The Women Overview:

The Women (1939) was a Comedy - Drama Film directed by George Cukor and produced by Hunt Stromberg.

SYNOPSIS

In a social satire as sharp as a cat's claw, Cukor pulls back the curtains of drawing rooms and ladies' lounges to expose the machinations that go into the war between women over men. Shearer has what she thinks is a happy marriage until meddlesome Russell connives to have her learn the truth about her husband's affair with store clerk Crawford. After a trip to Reno for a quickie divorce, she learns that her husband isn't pleased with Crawford. So Shearer paints her nails jungle red and enlists her friends to snare her husband from Crawford's clutches. Snappy, spiteful dialogue from Loos, based on the play by Luce, delivered by MGM's best actresses.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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The Women was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007.

BlogHub Articles:

Westward The Women (1951): A Fuller, Richer Kind of Western

By 4 Star Film Fan on Mar 15, 2022 From 4 Star Films

My only qualm with Westward The Women might be the title itself because otherwise, it’s a striking movie that should rightfully be heralded as a supremely significant western for the story it chooses to tell. At the very least, the title does make it evident that this is a story with women at ... Read full article


COMEDY GOLD #9: Gossip from The Women (1939)

By Carol Martinheira on Sep 27, 2018 From The Old Hollywood Garden

COMEDY GOLD #9: Gossip from The Women (1939) On September 27, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized Look, I like what The Women (1939) meant to do. I like the whole thing about it having an all-female cast, about it being about women and everything. Unfortunately, I’ve a... Read full article


The Women of Old Hollywood: Doris Day in That Touch of Mink

By Amanda Garrett on Apr 5, 2018 From Old Hollywood Films

Doris Day and Cary Grant in a lobby card for That Touch of Mink (1962). This article is part of The Doris Day Blogathon hosted by Love Letters to Old Hollywood. It's also part of my series on Women in old Hollywood. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, actor and singer Doris Day created a chara... Read full article


The Women of Old Hollywood: Greta Garbo in Anna Christie and Camille

By Amanda Garrett on Nov 25, 2017 From Old Hollywood Films

This article is the first in an occasional series about the portrayal of women in old Hollywood films. Today, my focus is on Greta Garbo's roles in Anna Christie (photo above) and Camille (1936). This article is also part of The Greta Garbo Blogathon hosted by In the Good Old Days of Classic Holl... Read full article


From the Archives : The Women ( 1939 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Aug 31, 2017 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

Two cats ready to show their claws......Rosalind Russell and Norma Shearer in a scene from MGM's classic comedy The Women ( 1939 ). In this scene, they are on friendly terms, but they'll begin their fight shortly! From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverb... Read full article


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Quotes from

Mrs. Spencer's friend: [gasp] Good grief! I hate to tell you, dear, but your skin makes the Rocky Mountains look like chiffon velvet!


Olga: She's got those eyes that run up and down a man like a searchlight.


Mrs. Moorehead: Well, cheer up, Mary; living alone has its compensations. Heaven knows it's marvelous being able to spread out in bed like a swastika.


read more quotes from The Women...

Facts about

Myrna Loy and Greta Garbo were the only top-tier female stars at MGM who did not star in this film, although Loy was considered for the role of Crystal Allen.
The beauty salon and spa featured in the film's opening sequence was based on cosmetics mogul Elizabeth Arden's parlor in New York City. At the premiere of the film, Arden scoffed that the film's salon was an exact copy of hers.
Sydney's, the beauty salon where the initial action takes place, was named after Sydney Guilaroff, the chief hairstylist at MGM from 1934 to the late 1970s. He was brought to MGM from New York at the request of Joan Crawford.
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National Film Registry

The Women

Released 1939
Inducted 2007
(Sound)




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Also directed by George Cukor




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Also produced by Hunt Stromberg




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