Female

Ruth Chatterton (as Alison Drake) is the successful president of "Drake Motors"; she runs a tight ship, and has a yen for good-looking men. In fact, she enjoys treating men the way they have always treated women; and, attractive new hires are invited to Ms. Chatterton's mansion for an evening of vodka and sex. When invitees get out of line, or expect more than a "one night stand", Chatterton has them transferred. The boss woman goes unsatisfied when evening "pick up" George Brent (as Jim Thorne) turns her down. When she discovers Mr. Brent is a new hire at her company, Chatterton again tries, and fails, to seduce him. Has Chatterton finally met her match?

"Female" looks most like a William A. Wellman film, but boasts three directors; and, here's how (more or less): The film's director was William Dieterle; then, he became ill. So, the film was directed (mostly) by Mr. Wellman. However, Jack Warner was unhappy with George Blackwood's performance (as Cooper). The studio ordered the scenes with Mr. Blackwood re-shot. Then, Michael Curtiz directed (only) the scenes with Blackwood's replacement, Johnny Mack Brown (as Cooper). Still, the completed film was to credit Wellman (rightly). But, Wellman and Warner Brothers terminated their relationship (unhappily). So, the studio credited Mr. Curtiz.

With whomever directing, Chatterton is terrific; sadly, her efforts are ruined by an ending which is almost repulsive - what this film does to Chatterton's character is criminal. Still, "Female" is well worth watching, mainly for Chatterton's great style, and performance. Brent (her off-screen husband, at the time) is at his very best, too. And, the supporting cast is great fun. For example, Ferdinand Gottschalk (as Pettigrew) amuses in the workplace; and, don't miss Rafaela Ottiano (as Della) getting a swat in the derrière! Note Ms. Ottiano was Greta Garbo's maid in "Grand Hotel" (1932); incidentally, Garbo used the alias "Harriet Brown" (Lois Wilson's character), and the soon divorced leading man George Brent, from this film. Small world.

****** Female (11/3/33) Michael Curtiz ~ Ruth Chatterton, George Brent, Johnny Mack Brown, Lois Wilson

This is a wonderful movie! The Art Deco sets are great - especially Miss Drake's house. (High up in the entry hall there is a balcony with a live organist!). Here are some facts: The assembly line for the "Drake" automobile is actually footage of the assembly line for the 1932 Plymouth. That beautiful town car she travels in is a Cord L-29 (as it pulls away listen to that beautiful whine of the front-wheel-drive transmission). George Brent drive a 1929 Packard. (Guess my obsession!)

Female (1933)

Smart, fast, witty, daring, fresh, impressive. A great little movie (just an hour long) with such a swirling series of events, and such great acting, you hardly know it's over. The filming is really tight and modern, the writing is sharp, and the leading role, the sexually liberated executive woman played by Ruth Chatterton, is spot on perfect. When George Brent appears (after half an hour), he matches her in a subtle, convincing performance that shows why, after having made twenty films already, he still had his career ahead of him. Chatterton, by contrast, made few films later, which is our loss.

The astonishing thing about the plot, of course, is how racy it is. Even today, with no holds barred (just some letters in a rating system), to have a leading woman sleep around with every handsome young man she wants, without any down side (no backstabbing, no violence, no disease, no remorse, nothing at all) is bold. These days, of course, she'd be a poster child against sexual harassment on the workplace.

But really the movie is about strength, and romance, and is remarkably modern and alive. The director is Michael Curtiz, who made such a huge number of films some of the gems like this one get lost. Some of his other gems, of course, are not lost at all (like, uh, Casablanca or Mildred Pierce). Give this its due. Worth every frame.

This comedy should be a pre-code document, just as the code was about to be imposed. The sexual conduct of Ruth Chatterton's character is mind blowing in this 1933 flick. Reminded me of Demi Moore in "Disclosure" with a major difference, Ruth Chatterton devours her minions not because she is some kind of monster but as simple mater of fact. h inherited a man's role and she loves it. The last few minutes of "Female" are a forced betrayal of the intention and the morality tale becomes an ominous warning sign for all entrepreneurial females. So blunt! Inspite of the ending this is a gem that should be seen. I guarantee you it will leave you open mouthed. Ruth Chatterton is not just amazingly modern in her upper class Mae Westish part but her performance is truly superb

A pre-code drama that turns the male stereotype around by having Ruth Chatterton play an executive that's all business by day, but a man-eater by night. As Alison Drake, the head of an automobile manufacturing company that was started by her now deceased father, the actress plays a confident decisive woman that surrounds herself with good looking male secretaries and assistants that she can invite to her home after business hours for sexual liaisons. If any of the men get too chummy, she has them fired or transferred by her only older assistant, a trustworthy father-figure type (Ferdinand Gottschalk) named Pettigrew.

But Alison tires of the routine, realizing that everyone wants something from her, and she doubts the authenticity of the compliments (and a marriage proposal from Douglas Dumbrille, not looking very suave in a bathing suit) she constantly receives. Desiring to be 'just a woman', Alison escapes to a common part of town where she sees and pursues a man (George Brent) that she meets at a shooting gallery. They dance, have hamburgers and a good time together but, at the end of the evening, he declines Alison's offer to take her home, claiming he has a strict rule about pick-ups.

Of course, the man turns out to be Jim Thorne, an engineer that her company just hired to design a car with an automatic transmission. However, Alison learns that her regular routine doesn't work with Jim; the vodka her butler serves doesn't make him amorous and he spurns her advances.

Predictably, this causes her to revert to being a more typical female, one who's willing to chuck everything just to win him.

Originally directed by William Dieterle and then William Wellman, the only screen credit was given to Michael Curtiz, who was brought in to reshoot the scenes with Johnny Mack Brown (per some comments Robert Osborne made when the film aired on TCM), who plays one of Chatterton's pawns. Donald Henderson Clark wrote the story that was adapted by Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola.