Movie of the Month: The Women

For Christmas my boyfriend got me a calendar to replace the 2012 Dirty Dancing one I had hung in my kitchen.  Since he is well aware of my penchant for all things vintage he got me one with classic movies.  These movies have a range of release dates from the 30's to the 90's (omg...that's vintage?!) and our plan is to watch each movie as it pops up on the calendar.  For January we watched The Women.  Released in 1939, The Women is a unique film as it does not have a single male in it's cast...not even as a background actor or extra.  The film stars Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell.  While admitedly I fell asleep watching this, it was a cute movie.  The acting was totally over the top and the characters were ridiculous but it was neat to watch a movie that is 74 years old.  The plot goes something like this:

"The Women follows the lives of Manhattan women, focusing in particular on Mary Haines the cheerful, contented wife of Stephen and mother of Little Mary. After a bit of gossip flies around the salon these wealthy women visit, Mary's cousin Sylvia Fowler learns from a manicurist that Mary's husband has been having an affair with a predatory perfume counter girl named Crystal Allen .  A notorious gossip, Sylvia delights in sharing the news with Mary's friends; she sets up Mary with an appointment with the same manicurist so that she hears the rumor about Stephen's infidelity." (via Wikipedia)

The movie is shot in black and white except for the fasion show scene which is set in technicolor.  I really enjoyed this scene and the gorgeous and sometimes outrageous dresses and fashions it featured.

(I am not sure what's up with the song featured in this video, but it was the only clip I could find that showed the fashion show)

I found the ending a bit ridiculous.  It all wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly in my opinion.  However, all in all it was an interesting glimpse into the lives of upper class women of that time and I certainly enjoyed that.

Stay tuned for...

Pillow Talk, starring Rock Hudson & Doris Day