Female

Female (1933)

Smart, fast, witty, daring, fresh, impressive. A great little movie (just an hour long) with such a swirling series of events, and such great acting, you hardly know it's over. The filming is really tight and modern, the writing is sharp, and the leading role, the sexually liberated executive woman played by Ruth Chatterton, is spot on perfect. When George Brent appears (after half an hour), he matches her in a subtle, convincing performance that shows why, after having made twenty films already, he still had his career ahead of him. Chatterton, by contrast, made few films later, which is our loss.

The astonishing thing about the plot, of course, is how racy it is. Even today, with no holds barred (just some letters in a rating system), to have a leading woman sleep around with every handsome young man she wants, without any down side (no backstabbing, no violence, no disease, no remorse, nothing at all) is bold. These days, of course, she'd be a poster child against sexual harassment on the workplace.

But really the movie is about strength, and romance, and is remarkably modern and alive. The director is Michael Curtiz, who made such a huge number of films some of the gems like this one get lost. Some of his other gems, of course, are not lost at all (like, uh, Casablanca or Mildred Pierce). Give this its due. Worth every frame.

I think that this was one of the most incredible and yet most under-rated films for it's time. For even though they ended with the woman succumbing to the whim of man and the traditional "woman's role", it still spoke miles for the woman. She was strong, brave, and did everything that a man could do and wasn't ashamed and had they only kept her going she could have been great. In fact, she could have won. But did she really lose? I don't think so, because maybe it showed something more about the female mystique, something that people missed because they thought that it only showed how a woman in power breaks down under pressure. What if they were really trying to show something deeper...I don't know now I am getting lost...too many things going through my mind to explain. Nonetheless, I do know that I was in awe after watching this film and it has had a lasting impression on me ever since.

Ruth Chatterton stars with husband George Brent, Philip Reed, and Johnny Mack Bfrown in this 1933 gem, Female.

This movie is a riot. Ruth Chatterton, looking very pretty, plays the a tough businesswoman who runs a tight ship. She tells a friend of hers she has no time for men, no interest in marriage, she's all business.

Whenever there's an attractive man in the office who approaches her about some business thing, she says she can't discuss it right at that moment. Come to her house for dinner that night so they can discuss it.

When they get there, she's feminine and flirty, and eventually the night leads to its inevitable precode conclusion, so we assume. The next day she rebuffs them and it's back to work. One guy gets sent to Hawaii instead of her apartment.

When she meets George Brent, the tables turned, and suddenly she can't live without a man.

Women in the '30s, in films, were sexually liberated and very feminine. In the '40s, they were tailored businesswomen who were miserable without a man. Boy, Ruth got the best of both worlds.

The deco sets were huge and stunning.

Very enjoyable. I love Ruth Chatterton anyway.

This is a wonderful movie! The Art Deco sets are great - especially Miss Drake's house. (High up in the entry hall there is a balcony with a live organist!). Here are some facts: The assembly line for the "Drake" automobile is actually footage of the assembly line for the 1932 Plymouth. That beautiful town car she travels in is a Cord L-29 (as it pulls away listen to that beautiful whine of the front-wheel-drive transmission). George Brent drive a 1929 Packard. (Guess my obsession!)

I am indebted to others on this site to learn that Mr Curtiz was by no means the only director involved in this film, that the sprightly Ruth Chatterton was 41 and married to her co-star at the time of shooting. I also might not have been aware of the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture on display but what I wouldn't have needed any prompting on was just how much fun this movie is. Chatterton as head of a major company employing many men rather enjoys suggesting overtime in her room at night and then, astonishingly, tossing a cushion onto the floor to get the message across. Great cars, great buildings, some amazing dialogue and some eye popping moments as our leading lady goes from hard and calculating, to assured and seductive before rejecting all this manly stuff and reverting to being female and married and all that stuff. Most enjoyable, audiences at the time must have sat mouth agape.