MovieChat Forums > The Women (1939) Discussion > Weird, funny, quirky little moments of '...

Weird, funny, quirky little moments of 'The Women'

posted 18 years ago by Shearer_Goddard_Russell
44 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this movie yesterday for probably the 921739th time. And due to this rather high number, I'm always picking up new things I never noticed before, as I'm sure some of you have.
So some funny moments/small things I didn't previously notice:

1) In the scene following Mary's first phone call from Stephen (all the women are over for lunch), Sylvia is (most likely) debating in her mind how to get Mary to get her point about the other woman. Edith briefly takes hold of Sylvia's hand while alluding to her, and then Sylvia looks at her hand then at Mary, and her expression is just like, "IDEA!"

2) Catfight between Sylvia and Miriam. I just find it really amusing that Peggy was eating an apple before it got started, and after the close-up of her (going "Oh, Sylvia!") she continues to eat it while watching, horrorstruck. The others are so funny to watch in this scene, because you know they're not really trying to break up the fight and it's like they're trying not to laugh. I also love Mary's expression after Sylvia pulls down Miriam's shorts and is laughing.

3) Yeah. I am INCREDIBLY slow, but when Sylvia and the model are arguing at the fashion show, Sylvia says, "I'd like to see Howard Fowler bat an eye at another woman." The model replies, "I've seen him. And she's not bad, either." I'd always naively assumed she was joking just to annoy Sylvia, but I realized she must have been talking about Miriam! (duhh)

4) Lastly, as my brother so eloquently pointed out whilst walking by the TV, "Nipples!" I wonder if Paulette Goddard was wearing a bra during the scene wherein the Countess asks her about "the man in your life."

So, anyone else notice anything amusing?
(Note: this is NOT a board for favorite moments or quotes. It's for random little things you have noticed upon multiple viewings).

"I'm fixing the bike so daddy can ride it in heaven."
RIP Steve Irwin

[–] african-rose 16 years ago

The fashion show sequence---

There is a segment where the models are feeding the monkeys despite the "Do Not Feed the Animals" sign. The models continue to throw popcorn/peanuts at the monkeys and then it appears they throw them into the crowd. It looks as if the audience members are animals and the models are feeding them!

[–] KatrinaW 15 years ago

quote "4) Lastly, as my brother so eloquently pointed out whilst walking by the TV, "Nipples!" I wonder if Paulette Goddard was wearing a bra during the scene wherein the Countess asks her about "the man in your life.""

Maybe I've been watching a lot of movies from the 30's lately, but it seems that foundation garments were optional back then! I've seen a lot of unsupported bazooms in those movies. I think the industrial strength bra didn't become in fashion until the 40's.

[–] bloodlust02 15 years ago

I watched again last night and noticed something I hadn't before. When crystal is working at the perfume counter, she steps into the back and has a cigarette....even though there is clearly a "No Smoking" sign behind her.

[–] Blondfashionisto 15 years ago

What a great thread! I, too, have seem 'The Women' a gazillion times and love it! I remember watching it with my Mum and she said 'Boy, we did talk fast back then!'.

I have a few quirky moments I particularly love:

1. The Beauty Salon - As a former Hairstylist, I LOVE seeing the salon sequences. It's a real 'piece of history' - i.e. the beauty treatments; the 'permanent wave' machine; the facial treatment devices, PINCURLS!, etc.

2. Crystal's famous 'telephone scene' in the Perfume Counter back room; in particular, I think it's neat she mentions the 'Quintuplets' who were five babies born in Ontario in the 1930's (and were quite a national treasure). And, since I'm Canadian, I also like the fact Stephen and Mary are going 'off to Canada' (but, just in case anyone is not sure, it's not ALWAYS really snowy here :-)

Christopher

'There’s a name for you ladies, but it’s not used…Outside a kennel! (Crystal Allen)'

[–] netshopper-2 15 years ago

The fashion show sequence was hilarious and captivating.

[–] afsnowbird 14 years ago

Having nurses in the beauty salon.

[–] noirgirl 14 years ago

I love this thread! Because it's one of my favorite movies!

Here's some of mine:

Almost two years have passed by the time of the bathtub scene, and Little Mary hasn't grown at all! Which I loved, because she was so great!

Same scene: there's three inches of foam in that "seascape" bathtub but you can see Crystal kicking her feet in the clear water underneath when she's yelling at the maid.

The newspaper clipping and the text above Miriam "Vanities", gossiping about someone sitting in the lap of the "colored cigarette girl". Aside from that comment, I've watched a ton of old movies and I have never seen a black cigarette girl outside of "The Cotton Club".

For a movie dripping with fabulous clothing and styles, someone had Mary wearing a plaid shirt throw herself down on a gingham check couch with matching curtains.

Crystal picks up a swimming cap, complete with chin strap (!) as she gets into the shower.

At the first luncheon, after Mary tells Sylvia that the rolls are made with gluten, Norma Shearer drops a crumb of the roll out of her mouth. So surprising for a talent like Norma!

That the women's initials are monogrammed on their exercise suits.

Mary combs her hair and puts on lipstick at her home, then tells her friends she's not going out with them.

I believe the lamp base in Mary's bedroom is a male figure !!

The very odd (now) comment of being able to spread out in bed like a swastika!

That the Haines' had two different cooks...one named Ingrid in the Great Neck house, and a different one (possibly named Maggie) in the town house.

This is fun!

[–] noirgirl 14 years ago

I love this thread! Because it's one of my favorite movies!

Here's some of mine:

Almost two years have passed by the time of the bathtub scene, and Little Mary hasn't grown at all! Which I loved, because she was so great!

