Dispensing with the melodramatic excesses of Universal's previous "Invisible Man" films, The Invisible Woman aims strictly for laughs in this dated but still enjoyable comedy. The film puts to good use the considerable leering talents of John Barrymore. Allegedly, he ad-libbed his way through the entire film. Luckily, for him the plot was hardly rocket science. The eccentric Professor Gibbs (Barrymore) invents a weird contraption that under the right circumstances bestows temporary invisibility. What he needs is someone to act as a guinea pig. So, he does what any self-respecting wacko would do in such a situation--he places an ad in the local newspaper. Enter Kitty Carroll (Virginia Bruce), an eye-catching model with a spunky attitude. Kitty is eager to become invisible so she can teach her boss, a grouchy sourpuss if there ever was one, a much needed lesson in humility. Even having to run about in the altogether in order to be invisible doesn't deter her. The sponsor of these shenanigans (John Howard) is a fatuous moneybags who has lost his fortune and is in need of another. He is irresistibly drawn to the shapely specter like a magnet.
Things become more complicated after Gibb's ad makes its way down to the Mexican hideout of mobster Blackie Cole (Oscar Homolka). He wants the invisibility machine for his own nefarious purposes. Fortunately, for law-abiding citizens, Blackie's saddled with three moronic henchmen. Consequently, Blackie and his gang don't stand a ghost of a chance against the clever and resourceful invisible woman.
Though the special effects for this film are poor by any standards, a talented and likable cast of comical characters overcomes this shortcoming to make this one of the best films in Universal's "invisible series." Oddly enough, Virginia Bruce wasn't the first choice for the role, Margaret Sullivan was, but she sued Universal to avoid doing the film. Ms. Sullivan lost the case but Universal decided not to use her anyway. Viewers were better off as a result. The studio would be wise to update and remake this movie with someone like Charlize Theron in the lead.
