I stumbled across this movie late one night when I was suffering insomnia - and it certainly woke me up further! "The Women" is a marvelous showcase from some of the biggest female stars in 1939 - and it certainly shows why they were at the pinnacle of their profession.
The film explores the relationships between a group of women after one of them (Mary Haines) discovers that her husband is having an affair with a shop girl (Crystal). Mary is, naturally, devastated - and astonished when her mother gives her some extremely down to earth advice (to wit: live with it. All men do it) and she also starts to see her "friends" in a different light as well.
We watch her as the "other woman" starts to invade all aspects of her life - from her husband, to her hairdresser and beautician to the designer where she buys her clothes.
One can't help but feel that her friends - whilst they seemingly rally around her, also start to cultivate Crystal as well: just in case! When Mary decides to go for a quickie divorce from her husband, we meet a whole new cast of females in the same situation - and Mary grows even further as she learns new lessons from them.
There is not one male in the cast, and it is very interesting to watch a relationship between a man and a woman without any male/female interaction visible, although it is plainly there out of camera sight.
Interesting metaphorical use is made of "Jungle Red" colour of nail polish through the movie - from when it's first mentioned in the same breath as Mary learns about Crystal, to the end of the movie, when Mary emerges as a single woman determined to make her mark.
You won't be disappointed with this movie - even after almost 70 years, it's still fresh and original - I think that it's probably the original "Sex and the City" group of women!
The film explores the relationships between a group of women after one of them (Mary Haines) discovers that her husband is having an affair with a shop girl (Crystal). Mary is, naturally, devastated - and astonished when her mother gives her some extremely down to earth advice (to wit: live with it. All men do it) and she also starts to see her "friends" in a different light as well.
We watch her as the "other woman" starts to invade all aspects of her life - from her husband, to her hairdresser and beautician to the designer where she buys her clothes.
One can't help but feel that her friends - whilst they seemingly rally around her, also start to cultivate Crystal as well: just in case! When Mary decides to go for a quickie divorce from her husband, we meet a whole new cast of females in the same situation - and Mary grows even further as she learns new lessons from them.
There is not one male in the cast, and it is very interesting to watch a relationship between a man and a woman without any male/female interaction visible, although it is plainly there out of camera sight.
Interesting metaphorical use is made of "Jungle Red" colour of nail polish through the movie - from when it's first mentioned in the same breath as Mary learns about Crystal, to the end of the movie, when Mary emerges as a single woman determined to make her mark.
You won't be disappointed with this movie - even after almost 70 years, it's still fresh and original - I think that it's probably the original "Sex and the City" group of women!