The Women (1939)

The Women is sharp, witty, fast paced and stylish.

Husbands cheat on their wives, friends are catty and divorce is just a misstep away in this classic movie. The Women is a sophisticated comedy that deals with issues that are never ending. Mary Haines (Norma Shearer), a society wife learns that her husband is cheating with another woman. She does her best to keep friends from guessing that she knows. But, in a world where all of your friends are wealthy, high maintenance, and so bored that all they do is lunch and go to fashion shows, a cheating husband is fodder for wagging tongues and sly winks.

Rosalind Russell as Mary’s sharp-tongued underhanded cousin, is the perfect foil for Shearer's sympathetic character. Joan Crawford has one of her best man-grabbing, husband stealing roles in this film. At one point when the husband tries to cancel their date. She becomes indignant because "he tried to stand her up for his wife". Another time in a confrontation with the man’s wife she says, "When Stephen doesn't like what I'm wearing, I take it off". Yes--this film really was made in 1939.

These women are such a tight knit clique that they even go to the same divorce dude ranch. Ranch owner Lucy (Margorie Main), is a no nonsense woman who claims that she has no sympathy for these rich, spoiled and pampered women, but some are so immature and naive, she can‘t resist their charm. The Countess DeLav (Mary Boland) continues to believe in the magic of first love, no matter how many times she gets married.

Some of the films dialogue still sounds fresh, when Mary tells her mother that her husband is cheating, her mother reply’s that Mary's father did the same thing and she kept quite. She advises Mary to do the same, Mary responds, "Mother, this is the 20th century.” Time has not tarnished this must-have classic movie’s wit and sophistication.

Also in the cast are Paulette Goddard and Joan Fontaine. Ruth Hussey and Virginia Grey appear in minor roles and, columnist Hedda Hopper brings her real-life persona to the screen as a society gossip snoop. There are no men in this sophisticated comedy. However, you do not miss them; they are the subject of the movie. Great fun.

The film The Women was adapted from a play written by Clare Boothe and directed by George Cukor. Although the film is black and white, the magnificent fashion show sequence is in color. It is pure glamour when the fashions are shown in glorious Technicolor. Classic movie.

The Women (Keepcase) is available from Amazon.com and other sites.