“PLAY GIRL”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24607, 15 May 1941, Page 3

“PLAY GIRL”

Weaving an absorbing story around the daring exploits of a glamorous fortune hunter who preys on susceptible men oi wealth. “Play Girl,” which comes to the State Theatre to-morrow, stars Kay Francis in the type of scintillating role that established the actress as one of Hollywood’s most popular and fashionable stars. Heading a distinguished supporting cast are James Ellison and lovely Mildred Coles, romantic leads. With its background swiftly moving from Lake Placid to Miama, New York to Chicago, and various luxurious hotels at swanky summer and winter resorts, the story traces the spectacular career of an alluring woman of the world who is forty but looks thirty, thanks to a life of leisure financed by huge sums of money deftly wheedled out of rich play boys by breach of promise suits and fancy blackmail. After two consecutive disappointments witli_ young men whom she had hoped to lure into marriage, she concludes that her age is interfering with her technique. Then fate comes to her rescue when a young girl looking for a job as a social secretary faints from lack of food. The girl’s rare beauty and innocence give the adventuress an idea. She induces the girl to join her in a unique partnership—the combination of the girl’s youth with her own experience for the purpose of carrying on her man-baiting career. Kay Francis as the adventuress has the chance her fans crave to display a <ashion parade of ultra smart costumes. James Ellison as the cattle baron’s son and Mildred Coles as the devastating decoy are featured along with such favourites as Margaret Hamilton, as Miss Francis’s sharptongued maid, Nigel Bruce and George P. Huntley, as two wealthy victims, and Katharine Alexander as Edison's mother. Frank Woodruff directed “ Play Girl ” from an original screen play by Jerry Cady. Cliff Reid produced the film for RKO Radio, and Lee Marcus was executive producer.