Vivacious Lady

1938

1h 30m

Comedy

List

100%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

80%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Peter (James Stewart) is a professor who gets hitched to a singer named Francey (Ginger Rogers) on a whim while visiting New York City. But when Peter returns home, he is less than eager to introduce his new bride to his domineering father (Charles Coburn), whom he knows will not approve. He also has to contend with his jealous former fiancée (Frances Mercer). As Peter tries to keep his married status a secret, a number of amusing missteps happen along the way.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Vivacious Lady is entertainment of the highest order and broadest appeal.

Nov 13, 2007

Full Review

Time Out

Rogers is the accomplished centrepiece of the film, slightly atypical as the soft-focus romantic heroine, but with welcome eruptions of her tough and shrewd persona throughout.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Vintage George Stevens comedy, dating from the brief period in which his deliberate style was a deepening virtue, stopping short of the ossification that cursed his later work.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

This romantic comedy by George Stevens makes me irresistible. When I witness the wonderful chemistry between James Stewart and the beautiful Ginger Rogers, I have no time for anything other than the story of the protagonists. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jul 18, 2020

Full Review

Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

The cast of Vivacious Lady is considerably better than its story. In fact, the acting is so good that it almost lifts a rather farfetched bedroom farce into grade A comedy.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

TV Guide

A charming, fast-moving comedy.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 13, 2007

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Steve D

Thin on story but cute.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ginger Roger's is the real star here as Jimmy Stewart squirms his way through another film. Some of the funniest scenes are with daughter and mother in law chatting as well as with the love rival. Easy light hearted and simple viewing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ginger Rogers at her usual best. James Stewart is good, but Rogers steals the show. The plot is funny, she is funny, the cast is funny. Very, very enjoyable movie. Enough said. Go see it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hilarious (and sexy) screwball comedy. George Stevens does a marvelous job of pacing the movie, which never flags for a moment. Jimmy Stewart is fine but Ginger Rogers is the acting highlight, at her comedic best. The supporting cast is uniformly wonderful, led by Charles Coburn and Beulah Bondi.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/21

Full Review

Audience Member

Caught this by chance. Beautifully done. Even the small things are done well. The pacing is great, the gags terrific, the acting, everything. Not many rom coms match this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

ashley h

Vivacious Lady is an excellent film. It is about a professor who marries a nightclub singer. Ginger Rogers and James Stewart give fantastic performances. The screenplay is well written. George Stevens did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the humor and romance. Vivacious Lady is a must see.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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George Stevens

Director

Ginger Rogers

Francey

James Stewart

Prof. Peter Morgan Jr.

James Ellison

Keith Morgan

Charles Coburn

Peter Morgan Sr.

Beulah Bondi

Mrs. Martha Morgan

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Synopsis

Peter (James Stewart) is a professor who gets hitched to a singer named Francey (Ginger Rogers) on a whim while visiting New York City. But when Peter returns home, he is less than eager to introduce his new bride to his domineering father (Charles Coburn), whom he knows will not approve. He also has to contend with his jealous former fiancée (Frances Mercer). As Peter tries to keep his married status a secret, a number of amusing missteps happen along the way.

Director: George Stevens
Producer: George Stevens
Screenwriter: Ernest Pagano, P.J. Wolfson
Production Co: RKO Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Sep 24, 2013
Runtime: 1h 30m