Marilyn Joins the Chorus

May (Adele Jergens) and Peggy Martin (Marilyn Monroe) are Ladies of the Chorus (1949) in a burlesque theatre. When the star of the current show resigns, May is asked to take the lead role, but instead sends out daughter Peggy. An instant hit with the audience, Peggy also is has an unknown admirer who sends orchids to her every day. After a few weeks, Peggy's curiosity gets the better of her, and she decides to find out the identity of her mystery man.  She also finds love - and complications.

Nowadays, this film is remembered as a Marilyn Monroe film - her first "starring" role, in fact.  But when it was released (as you can see in the poster to the left), the "star" was actually Adele Jergens, and Ms. Monroe was given second billing. All that changed once Ms. Monroe became a phenomenon.  The title credits of the film were altered - Marilyn Monroe was listed above the title, and poster art featured her picture, not that of Ms. Jergens (as you can see below).  In 1949, this was a B picture that didn't rate big stars, and Ms. Monroe was certainly NOT a big star.  This was her first - and only - movie at Columbia Pictures (more on that later). But Ms. Monroe is used to good advantage in the pictures, and she is engaging as the ingenue.

The casting of the film is interesting - there is only nine years between the mother and daughter (Ms. Jergens was only 31). The studio makeup people put a little grey in her hair to make the alleged age difference more convincing. Regardless, the two worked well together and were quite friendly, with Ms. Jergens becoming very protective of her younger co-star (TCM article). Their easy rapport is evident in the film and adds to the audience's enjoyment.

Adele Jergens worked as a model, a chorus girl, a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall, and a performer and understudy for Gypsy Rose Lee in the Broadway review Star and Garter. When Ms. Lee was ill, Ms. Jergens was able to step in, which led to a contract with Columbia. While there, she appeared primarily B movies (The Guardian). The year this film was released, she met her future husband (they were together for 40 years, until his death), Glenn Langan on the set of Treasure of Monte Cristo. After the birth of her son, she returned to work, primarily television, retiring from performing in 1956. She died of pneumonia at the age of 84, a year after her only son died of a brain tumor.

This was Marilyn Monroe's only Columbia film. It's been said that Harry Cohn propositioned her, and Ms. Monroe declined. Cohn, not noted for being a beneficent boss, cancelled her contract (Marilyn Monroe: Her Films, Her Life by Michelle Vogel). The rest, as they say, is history. Of course, once she became known, Columbia capitalized on her appearance in the film and changed the billing (as previously mentioned) (AFI catalog). This, by the way, is not the breathy Marilyn of later pictures - she's not yet the sexpot into which she would be molded.

The film really belongs to the women in the cast, including Nana Bryant as Adele Carroll, our hero's mother. Without giving too much away, her performance is a majro reason that this movie is a fun ride. Her actions take what could have been a really trite weeper and turn it into a delightful romance. 

We do have a couple of male performers. Rand Brooks (Randy Carroll), best remembered today as Charles Hamilton (Scarlett's first husband in Gone with the Wind) is fine as the enamored society gent. He is very convincing in his big scene with May (asking for Peggy's hand in marriage).  Eddie Garr (Billy Mackay) only has a few scenes as the man in love with May.  Mr. Garr is probably best remembered today for being the father of actress Teri Garr.

There is one fairly inane scene in which Dave and Alan Barry play decorators Ripple and Ripple Jr.  It wants to be a burlesque routine, but it really is just silly. Otherwise, this is an enjoyable film, and a chance to see Marilyn Monroe as you will never see her again.  

We'll leave you with with scene of Ms. M singing: