Ginger Goes to New York

Four college friends want to make it big in New York City. Catherine “Fiery” Furness (Janet Gaynor) is determined to be a writer. Chris Thring (Charles Farrell) plans on a law career. Mack McGowan (James Dunn) sees himself as a radio singer. And Madge Roundtree (Ginger Rogers) has visions of Broadway stardom. While they are the best of friends, there are complications: Fiery loves Chris, Chris loves Madge, Madge loves Mack, and Mack loves Fiery. Who will have a Change of Heart (1934)?

It's always enjoyable to see an actor at the start of his or her career.  Here we have Ginger Rogers in a film released only five months before she appeared as Fred Astaire's partner in Flying Down to Rio (if you recall, the duo were second bananas in that film). We also have a glimpse of Shirley Temple, in the dialog-free role of a little girl on an airplane - released just before Ms. Temple became America's darling in Little Miss Marker.

The titular stars of the film are Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, who were appearing in their last of twelve films together (Ms. Gaynor was the first actress to win an Oscar. It was awarded for two films in 1927 - Sunrise: The Story of Two Humans and Seventh Heaven, the latter with Mr. Farrell). (AFI catalog)  Ms. Gaynor is an always engaging actress, and she gives her character's nickname multiple meanings. Katherine says that she is called Fiery because of her red hair, but Gaynor makes a character who is strong and determined. She takes the hand that is dealt her with little complaint, and makes it work.

Though Ms. Gaynor, who had successfully made the transition from silent to sound films, had a career boost when she garnered raves in A Star is Born (1937), she decided to retire in 1938. She married costumer Adrian in 1939, and they had a child the following year. They remained together until his death in 1959. She returned to films briefly (Bernadine in 1957), as well as doing some television work beginning in 1953. But, by and large she painted, and traveled - often with her friend Mary Martin and Martin's husband. In 1982, a car accident killed one person (Mary Martin's manager Ben Washer) and injured Ms. Martin, Ms. Gaynor's second husband Paul Gregory, and Ms. Gaynor herself. Though Ms. Gaynor lived for another two years, she never fully recuperated from her injuries and died at the age of 77.

James Dunn is quite good in the role of Mack. He plays him as a self-assured young man, who is very much the leader of his friends. Mack is the ringleader - he is the one who urges them all to journey with them to New York City. One particularly fun scene involves him trying to con a mother and daughter to adopt an infant. He's quite engaging.

We also very much enjoyed Beryl Mercer (Harriet Hawkins). Ms. Mercer made a career playing motherly types, and she does not disappoint here. She is sweet and sympathetic, and her affection for Fiery makes the audience warm to her instantly. That she seems to know (and care) that the young Mrs. Mockby (Drue Leyton) needs to adopt the baby Harriet has in her care also makes her appealing. We trust her unerring judgement in what is best for her babies, and for the parents who adopt them because of Ms. Mercer's sincerity.

We were NOT familiar with Ms. Leyton (she only made 10 films, one of which was uncredited, and two Broadway plays), but her life story is far more interesting than her career. In 1938, she retired and moved to Paris to marry Jacques Terrane (also known as Jacques Tartière, a French actor). She began working on Voice of America, making herself quite unpopular with the Nazi's. With the outbreak of the war in France, her husband joined the resistance, and was shot while working with the Free French in Syria. With the Nazi entrance into Paris, Ms. Leyton was arrested, but managed to escape. She joined the French resistance, and used her house in Barbizon to smuggle (in total) 42 downed Allied airmen out of France. She wrote a book about her experiences - The House Near Paris. She died in 1997 at the age of 93.

Which brings us to Ginger Rogers. We know from the beginning that Madge is not the good girl - she's blowing bubble gum at her college graduation (instead of looking beatific like Fiery). Even with that image, Ms. Rogers presents Madge as problematic. She is ambitious, and willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants, but it's still hard to truly dislike her. You just want to give her a shake. As a result, by film's end, you are satisfied with the way it all resolves.

The scenes of early New York City are always appealing to this group of natives. Change of Heart was surely filmed in Hollywood, but there is enough stock footage of NYC, circa 1934, to give us pleasure. While this is not a great film, it is enjoyable, primarily because of the two lead actresses.  We'll leave you with this scene with Ginger, Janet, and the guys.  You can also see Shirley Temple at the 1:08 mark (Don't blink. You'll miss her!)