Red-Headed Woman (1932)

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Anita Loos (screenplay)
Katharine Brush (book)
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Lil works for the Legendre Company and causes Bill to divorce Irene and marry her. She has an affair...

Plot Keywords:

Chauffeur | Divorce | Gold Digger | Horse | Bootlegger

Cast

Jean Harlow	...	Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre
Chester Morris	...	William 'Bill' / 'Willie' Legendre Jr.
Lewis Stone	...	William 'Will' Legendre Sr.
Leila Hyams	...	Irene 'Rene' Legendre
Una Merkel	...	Sally
Henry Stephenson	...	Charles B. 'Charlie' / 'C.B.' Gaerste
May Robson	...	Aunt Jane
Charles Boyer	...	Albert
Harvey Clark	...	Uncle Fred
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Armetta	...	Waiter Warning Bill of Lipstick (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Man Wanting to Use Phone Booth (uncredited)
Ed Brady	...	Man Outside Pool Hall (uncredited)
Ralph Byrd	...	Driver, At End of Film, With Mustache. (uncredited)
Albert Conti	...	Frenchman in Paris (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Surprised Party Guest (uncredited)
James T. Mack	...	Thomas, Legendre Butler (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Gaerste's Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Wilfrid North	...	Judge at Divorce Hearing (uncredited)
Edgar Norton	...	Tompkins - Gaerste's Butler (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter at Gaerste Party (uncredited)
Sarah Padden	...	Mary - Legendre Maid (uncredited)
William Pawley	...	Al (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Waiter Calling Bill to Phone (uncredited)
Eddie Phillips	...	Gaerste's Dinner Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Conway

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Katharine Brush		book
F. Scott Fitzgerald		uncredited
Anita Loos		screenplay

Produced by
Albert Lewin	....	producer (uncredited)
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Costume Design by
Adrian		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Dorian	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
James Brock	....	sound (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1932) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Jean Harlow's first line is "So gentlemen prefer blondes, do they?" which was written by Anita Loos for the movie. Loos' most famous work was the 1925 novel "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Sally is removing her pajamas to give back to Lillian, the camera is constantly moving to keep the nudity out of the frame. However, when Sally removes her top and hands it to Lillian, you can easily see Jean Harlow's right breast fully bared for a half second. (About 12 frames between 0:17:18 to 0:17:19 on the DVD.)

Quotes:

Man Outside Pool Hall:There's a dame. Strictly on the level, like a flight of stairs.

Movie Connections:

References Trader Horn (1931)

Soundtrack:

I'm Nobody's Baby

Jean Harlow Triumphs In Salacious Tale

Lillian, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, knows exactly what she wants & how to get it. Right now, she wants her young, handsome, rich & very married boss. Using her considerable - one might almost say ostentatious - physical charms, Lillian lets few obstacles stand in her way for long. After all, she's THE RED-HEADED WOMAN, and she always gets her man...

Jean Harlow was a sensation in this immoral tale, which practically shouts its pre-Production Code status. This film solidified her stardom and helped define her screen persona for generations of viewers to come. She not only had the looks, but she proved herself to be a fine actress, as well.

While the plot revolves around Harlow, the rest of the cast acquit themselves very well: Chester Morris, stern-jawed but very vulnerable as Jean's conquest; Leila Hyams, quietly sympathetic as Morris' wife; canny old Lewis Stone as Morris' father - one of the few men able to see through Harlow's tricks; Henry Stephenson as a millionaire who falls easy prey to Harlow's wiles. The story is helped considerably by the addition of two tart-tongued character actresses, Una Merkel & May Robson, whose lively lines help spark the fun. That's Charles Boyer, not quite yet a star, as Jean's chauffeur/boyfriend at the end of the story.

Movie mavens will recognize Henry Armetta in an uncredited bit as a comic waiter.

Notice that for all her outrageous behavior, Harlow's character remains unpunished & unrepentant - a situation not allowed a couple of years later with the adoption of the Code.