The Hard Way is a 1943

1943 in film

The year 1943 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 3 - 1st missing persons telecast * February 20 - American film studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor films....

 Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...

 drama film

Drama film

A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...

 directed by Vincent Sherman

Vincent Sherman

Vincent Sherman was an American director, and actor, who worked in Hollywood. His movies include Mr. Skeffington , Nora Prentiss , and The Young Philadelphians ....

. The film was based on a story by Irwin Shaw

Irwin Shaw

Irwin Shaw was a prolific American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and short-story author whose written works have sold more than 14 million copies. He is best-known for his novel, The Young Lions about the fate of three soldiers during World War II that was made into a film starring Marlon...

 which was reportedly
based on Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....

' relationship with her first husband, Jack Pepper

Jack Pepper

Jack Pepper was an American vaudeville dancer, singer, comedian, musician, and later in life a Dallas, Texas nightclub manager....

 (whom she married in 1928 at age 17) and her own mother, Lela.

Plot

Helen Chernen is an ambitious woman, determined to once and for all become rich. She pushes her younger sister Katie into a marriage with singer/dancer Albert Runkel. Katie has no interest in the man, but is desperate to leave the poor conditions she and her sister live in. Runkel's partner Paul Collins sees what Helen's real intentions are and tries to stop her from breaking Runkel's heart.

Now living in wealthier surroundings, Helen tries to make a start of Katie's career. She is able to put her on a Broadway play. Katie soon becomes a successful singer and actress, while Collins and Runkel's act flounders. Runkel can't bear the idea of his wife having more success than himself. Also annoyed with Helen's efforts to destroy his marriage, he eventually kills himself.

Meanwhile, Katie's popularity rises to her head and she becomes a wild party girl. Her behavior eventually costs her her career. They later meet up with Paul, who is now a successful band leader. He falls in love with Katie and they start a relationship. However, things get complicated when Helen reveals she is in love with him as well.

Main cast and characters

	Ida Lupino Ida Lupino Ida Lupino was an English-born film actress and director, and a pioneer among women filmmakers. In her 48-year career, she appeared in 59 films and directed seven others, mostly in the United States. She appeared in serial television programmes 58 times and directed 50 other episodes...  as Mrs. Helen Chernen		Joan Leslie Joan Leslie Joan Leslie is a retired American film and television actress.-Early life:Leslie was born Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel in Detroit, Michigan, and raised Roman Catholic. She began performing as a singer at the age of nine as part of a vaudeville act with her two sisters; Betty and Mae Brodel...  as 'Katie' Chernen
	Dennis Morgan Dennis Morgan Dennis Morgan was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name....  as Paul Collins		Jack Carson Jack Carson John Elmer "Jack" Carson was a Canadian-born U.S.-based film actor.Jack Carson was one of the most popular character actors during the 'golden age of Hollywood', with a film career spanning the 1930s, '40s and '50s...  as Albert Runkel

• Gladys George
  Gladys George
  Gladys George was an American actress.-Early life:She was born as Gladys Clare Evans on September 13, 1904 in Patten, Maine to English parents.-Career:...
  
   as Lily Emery
• Faye Emerson
  Faye Emerson
  Faye Margaret Emerson was an American film actress and television interviewer, known as "The First Lady of Television". She acted in many Warner Brothers films beginning in 1941...
  
   as Ice Cream Parlor Waitress
• Paul Cavanagh
  Paul Cavanagh
  Paul Cavanagh was an English film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1928 and 1959. He was born in Chislehurst and died in London from a heart attack....
  
   as John 'Jack' Shagrue
• Dolores Moran
  Dolores Moran
  Dolores Moran was an American film actress and model.Moran's brief career as a film actress began in 1942 with some uncredited roles in such films as Yankee Doodle Dandy. By 1943 she had become a popular pin-up girl and appeared on the cover of such magazines as Yank...
  
   as Young Blonde (uncredited)

Production

Both Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...

 and Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....

 were initially offered the role of Helen, but both declined. Ida Lupino was then cast. Shaw wanted Howard Hawks

Howard Hawks

Howard Winchester Hawks was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era...

 or William Wyler

William Wyler

William Wyler was a leading American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.Notable works included Ben-Hur , The Best Years of Our Lives , and Mrs. Miniver , all of which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture...

 to direct the film, but since they were busy with other projects producer Jerry Wald

Jerry Wald

Jerry Wald was an American producer and screenwriter for motion pictures and radio shows.Born Jerome Irving Wald in Brooklyn, New York, he had a brother and sons who were active in show business. Jerry began writing a radio column for the New York Evening Graphic while a student at New York...

 hired Vincent Sherman

Vincent Sherman

Vincent Sherman was an American director, and actor, who worked in Hollywood. His movies include Mr. Skeffington , Nora Prentiss , and The Young Philadelphians ....

