Rating: 
Summary: Pure female power
Review: What happens when you take the men away and just watch a bunch of women gabbing it up? They talk about men, of course! Not a single male of the species appears in this George Cukor comedy, but during their absence every member of the female cast manages to find trouble with one of them. Norma Shearer plays a high-society wife who is devastated when she learns that her husband is leaving her for a perfume salesgirl (Joan Crawford), with whom he has been carrying an affair for a very long time. Rosalind Russell is hysterical as the good friend who appears just in time to deliver the best cut-ups to both parties. This one-liner-laden adaptation of the famous Claire Booth Luce play also features a great cross-country adventure involving Shearer's trip to Reno to get her divorce, where she meets a colourful collection of divorcees worth writing home about, plus a fashion show filmed in full Technicolour.
Rating: 
Summary: Women on the verge.
Review: A delightful romp in the world of high-society dames, circa 1939. Norma Schearer, Rosalind Russell, and a young Joan Crawford head the all-female cast in this sophisticated George Cukor classic. Sharp one-liners, campy dialogue, and witty interplay make this a comedy unlike any other of its time. Without a single four-letter word, this film manages to be intelligently bitchy and wonderfully fun.
Rating:
Summary: MEOW!
Review: See if an intimate, if not questionable clique of upper middle class women can retract their claws long enough to feel a wee bit of compassion for poor Norma Shearer, who learns, on the fly, that her "devoted" husband is having "a little on the side" with perfumary shop girl and general gold-digger/home-wrecker, a young Joan Crawford, before her famous, heavy-handed eyebrows were donned. There are all kinds of humorous scenes, concerning the dynamics of how a group of ever-competing women interact and assemble themselves. There are great Spa backdrops, a trip to a very odd indeed, Divorce/Dude Ranch, where miserable women commiserate while riding horses. Don't despair, in the end true love and marriage win over lust and greed and Joanie gets her just desserts, in the restroom of a fancy-schmancy retaurant and Norma Shearer's true friends, rally round her.
Rating:
Summary: Film classic with all female cast
Review: What a wonderful film. I never tire of watching this classic with an all female cast. And what a cast! Headed by MGM's reigning queen, Norma Shearer, and her chief rival at the studio, Joan Crawford, the film includes the cream of Hollywood's finest actresses, most of whom were to go onto greater things. My own personal favourite actress, Rosalind Russell, is a stand out in the cast as the meddlesome Sylvia who gets her just deserts in fabulous comic terms by the film's end. Roz would go onto to great things in the coming years as this film was a spring board to her becoming the screen's greatest comic actress. Others in the cast include young Joan Fontaine and Paulette Goddard who are also excellent. In fact, every role in the film is cast perfectly. It's one of those films! My advice: if you love film classics, don't miss this one. It's a riot. And the DVD has a number of bonus features that only add to the pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!
Review: PFT!!! HISS!!! Whatta CAT FIGHT!!! I've loved this film for years -- perhaps more every time I see it! This was the classroom for those "Dynasty" broads! It is surely one of the best examples of ensemble performance. The first inkling I ever had of this film was in the 197(?) Los Angeles Film Exposition's tribute to Rosalind Russell. They showed clips from about 15 of her films, and what they showed from "The Women" was the exercise scene. After that, I was on a mission to see the film (prevideo!). But, Roz isn't the only star shining -- they all do -- even the bit players ("So, whatta they want you to do? Lay an egg?"). The script by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin (adapted from the Clare Boothe play) is extraordinarily wonderful. What dialogue! If you haven't had an appreciation for Norma Shearer before, -- well, you certainly will after seeing this film. And Joan Crawford -- "Crystal Allen" may be the woman we'll all like to hate best forever. Oddly, there was no Academy Award nomination for any aspect of this film (perhaps there was an anti-George Cukor movement abroad in 1939 -- he was fired from "Gone With the Wind" remember), not even Adrian's costumes (just get a load of what he put on Roz!). If you've never seen "The Women" -- shame on you!!
Rating:
Summary: You won't believe this movie was made in the 1930s
Review: As a fan of classic movies, I had been introduced to this classic a few years back. Recently it was released on DVD and includes a few extras that are sure to please fans. The Women is a story that focuses on the lives of women (there are no men in this film) that centers on the life of Mary and her struggle with divorce from her husband Steven. Norman Sherer does a fine job with her role as Mary Hainey, but who shines is Rosalind Russell as her sharp witted friend. (Rosalind goes on to win a Golden Globe for her role in Auntie Mame--1954). What makes The Women fascinating is the way they tackle such a taboo topic as divorce, infidelity, betrayal and revenge. If you are a woman and have never seen this film, it is high time you stopped what you were doing, buy this film and enjoy. There hasn't been a fine film with such an ensemble cast in such a long time. Think of this as the Steel Magnolias of 1936.
