possibility, then decides that the social gulf between them is too great. She leaves and joins a vaudeville show. Bob tracks her down, overcomes her resistance, and embraces her.

Cast

• Ann Sothern as Maisie Ravier / Mary Anastasia O'Connor
• Lew Ayres as Robert Rawlston
• Maureen O'Sullivan as Abigail Rawlston
• C. Aubrey Smith as Al Walpole
• Joan Perry as Diana Webley
• Paul Cavanagh as "Cap" Rawlston
• Edward Ashley as Link Phillips

External links

• Maisie Was a Lady at the Internet Movie Database
• Maisie Was a Lady at the TCM Movie Database
• Maisie Was a Lady at AllRovi