KITTY FOYLE

1940

In 1940, Ginger made a stellar choice and starred in a film called Kitty Foyle, directed by Sam Wood, and took home an Oscar.

I discovered this film on a routine trip to the video store, it was misfiled with some Sci-Fi films, but the cover caught my eye, and I am grateful that it did.

Kitty Foyle is a story close to my heart. Kitty was something like me. Her dreams were the same as mine, and her obstacles were all too familiar to me at the age of 19.

Kitty is a young girl obsessed with the “mainliners” in her hometown of Philadelphia. Even as a child she waits in the crowd just to watch the finely dressed society types waltz across the red carpet and into the Governors Ball. Sadly, her Father is not supportive of the Cinderella dreams his daughter hides in her heart and warns her not to desire things she will never have. He is grounded in reality, in fact bound by it.

He reminded me so much of my own father, who seemed almost fixated on the idea that I remain in my place, and never attempt to rise above those things he was familiar with.

Kitty does not heed the warning of her dear Pop. Upon meeting a handsome young Mainliner, Wynn (played by Dennis Morgan), she takes a job as his secretary, and they fall in love. Although she knows that his world won’t ever accept her, and he knows that he cannot leave that world for her, they elope, and spend a happy honeymoon together before he foolishly takes her to meet his parents.

They are not as enchanted as he to meet the young blonde, and they only agree to accept the union under several conditions. Kitty will have to be trained, schooled, re-dressed, and re-raised. She is un-suitable, and they will have to “fix” her before she can be presented to society.

Kitty realizes she can never be what they want. Her dreams are crushed and she leaves her husband and returns to her working-class life. The marriage is annulled. Shortly thereafter, Wynn marries a woman of his parents' choosing and re-settles into a life of wealth, structure, etiquette and misery.

Kitty manages to find a bit of happiness in the arms of a young doctor, Mark, who is dedicated to “doing the right thing” even if it means never getting ahead in life, and Kitty must learn to accept her place in this world without midnight tangos, and champagne lunches. She consents to marry the physician, after his warnings that money won't ever be part of their future.

That day, Wynn’s wife and child make an appearance in the store where Kitty is now working, and she is made aware of who they are, although they have no idea about her past. She gives the child a ring that Wynn once gave her, and tells him to give it to his father as a gift. However, this leads Wynn to believe that Kitty is calling him back into her life, and that night he shows up elated by her “secret message.” He sweeps her off her feet, and, for a few dizzy moments, Kitty is ready to take the lesser position of Mistress.

It is up to Kitty to choose a life. I won’t tell you who she chooses. See for yourself. This film is not available on DVD, but you can order it from amazon.com.

I have to say that this story is almost TOO close to my own to be enjoyable. At times watching it is tough, but for the general public, this film is a MUST SEE. It speaks of a universally timeless prejudice that has no beginning and no end.