Overview
A comedic exploration of wealth, infidelity, and the complexities of female friendships in high society.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- irreverent
- classic cinema night
- girls night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining classic whose all-star ensemble, witty dialogue, and sharp social satire make it one of the standout Hollywood films of 1939.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The women’s gossip network and exclusive social settings turn upper-class Manhattan into a sharply observed social jungle.
The film’s cast and onscreen world are composed entirely of women, while husbands and lovers remain offscreen subjects of conversation.
Sylvia, Mary, Crystal, Miriam, and the Countess navigate divorce, infidelity, competition, and loyalty through verbal and social combat.
The MGM production uses black-and-white photography and elegant salons, beauty spaces, trains, and clubs to frame its ensemble performances.
Films like The Women, and why
The Philadelphia Story
shared all-female ensemble, social satire, romantic betrayal, and rapid-fire wit
Design for Living
shared sophisticated comedy drama, infidelity, divorce, and upper-class social maneuvering
Old Maid
shared female friendship, marital competition, and sharp domestic satire in classic Hollywood style
Movie Details
- Director
- George Cukor
- Release Date
- 1939-09-01
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (184)
Cast
- Norma Shearer
- Joan Crawford
- Rosalind Russell
- Mary Boland
- Paulette Goddard
- Joan Fontaine
- Lucile Watson
- Phyllis Povah
- Virginia Weidler
- Marjorie Main
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- TCM
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Women about?
- George Cukor’s all-female classic turns divorce, infidelity, and Park Avenue gossip into a venomous yet exuberant social comedy.
- What is The Women like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Women as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Women violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Women.
- What did critics think of The Women?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining classic whose all-star ensemble, witty dialogue, and sharp social satire make it one of the standout Hollywood films of 1939.
- Which films are like The Women?
- Films with a similar feel include The Philadelphia Story, Design for Living, and Old Maid.
- How long is The Women?
- The Women runs 133 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Women?
- In United States, The Women streams on TCM.