Same scene: there's three inches of foam in that "seascape" bathtub but you can see Crystal kicking her feet in the clear water underneath when she's yelling at the maid.

The newspaper clipping and the text above Miriam "Vanities", gossiping about someone sitting in the lap of the "colored cigarette girl". Aside from that comment, I've watched a ton of old movies and I have never seen a black cigarette girl outside of "The Cotton Club".

Crystal picks up a swimming cap, complete with chin strap (!) as she gets into the shower.

At the first luncheon, after Mary tells Sylvia that the rolls are made with gluten, Norma Shearer drops a crumb of the roll out of her mouth. So surprising for a talent like Norma!

Mary combs her hair and puts on lipstick at her home, then tells her friends she's not going out with them.

I believe the lamp base in Mary's bedroom is a male figure !!

The very odd (now) comment of being able to spread out in bed like a swastika!

That the Haines' had two different cooks...one named Ingrid in the Great Neck house, and a different one (possibly named Maggie) in the town house.

This is fun!

[–] brendanchenowith 14 years ago

This may not be a funny quirly little moment, but I howl during the exercise room scene when Sylvia is going off on the exercise lady and instead of raising her leg up and down, she appears as if she's kicking the exercise lady away.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.

[–] Alix1929 14 years ago

So many quirky moments! That's what made this such a wonderful movie. What about these with Mary's mother:

1) Spraying the perfume or room deodorizer around the room, after the ladies leave.

2) Coming to Mary's house...with knitting in her purse!

3) Talking to the dog on the bed. "Woof to you too!"

4) Mary's mom knocking down all the bikes while on vacation in Bermuda.

[–] juleereeves-891-550333 9 years ago

I noticed the lamps on the side of Mary's bed were switched. When Mary's Mom is spraying the perfume, after the reunion dinner party, there was a bedside lamp with a male figure on the far right and when little Mary comes into the room and climbs into bed, the lamp has been switched to a female figure. If you watch, when little Mary first enters the room, we even see the male lamp reflected in the mirror but sure enough, female in the next minute.

I too noticed the large crumb falling from Norma Shearer's mouth in the luncheon scene at the country house. Others have commented that she spit it out, possible to avoid ingesting calories during the shoot and they redid the scene several times. When you watch the scene, it really is obvious that the muffin sort of fell apart as she bit into it and some fell to the table.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] juleereeves-891-550333 9 years ago

Great idea for a thread!

I noticed that Mary removed her evening shoes and stocking, puts on slippers and that gorgeous ostrich feather wrap over her nightgown, walks over the the bed, takes off her slippers, and gets into bed. I just thought it funny that she put on house slippers to walk a few feet and get into bed.

In the reunion dinner scene in Mary's apartment, the white evening gown draped over the back of a chair next to Mary's vanity table. Seems that Jane would have hung that up since she was in the room, turning down Mary's bed.

Lamps are switched during this same scene - Mary's bedroom after the girls leave to go to the Casino Roof. First we see a male figuring on the far right night stand and it is even there when little Mary is at the door - we can see the lamp reflected in the mirror next to little Mary. When we see little Mary climb into bed with her Mom, the lamp has switched to a female figure.

Lots of comments about Mary wearing the same fabric as the window seat in her room as the Reno ranch. Actually, the furniture is covered in a large gingham and Mary's shirt is plaid. Perhaps if we saw this scene in color, we might understand why the designer and director mixed the gingham and plaid. Those things are usually so well planned. Maybe they were contrasting colors and it looked great. Hard to tell in black and white. But definitely not plaid on the furniture.

I have wondered if these ladies wore panties under the tap pants or if the tap pants are the extent of the underwear. Just curious. Tap pants are fairly loose and during the fight scene at the ranch, we see Paulette Goddards' legs up in the air and it made me wonder how covered up she "wasn't".

What the heck is Pancakes Barbara. I want some. I might have had some and never knew it since I've no idea what that dessert is. I am going to make up a layered crepe thingy with whipped cream and cherry filling and some chocolate sauce and forever after call it Pancakes Barbara.

[–] juleereeves-891-550333 9 years ago

Quirky things with the food in the luncheon scene at Mary's country home:
When Mary returns to the table after the phone call from Steven, we see Jane place a salad of watercress in front of Edith. Mary has a bowl of soup at her place and the other ladies have nothing. Edit remarks that she might just as soon "Eat her way across the front lawn." Seems to indicate she doesn't like cress but seems odd she would say so. Next we see bread basket passed around but most of the women have been served nothing else. I wonder why everyone didn't have first course served?

Mary is carrying around a bowl of fruit at the Reno ranch and talking about preparing supper with her own hands. Why would she be carrying the fruit around anyway? Food is in the kitchen. Seems she would go there and prepare it. Why is she carrying the fruit bowl around?

I adore the salon and it is so fun to see all the old beauty treatments being used there. Surely those were the newest innovations at the time the film came out. Early version of our med spas.

Odd that the cute manicurist previously worked at the perfume counter at Blacks Dept Store. Nowadays, one doesn't just take up the job of manicurist. This comment makes it seem like she just bounced over to Blacks and started doing nails.
Maybe during that time, there was no educational requirement for manicurists?

Miriam Aarons riding outfit at the ranch. Sparkly brooch and the leather belt and gauntlets. Same with the Countess. I guess there was some shopping involved before any soon to be ex wife departed for the divorce ranch in Reno.

[–] denis-38 8 years ago

Paulette Goddard's nipples under that sweater during the catfight. Not quirky or random, but quite delicious.