Primrose Path (1940)
-
69% of users liked it
(134 ratings)
In her third film for innovative director Gregory LaCava, Ginger Rogers briefly turns her back on her established screen image by playing the daughter and granddaughter of prostitutes. Determined not to pursue the "family business", Ellie May Adams (Rogers) opts for respectability, as… More In her third film for innovative director Gregory LaCava, Ginger Rogers briefly turns her back on her established screen image by playing the daughter and granddaughter of prostitutes. Determined not to pursue the "family business", Ellie May Adams (Rogers) opts for respectability, as personified by clean-limbed Ed Wallace (Joel McCrea, teamed with Rogers for the first time since 1933's Chance at Heaven). Alas, all of Ellie May's dreams of connubial bliss fly out the window when Ed is introduced to her alcoholic father Homer (Miles Mander), her round-heeled mother Mamie (Marjorie Rambeau) and her equally randy grandmother (Queenie Vassar). Briefly losing Ed's affections, Ellie May tearfully resigns herself to taking care of her family-but will she resort to the World's Oldest Profession to keep food on the table? Adapted from Victoria Lincoln's novel February Hill (Lincoln's name didn't appear on the credits due to legal entanglements), Primrose Path managed to retain a goodly portion of the novel's bite without unduly straining RKO Radio's relationship with Joe Breen's censorship office. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Gregory La Cava, Gregory Lacava
- Written By
- Gregory La Cava, Allan Scott
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Mar 22, 1940 Wide
Critic Reviews
-
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's an amiable romantic comedy that has pleasing performances by stars Ginger Rogers and Joel McCrea, but little else to recommend it.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Not Available
Not Available
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
Ginger Rogers
as Ellie May Adams
-
Joel McCrea
as Ed Wallace
-
Marjorie Rambeau
as Mamie Adams
-
Henry Travers
as Gramp
-
Miles Mander
as Homer Adams
-
Queenie Vassar
as Grandma
-
Joan Carroll
as Honeybell Adams
-
Vivienne Osborne
as Thelma
-
Carmen Morales
as Carmelita
- Mara Alexander
- Ray Cooke
- Herbert Corthell
- Jacqueline Dalya
- Jack Gardner
- Larry McGrath
-
Gene Morgan
as Hawkins
- Nestor Paiva
- Lorin Raker
- Charles Lane
- Charles Williams
