The Women (1939)

Absolutely amazing

A lot of fun.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I can't believe how many good reviews this movie has gotten from other people. Anybody who enjoys this film MUST absolutely hate women in general and enjoy seeing them portrayed as mean-spirited scandal mongers. In my 75 years of life I have never seen as many rotten women as I see in this one movie.The only nice things about the movie are the child and her dog. Skip this unless unless you hate women.

This all female cast creates a groundbreaking hilarious film. Numerous women all get intertwined together in a series of scandals and divorces. All the actresses are great and play their roles very well. They all have their very own distinct personalities that fit them to perfection. Its easy to relate to almost any female. When they discuss the color "jungle red" as the "newest color" it sounds like my very own nail salon telling me all about their new products. It is still comparable to even modern day society even when this movie was created in 1939. The "trials and tribulations" that these women go through throughout the movie is still what some women face in their own towns and husbands. This is a great whirlwind of comedy and it is sure to brighten almost anyone's day.

This movie is very funny and drama motivated with an all female cast. Not a single male appears throughout the entire movie. The constant, fast gossip and the set allow for such a dramatic feel: the audience is taken into rich apartments and shops alive with extravagant items where drama is always happening. This movie also got around many of the requirements of films at the time (there are scenes like when the women are in bubble baths suggesting nudity) by focusing on the situations with other characters. The cinematography and editing in this movie are well thought out. Close ups are very effective, and every single telephone interaction includes a close up, allowing the audience to really see the emotions of the women as they deal with their various issues with other women/ their husbands, adding to the drama. There are many short takes coupled with a fast-moving camera between rooms, especially at the beginning of the film, that both contribute to the fast-life feel that the women are living in. Clearly, the focus on women in this film was progressive in terms of the film industry and society at the time, and the portrayal of unreserved females went along with the changing view of women during the early 1900s. However, there is also another side of this film that is making fun of the upper class and how ridiculous their drama is compared to real problems in the world. Nonetheless, both of these sides of the movie were influential and effective.

One thing can be said about this film with certainty: It is a must-see for any film enthusiast. Adapted from a play, "The Women" features a massive cast that is all female. And that cast includes many of the major stars of the day and many actresses that will later be stars.A few of them that deserve special mention are Norma Shearer, who gives a wonderfully sensitive performance as Mary Haines. Joan Crawford, who plays the villainess Crystal Allen, really demonstrates the full range of her abilities: in some scenes she shifts effortlessly and instantly from one emotion to another which a rapidity that feels so authentic. Rosalind Russell plays the gossip Sylvia Fowler, who is the epitome of the passive-aggressive meddler. Joan Fontaine is charming as Peggy Day, a younger bride. And Marjorie Main gives her usual broad performance, a comic counterpoint to the anxieties of the women around her.Much of the credit for the successes of this film go to director George Cukor. Stories from the set are evidence that his guiding hand crafted many of the performances and gave the film, in general, a cohesive integrity.The film's narrative is simple. Mary Haines discovers that her husband might be having an affair. When the alleged home wrecker is revealed--a shopgirl--she must decide how to deal with the situation. Throughout the film, women are given an opportunity to voice their feelings and concerns, mostly about relationships with men and other women.The B&W film includes a full color section, a fashion show, featuring the designs of Adrian. It's an effective use of color, but it leaves one thinking how wonderful this film, if shot only in Technicolor, could be.Today's viewers might wonder if this film (with a script primarily written by Anita Loos, adapted from a play by Clare Boothe Luce) passes the Bechdel Test, given its emphasis on the feminine. I will leave that to viewers to discover, but there is a lot of talk about men in this film. And the Test has been shown to be a superficial measure of a film's overall value.This is a valuable time capsule from 1939, Hollywood's golden year.