The Women (1939)

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Here's a film that could make an interesting double feature with Mean Girls.

The Women (Keepcase) and Mean Girls both offer a glimpse of how women treat each other. It's not pretty.

Give The Women the advantage for star power, laughs to Mean Girls.

Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey are great, but this drama from George Cukor boasts Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Rosalind Russell and Joan Fontaine. That's a pretty impressive lineup of major talent circa the Second World War.

Based on a play by Clare Boothe Luce, The Women centers on Mary Haines (Shearer). Turns out what appears to be her ideal marriage is not so great, with hubby Stephen fooling around with store clerk Crystal Allen (Crawford). "We've been so happy together, really happy," she says of her relationship. Friends Sylvia (Rosalind Russell) and Edith (Phyllis Povah) make certain Mary hears the news of her unfaithful husband from a manicurist. How's that for the sting of gossip? The damage loose lips cause keeps coming up through the film.

Mary's mom is pretty smart about the way women work. Mrs. Morehead (Lucille Watson) urges Mary to not confide in her plans to split up with Stephen because they'll be sure to blab the news to others. "I'm an old woman," she advises. "I know my sex."

Mary's mother encourages her to keep the marriage together for the sake of her granddaughter, Mary (Virginia Weidler). But that appeal falls on deaf ears. Mary exchanges words with Crystal in a change room at a swanky department store, but doesn't go for the throat (so to speak). Crystal refuses to end the affair. "I'm taking my marching orders from Stephen. He seems to be satisfied with this arrangement," she tells Mary.

Mary heads to Reno where she meets several other women who are also waiting for divorces. They bunk at the home of Lucy (Marjorie Main), who offers some welcome comic relief in a two-hour plus film with lots and lots of talking. Peggy isn't so sure she wants to cut ties with her hubby. Countess De Lave (Mary Boland) is ready to split from her fourth husband. Her particular knot keeps falling apart, but she's still game to walk down the aisle with another man. She hails Reno as the "American cradle of liberty." Mary's resolve to go her own way weakens, but Crystal still has a strong pull on her ex. She sees Stephen as her meal ticket, while fooling around with another guy on the side.

It's interesting, and at times depressing, to see the challenges women face in 1939 re: their hubbies. A fashion show - in colour - celebrates "the female form divine." There's workouts to keep looking sharp too. Even such efforts to look good don't mean husbands won't stray.

Crawford is deliciously bad as Crystal. Boland is a hoot as the older woman who keeps getting married, despite the relationships failing. Morehead offers wise counsel as Mary's mother. Hmmm, so many of the secondary characters stand out more than poor Shearer. Her character doesn't really come to life until the film's last 15 minutes.

RATING: 7.5/10

FUN FACTS: What a year 1939 was for George Cukor. He also worked on Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

Marjorie Main may look familiar because she appeared as Ma Kettle in a number of films. She was also in Heaven Can Wait.

His Girl Friday (1940)

Hold on, folks.

His Girl Friday is a frantic, funny film from Hollywood's Golden Age.

This 1940 release from director Howard Hawks (bringing up baby ) is the second screen version of The Front Page. It's quite the ride for the 92-minute running time. Two, or three, multiple conversations are the norm here. The timing between actors is spot on. Watch for some great scene compositions from Hawks. His actors are placed perfectly in the foreground and background. What a fantastic film to look at - and watch. No wonder it was added to the National Film Registry in 1993.

BYE-BYE JOURNALISM

Reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) returns to Chicago's Morning Post newspaper to bid farewell to editor, and her ex-husband, Walter Burns (Cary Grant). She's met a new better half, Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), who can offer her the good income, and consideration, Burns was too busy to direct her way during their marriage. Talk about a rewrite. Bruce sells insurance. The happy couple plan to marry the next day in Albany, N.Y. They'll spend the first year living with his mother (Alma Kruger). Johnson vows to dedicate the rest of her days to bringing up her children and distance herself from life as a reporter. "I'm through," she vows. "I'm going to live like a human being."

Burns refuses to be scooped in his personal life. He wants his wife back. But he doesn't have much time. Johnson and Baldwin plan to leave town in two hours to head to Albany. Burns has just the hook. A meek bookkeper, Earl Williams (John Qualen), is to be executed the next day for shooting a police officer. Killing him, rather than finding him mentally insane, will get votes for the mayor (Clarence Kolb) and Sheriff Hartwell (Gene Lockhart).

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Johnson is suspicious of Burns' supposed interest in Baldwin. But she also knows what a good story the Williams' case is. Johnson agrees to interview the accused killer while Burns keeps trying to muck up her planned marriage with Baldwin. When Williams escapes from jail, the action kicks up a notch as The Morning Post strives to get the exclusive story what happened to the accused killer after his jailbreak.

His Girl Friday is filled with solid laughs, plus occasional realistic glimpses of a reporter's life. A good reporter always wants to get the story first. Some people interviewed by reporters will be upset about how they are portrayed when the newspaper hits the streets. Drastic actions could result.

This is a great film. Watch it.

RATING: 10/10

FUN FACTS: Rosalind Russell was nominated for four Oscars between 1942 and 1958.

Ralph Bellamy's last credit was Pretty Woman in 1990. He died the next year at age 87.

John Qualaen, a native of British Columbia, Canada, also appeared in Casablanca and The Grapes of Wrath. Wow.