Red-Headed Woman

Red-Headed Woman

25/6/1932 1h 19m 6.7/10

Overview

Lil works for the Legendre Company and causes Bill to divorce Irene and marry her. She has an affair with businessman Gaerste and uses him to force society to pay attention to her.

Director

Jack Conway

Top Billed Cast

Lewis Stone

Lewis Stone

William 'Will' Legendre Sr.

Una Merkel

Una Merkel

Sally

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre

Chester Morris

Chester Morris

William 'Bill' / 'Willie' Legendre Jr.

Henry Stephenson

Henry Stephenson

Charles B. 'Charlie' / 'C.B.' Gaerste

Leila Hyams

Leila Hyams

Irene 'Rene' Legendre

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

9/18/2022

7/10

Jean Harlow is the ambitious "Lil". She takes a bit of an interest in her boss "Bill" (Chester Morris) whose marriage she sets out to destroy. He is a bit hapless, and though he genuinely loves his wife "Irene" (Leila Hyams) he is still played like a fiddle by his former assistant. Once she has achieved her goal, however, her attentions begin to wander and poor old businessman "Gaerste" (Henry Stepehnson) and down-to-earth chauffeur "Albert" (Charles Boyer) are soon in her sights. The story here isn't so remarkable, it's the role reversal that works well. Harlow is a natural as the outwardly flighty, but actually rather shrewd lady who knows what she wants, and is prepared to use her guile and her smile to get it. Katharine Brush's book also illustrates just how incapable men can be when faced with the prospect of a strong woman easily able to manipulate and out-manoeuvre them. It's funny - in an accumulating sense. Not so much laugh out loud, more a gently simmering assassination of many things male and established. It packs quite a lot into eighty minutes; there are some engaging supporting contributions from Lewis Stone, Una Merkel and it offers us the right amount of just desserts at the conclusion. Harlow acts everyone else's socks off here. Her character is feisty, brave and calculating yet never cruel and by the end, though I didn't like "Lil" very much, I did admire her.

Similar Movies

L.A. Confidential

7.8

L.A. Confidential

1997

The Perfect Storm

6.5

The Perfect Storm

2000

The Bridge on the River Kwai

7.8

The Bridge on the River Kwai

1957

An Autumn Romance

7.1

An Autumn Romance

2021

The Time Machine

7.3

The Time Machine

1960

Secret Sunshine

7.2

Secret Sunshine

2007

My Dad and Mr. Ito

6.4

My Dad and Mr. Ito

2016

2gether: The Movie

7.5

2gether: The Movie

2021

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

7.6

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

2007

Rosenbaum - Bländverk

1.0

Rosenbaum - Bländverk

1993

An Ice Cream With Two scoops ...

3.2

An Ice Cream With Two scoops ...

1982

Heartbreak Hotel

4.9

Heartbreak Hotel

2006