Product Details

• Actors: Ginger Rogers, Joel McCrea, Marjorie Rambeau, Henry Travers, Miles Mander
• Directors: Gregory La Cava
• Writers: Gregory La Cava, Allan Scott, Robert L. Buckner, Victoria Lincoln, Walter Hart
• Producers: Gregory La Cava
• Format: NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: May 3, 1989
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301293339
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,829 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From Wikipedia: Plot Tomboy Ellie May Adams (Ginger Rogers) keeps her virtue despite her difficult circumstances. Her alcoholic, Greek scholar father Homer (Miles Mander) is unemployable, leaving her loving mother Mamie (Marjorie Rambeau) to support the family by going out with men. Her ex-prostitute grandmother (Queenie Vassar) sees nothing wrong with their shared profession and is already corrupting Ellie May's much younger sister Honeybell (Joan Carroll). One day, Ellie May warily accepts a ride to the beach from Gramp (Henry Travers). Gramp runs a beachside restaurant and gas station along with wisecracking Ed Wallace (Joel McCrea). Ellie May falls in love with Ed and eventually, after lying to him about being thrown out by her family over him, gets him to marry her. She becomes an industrious, well-liked waitress in the restaurant. However, she makes a grave mistake when she finally agrees to take Ed to meet the rest of her family. When her lies about her relations are revealed, Ed leaves her. To add to her woes, her father accidentally shoots her mother during one of his drunken, half-hearted attempts at suicide. Before she dies, Mamie gets Ellie May to promise to take care of the family. When Ellie May cannot find work, in desperation, she finally takes up the family profession. Thelma (Vivienne Osborne), Mamie's friend and co-worker, arranges for Ellie May to accompany her, her current boyfriend, and "Mr. Smith" (an uncredited Charles Lane) on a car trip to San Francisco. On the way, Ellie May gets them to stop at Ed's favorite nightclub, where she bitterly pretends to be what her husband thinks she is. However, after a private talk with a sympathetic Mr. Smith, Ed figures out the truth and takes Ellie May back. He also accepts the burden of her family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars new rogers, same thrill, May 26, 2004

By 

Steven L. Katz "H.S Katz" (Newton, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Primrose Path [VHS] (VHS Tape)

it would have been easy for Ginger Rogers to overact, but she doesn't. She's in fact incredible as the poor daughter or a prostitute. She has her natural red hair back, but it's the same face if you look deep enough. She played this role without almost any make-up, and she looks very natural because of it. she meets Joel McCrea (another musical actor who, like Ginger makes the transtion to drama quite easily)when you think about it, their relationship is almost astaire-rogers like. First they meet, ginger rebuffs (he kisses her, she slaps him) then, they fall in love (they even get married) then a misunderstanding tears them apart, but they fall into each other's arms come the end credits. This movie is quite grown-up for 1940. (a notice came up before showing on TCM from 1940 that this movie was approved for adult audiences) there's nothing worse than kissing (quite a bit though) but the themes are adult. The chemistry between the two stars is wicked. when they lay under a boat he's painting, (he's practically on top of her) it's almost eerie how they fir together. Yes, it is serious, bur when Rogers smiles, she lights up the whole screen, and you can't help but love her. In case it gets too serious, afretwards, watch 42nd street (1933)(where Gin's at her wisecracking best) or carefree, shall we dance? or swingtime, where she's at her musical-comedy best. But don't forget to enjoy this film, because it's deffinately worthy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "We Live Not As We Want To, But As We Must", January 18, 2006

By 

manda600 (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Primrose Path [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The above quote is how this excellent melodrama starts, at it really sets the tone for the rest of the film. "Primrose Path" does a fantastic job of illustrating the lengths a person can be driven to out of sheer desperation. Ginger Rogers' acting in this film is hard to put into words. It's simply perfect. Her portrayal is at once completely natural, yet incredibly nuanced. Two scenes, in particular, when her husband leaves and when her mother dies, are excellent examples of acting at its best. Another of Rogers' films, "Kitty Foyle", released the same year, garnered more attention, mainly because it was a based on a hugely popular book, while "Primrose Path" was highly controversial. Personally, I think Rogers should have won the Oscar for this film, instead of "Kitty Foyle". I highly recommend "Primrose Path". However, be forewarned. While there is no outright violence or sex, this is not a family film, as it deals with very adult themes, such as poverty, alcoholism, and prostitution.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Primrose Path With Ginger Rogers & Joel McCrea, December 8, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Primrose Path [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Excellent movie, lots of fun and has everything, love, romance, comedy nicely mixed with drama. Girl from wrong side of the tracks falls for boy from right side of tracks, love blooms and the fun begins during their stormy courtship, but destined romance and love affair. Ellie May's family adds just the right touch of a dysfunctional family that will make you laugh, but also touch your heart with sadness and your eye ducts with a tear or two. I highly recommend it, great fun with a stellar cast.