The Women

The Women (1939) starring Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Rosalind Russell, Mary Boland, Joan Fontaine, Paulette Goddard. An all-woman cast makes up this film, and not a single man appears on screen. But all the women talk and think about is the men in their lives. In particular, Norma Shearer stars as Mary Haines, wife of Stephen Haines (who never appears on screen). When she finds out he's been having an affair with a chippie (Crawford), she divorces him. Quaintly, all the women who get divorces have to travel to Reno to get them. There's even a good cat fight, although I can't tell you why they were fighting. This is, perhaps, the ultimate chick flick, and as such my enjoyment was minimal. Still, it was interesting to see all those old-time actresses together on screen. (The film has subtitles in English for the hearing-impaired, and is also close-captioned.) Grade: B