(1933)
3
Bruce Eder
A fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly frank comedy about sex and power from a woman's point-of-view, Female was one the pictures that helped put director Michael Curtiz on the map early in his career. The screenplay by Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola gets into some very truthful territory in its treatment of Ruth Chatterton's character, Alison Drake, an automobile company president with a libidinal side every bit as pronounced as her considerable professional skills. Drake is all business, and good at it, except when she's at home, and then she's the complete hedonist, right down to the succession of lovers that she recruits from the ranks of her employees. Chatterton is convincing as this brilliant and supremely sensuous woman, presenting those two sides in a compelling portrayal, through which she dominates the entire picture from beginning to end. It's a mark of George Brent's ability as an actor that he rises to the challenge of convincing us that he's her equal, even though he's in barely half the movie. The brisk pacing, the extraordinary art deco design of Drake's home, and the beautifully staged party scene are other highlights in this hour-long jewel of a picture, which is every bit as striking in its way as George Cukor's The Women.
cast-crew for Female on AllMovie
Female (1933)
