THE WOMEN
US, 1939, 133 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Mary Boland, Paulette Goddard, Phyllis Povah, Joan Fontaine, Virginia Weidler, Lucille Watson, Marjorie Main, Virginia Grey, Ruth Hussey, Hedda Hopper.
Directed by George Cukor.
The Women is based on a play by prominent writer, Clare Boothe Luce, wife of the founder of Time, Henry Luce. It was adapted for the screen by Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes). This ensures a witty story, barbed wit in the dialogues, the possibility for strong character interactions.
This is certainly true given the strong cast, many Oscar-winning actresses including Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine. Rosalind Russell excels as does Paulette Goddard.
The film is a story of gossip, upper-class women, not knowing their husbands were having affairs, gossip in beauty parlours indicating this information, divorces at Reno, interactions amongst the women, friendships and jealousies.
The film was directed by George Cukor who had established himself during the 1930s as a strong director, especially of women, guiding Katharine Hepburn in many films (Sylvia Scarlett, Holiday, The Philadelphia Story). While he directed some actresses to Oscar-winning performances including Judy Holliday, Ingrid Bergman, he also directed a number of actors to Oscars including James Stewart, Ronald Colman and Rex Harrison.
The film was adapted in the 1950s as a musical, The Opposite Sex, with a cast led by June Allyson and Joan Collins in the Joan Crawford role. There were discussions at the beginning of the 21st century for a contemporary remake. Writer-director Diane English (Murphy Brown) was scheduled to make the film.
1. How enjoyable and interesting was this film? The fact that it has achieved classic status? Why?
2. How well does the film reflect the thirties? The fact that it was based on a play and a successful one, the crispness and emphasis on the dialogue, the contrived situations and the way that they are confined to particular scenes, the strong delineation of character? Comment on the way the film makes time pass and its reflecting of the ends of acts and scenes on the stage. The contribution of black and white photography, colour interlude? The musical comment?
3. How important the use of so many M.G.M. stars of the thirties, their stylet interaction, impact? What do they add to the quality of the film?
4. How important for impact was the fact that only women appeared? The suggestion of men off-screen and by telephone? How particularly feminine was the film? The feminine approach and outlook? A woman's world?
5. What attitude did the screenplay take towards women? The significance of the opening of the film and the representing of the characters and stars by symbolic animals? How accurate was the representation for each of the women? The atmosphere of the liberation of women even in the thirties, yet the conventions of women's behaviour, role in society? The attitude of the men who were not seen? The changes from the thirties to the present day in attitude towards women and liberation?
6. How important for the film and its satire that it was not in American rich society? The presentation of this society world the easy availability of wealth, time? The importance of the early sequences being played in the beauty salon and all that this indicates an regards vanity and beauty, time and wealth. gossip? The various society scenes, meals. clubs, Reno? The significance of a rich and bitchy atmosphere for this presentation of women?
7. The importance of gossip, slander, calumny and detraction? People enjoying gossip, hurting others? How contrived was the dialogue of scandal and bitching? The importance of Sylvia and Edith in this particular atmosphere? The reference to their animals at the beginning of the film? The wry comments of the spinster author? Why do audiences enjoy participating in this atmosphere of hurtful gossip?
8. How attractive a heroine was Mary, presented as attractive even though in this somewhat ugly world, the wholesome wife and mother, the scenes with her daughter and their riding, her telephone calls to her husband? The irony that the others knew before she did? The shock and the hurt of her husband's infidelity? Audience response to the sequence where she is told by the gossiping manicurist? The themes of her pride, her love? The background of the divorce and her hurt at her husband's remarriage? The irony of this happening on the day that the divorce came through in Reno? Her coping with the situation over the years? Her love for her daughter sustaining her? Her relationship with her mother and listening to her mother's advice? How much did the audience want her to come out of herself and confront Sylvia and the other women? Satisfaction at the end when she did confront them? The final shot was of Mary and her happiness? It was presented in a sweet way. How did it tie in with sharp bitterness of what preceded? Was it an appropriate ending?
9. The important contribution of Mary's mother, her observations on the other women her advice to Mary? The trip to Bermuda and the presentation of the home movies and what this signified? Her advice to her daughter about the divorce, re-marriage? A sensible woman counterbalancing the others?
10. The contract with Crystal as a worldly and shrewd kind of shop girl? Sylvia and Edith and their prying and looking for Crystal in the shop? (the audience sharing their curiosity about Crystal?). Crystal's callousness, her being on the make and a gold-digger the irony of her sweet conversation on the phone with Steven and thr other shop girls' ironic comments? The irony of her marrying Steven? The showdown in the fashion show, and during the fittings of the dresses? The pathos of the confrontation with everybody being part of the audience? The film audience's response to Crystal and her arrogance? The sequence of her being in the bath and phoning the next man in line? Were audiences anticipating her comeuppance? How enjoyable was it? The literal claws flashing? Crystal's ability to take this and to move on to the next man? How accurate a portrayal of the gold-digger type?
11. The humour in the presentation of the Countess and her many divorces, her whole way of life and its background, her attitude towards her husband and providing the radio station, her disillusionment with Crystal stealing her husband away? Her friendship with the other young girl who had stolen Sylvia’s husband? An attractive gold-digger a variation on the Crystal theme but with some compassion and pathos?
12. The Reno sequences, the atmosphere of divorcee, Lucy and her looking after the divorcees?
13. How strongly delineated was the character of Peggy, the naive young girl, a younger version of Mary, the victimization? Her going to Reno for a divorce, her happiness when all was received? Yet her being part of the smart rich society set?
14. What did the film have to say about divorces and their effect? The irony when Sylvia herself had a divorce? Audience participation in the literal fist fight of Sylvia and her rival?
15. How well delineated were the characters of Sylvia and Edith? Sylvia and her fickleness and changes in friendships? The humour and knockabout humour style of her being locked in the cupboard at the end? How much did audiences agree with this treatment of Sylvia and her meriting it?
16. Comment on the change of pace in the film after the return from Reno, Mary's life and her love for her daughter after the return? Crystal and her attempts to get the daughter's friendship also? Sylvia and her changing of loyalties? How was this suitable preparation for the final showdown?
17. How well did the film build up its atmosphere for the final showdown at the club? No holds barred and audiences enjoying this? The comedy, the satire, the real themes emerging?
18. How successful a comedy, satire and parody? How real were the characters despite the comedy and satirical style? How valuable an exploration of women and their role in society, marriage? Their strengths and their weaknesses? How good a study of themes of human nature, society?
