Red-Headed Woman (1932)
Overview
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.
Cast
Jean Harlow
Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre
Chester Morris
William 'Bill' / 'Willie' Legendre Jr.
Lewis Stone
William 'Will' Legendre Sr.
Leila Hyams
Irene 'Rene' Legendre
Una Merkel
Sally
Henry Stephenson
Charles B. 'Charlie' / 'C.B.' Gaerste
May Robson
Aunt Jane
Charles Boyer
Albert
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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.
