Lady for a Day (1933)

This has shades of "My Fair Lady" about it - and Frank Capra has done quite well with a cast of lesser known actors to create quite an enjoyable comedy drama. May Robson steals the show as "Apple Annie", a lady who makes her living selling these fruit on Times Square. She is well known and well liked by her pals and all is going along nicely until her daughter writes to announce that she will be arriving from Spain with her new fiancée and his father - both are (minor) Spanish aristocracy who have been led to believe, as has her daughter, that "Annie" is rather closer to the top of New York society than she actually is! Luckily, up steps local crook "Dave the Dude" (Warren William) who has always had a fondness for the old girl, and on hearing of her impending predicament decides that he is going to help. The race is on now on to turn the rough around the edges woman into the epitome of culture and decorum - otherwise, no wedding! It's good fun to watch this - on one hand we have the story or rags to riches (for the day) Robson, and she is engaging and charming in an authentic manner; the other is the gangster whose behaviour is causing all sorts of consternation amongst his colleagues and rivals who are unsure just what is going on... Halliwell Hobbes is always reliable as the butler and Glenda Farrell has some good scenes as "Missouri", too. It has a pace all of it's own, and plenty of humour to keep the 90 minutes busy and enjoyable. Of course there is little jeopardy - and the fact that there isn't is actually one of the things that vindicates this actually rather joyous piece of cinema.