Red Headed Woman 1932

     Lil Andrews works for the Legendre Company and she’s very interested in the boss Bill.  She arranges to deliver mail to his home and she makes a pass at him.  His wife has been away and Bill doesn’t answer when she calls.  When Irene Legendre gets home, she’s heartbroken and very disappointed to find Bill with Lil!!  She decides to divorce Bill and that leaves Lil a direct path to marrying Bill.  She’s moving up the financial and romantic ladders at the same time.  She spends a LOT of Bill’s money but then she meets Charles B. Gaerste.  He has more money and influence than Bill!!  Maybe she will move up another rung on the ladder.  She divorces Bill and she’s going to marry Charles until he is shown some pictures of Lil kissing the French chauffeur Albert.  Maybe it’s time to move further up the status and money ladder?

     Over time this film loses the comedy and Lil becomes a gold digger!!  Irene should’ve stood her ground and refused to divorce Bill!!  Then Lil would’ve just moved on up the ladder to someone else.  Somehow I didn’t see the comedy in this film but just the trail of hurting people she left behind her??  3* (This movie is OK)

    

79 min, Romance directed by Jack Conway with Jean Harlow, Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Leila Hyams, Una Merkel, Henry Stephenson, May Robson, Charles Boyer, Harvey Clark. 

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10, Rotten Tomatoes 69% audience, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 87 reviews, TCM Leonard Maltin 3* out of 4* average user rating 2.7* out of 5*.

Special Note:  This film was banned from public showings in Great Britain at the original release.  King George V had a personal copy and later the film finally passed uncut with an A certificate in 1965.  F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the original screenplay but it was rejected by producer Irving Thalberg.  He thought the story was too serious.  Ania Loos was called in to do a complete rewrite with a lighter and more comical tone.  Jean Harlow wore a red wig and her makeup was more dramatic to highlight the nature of her character.  This was the ninth most popular movie at the US box office for 1932.