Three Wise Girls

It's early Harlow in a role that doesn't require her signature sparkle. Still, there's enough shine to get noticed. The movie itself is nothing special, reminding me a bit of a cut-rate Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). Here shapely working-class girls Clarke and Harlow try to satisfy their hearts' desire by marrying well; at the same time, they must dodge the inevitable mashers. Seems however their rich gentlemen already have wives, so that becomes a problem. Still, we get to see Harlow wiggle in and out of costumes in what would become part of her appeal. Have to say I didn't recognize the familiar Andy Devine under all that chauffeur's uniform. Too bad he didn't get more screen time. Then there's Marie Provost, the wise-cracking third girl, whose rather chubby figure presaged an eventual tragic end (IMDB), cutting short a promising Patsy Kelly-type career.

There's one really jolting scene that's sneaky as heck. Broken hearted, Gladys (Clarke) peers down from stories above street level. We think we know what she's planning, but as it turns out, we don't. Anyway, it's a really well thought-out sequence in an otherwise unexceptional screenplay. All in all, the 60-some minutes amounts to a good look at a pre-celebrity Harlow, along with Mae Clarke, who at least doesn't have to eat grapefruit courtesy Jimmy Cagney.

THREE WISE GIRLS has long been, with GOLDIE (1931), the rarest Jean Harlow starring film. For decades the few Harlow fans that had seen it basically only had access to a washed out, rather unwatchable print which made the whole cast look like ghosts. When Turner Classic Movies starred airing rare Columbia Pictures talkies in 2008, Harlowheads had their fingers crossed that one day they just might get around to this elusive film and that day finally aired on July 10, 2009 with a near-excellent print revealing this modest little programmer is one of Jean Harlow's best pre-MGM performances and one of her all-time most appealing characters.

Jean stars as Cassie, a virtuous small town girl who supports her mother on her salary as a soda jerk. Mom is proud of her daughter but can't help but be a little envious of her friend whose daughter Mae Clarke sends home big bucks from New York. When the whole town notices the automobile Mae's mom gets, Jean decides check out the big city herself. Reunited with her friend Mae, Jean is still very much a small town innocent ("I think she still believes in Santa Claus", a warm, amused Mae quips to her beau) but soon learns about the perils of metropolitan life for a sexy young woman as she is pursued by wealthy Walter Byron who isn't quite divorced from his chic socialite wife Natalie Moorhead , and well as having to fend off advances from the married man Mae is supported by. A regretful Mae advises Jean not to take "the easiest way" to financial comfort but Jean's plump, work weary roommate Marie Prevost tells her to go for it.

As you might presume by my IMDb moniker, I can hardly be unbiased about Jean Harlow but I am rather level-headed and I think she was a sensational screen personality and an quite an excellent movie actress and this little picture shows she could deliver the goods even before the big MGM buildup later that year. For a young woman who was hotly publicized as the most erotic sex siren on the screen, she is totally credible and believable as this good girl who does not want to give in to immorality. Jean is outstanding. Mae Clarke has a unusually glamorous role for her as the chic model who couldn't quite be so pure and is is equally excellent in a sympathetic part as an intelligent young woman who made bad decisions. Marie Prevost, once a silent movie glamour girl, plays the character part of the wisecracking man-hungry plump and plain girl of the type that would later be a Patsy Kelly specialty. The two male leads are acceptable albeit totally locked into the era with their oiled-up hair and pencil mustaches although Walter Byron is rather appealing as Jean's married man, a good guy who lives to regret his abandoned marriage to Natalie Moorhead. Moorhead is always a treat to see in early talkies where she was typecast as a wealthy, often amoral, clotheshorse, her part in this movie is quite small but she's still good.

The title THREE WISE GIRLS is perhaps deliberately ironic as only one of our heroines truly has her head on straight but all three actresses shine in this film, most especially the beautiful and bewitching iconic film legend Jean Harlow.

Bored with her small-town job as a "soda jerker," sexy platinum blonde Jean Harlow (as Cassie Barnes) moves to exciting New York City. For obvious reasons, Ms. Harlow is treated like a sex object. Propositioned by boss number three, Harlow is rescued by drunken Walter Byron (as Jerome "Jerry" Wilson). After sobering up, Mr. Byron seems like the perfect mate for Harlow. He's wealthy, proper and attentive. Unfortunately, Byron is also married. Harlow is soon reacquainted with childhood friend Mae Clarke (as Gladys Kane), who models underwear (and other clothing). She is having a relationship with a married man. Harlow's roommate Marie Prevost (as Dot) is looking for a man...

"Three Wise Girls" focuses on one Jean Harlow, but the other women have the better roles. Harlow commands the screen when she undresses - and director William Beaudine gets in several scenes with Harlow and Ms. Clarke in stages of undress. Harlow's figure is generously displayed. A "silent" star said to be victimized by the microphone, Ms. Prevost is noteworthy in a character role. Able to command the screen without taking off her clothes, Prevost sounds fine. She's looking for a plumber, but will settle for chauffeur Andy Devine. Clarke's subplot is the dramatic highlight. Unfortunately, Harlow's figure and her scene-stealing supporting cast don't make the main story more engaging.

***** Three Wise Girls (1/11/32) William Beaudine ~ Jean Harlow, Mae Clarke, Marie Prevost, Walter Byron

Three Wise Girls (1932)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Jean Harlow plays the good girl who moves from a small town to New York City to make some big cash to help give her mom a better life. Once in the big city she quits three jobs because the bosses keep wanting more than just work. She meets an old friend (Mae Clarke) and is disgusted to learn that she is dated a married man. Soon Harlow meets a man (Walter Byron) of her own but after falling in love she finds out that he too is married. This is a rather strange Pre-Code from Columbia that pretty much tries to explain why it's okay to date married men. This topic certainly wouldn't be made into movies within the next couple years as the Hayes Office would put their foot down on any type of subject like this one. What makes the film work are the performances, which are pretty good with Harlow stealing the film as the naive blonde who doesn't really know what all life has to offer. Harlow is quite believable as the innocent, sweet girl and it shows she could play more than just vamps. Byron is also quite good as the poor sap stuck in a worthless marriage. He brings quite a bit of charm to the role and makes for a very like able character. Clarke is decent but pretty much wasted in the supporting role as is Marie Prevost as the "third" girl. Andy Devine is also wasted in a small supporting role, although he manages to get a couple nice laughs. The sexual innuendo is certainly on display her certainly early on as Harlow is undressing and constantly bending down with a rather loose top on. The film is certainly very predictable but director One Shot keeps things moving at a nice pace. The ending is one you'll see from a mile away but it's handled very well.

Jean Harlow had top billing and gave a good performance in this one, playing a small-town girl who goes to New York to seek her fortune. I found it refreshing to see her in a more virtuous role; she not only shows her range, but her character is strong, and stands up for herself when hit on by men. At the same time, her magnetism and sex appeal shine through, helped along by some modeling and pre-Code lingerie scenes. She finds out the rich guy she's been seeing is married and wants to end it, particularly after having seen what a similar situation has done to her friend, played well by Mae Clark (who you might remember as having been with Harlow the previous year in 'The Public Enemy', and getting a grapefruit stuffed in her face by James Cagney). The last of the 'wise girls' is Marie Prevost in the role of her roommate, who points out the flipside, hey, it's nice to eat something other than liverwurst by seeing a guy with some money, and breaks off a few other funny lines in the film. The movie is quite brisk at 68 minutes, maybe too brisk in a couple of ways (such as Mae Clark's fate), but it's worth watching, particularly if you're a Harlow fan.