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Red-Headed Woman

52 votes

Lil works for the Legendre Company and causes Bill to divorce Irene and marry her. She has an affair with businessman Gaerste and uses him to force society to pay attention to her.

Status: Released

Released Date: 1932-06-25

Runtime: 79 mins

Director: Jack Conway

Spoken language: English, Français

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama

Original title: Red-Headed Woman

Production Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Production Countries: United States of America

Cast

Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre

Jean Harlow

William 'Bill' / 'Willie' Legendre Jr.

Chester Morris

William 'Will' Legendre Sr.

Lewis Stone

Irene 'Rene' Legendre

Leila Hyams

Sally

Una Merkel

Charles B. 'Charlie' / 'C.B.' Gaerste

Henry Stephenson

Aunt Jane

May Robson

Albert

Charles Boyer

Uncle Fred

Harvey Clark

Waiter Warning Bill of Lipstick (uncredited)

Henry Armetta

Man Wanting to Use Phone Booth (uncredited)

Sidney Bracey

Man Outside Pool Hall (uncredited)

Ed Brady

Driver, at Film's End, with Mustache (uncredited)

Ralph Byrd

Frenchman in Paris (uncredited)

Albert Conti

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Jean Harlow is the ambitious "Lil". She takes a bit of an interest in her boss "Bill" (Chester Morris) whose marriage she sets out to destroy. He is a bit hapless, and though he genuinely loves his wife "Irene" (Leila Hyams) he is still played like a fiddle by his former assistant. Once she has achieved her goal, however, her attentions begin to wander and poor old businessman "Gaerste" (Henry Stepehnson) and down-to-earth chauffeur "Albert" (Charles Boyer) are soon in her sights. The story here isn't so remarkable, it's the role reversal that works well. Harlow is a natural as the outwardly flighty, but actually rather shrewd lady who knows what she wants, and is prepared to use her guile and her smile to get it. Katharine Brush's book also illustrates just how incapable men can be when faced with the prospect of a strong woman easily able to manipulate and out-manoeuvre them. It's funny - in an accumulating sense. Not so much laugh out loud, more a gently simmering assassination of many things male and established. It packs quite a lot into eighty minutes; there are some engaging supporting contributions from Lewis Stone, Una Merkel and it offers us the right amount of just desserts at the conclusion. Harlow acts everyone else's socks off here. Her character is feisty, brave and calculating yet never cruel and by the end, though I didn't like "Lil" very much, I did admire her.

2022-09-18

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