the audience applauded

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

If you have not seen this film, you are missing a great classic film. Director Mitchell Leisen's skill with art design, his precise handling of actors, and an attention to detail are quite obvious. What is also obvious is that the picture's sets and furniture have that grandiose William Hearst feel to it. Later, I was not surprised to find out that Leisen had indeed borrowed items from Hearst . Maybe the publishing magnate was hoping that Paramount's director would cast main squeeze Marion Davies in the title role. That obviously did not happen. But we do have Paulette Goddard, who despite the dazzling array of Hearst treasures, is perhaps the most ornate piece of set décor on screen.

Yes, the costumes were beautiful...so was the production...alas, no Technicolor, which it deserved...we're talking about 1945, not 1935..cheap Paramount.. They seemed to prefer Technicolor for those Dorothy Lamour jungle movies. As for Paulette, it was her best performance that i could recall, though she was never considered a good acting actress. I did find fault in her cockney accent 'period'. Her acting improved as the story continued. One scene that puzzled me, was the one with Dennis Hoey who was trampling Paulette as he discovered her robbing him, and the young girl killing him accidentally. The bad housekeeper saw this and chased her to her death. I wondered what ever happened to her...and her witnessing this? To me, that was a major flaw of this movie. Bad editing? There were no scenes following on this matter. Did not the police investigate his death? Did not the housekeeper, who hated Paulette, informed the police that she was robbing her master and that led to his death...You would have thought the housekeeper would relish the thought of reporting Paulette to the police, after Paulette reprimanded her for smacking the young girl earlier. This bothered me in viewing it. As for Ray Milland, he was at his best, as usual, and won an Oscar that same year 1945, for "lost Weekend" and became a big leading man.

Paulette Goddard reached one of her cinema high points in portraying the title role in Kitty. The film is part Pygmalion, part Forever Amber, and part Oliver Twist and all entertainment.She's a diamond in the rough, a rare beauty who was bonded out of fondling home to Sara Allgood who runs a Fagin like enterprise for girls. But Paulette has found a way to make a more honest living, she's posing for Sir Thomas Gainsborough. She's discovered doing just that by a couple of Georgian blades, Ray Milland and Patric Knowles.Milland finds her later and discovers her origins, but the painting she posed for has come to the attention of Lord Reginald Owen who would like to get to know the lady. Milland sees opportunity here and together with his aunt Constance Collier starts tutoring Paulette like Henry Higgins did with Eliza Doolittle on the finer points of genteel manners and speech.He tutors her well and Paulette's beauty does the rest. It's a pity that Kitty was not done in color, perhaps had it been made even the following year Paramount might have invested in it.What they did invest in and I'm sure this was at the insistence of director Mitchell Leisen was in Art&Set design. Leisen who did this before he became a director caught all the mood and ambiance of the late 18th Century Great Britain. The Art&Set Design earned Kitty its only recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts&Science with an Oscar nomination in that category.Leisen also did well by his players. I did so love the bickering about art with Cecil Kellaway as Gainsborough and Gordon Richards as Sir Joshua Reynolds. Also take note of Dennis Hoey as the first of two husbands Goddard acquires going up the social ladder. Believe me, Scarlett O'Hara had nothing on Kitty.

This film was a wonderful tribute to Paulette Goddard's looks and abilities. At the top of her career, she proves that she is one of Hollywood's most glamorous enduring stars. In this film she plays a guttersnipe that is chosen by Gainsborough (played wonderfully by Cecil Kellaway) to have her portrait painted in typical Gainsborough fashion. As she poses for him two handsome dandies stop by for a visit, only to be bewitched by her beauty, thinking she is of noble birth, much to Kellaway's amusement. Upon learning the truth, Ray Milland, trains Kitty to head for bigger prey, hoping to make himself rich, as he is living way over his means. Of course, she falls in love with him. Along the way to fame, Kitty becomes a Duchess and goes her own way to success, even though she still loves Milland. In the end, love wins out. A wonderful performance is also given by Constance Collier as Milland's drunken lady friend in conspiracy. The scene when she is introduced to the waif Goddard and is reposing, drunk in her bed, is hysterical. 5 stars to this one. Goddard never looked lovelier. In fact,I have an original color poster from the film. A vintage collection I am quite proud of.