"Dramatic School" had a lot going for it. Luise Rainer, fresh from winning Hollywood's annual Academy Award for Best Actress for two years running (1936 and 1937) is here somewhat inappropriately cast as a ham actress. Worse still, the screenplay rewards the character's false histrionics with applause rather than ripe tomatoes. Bob Sinclair's direction also presents a problem. Admittedly, he takes the first quarter-hour at an admirably snappy pace, but once the stage is set and the script's rather routine plotting gains the upper hand, Sinclair obviously loses interest. At least the excellent photography by William Daniels always remains a constant. The movie is stunningly and most beautifully photographed from start to finish. Producer Mervyn LeRoy, fresh from his triumphs at Warner Brothers and now making his debut at M-G-M, has okayed some really lavish sets and costumes. Alas, all this doesn't add up to a good movie when a sizzling script and appropriate acting are lacking.

In Paris, acting student Luise Rainer (as Louise Mauban) works nights in a factory, but keeps it a secret from her dramatic classmates. The other worker women look like smudge-faced drudges, but Ms. Rainer wears glamorous MGM make-up to work. Her smooth features glow when the factory girls are visited by handsome Alan Marshal (as Andre D'Abbencourt). Rainer fantasizes about the man. Pretty full-time students Paulette Goddard (as Nana) and Lana Turner (as Mado) steal the film from the top-billed star...This was Rainer's MGM swan song, after just winning back-to-back "Best Actress" awards from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Then, she left town. How could this have happened? "Oscar" royally goofed with Rainer's wins, and they wound up hurting a promising career in Hollywood pictures. Watch for an up-and-coming Dick Haymes as a student, listen for bushy-haired young Hans Conried to say "A shapely leg never hurt the box office," and don't miss Rainer's tragic turn as "Joan of Arc".**** Dramatic School (12/9/38) Robert B. Sinclair ~ Luise Rainer, Paulette Goddard, Alan Marshal, Lana Turner

Strangely, it's set in France, yet features a bevy of American actresses playing girls with names like Nana, Yvonne and Simone. It's not as good as the similar Stage Door, which was released by RKO the year before, and the story takes a while to get going. Lovely, dark-eyed Luise Rainer stars as the young woman who aspires to be a great actress; Paulette Goddard is cast to type as a cynical, knowing classmate; Gale Sondergaard is the teacher who resents Rainer for her youth and talent; and Alan Marshall is the wealthy cad who misuses Rainer, thus allowing her to experience the suffering required for her to achieve great dramatic success. It's not a bit credible but, when all is said and done, it's fairly entertaining. With Lana Turner in an early role, Virginia Grey, Ann Rutherford and Margaret Dumont, Henry Stephenson, Genevieve Tobin, John Hubbard, Marie Blake, Erik Rhodes and moist-eyed Rand Brooks.

Always enjoyed the acting of Paulett Goddard who plays the role of (Nana) a young girl who is attending a Drama School in Paris, France along with Lana Turner,(Mado) who are striving to become actresses and have only one desire in their lives. Luise Reiner, (Louise Mauban) is a poor gal who attends the Dramatic School in the daytime and is forced to also work in a factory making gas meters. Louise tells her fellow classmates at the school all kinds of stories about her relationship with a rich playboy who finances plays and is a ladies man. The story gets rather interesting when Louise really gets involved with this playboy who spoils her to death with everything she wants, however, she does notice that he still has an eye for any hot chick that comes along. Great 1938 film with lots of laughs and plenty of dramatic acting. Enjoy.