Woman Wanted

Innocent Maureen O'Sullivan is waiting while the jury decides whether to find her guilty and hang her, while mobster Louis Calhern tells attorney Charles Lane he's not going to pay for an appeal. Instead, he arranges for her escape, and she jumps into business lawyer Joel McCrea's roadster.

It sounds like the sort of movie that RKO was producing at this time, but this is MGM, and so it has a lot of fine actors, including Lewis Stone, Edgar Kennedy, and Robert Greig as McCrea's inevitable put upon gentleman's gentleman. Even with George Seitz directing, this is pretty weak stuff as screwball. While Greig is funny, everyone else takes the plot points very seriously. There were at least seven screenwriters on this, credited and not, and it loks like almost all the juice was squeezed from it. There are a lot of uncredited people attached, like producer Phil Goldstone, which makes me think no one wanted to be known for it.

Maureen O'Sullivan was beautiful. She was a fine actress as well. And Joel McCrea was one of the most handsome, versatile actors of the 1930s and forties. He did well settling into Westerns after that but I always feel it was the movie world's loss.

These two don't have a whole lot of chemistry here but they work well individually. Louise Calhere is as always fine as a sleazy underworld figure, too.

The cinematography of Charles Clarke -- not someone generally associated with film noir in later years -- is beautiful. It employs a lot of exciting shadows.

The movie is part crime drama, part romance, and a little bit comedy. My preference is for movies that stick with one or another of these genres. But "Woman Wanted" works on its own terms: It has sinister moments. It's suspenseful. And we root for the lead couple.

Always enjoyed viewing Maureen O'Sullivan when she played "Jane" in the Tarzan films in the 30's and 40's. In this film, she plays a young gal with a big cloud over her head from a horrible court room decision. Maureen, plays Ann Gray," Never Too Late",'65, who comes into contact with Joel McCrea,(Anthony,"Tony" Baxter), "The Virginian",'45, who plays a hot shot ladies man lawyer in this picture, and not a cowboy. However, Louis Calhern,(Smiley Gordon),"Blackboard Jungle",'55 plays the crooked crime lord who wants to make certain that Ann Gray is not put into jail for his own personal reasons. This is a well produced B&W film and truly a great classic. Maureen O'Sullivan, made this film a classic and also the mother of Mia Farrow and her father John Farrow all outstanding actors and producers. Enjoy the 1930's.

"Woman Wanted" is a title that sounds like a wanted ad, as opposed to "Wanted Woman", which would imply a fugitive, which is what Ann (Maureen O'Sullivan) is when she meets Tony (Joel McCrea). But it's a title that fits this fun romp.

The film is a drama about the couple's attempts to prove Ann's innocence and to escape some dangerous thugs. But the tone is often light, primarily because of Joel McCrea. That's something he does well. Tony's relationship with his personal butler, Peedles (Robert Greig)-- filled with witty banter-- also adds levity.

"Woman Wanted" is as much about the growing trust between Ann and Tony as it is about legal matters. This is no "Maltese Falcon". Enjoy it for what it is and for the two stars, who always deliver.

Maureen O'Sullivan was rarely lovelier than she is as Ann Gray, a convicted murderess who goes on the lam and ends up being helped by do-gooder attorney Joel McCrea. McCrea and O'Sullivan make a wonderful team, but Woman Wanted is an all around success, featuring an amusing and sharply written screenplay and terrific and imaginative photography by Charles Clarke. The film is also extremely well lit and features some truly awesome second unit work, most notably in an early scene involving an auto wreck that gains O'Sullivan her freedom. The leads are ably supported by oily Louis Calhern as bad guy Smiley Gordon and Robert Greig as Peedles, McCrea's extremely loyal manservant. Woman Wanted is terrific and well made fun.