Rating:
Summary: A Legendary Comedy Comes To DVD
Review: The female of the species goes jungle red in tooth and claw in this brilliant screen adaptation of Claire Boothe Luce's famous Broadway play--a wickedly funny portrait of 1930s society women whose lives revolve around beauty treatments, luncheons, fashion shows, and each other's men. Socialite Mary Haines is the envy of her set: rich, beautiful, and happily married... but when her husband steps out on her with a gold-digging perfume counter sales clerk, Mary's so-called friends dish enough dirt to make divorce inevitable whether Mary wants it or not. The script is wickedly, mercilessly funny, fast paced, razor sharp and filled with such memorable invective that you'll be quoting it for weeks and months afterward: "He says he'd like to do Sylvia's nails right down to the wrist with a buzz-saw;" "Why that old gasoline truck, she's sixty if she's a minute;" "Gimme a bromide--and put some gin in it!" And the all-female cast, which includes every one from Cora Witherspoon to Butterfly McQueen to Hedda Hopper, plays it with tremendous spark. This was the last significant starring role for Norma Shearer, one of MGM's greatest stars of the 1930s, and she aquits herself very well as the much-wronged Mary Haines. But the real winners are the members of the supporting cast. Joan Crawford is truly astonishing as Crystal Allen, the shop girl who leads Mary's husband astray, and Rosalind Russell gives an outrageously funny performance as the back-biting gossip whose nasty comments precipitate Mary's divorce. Indeed, it is hard to do anything except rave about the entire the cast, which includes such diverse performers as Marjorie Main, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine, and Lucille Watson. Even the smallest bit parts score with one-liners that have the impact of a slap in the face, and director George Cukor does an incredible job of keeping everything and every one in sharp focus. Perhaps one of the most interesting things about THE WOMEN is the way in which director Cukor ties the behavior of its characters to their social status. Possessed of absolute leisure and considerable wealth, their energies are inevitably directed into competition for the ultimate status symbol: a successful man. Cukor allows us to sympathize with Mary (Shearer) and laugh at Sylvia (Russell), but he also requires us to pity them--and indirectly encourages gruding admiration for the devious Crystal (Crawford) and the savvy Miriam (Goddard), characters who are considerably more self-reliant. Consequently, not only does THE WOMEN paint a poisoniously funny portait of women as a sex, it takes a hatchet to the society that has shaped their characters as well. Unfortunately, this landmark comedy has not received the full benefit of what DVD offers. Although the print is crisp, the film has not been restored, and the extras are spurious and hardly do the film justice; while I would recommend the DVD simply because you're likely to wear out a VHS, the DVD has no great advantage over the VHS release. But whether you have it on VHS or DVD, this is one title that you must have in your collection: you'll watch it again and again. A must-have!
Rating:
Summary: HERE A CHICK...THERE A CHICK...EVERYWHERE A CHICK-CHICK...
Review: This is a film that has withstood the test of time. It is every bit as entertaining, as when it was first first released back in 1939. The film is an outstanding example of pre-World War II opulence and elegance with its gorgeous art deco sets. Based upon a play by Claire Booth Luce, it boast a snappy and witty screenplay by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin. In the hands of legendary director, George Cukor, this film is sharp, funny, and memorable with stellar performances given by the entire cast. Boasting an all female ensemble, with nary a male in sight, the film revolves around men. How to get 'em. How to keep 'em. How to lose 'em. How to get 'em back. The film details the marital travails of Mary Haines, played by screen great, Norma Shearer. Mary has a coterie of bitchy, gossipy, back biting friends, and included in that group is her cousin Sylvia, played with madcap zaniness by Rosalind Russell. Mary is happily married to wealthy Stephen Haines, or so she thinks. Apparently, her perfect husband is stepping out on her with perfume salesgirl, Crystal Allen, played with bad girl abandon by Joan Crawford, and it seems that all New York knows it. Mary's so called friends ensure that Mary finds herself in a position to discover her husband's betrayal. Mary's mother, Mrs. Moorehead, played with characteristic stateliness and grace by Lucille Watson, counsels her daughter to handle the matter the old fashioned way, promising that the affair will soon burn itself out. She advises her daughter not to betray her feelings about the affair, not to mention it to her husband, not to discuss it among her friends, and to turn a blind eye to the whole matter. Mary reluctanly tries to adhere to her mother's counsel, until a chance encounter with the now full of herself Crystal Allen causes Mary to lose control, and the fur begins to fly. Mary, now taking a more contemporary approach, totally disregards her mother's advice and refuses to overlook the affair or forgive her