To me, this movie is perfection.

The Worst Film Ever

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

. . . Jean Harlow is meant to embody "the clap," and the other olden-days Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Unlike today, movie studios maintained a go-for-broke competitive stance (since most of them WERE broke; for instance, the opening credits for RED-HEADED WOMAN state that its producer, M-G-M, was then under the "control" of Loew's). Therefore, WOMAN was able to make the shocking revelation that venereal diseases can strike rich One Per Cent guys, too. As Ms. Harlow slinks from man to man like some baby-talking bacteria or vain virus, she's careful to be an equal opportunity fluid swapper. Whether it's Albert the chauffeur or Al the bootlegger, "Lillian's" insatiable lust for new hosts cannot be contained by clothes. On the surface, Lil is an amoral gold-digger, with a puzzlingly counter-productive tendency to repel her target bankrolls through her indiscreet wanton slumming. Taken as an allegorical fleshing out of STDs, her amorality is more understandable if no less deadly.

OK. Back in 1932 Red-Headed Woman, starring "Blonde Bombshell" Jean Harlow (her hair now dyed red in order to match the apparent raciness of her character), may have thrilled the naive movie-going audience to pieces with its somewhat spicy sexual innuendo (which is now painfully dated) - But, today, 80 years later, this decidedly irksome "adult" drama pretty much amounted to being a frickin' bore when it came to the genre of Hollywood Chick Flicks.For the most part, I found actress Jean Harlow (clearly a light-weight actress) to be grossly miscast in her role as Lillian "Red" Andrews, an over-the-top, gold-digging, home-wrecking tramp (sans the heart of gold).From my perspective, Harlow managed to chew up way too much scenery (left, right & center) for her own good and the good of her character.Even at its fairly short, 80-minute running time, Red-Headed Woman seemed to drag on with its trivial nonsense forever. And with each new conquest facing the Lillian Andrews character (who was always dressed to the absolute nines), she got more and more annoying and absurd until, of course, she finally became a laughable parody of herself.As the viewer, I could only wish the worst for this nasty, despicable character - But, alas, Lillian (who only found herself temporarily daunted by a few minor set-backs) repeatedly managed to triumph, again and again, in her ruthless scheme to snag herself one millionaire husband after another.I honestly have to admit that after potential-husband #2 was callously ditched by "Red", this ridiculous crusade of hers became utterly preposterous beyond words.All-in-all - Red-Headed Woman may have worked its apparent charm on its audience back in the days of early talkies - But, in these modern-times of ours, it was basically just a pile of empty-headed crap of the highest order.

"Red Headed Woman" released in 1932 by MGM, is all about Jean Harlow. Harlow came to MGM under the guide of Irving Thalberg, the boy wonder of the studio. Louis B. Mayer, a conservative man, initially wanted nothing to do with Harlow. He felt her image was that of a bimbo, but Thalberg held considerable power at the studio, and he made Harlow a star. In this film, one of several she made that year, Harlow plays a tough gal from the wrong side of the tracks. Her goal is to be rich, and she will use her "assets" to do so. Harlow sets out to seduce her boss (Chester Morris) who is very serious-minded and very married. Next thing you know, he's divorcing his wife and is now with Harlow. Not satisfied with this conquest, Harlow sets her sights on New York and shamelessly seduces a very rich (and yes, married) businessman (Henry Stephenson). It all gets quite complicated, with more men and eventually her husband getting wise to her games. But Harlow is a wonder here, with her tough talk and great accent, she rules the film. Matters such as marital infidelity and sex are not disguised, as this was two years before the code of 1930 would clamp down on the movie industry. In fact, this film was one of several which outraged the moralists and eventually lead to the 1934 censorship rules. Anyway, see the film for Harlow. Some good supporting performances, including Una Merkel as Harlow's wise-cracking friend, and Lewis Stone, playing Chester Morris' father.

This one’s similar to BABY FACE (1933) in that star Jean Harlow – forsaking her traditional platinum blonde look for the titular hair color – uses sex as her ladder into high society. However, it lacks the former’s power: for one thing, because we know nothing of her character’s background (so that she comes off as more of an egotistical “home wrecker”, as her own companion Una Merkel calls her) and also because it basically treats the subject as a comedy (complete with a wink-at-the-audience fade-out). In fact, the original script submitted by F. Scott Fitzgerald(!) was subsequently reworked by Anita Loos – best-known for the play “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (at which she even throws a dig in the film’s very opening line!).It’s interesting that the 3 titles in Warners’ Pre-Code collection all emanate from different studios: their particular style is immediately recognizable – this being an MGM production, it’s got none of the hard-hitting quality of Warners’ BABY FACE or even the stylized (yet delicate) Universal approach such as is evident in WATERLOO BRIDGE (1931). Rather it’s merely glossy, gratuitously naughty (witness Harlow’s fleeting nudity) and displays little cinematic inventiveness throughout! While the spunky Harlow is undeniably alluring, her character is so brazen and vulgar that it’s hard to believe a level-headed businessman as Chester Morris could really opt to leave his gorgeous wife (perhaps Leila Hyams’ best role) for her – even if Harlow’s clearly not one to take no for an answer! The film does descend into high-strung melodrama towards the end when Harlow, exposed for what she is, shoots Morris (but only manages to wound him).The supporting cast features established veterans May Robson (as Morris’ aunt), Lewis Stone (as his father) – both of whom are immediately suspicious of Harlow’s intentions – and Henry Stephenson (it was amusing to see him involved in undignified situations, for once, as a business associate of Stone and Morris captivated by Harlow’s wiles!). Also on hand is Charles Boyer in an early Hollywood role as Stephenson’s chauffeur: he promptly becomes Harlow’s lover, and the hilarious photo of the two kissing literally behind the back of his master/her husband is subsequently given much coverage! There’s even a delightful uncredited bit involving Henry Armetta (a much-used character actor of the day noted for playing flustered Italians) – here, he’s a complicitous waiter whom Morris bribes in order to hush up a chance meeting with Harlow in a phone booth! By the way, this had been shown on local TV several years ago but I didn’t catch it – since, back then, I was unaware of the film’s ‘risqué’ reputation; I’m glad that I was able to remedy this eventually because, while RED–HEADED WOMAN is undoubtedly the least substantial of the 3 titles in this collection, it’s easily the most enjoyable...