The Woman in Red (1935)

Shelby Barrett (Barbara Stanwyck) rides show horses for wealthy widow "Nicko" Nicholas (Genevieve Tobin)and meets Johnny Wyatt (Gene Raymond), scion of a once-wealthy Long Island Family, ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Florey

Writers:

Wallace Irwin (novel), Mary C. McCall Jr.,

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Raymond, Genevieve Tobin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Shelby Barret Wyatt
Gene Raymond	...	John 'Johnny' Wyatt
Genevieve Tobin	...	Mrs. 'Nicko' Nicholas
John Eldredge	...	Eugene 'Gene' Fairchild
Phillip Reed	...	Dan McCall
Dorothy Tree	...	Mrs. Olga Goodyear
Russell Hicks	...	Defense Attorney Clayton
Nella Walker	...	Aunt Bettina
Claude Gillingwater	...	Grandpa Wyatt
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Casserly
Hale Hamilton	...	Wyatt Furness
Edward Van Sloan	...	Prosecuting Attorney Foxall (as Ed Van Sloan)
Forrester Harvey	...	Mooney
Bill Elliott	...	Stuart Wyatt (as Gordon Elliott)
Frederick Vogeding	...	Nels Erickson (as Fred Vogeding)

Storyline

Shelby Barrett (Barbara Stanwyck) rides show horses for wealthy widow "Nicko" Nicholas (Genevieve Tobin)and meets Johnny Wyatt (Gene Raymond), scion of a once-wealthy Long Island Family, but who now goes about the country riding polo ponies for "Nicko." Despite the efforts of "Nicko" and wealthy Gene Fairchild (John Eldredge), who is in love with Shelby, Johnny and Shelby are married. Shelby is treated frigidly by her snobby-but-broke in-laws, who frown even more when she and Johnny start handling the horses for wealthy neighbors on money Shelby had borrowed from Fairchild without telling her proud-but-broke husband. Matters aren't helped any when "Nicko" shows up and starts a gossip circuit directed against Shelby. When Johnny is away, Fairchild asks Shelby to help him entertain a wealthy client aboard his yacht. She tries to contact Johnny and fails but accepts the invitation. The customer shows up drunk with a likewise female companion, who manages to fall overboard and drown but ...

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Plot Keywords:

horse | polo | yacht | marriage | elopement | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

En kvinde i rødt

Filming Locations:

San Pedro Breakfast Club, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Shelby Barret Wyatt: Well, this *is* a surprise! That's a pretty old line, but it seems to fit.

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Connections

Referenced in Batman: The Greatest Mother of Them All (1966)

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Soundtracks

"I Only Have Eyes for You"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung by Gene Raymond

User Reviews

Barbara makes it work

The Woman In Red is a great example of a film that Barbara Stanwyck raises in quality just being in it. She plays a show horse rider who falls for a society polo player despite Genevieve Tobin who keeps him to ride her horses and give her an occasional ride as this Code controlled picture ever so gently implies. When she loses her blond Adonis Gene Raymond, Tobin becomes the wicked witch of the west.

More good natured about losing Barbara is newly rich John Eldredge a recent arrival in the horsey set. But since his ancestry doesn't go back to the Mayflower they drink his liquor and sneer behind his back. Barbara don't miss a thing though. Eldredge has his own problems a perpetually drunk actress Dorothy Tree that he was previously seeing. When Tobin falls from Eldredge's yacht while Stanwyck is on it all the relationships are learned in a coroner's inquest. And the gossip ain't pretty.

Tobin and Tree have some really meaty roles, but Barbara still dominates this film. She really pulls it all out when tells off her in-laws what a stinking hateful bunch they are.

Raymond is bland as a polo playing hunk. His family is part of the horsey set, but have fallen on poverty and live on their gilded name. Raymond is doing the polo thing to keep them in martinis. Eldredge is in a change of pace, he's usually playing rogues on film at this time. It's not often one sees him playing a decent guy.

Reportedly Stanwyck didn't think much of the film, but I think The Woman In Red is her really elevating an average film with her performance. Bette Davis could do that also, very few others.