Maisie

Maisie (1939) starring Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Ian Hunter, Ruth Hussey

Synopsis of Maisie

 Down-on-her-luck showgirl Maisie Ravier takes a job at a dude ranch, falls in love with the foreman, meddles in a couple’s unhappy marriage, and rescues the foreman from a wrongful murder charge.

Cast of characters in Maisie

• Masie Ravier (Ann Sothern, Panama Hattie, Maisie Gets Her Man).  The indomitable showgirl, strong-willed and brassy.  Very likable; it’s small wonder that Ann Sothern played the character in 9 successful sequels.  In Maisie, she falls in love with the handsome ranch foreman.
• ‘Slim’ Martin (Robert Young, Marcus Welby M.D., Miracles for Sale). The young, handsome, ranch foreman who also falls in love with Maisie. There’s some conflict when he thinks that she’s in love with another man. And when he enters a room after a suicide, he’s wrongly accused of murder.
• Clifford Ames (Ian Hunter, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Little Princess).  The owner of the ranch, who is trying to repair his marriage after his wife’s unfaithfulness.  A kind man, he hires Maisie as his wife’s maid so that she isn’t forced to leave for vagrancy.
• Sybil Ames (Ruth Hussey, Flight Command, The Facts of Life).  A selfish woman, who clearly doesn’t love her husband.  She’s had an affair with ranch hand Ray Raymond, and lies to Slim to push him away from Maisie.  Before Maisie can tell anyone that the affair’s ongoing.
• Ray Raymond (John Hubbard, The Mummy’s Tomb, Soldier in the Rain).  The handsome young ranch hand who carries on an affair with his boss’ wife.  Which nearly ends their marriage, and drives Clifford to the breaking point. And Ray doesn’t stop …

Editorial review of Maisie courtesy of Amazon.com

She loses her dance-hall job before she even sets foot on stage, she’s down to her last 15 cents, then she’s thrown into the hoosegow on a false charge of lifting a wallet. Welcome to Big Horn, Wyoming, ma’am. And welcome to the big screen for the enthusiastically received series about wisecracking, level-headed, big-hearted showgirl Maisie Ravier. In the role forever associated with her, Ann Sothern stars in this debut adventure that has her finding work as a maid at Bar-O-Ranch, getting caught up in the troubled marriage of two visitors (Ian Hunter and Ruth Hussey) and rescuing the ranch boss (Robert Young) from a trumped-up murder rap while lassoing his heart. Yes, Maisie is one busy and ever-able heroine, a character who would win fans in all her exploits to come. Cliff Edwards – one year before he voiced Pinocchio’s beloved conscience-in-spats, Jiminy Cricket – plays amiable ranchhand Shorty.