Five star final
By Louis Weitzenkorn
(US title of Late night final)
Printed 1931
Synopsis of scenes
The action of the play takes place in New York City
Act 1
scene 1 Corcoran's speakeasy
Scene 2 The Rev. T. Vernon Isopod's office
Scene 2 Office of Mr Hinchcliffe, owner of the evening gazette
Scene 4 Office of Mr Randall managing editor of the evening gazette
afternoon
Scene 5 Ziggie's Office
Scene 6 The Townsend apartment, that evening
Act II
Scene 1 Mr Randall's Office
Scene 2 Ziggie's Office
Scene 3 The Townsend apartment
Scene 4 Mr Randall's Office
Scene 5 Mr Randall's Office next morning
Scene 6 The Townsend apartment, Mr Hinchcliffe's Office, Mr Randall's
office
Act III
Scene 1 A hotel bedroom, that afternoon
Scene 2 Minerva's flat
Scene 3 Cocoran's speakeasy next morning
Scene 4 Fench's Office
Scene 5 The Townsend Apartment
Scene 6 Ziggie's Office
Scene 7 Mr Randall's Office
The three revolving stages are included in the play text.
It is interesting, and quite surprising to hear them talk in the 1930s about how all the reporters are women, particularly large breasted women. It's rather sexist but also surprising that this was considered a career where women would dominate. Thinking about the 70s you had Lois Lane as a reporter, and Sarah Jane Smith. Perhaps it was seen as part of the busy body nature of women, or simply that men would respond
better to a pretty face and a good body. But it is also interesting that Miss Carmody (Bea's character is described as "very attractive" so used to her as old and formidable. It's nice to know that they used to
think she was pretty. Even if her willowy form didn't have the er assets described in the script ;)
It all seems a bit tame so far, but there is a horrid bit of rape culture when a girl gets raped and the man says to the reporter to go and find out from her mother if her mother told her not to ride in cars, if she did then it's a "lesson" for the other daughters, if she didn't its one for the other mothers.
The case involves, "She was secretary to a man named Rogers. He got her pregnant and refused to marry her. Before the cihld was born she killed him and the jury refused to convict a pregnant woman". "And the moral is, Doctor Isopod, that girls who work should not allow their employers to - to - ah "Embrace them"
It isn't the woman reporter who goes to the family though, but the clergyman getting the scoup pretending to be from the local church. Luella does all her investigating off screen and just reports back about it to Randall in his office. And she mentions how the Priest sexually harrasses her and she doesn't want to work with him any more. The time you see her on the job she discovers the bodies, but it is still only a short scene.
The play is really interesting and dramatic. I like imagining them in their 30s clothes, it is like an old movie, but more scandalous. It is difficult to think of this being made into a film and the pace is very fast. It seems both a little dated but also very modern. It touches on a lot of issues about women's place in society, mothers, the dangers of working, marriage, different careers, and of course rape and sexual harrasement. I think it would have been very interesting to see it produced at that time. I could almost see it working as a revival, though I believe part of what made it good was it's very current feeling, to have that become historical would loose something.
Act II scene 1 is about two hookers talking about their johns and reacting to the story. I totally loved it! So wonderful to see a different type of "working woman" respond to the tragedy. To see their perspective on it is something I don't think any writer now would bother to put in. The next scene is in a black woman's flat and has her and her partner (not husband) respond to it as well. Fantastic stuff! (Though written in dialect) it is probably meant to show the low quality/class of the people who read the paper, and who it is meant to
appeal to. But I stil thought it was pretty fabulous. Indeed that is confirmed towards the end of the play when the murder is justified as entertainment for "to amuse a gang of white illiterates and nigger pot rastlers" So there are definitely some class issues going on.
I thought it was interesting the papers mentioned Bea's performance at all when it was such a small part. Only 3 scenes and a handful of lines. Though her character does come out ahead with cocktails and a
play. Her evilness pays off but unlike Randall she remains totally untouched by the human element of the story.
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