Edgar Allan Pooh . . . Jean Harlow is meant to embody "the clap," and the other olden-days Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Unlike today, movie studios maintained a go-for-broke competitive stance (since most of them WERE broke; for instance, the opening credits for RED-HEADED WOMAN state that its producer, M-G-M, was then under the "control" of Loew's). Therefore, WOMAN was able to make the shocking revelation that venereal diseases can strike rich One Per Cent guys, too. As Ms. Harlow slinks from man to man like some baby-talking bacteria or vain virus, she's careful to be an equal opportunity fluid swapper. Whether it's Albert the chauffeur or Al the bootlegger, "Lillian's" insatiable lust for new hosts cannot be contained by clothes. On the surface, Lil is an amoral gold-digger, with a puzzlingly counter-productive tendency to repel her target bankrolls through her indiscreet wanton slumming. Taken as an allegorical fleshing out of STDs, her amorality is more understandable if no less deadly.

piedbeauty37 Enjoyable, often hilarious tale of on-the-make secretary Jean Harlow who sets her sights on the boss's son. She uses sex the way some people use bribery. Relentlessly pursuing Bill, (her first prey) Harlow intends to marry up and do it fast.Considering the prudishness of most 1940's films, this 1932 offering is pretty frank. There is lots of sex outside of marriage and adultery within it; Jean's character enjoys being bad and doesn't apologize for it.Harlow steamrolls her way through men, but will she get her come uppance. Watch this little gem and find out.

ametaphysicalshark Boy, don't ever show this movie to a feminist. While I don't think it qualifies as 'misogynist'- it does have two strong female characters, however wicked one of them is, the movie has a brazen sexuality which familiarity with old Hollywood films wouldn't really lead you to think would be present in a 1932 film, but then again this was pre-code. Plus, the whole movie is about a wicked seductress who preys on the natural weaknesses of men, and by the time our protagonist beats her up after she 'asks for it' any extreme feminists watching would probably be preparing banners demanding the film be erased from archives and campaign for 'womyn''s rights more fervently than ever.On the other hand, they might think Jean Harlow's character in the film is an example of a great, strong womyn. Take everything I've said so far with a grain of salt, I'm just having a bit of fun. Back to the film. It's really quite good. Not very good, not great, but quite good. It's a (very) darkly humorous movie with some fun pre-code naughtiness and a sort of sexuality American movies wouldn't really have for quite some time to come after the pre-code era.I suppose some of it is supposed to work as drama, but it's hard to feel sorry for anyone other than the male lead's wife who has her home wrecked by Harlow's character. It's pretty good comedy though, fairly well-written and while the whole movie is sleazy relative to the time period it was made in and modern audiences' preconceived notions about Hollywood films at the time (or at least those that have no experience with the pre-code films), it's all done with a sort of overall class which works in the movie's favor. It's well-directed and a good production too. I don't agree with most that Jean Harlow is even remotely attractive, nor that she's really even all that good here (some of the more comic bits she really doesn't pull off), but the film is pretty good entertainment, I'd recommend it to anyone interested in pre-code Hollywood or if it's on TCM late one night or something and you've got nothing better to do.

Jay Harris Now I was too young to see Miss Harlow in this riotous comedy in 1932,I was all of 4 years old.I finally did see it when I was a teen at the MOMA in NYC. I am sure I liked it, I saw it again last night as part of a double bill with Waterloo Bridge (1931). it was part of the Forbidden Hollywod collection from NETFLIX.It is still a very funny albeit very very stupid, using todays films as a guideline.This was one Jean Harlow's first films, What an comic she was, It was & still is a shame that she left us in 1937 at only 26 years old. We lost a bright comet then. She is great as a gold-digger who uses men as her playthings.Chester Morris was her co-star,He already was a veteran actor and was a much better one than many believe. When his contract at MGM was over he went to Monogram & made the Boston Blackie , private eye series of films,. They did nothing to help his career,Jack Conway directed & Anitra Loos wrote a witty screenplay based on a novel.Also appearing are Una Merkel, May Robson & Lewis Stone.Slickly produce by Irving Thalberg (no title credit)Rating: *** (out of 4) 82 POINTS (OUT OF 1) IMDb 7 (out of 10)