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Red-Headed Woman

Red-Headed Woman

  • Status: Released
  • 25-06-1932
  • Runtime: 79 min
  • Score: 6.5
  • Vote count: 51

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.

Jean Harlow

Lillian 'Lil' / 'Red' Andrews Legendre

Chester Morris

William 'Bill' / 'Willie' Legendre Jr.

Lewis Stone

William 'Will' Legendre Sr.

Leila Hyams

Irene 'Rene' Legendre

Una Merkel

Sally

Henry Stephenson

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

May Robson

Aunt Jane

Charles Boyer

Albert

Harvey Clark

Uncle Fred

Henry Armetta

Waiter Warning Bill of Lipstick (uncredited)

Sidney Bracey

Man Wanting to Use Phone Booth (uncredited)

Ed Brady

Man Outside Pool Hall (uncredited)

Ralph Byrd

Driver, at Film's End, with Mustache (uncredited)

Albert Conti

Frenchman in Paris (uncredited)

James T. Mack

Thomas, Legendre Butler (uncredited)

Wilfrid North

Judge at Divorce Hearing (uncredited)

Edgar Norton

Gaerste's Butler Tompkins (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

Waiter at Gaerste Party (uncredited)

Sarah Padden

Mary, Legendre Maid (uncredited)

William Pawley

Al (uncredited)

Lee Phelps

Waiter Calling Bill to Phone (uncredited)

Eddie Phillips

Gaerste's Dinner Guest (uncredited)

Rolfe Sedan

Man at Race Track (uncredited)

August Tollaire

Bearded Millionaire Frenchman (uncredited)

Adolph Faylauer

Man at Race Track (uncredited)

Leyland Hodgson

Surprised Party Guest (uncredited)

Edmund Mortimer

Gaerste's Dinner Guest (uncredited)

CinemaSerf

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.