Film Review
Female is something of a
cinematic oddity. Initially it appears to be a piece of flagrant
feminist propaganda, a film that boldly challenges the assumption that
a woman's place is in the home bringing up children. 'Why should men
have all the fun?' is what the film appears to be saying. 'Surely
women have just as much right to lead fulfilling professional lives.'.
But then, twenty minutes in, it becomes glaringly apparent that this is
actually a piece of satire that mocks both feminism and the way in
which men exploit women (making it both anti- and pro-feminist at the
same time). Once you realise this, the film is hilariously funny,
although those who lack the Y chromosome may find it harder to see the
joke (oops). Ruth Chatterton's portrayal of a hard-headed business woman
who regards men as amusing little playthings is one of cinema's
earliest and best examples of role reversal. Could the film have
been made a few years later, once the Hollywood Production Code was in
force? Probably not.
Although Michael Curtiz was given the sole director's credit for
Female, the bulk of the film was
shot by two other directors. William Dieterle was originally
assigned to the film (having directed the film's star in
The Crash)
but he fell ill and was replaced by William Wellman, who had recently directed Chatteron in
Frisco Jenny (1932).
Once the film was completed, Warner Brothers' boss Jack
Warner objected to one of the actors in the film and insisted that his
scenes be re-shot with another actor. Johnny Mack Brown was hired
as the replacement actor and his scenes were shot by Curtiz
(future director of
Casablanca).
Here, Ruth Chatterton appears along side her real-life husband George
Brent. They had worked together on three previous films,
including Wellman's
Lilly Turner (1933).
© James Travers 2009
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Next Michael Curtiz film:
Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
Film Synopsis
Alison Drake has inherited a
large car factory from her father and runs it with ruthless
efficiency. She has no time for sentiment in either her personal
or professional life. From time to time, she invites one of her
more attractive male employees back to her home for an evening's
entertainment. If any of these select few dares to imagine he
means anything to her, Miss Drake soon has him sent on his way.
Alison has grown tired of men professing their love to her and suspects
they are merely after her fortune. She wonders if she will ever
find a man who is capable of loving her for herself. One evening,
she slips away from a party she is hosting and visits an amusement
park. Here she meets a young man who immediately takes her
fancy. They spend a few hours together, enjoying each other's
company at the park, but he declines her invitation to spend the night
with her. The following morning, Alison is surprised when she
encounters the same man at her factory. He is Jim Thorne, the
star engineer she had hoped to recruit to improve the design of her
cars. Alison tries her old trick of inviting Jim back to her home
one evening, ostensibly to discuss professional matters. But Jim
is not so easily taken in and refuses to be seduced...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.