Che donna!

W.A.W. opens up in a magazine publishing office, where they are discussing how to interview the latest best-selling author, who no-one has ever met. Flash to Carol Ainsley (R. Russell, nominated for four Oscars), who is the agent for the un-seen author. She is determined to track down the author (played by Willard Parker), and doesn't realize the can of worms that revealing him may open... Brian Aherne is "Pepper", a magazine editor who is writing a story on Ainsley, and keeps popping up where-ever Ainsley goes. For most of the film, he is sitting in chairs, waiting for Ainsley to go through the doorway, or come back from where-ever she has been.

Keep an eye out for some fun supporting characters - Carol's assistant is played by Grady Sutton is a few years after making those hilarious W.C. Fields films. The office secretary is played by Norma Varden, who was so great as Lady Beekman in "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds". The mens dormitory clerk is Chester Clute, who looks and sounds just like Mel Blanc. Unfortunately, all these actors have very few lines; given a few more lines, they could have spiced the film up a bit. Russell does a great job, and carries the film well. It's a lot of fun to watch, although it's more plain and simple than I was expecting; after seeing her in "Friday", I was hoping for more plot twists. She has the same, strong, fast-talking personality that she had in "His Girl Friday". It was refreshing to watch an upbeat, war-time movie without a single mention of the war. Directed by Irving Cummings, who had directed Shirley Temple in four films in the 1930s. I hope Turner Classics starts showing this more often.

This mildly preposterous riff on the by now standard Rosalind Russell comedy -- high powered woman executive meets easy-going, mildly contemptuous bohemian and falls into frilly love by the end of the fifth reel -- winds along its well-greased way in a mildly bemused fashion. Long-time pro, Irving Cummings directs this well enough, but only Miss Russell puts any oomph into her role and the visuals mainly seem concerned with her head, making sure that she has an odd looking hat or hairdo that seems to change with every scene. She wears some dynamite dresses also; credit Travis Banton for the dresses. He seems to have specialized in gowning Carole Lombard in her movies.

Everyone seems to be giving it the old college try, but by now the formula had grown pretty tired, sustained only by war time movie attendance and some hope that all those Rosies out there, busy riveting together planes and battleships would be able to spend their times in silly hats once the war was over and men like Brian Aherne would be free of the restrictions of bow ties.

Rosalind Russell stars in What A Woman in one of her career girl parts, that of a literary agent and one high powered agent she is. She's the daughter of a US Senator Edward Fielding.

That's enough to get free and easy free lance writer Brian Aherne interested enough to do a profile. Especially since Russell has a new project. She wants to get one of her authors reserved English professor Willard Parker to shed his pseudonym from the steamy romance novel he's written and become an actor.

She operates under the thesis if you can write it, you an emote it. As it turns out beneath the shy exterior of the professor lies a budding Errol Flynn.

Russell's high powered agent complements beautifully the slow paced and unhurried pace of Brian Aherne. Her big problem is she might just have fallen for her own creation in Parker.

The ever wise Aherne realizes that Roz will inevitably grasp they are meant for each other.

It's all a bit silly, but the leads do carry it off. After over 70 years What A Woman still holds up beautifully.

seductive against the air of period. Rosalind Russell as axis of a nice comedy about success , a project and love in a mixture who respects classic rules of romantic comedy. that could be all. but it has a special dose of charm and that does it interesting in not ordinary manner. the strong woman, the charming , wise, sarcastic reporter and the innocent Prince Charming, the chaos and the silence, the feelings and the duty as ingredients of a story, like many others, about the metamorphose and real happiness. the mark of period, the brilliant Russell, the splendid performance of Brian Aherne are pillars of a film who , far to be memorable is an inspired choice for remind the flavor of a lost time.

Am saying this with regret. 'What a Woman' may have sounded quite silly in concept, which was not unexpected as romantic comedies and comedies at the time were not the type to be seen for their stories. Saw it anyway, being someone who likes Rosalind Russell and being someone that likes romantic comedy and films from the 30s. Haven't seen enough yet of Irving Cummings' work to say what my overall stance is on him as a director, what has been seen of his (and there is a lot more to see) has been variable.

'What a Woman' left me very mixed. It is a truly great showcase for Russell, in terms of performance that is, because without her or if her role was performed by somebody not as talented or as experienced in this type of role, 'What a Woman' would have been a dud most likely in my view. It does have things that are good, but it does have its fair share of frustrating failures that could have been avoided. A silly premise executed in an even sillier way.

Russell is the reason to see 'What a Woman' and she is a sheer delight all round. Her comic timing soars, even when the comedy itself flounders, she is really charming and easy to engage with. Brian Aherne is more mixed for me generally, have known him to be bland, but he here has a likeability about him and doesn't come over as dreary, he even amuses at times and suitably insensitive when needed. His chemistry with Russell is sweet and tense and it is not hard to see what they see in each other. Willard Parker has a more reserved character, one that isn't as interesting, but gives it a good go.

It looks great, Russell looks luminous in her clothes, the glossy style of the photography isn't gaudy or drab and the lighting is atmosphere. There are very amusing and witty moments in the banter between Russell and Aherne and the more romantic parts have moments of not too sentimental charm.

However, the story is very silly, sometimes straining credibility to the limit, is quite paper thin at times and has very few surprises. It could have done with a tighter pace, clearer character motivations as the final decision was not very easy to buy and the ending comes out of the blue and doesn't feel rounded off enough. The supporting cast are more competent but nobody stands out in sketchy roles, the most interesting being a debuting Shelley Winters. Cummings' direction similarly is far from inept but feels undistinguished.

The script has moments but could have done with more spark, and there isn't enough generally of the sparkling wit and sophistication associated with the best romantic comedies from this period. Funny moments come in spurts, at other points there is a try too hard feel, and the romance is predictable and more complicated than it needed to be.

Summarising, watchable for Russell fans but nothing special. 5/10