. Portions of a documentary film by Pare Lorentz

Pare Lorentz

Pare Lorentz was an American filmmaker known for his movies about the New Deal. Born Leonard MacTaggart Lorentz in Clarksburg, West Virginia, he was educated at Wesleyan College and West Virginia University. As a young film critic in New York and Hollywood, Lorentz spoke out against censorship in...

 were used to represent the mining town of Greenhill. To achieve a more realistic feel during the scenes that took place in Greenhill, neither Lupino nor Leslie wore makeup. The film's first and last scenes were added at Jack Warner

Jack Warner

Jack Leonard "J. L." Warner , born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, was a Canadian American film executive who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California...

's insistence that Lupino appear more glamorous in the opening scene.

Soundtrack

• "I Love to Dance"
  • (1942) (uncredited)
  • Written by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl
  • Played during the opening credits and at the end
  • Sung by Gladys George at rehearsal with piano accompaniment
  • Reprised at a show and sung and danced by Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland) and chorus
  • Sung on a record by Leslie
  • Played as background music often

• "Am I Blue?"
  • (1929) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Akst
  • Lyrics by Grant Clarke
  • Sung by Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson in their vaudeville act
  • Reprised by Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland)
  • Played as background music often

• "Tip Toe Through the Tulips with Me"
  • (1929) (uncredited)
  • Music by Joseph Burke
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Sung by Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson in their vaudeville act

• "You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me"
  • (1932) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Played on a juke box in the ice cream parlor

• "For You"
  • (1930) (uncredited)
  • Music by Joseph Burke
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Played on piano by Dennis Morgan and danced by Joan Leslie
  • Played as background music

• "(You May Not Be an Angel, But) I'll String Along With You"
  • (1934) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Sung by Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson at a vaudeville show and danced by Joan Leslie

• "Shuffle Off To Buffalo"
  • (1932) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Sung and danced by Jack Carson and Joan Leslie (voice dubbed by Sally Sweetland) at a vaudeville show
  • Played as background music

• "Forty-Second Street"
  • (1932) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Played as background music

• "She's A Latin From Manhattan"
  • (1935) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Sung and danced by Jack Carson and Joan Leslie (voice dubbed by Sally Sweetland) in a nightclub

• "I Get a Kick Out of You"
  • (1934) (uncredited)
  • Music and lyrics by Cole Porter
  • Played offscreen by the nightclub band

• "Lullaby of Broadway"
  • (1935) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Played offscreen by the nightclub band

• "About a Quarter to Nine"
  • (1935) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Played on piano and danced by chorus girls at rehearsal

• "Jeepers Creepers"
  • (1938) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
  • Sung by a chorus at a show

• "My Little Buckaroo"
  • (1937) (uncredited)
  • Music by M.K. Jerome
  • Lyrics by Jack Scholl
  • Sung by a chorus in a montage

• "With Plenty of Money and You"
  • (1936) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Al Dubin
  • Song by a chorus in a show during a montage

• "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"
  • (1938) (uncredited)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
  • Song by a chorus in a show during a montage

• "Begin the Beguine"
  • (1935) (uncredited)
  • Music and lyrics by Cole Porter
  • Played on a record

• "Night And Day"
  • (1932) (uncredited)
  • Music and lyrics by Cole Porter
  • Played by the band at the Embassy Club

• "Goodnight, My Darling"
  • (1942) (uncredited)
  • Written by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl
  • Played by the band at the Oakmont Lodge and
  • Sung by Dennis Morgan

• "There's a Small Hotel"
  • (1936) (uncredited)
  • Music by Richard Rodgers
  • Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
  • Played as background music at a theater

Awards

Ida Lupino was awarded a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress

The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in filmmaking.-1930s:-1940s:-1950s:-1960s:-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...

for her role in the film.