husband for the pain and humiliation he has caused her. Leaving him, the inevitable happens, but all's well that ends well. The performances by this all star cast are to be lauded, as each and every one of those cast in this film contribute to making it a truly great film. Norma Shearer is perfectly cast as the somewhat prim and proper Mary Haines. She plays her role with studied restraint, until the final shot in the film, when she crosses the line. While the fact that she was the widow of Irving Thalberg, a well respected studio head who had died about two years prior to the filming of this movie, may have contributed to her getting the lead, she certainly deserved it in her own right, as she had been a leading lady for many years (Romeo and Juliet, Marie Antoinette, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, Private Lives, etc.) and a big star. Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford were actually real life rivals and had never much liked each other, so I am sure that playing rivals in this film was not a stretch. Joan Crawford is wonderful as the "man trap" who steals Mary's husband. She plays the role of Crystal as a hard edged girl from the wrong side of the tracks who grabs for the brass ring. Though she does not have all that many scenes in the film, her presence is such that the viewer does not immediately realize it. Rosalind Russell, in her first comedic role is terrific. She had previously done only dramatic roles and actually auditioned for the role of Sylvia, playing it three different ways. She played it straight. She played it with a light comedic touch. She played it with total, over the top, comedic abandon. When George Cukor selected her for the role, he told her that the third way was the way he wanted her to play it. At first, Ms. Russell balked, thinking that such comedic excess would be the end of her career. He convinced her that madcap zaniness was the way to go, and she complied, giving an over the top, zany performance that was an instant hit. This film kicked off her start as a comedic actress. Kudos also go to Mary Boland, as Flora, the Countess DeLave ("l'amour, l'amour"), as well as to Paulette Goddard, as Miriam Aarons, the divorcee who steals Sylvia's husband, and to Joan Fontaine, as the sweetly naive Peggy. Ms. Fontaine looks remarkably like her estranged sister, Olivia DeHaviland, in this film. Marjorie Main plays the role of Lucy, the crude, rough, no nonsence country woman. It is a role reminiscent of a young Ma Kettle, a role she would play in the 1947 film, "The Egg and I." It would be a role that she would take to the bank, as it would spin off into a wildly popular series of "Ma and Pa Kettle" films for Universal Pictures. Virginia Weidler is affecting as little Mary, the Haines' young daughter. Butterfly McQueen, of "Gone With The Wind" fame, has the small part of Lulu, the cosmetics counter maid. Keep your eye open for Hedda Hopper, the real life gossip columnist. Staying true to form, she plays the role of Dolly Dupuyster, a gossip columnist, who appears towards the very end of the film. Don't blink, or you'll miss her. The film is shot in black and white, though it has a fashion show segment that is shot entirely in color. The elegant and chic wardrobe for the cast is provided by the noted designer, Adrian. This is a film that will be enjoyed by viewers who enjoy vintage films, as well as by those who simply love a great movie. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: JUNGLE RED!!!!!
Review: Probably the best movie comedy there is because it is absolutely One-Of-A-Kind. An all female cast in a movie about females in the Female Jungle. Hence the catch-phrase "jungle red" for the hot new nail color at Sydney's--the swank salon for the trendiest females--"jungle red" is the color of blood. And the "blood" flies with the fur as these gals rip each other to shreds. Unbeatable cast of pros, costumes (including a color fashion show that must be seen to be believed) and George Cukor at the helm make for one-helluva good show. The DVD is first-rate from Warner Bros. But it's the ladies that provide the entertainment here. Riotous script by Anita Loos & Jane Murfin from the Broadway play by Clare Booth Luce have the girls literally bouncing off the walls with catty dialogue and sniping about everything. A MUST see for film lovers and Rosalind Russell and Crawford fans. Only Norma Shearer hits a false note as Mary the wife done wrong. Her performance is badly dated and very stylized. But actually, it just brings the film up from "camp" to "high camp" so why quibble...note the final shot to see what I mean. Hell, this must have been camp in 1939! Just pop this in, sit back and see what acting is all about. A genuine classic and a much beloved American film on all counts.
Rating:
Summary: Still
Review: I saw this movie for the first time a year ago and had to get it on DVD. Even though it was done over 60 years ago, the lines are sharp and funny - I laughed so hard watching it, and my boyfriend (who I had to force at first to watch) loved it too! Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell steal the show, Crawford's last line in the movie is classic! It is really a great piece of filmaking, and an outstanding example of what good screenwriting can be!
|
