The Women (1939)

A study of the lives and romantic entanglements of various interconnected women.

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Clare Boothe Luce (from the play by), Anita Loos (screen play),

Stars:

Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Norma Shearer	...	Mrs. Stephen Haines - Mary
Joan Crawford	...	Crystal Allen
Rosalind Russell	...	Mrs. Howard Fowler - Sylvia
Mary Boland	...	The Countess De Lave - Flora
Paulette Goddard	...	Miriam Aarons
Phyllis Povah	...	Mrs. Phelps Potter - Edith
Joan Fontaine	...	Mrs. John Day - Peggy
Virginia Weidler	...	Little Mary
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Morehead
Marjorie Main	...	Lucy
Virginia Grey	...	Pat
Ruth Hussey	...	Miss Watts
Muriel Hutchison	...	Jane
Hedda Hopper	...	Dolly Dupuyster
Florence Nash	...	Nancy Blake

Storyline

Wealthy Mary Haines is unaware her husband is having an affair with shopgirl Crystal Allen. Sylvia Fowler and Edith Potter discover this from a manicurist and arrange for Mary to hear the gossip. On the train taking her to a Reno divorce Mary meets the Countess and Miriam (in an affair with Fowler's husband). While they are at Lucy's dude ranch, Fowler arrives for her own divorce and the Countess meets fifth husband-to-be Buck. Back in New York, Mary's ex is now unhappily married to Crystal who is already in an affair with Buck. When Sylvia lets this story slip at a country club dinner, Crystal brags of her plans for a still wealthier marriage, only to find the Countess is the source of all Buck's money. Crystal must return to the perfume counter and Mary runs back to her husband.

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Plot Keywords:

gossip | countess | divorce | perfume | marriage | 

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Taglines:

The Female Of The Species . . . when the men aren't watching !

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

1 September 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mujeres

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,688,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In addition to those cast members already listed, Beatrice Cole and Beryl Wallace also appeared in the stage play.

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Goofs

Two years passes between Mary's divorce and her subsequent reconciliation with her husband, but little Mary, her daughter, doesn't seem to grow at all during that time.

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Quotes

Mary Haines: I've had two years to grow claws mother. Jungle red.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits, before the photo images of the actresses are shown, their characters are revealed by images of various animals.

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Connections

Referenced in The Aviator (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Old Chisholm Trail (Come a Ti Yi Yippee Yippee Yay)"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung a cappella in part by Mary Boland
Reprised a cappella in part by Rosalind Russell

User Reviews

Divinely Funny

I just saw this film for the first time a few months ago. I laughed harder than I remember laughing at anything made in the last twenty years. The Women is brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, and a whole lot of fun! Norma Shearer is such a sympathetic Mrs. Haines, and the "Jungle red" scene had me in laughing fits. I just could not stop the video for anything. Rosalind Russell was so funny! I thought the scene in the exercise room was absolutely hysterical. I've always been a fan of the demeure Joan Fontaine of Rebecca, and I was surprised to see her here, though not surprised that she played the lamb! This film is such a delight. I think anyone of any age would enjoy it.