Finishing School (1934)

Finishing School is that deliciously brisk pre-Code cocktail where romance, rebellion, and social hypocrisy fizz together with a mischievous sparkle that still feels daring. Frances Dee gives Virginia a tender backbone—wide-eyed but never weak—while Ginger Rogers, as her sharp and loyal friend, adds a jolt of wit and modern attitude that keeps every scene lively. The film’s fun comes from how quickly it moves between giddy escapism and real emotional stakes, as a young woman tests the “rules” designed to polish her into obedience and finds something truer instead. If you like classic Hollywood when it’s a little naughty, a little sincere, and unafraid to side with youthful impulse over polite reputation, this one’s a delight—even if viewers wanting a purely genteel schoolroom drama may be surprised by its bite.

Finishing School wants to be a cheeky, socially conscious romance about a sheltered rich girl testing the rules and falling for a working-class medical intern, with a clear jab at hypocritical “proper” institutions. The problem is it often leans on drinking-party scandal and whispered sexual danger more to raise eyebrows than to build truly gripping drama, and the story can feel stuck in an awkward middle ground between pre-Code naughtiness and later moral restraint. If you’re hoping for sharp social critique or a sweeping love story with real heat and momentum, the pacing and dated attitudes may leave you underwhelmed. Still, Frances Dee brings sincere vulnerability, Billie Burke is reliably polished, and Ginger Rogers adds a spark of personality that makes the film more watchable than its thin plotting suggests.