Old Dude, Old Movies - "The Women"

You must watch this movie. Especially if you are a man trying to understand women, you must watch this movie. This 1939 release is called a "comedy", but there is big melodrama in the midst of the script.

This cast is among the most star-laden ever assembled. Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine, Marjorie Main and Ruth Hussey are among the ensemble. Hedda Hopper, Cora Witherspoon and Butterfly McQueen are also a part of this team. As some already know, however, there is not one male among the cast. Not a one. Given that, the female characters have the chance to really cut loose. With no men on-screen, one doesn't have to have the customary male-female dynamic. That liberates the script to go into how women deal with other women in a raw, down-to-earth way.

You can go to so many links to read the synopsis. I got a kick out of several things, though.

One, the friendships were enduring. "Mary" (Shearer) and her mother (Lucile Watson) were very close, and the elder had the type of timeless wisdom that applies even today. Mary and "Peggy" (Fontaine) are equals, and Mary is more than willing to support the distraught Peggy when the ladies are in Reno.

Two, the ladies were decked out to the nines. Watch Crawford's "Crystal" throughout the movie, especially in the scene were Russell's "Sylvia" goes to surveil Crystal at work. Crawford is stunningly beautiful, from the curls that gently frame her face, to the sleek black dress. That was one gorgeous woman, and she knew it. Crystal knew she had power over any man who crossed her path, and was eager to use that power to her personal benefit. Yeah, she was a gold-digger, and didn't care who knew it.

Three, the comedy works. From the scenes in Reno (especially the fight between Goddard's "Miriam" and Sylvia) and the party at the end, the physical comedy is well-plotted. The entire script is filled with witticisms, delivered in a crisp cadence. Some characters are catty, others are hopeful.

There is such a wide range of feminine characterizations and reactions. Women watching it should recognize present-day personality types, perhaps even their own. Men should get keen insight on how women are & how women interact with one another.

This is a superb motion picture that stands up nearly 74 years later. I give it the highest recommendation I can muster.