Virginia Bruce's character was considered a composite of several Ziegfeld beauties that the philandering showman had his eye on. Lillian Lorraine was foremost in the public's mind at the time, and many felt that Bruce's character was patterned after her. MGM did not use Lorraine's name for fear of libel. You can be sure that Lorraine would have sued. She was quite a character. Sadly, she died in poverty on Broadway and 96th in the 1950's.
Quite frankly, I think Bruce's performance is the only gutsy, "alive" thing in this gargantuan musical. One she exits the film loses much of it's dramatic steam. Powell and Loy do not really characterize. They are believable, but do not completely envelope the real individuals they are suppoesed to be portraying. Bruce had actually been in a Ziegfeld show -- she knew what she was doing. Her brief musical number "You've Never Been So Beautiful Before" is graceful and her vocals (not dubbed) quite pleasant. Her tipsy speech that followed the number is done to perfection.
So, Audrey Dane never existed, except as a legacy for Virginia Bruce's screen career.
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JayWalking
18 years ago
Hmmm....O.K.....
So then I suppose the girl that plays Sally Mathers and stars in "Sally" in this film, is actually supposed to be the then-recently deceased Marilyn Miller?
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TooSlim
15 years ago
Yes, Marilyn Miller played "Sally" on stage and screen. She was a big stage star, but had a unhappy personal life and died young.
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richspenc
8 years ago
When Audrey (Virginia Bruce) gave her little speech after the "You never looked so beautiful" number, she says with a smirk "I got a confession to make, Audrey's a wee bit tight tonight". What exactly she mean? Well, I got an idea. Audrey was sorta a bad girl in this film. Lol
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