Customer Reviews

The Women

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ignore myths of sisterhood. Women can be nasty, catty, devious, gossipy and gleeful -- especially about each other. So expect lots of that in "The Women," a screwball comedy about divorce, remarriage, affairs and lots and lots of inner feuding. It's a practically perfect girls' movie.

The uppermost ladies of Manhattan lunch, spa, shop and especially gossip together. So when Mary Haines' (Norma Shearer) hubby takes a perfume-counter mistress Crystal (Joan Crawford), the other women try to keep it from her. But Mary finds out, and after confronting her husband with his infidelity, she demands a divorce -- and so it's off to Reno with her goody-two-shoes pal Peggy (Joan Fontaine).

She spends the next few weeks at a ranch with other soon-to-be-divorced women, including her neurotic cousin, a much-divorced countess and a vixen. And though Mary still loves her husband, he feels obligated to marry Crystal. But then Mary's daughter reveals some juicy new information about Crystal -- and Mary's pals band together to help her set things right.

"The Women" is an all-star cast, with all women. Not a man to be seen or even heard (although I can't vouch for the animals) -- even the kids are all girls. This allows the attention to remain on The Women, whether it's the naive girls, kindly matrons or the catty hens.

The original play was by Clare Boothe Luce, but Anita Loos gives it her own witty spin. And Loos -- the original chick-litter -- knew how to spin witty, sparking dialogue without breaking a sweat ("She's got those eyes that run up and down a man like a searchlight!").

The plot moves at a fast pace, with the occasional lull, where we get some barbed dialogue about marriage and infidelity. Few movies can handle catfights in a really funny manner (Sylvia biting Miriam on the leg), throw in some insights about men and women's relationships, a dash of romance, revenge, and a climactic battle that involves a broom closet.

Shearer, Paulette Goddard and Mary Boland are all great as women hardened and strengthened by having their guy stolen; Rosalind Russell is hilarious as Shearer's immature, weirdly-dressed cousin, and Joan Crawford is as slimy and vicious as her role demands. The one dark spot is Virginia Weidler, who basically has to simper and whimper -- sadly, because she was delightful in "Philadelphia Story."

"The Women" prove that oftentimes, the female of the species is more deadly -- and more resourceful -- than the male. Hilarious, witty and wonderfully catty.

Mary Haines believes she has the perfect life with a wonderful husband and loving daughter. Perfect, that is, until she hears the idle gossip from the woman at the spa about how Mr. Haines has taken up with Crystal Allen, a shopgirl who sells perfume. Listening to her friends Sylvia Fowler, Edith Potter, and Peggy Day, Mary does all she can to win back her husband from the scheming arms of Crystal.

This Geroge Cukor film has one of the sharpest scripts written for the screen, and features many of the Golden Era's best actresses: Norma Shearer as Mary Haines; Joan Crawford as the conniving shopgirl Crystal; Joan Fontaine as the innocent Peggy Day; and in one of the best performances, Rosalind Russell as the fast-talking Syliva Folwer. Her rapid-fire delivery of some of the most sarcastic lines is amazing to watch, and she gives the character much comic flair. Marjorie Main pops in for a while as Lucy, who runs a ranch in Reno for women going through divorces. In a short but fantastic scene, Virginia Grey plays Pat, another shopgirl working with Crystal who can't help but try to unnerve Crystal while she's on the phone with Mr. Haines. Even columnist Hedda Hopper makes a brief appearance toward the end of the film.

Two other remarkable notes about this film: of the 135-member cast, there is not one man present in the film. And two: the film is black and white, with the exception of a fashion show sequence toward the middle of the film which is shown in glorious technicolor. It's a bit lengthy but marvelous to look at all those fashions designed by Adrian (who has quite a long list of memorable films to his design credits).

The DVD is a restored version of the film. (The difference can be seen in the alternate version of the fshion show sequence included as a bonus.) Also, there are two short films: one about the romance of the cinemal the other about using the movies to influence the fashion trends around the world. Wonderful bits of movie history. This is a great film, full of smart dialogue and great acting. A true cinema classic.

This movie is wonderful! It takes place in a different era so the ideas and stereotypes are a lot more prominent but the single idea is still clear. Woman Power! One review I was reading (from a woman) said that this movie needed a man in it! The whole point to this movie is to show women at their cattiest, their meanest, their sweetest and their most loving. This is a movie made for women by WOMEN. That's not to say a man won't enjoy it though, it's impossible. One amazon customer poor review said that it was horrible to portray women in this way. The whole purpose to this movie is to show a powerful strong protagonist woman who (in spite of being held back by the small fact she is a woman) is independent and strong. Yes, some women in the film are mean and catty but some women are also sweet and loyal! It's different personalities all coming together to make a movie that is a classic and should never have been re-done because it was horribly butchered and was a total joke. This is my favorite movie and is perfect exactly the way it is, whether your a feminist or not. It promotes strong minded women in a time when that was frowned upon.

If you haven't seen "The Women," do yourself a favor and see it any way you can - I checked out the video from my local library. I've never been a Norma Shearer fan, but she's good here...however, the movie belongs, in my humble opinion, to Paulette Goddard, Mary Boland, and, of course, Rosalind Russell. The catfight between Goddard and Russell is, by itself, worth the price of the video or DVD. So is Marjorie Main's brief part. Boland is hilarious. Goddard is delicious. Crawford is great in her part. Shearer, in keeping with the times, is a bit stilted in her role, but she plays it well, anyway. The dialogue is fast and kicky and great fun. The clothes are beautiful. They just don't make movies like this anymore!!!

I am a big fan of black and white movies. The movie is kept at a high tempo - never a dull moment. I recomend it to everyone.

This is definitely ny favorite movie. Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell are hilarious as two pampered Park Avenue socialites. Morma Shearer plays Mary Haines, a devoted wife and mother who is greatly upset by marriage troubles about her unfaithful husband. Rosalind Russell plays Sylvia Fowler, a catty gossip who just has to get the dirt on everyone. The best parts are the fight scene in Reno, and the end. This movie is great for anyone who prefers classic movies to the boring and awful recent ones. Rent this movie today

Holds your attention the entire way through at its 2 hr and 13 min running time. Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford steal the show and Rosalind Russell of Auntie Mame fame gives one of her best performances. I appreciated Cukor's brilliant use of color for the fashion show sequence and some of the cinmatography throughout the film is truly thrilling. The ending is the best part of the film with a comical and fast paced cat fight and Crawford getting her come uppance.

This is a movie about the lives of a group of New York socialites who's loves revolve around gossip, fashion and the art of being just a woman. Very entertaining, funny and it's so amazing that gossip was entertaining then as it is today in the age of cell phones, internet and tv, we still seek that most entertaining of all guilty pleasures !

This movie surprised me with how good it was played out with only a female cast. The story involves husbands, mostly unfaithful, yet there is not one male in the film. Norma Shearer is excellent, and the other women give memorable performances, as well. It was a unique idea and it worked.

I love this movie I watch it often...about a tramp, Joan Crawford, who breaks up a marriage, Norma Shearer, in the high society group. Norma Shearer shows her grace and classic beauty in her performance in this movie. I watched it a couple of times before realizing there is not one man in the whole picture...I recomend this movie to anyone who likes a real classic....