Director: Edwin L. Marin
The fifth entry of the Maisie series sees Maisie (Ann Sothern) quickly out-of-work after she quits her exhausting job as a taxi dancer. She finds her way to a boxing camp wherein she meets a sensitive up-and-comer, Terry Dolan (Robert Sterling), and his determined manager, “Skeets” Maguire (George Murphy). A love triangle soon blossoms, even if Terry is committed to his dull girlfriend, “Cissy” Reardon (Natalie Thompson). Despite being set in the ultra-masculine world of boxing, it is Maisie who remains the strongest of the characters–in fact, the script makes a concerted effort to make Dolan increasingly vulnerable as the picture reaches its conclusion, keeping Maisie and her determination the star. Sothern and Sterling would marry in 1943 and this was the set on which they fell in love, however strangely enough her chemistry with Murphy is much more believable. She is expectedly terrific–especially in an early dance sequence in which she both gets across boredom and exudes a tremendous sex appeal–and Thompson is also quietly hilarious in an understated performance as the droll girlfriend. Despite the likable performances, however, there isn’t much about Ringside Maisie that is particularly memorable.
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
For Reel 