Rating: NR
Genre:
Comedy Drama
Release Date: 06/14/2005
SubTitles: English/French/Espanol/Por
Dubbed: English/French
Sound: DD1
Run Time: 133 Minutes
Flags: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children
Distributor/Studio: Warner Home Video
Based on the
Clare Booth Luce play of the same name, this
MGM comedy is justly famous for its all-female cast and deft direction by
George Cukor. The plot centers on a group of gossipy high-society women who spend their days at the beauty salon and haunting fashion shows. The sweet, happily wedded
Mary Haines (
Norma Shearer) finds her marriage in trouble when shopgirl
Crystal Allen (
Joan Crawford) gets her hooks into
Mary's man. Naturally, this situation becomes the hot talk amongst
Mary's catty friends, especially the scandalmonger
Sylvia Fowler (
Rosalind Russell), who has little room to talk -- she finds herself on a train to Reno and headed for divorce right after
Mary. But with a bit of guts and daring,
Mary snatches her man right back from
Crystal's clutches. Snappy, witty dialogue, much of it courtesy of veteran screenwriter
Anita Loos, helps send this film's humor over the top. So do the characterizations --
Crawford is as venomous as they come, and this was
Russell's first chance to show what she could do as a comedienne. And don't discount
Shearer -- her portrayal of good-girl
Mary is never overpowered by these two far-flashier roles. The only part of
The Women that misses is the fashion-show sequence. It was shot in color -- an innovative idea in its day -- but now both the concept and clothes are dreary and archaic. Do keep an eye on the supporting players, though, especially
Mary Boland as the
Countess DeLage. The role was based on a cafe society dame of that era, the Countess DiFrasso, who had a wild affair with
Gary Cooper; that romance is satirized here.
~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
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