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"Girls About Town" remains one of my top 10 favorite movies. The movie is about 2 gold-diggers who "entertain" men for, well, "gold", so to speak, and it is fast-paced, daringly risque, and funny. Kay Francis, one of the great dramatic actresses, handles her part of a lovestruck woman beautifully, while Lilyan Tashman wonderfully takes over the comedic, wisecracking lines and, IMHO, is Lilyan's greatest performance. I saw this film at the Film Forum this summer, and it was a big hit with the audience. I would love to see it again, if anyone knows where I could obtain a copy, please contact me

This one remains a favorite pre-Code with Kay Francis and Lilyan Tashman playing a couple of party girls who work with Alan Dinehart to bilk the out-of-town rubes who come to New York City for a good time. Lots of zippy one-liners as the "girls" parade around in plunging gowns and dripping with jewels. After they ditch the boys from Des Moines (George Barbier, Robert McWade) they go on a yachting party and get involved with Joel McCrea and Eugene Pallette from Lansing. While Kay falls for McCrea, Lilyan tangles with Eugene and his wife (Lucile Gleason) to wrest some needed jewelry from cheapo Eugene. Great fun. The film takes a dramatic turn toward the end when Kay's discarded husband (Anderson Lawler) shows up on the mooch. Louise Beavers has a funny role as the girls' maid and Frances Bavier appears as one of the party girls.

Not to be missed!

"Girls About Town" is a pre-code film with sensibilities that simply would not have been allowed once the toughened Production Code was enacted in mid- 1934. This is because although the film never said so in so many words, the picture is about some women of rather easy virtue who make a living off men. Wanda (Kay Francis) and Marie (Lilyan Tashman) are professional escorts who are often hired to hang out with old men and flatter them while the group is out on business dinners. It never exactly says it in the film, but most adults watching the film most likely assume that the ladies got all their furs, jewels, maid and other luxuries by sleeping with the men.

This film finds the girls paired up with a couple rich guys, Jim (Joel McCrea) and Benjamin (Eugene Palette). However, a couple odd things happen--Jim falls for Wanda and Benji turns out to be total cheapskate and Marie has to work very, very hard to get Benji to buy her anything. However, in a funny twist, Marie and Benji's wife work together--to get him to stop being so stingy. So what's to become of all this? Well, see the film and find out for yourself. It's well worth it, as the script is pleasant and fun. In particular, it's quite fun seeing Benji get his comeuppance!

We follow a couple of girls - Kay Francis (Wanda) and Lilyan Tashman (Marie) - as they are given different escort assignments by their agent Alan Dinehart (Jerry). They work as a pair and share an apartment obviously paid for by the wealthy clients who have made payment to them. You get what I'm saying? Things change for one of them when assigned as escorts onto a boat containing wealthy Eugene Pallette (Benji) and Joel McCrea (Jim).

The film is a comedy and the lead women are good in their roles. Pallette is sometimes inaudible and incomprehensible with that peculiar squawking he does, whilst McCrea is there for eye candy. There are a couple of side plots going on and all-in-all it is an enjoyable film.

No one says it in the picture and it's not in anyone's review, but aren't the girls in the title hookers? Thought so. Of course, this is a pre-code film and I guess it was acceptable to depict them rather than actually come out and declare same. I wasn't alive in the 30's, but that's how I read it.

That said, "Girls About Town" is a very funny picture with a good script and an even better cast. Kay Francis is one of my favorites, very feminine and demure, even as a, well, I already covered that. She was ably assisted by Lilyan Tashman, a comedienne who had a tragically short career in movies. Lots of energy and not bad looking. Joel McCrea is window dressing as he sleepwalks through his part but Eugene Palette holds up the male side of the fun. Louise Beavers is on hand with a bigger role than she is usually given. Tough luck for her she was a black in Hollywood in the 30's.

The picture gets a little far afield towards the end. I always get the impression writers come up with a clever idea for a story but often can't figure out how to end it and go for a predictable lameness, Exhibit A being "Harvey". But in my book "Girls About Town" had already earned its spurs, to mix a metaphor.