Ladies of Leisure

According to Frank Capra's autobiographical book, he dismissed using Barbara Stanwyck when their interview went badly. Frank Fay, Stanwyck's husband at the time, called Capra up, furious over Stanwyck's having come home from the interview, crying. Capra blamed Stanwyck, saying she acted like she didn't even want the part. Fay responded, "Frank, she's young, and shy, and she's been kicked around out here. Let me show you a test she made at Warner's." (The test was for "The Noose," a Broadway play Stanwyck starred in and also a film made without Stanwyck in 1928 by John Francis Dillon for First National.) Capra was so impressed that he left the screening immediately to get Harry Cohn, who ran Columbia, to sign up Stanwyck as quickly as possible.

At the 9:13 mark, Barbara Stanwyck is holding a cigarette in her right hand, while reaching into the coat pocket with her left hand. Next we see both her hands opening a wallet, then cut back to her holding up the cigarette in her right hand.

Columbia simultaneously released "Ladies of Leisure" in both sound and silent versions.

Featured in The 54th Annual Academy Awards (1982)