She Done Him Wrong (1933)

She done us wrong

This is not as good as any of the other Mae West movies I have seen,
but still worth watching. June 12, 2008

Mae West Conquered Hollywood with This Bawdy Gay Nineties Comedy.

"She Done Him Wrong" was the movie that brought Mae West's bawdy humor from Broadway to moviegoers everywhere and made her a Hollywood star. It was her first leading role in a film. Based on West's hit play "Diamond Lil", tempered somewhat to please the censors, audiences loved the double entendres and West's trashy glamour. It was a box office smash that reputedly saved Paramount from bankruptcy. In 1934, "She Done Him Wrong" became the shortest film ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, at 1 hour 6 minutes, as well as one of the few comedies to receive that honor.

In the Bowery district of 1890s New York, political boss and racketeer Gus Jordan (Noah Beery) is the envy of every man who visits his cabaret, not for his wealth or power, but for his mistress Lady Lou (Mae West). Lou is a saucy singer who does gold-diggers one better. "Diamonds is my career," she declares. She'll attach herself to any man who is willing to deck her out in the gems. But Lou finds herself coveted by all the wrong men -not that she discourages them. The only man able to resist her charms is the handsome young Captain Cummings (Cary Grant) from the charitable mission next door...or can he.

"She Done Him Wrong" opens with 10 minutes of praise for Lady Lou's beauty and charm spoken by men from every walk of life before the Lady herself makes an appearance. That kind of introduction is difficult to live up to, and she doesn't quite manage, but Mae West is a larger than life presence who speaks in suggestive quips, drips diamonds, and slinks around in gowns that she had to be sewn into. West excelled in making disreputable women irresistible, and it's amazing to see what the force of her personality can do. "She Done Him Wrong" has an interesting set-up with very little pay-off, but there's no denying Mae West's entertainment value.

The DVD (Universal 2008): This is a good print of the film, with no obvious flaws in picture or sound. There is an optional Introduction (2 min) by Robert Osborne, who talks briefly about how the film saved Paramount and the changes that were made from the play. There is also a black-and-white animated short from 1933 entitled "She Done Him Right" (8 min) featuring Pooch the Pup. Clearly inspired by Mae West's film, Pooch pursues a slinky cabaret singer named Poodles, who spoofs Lady Lou. Subtitles are available for the film in English SDH and French. May 2, 2008

Mae West in all her bawdy, wisecracking glory

Never having seen "She Done Him Wrong" before (although I've heard plenty about its notoriety), I was pleased to find Mae West in top form. Yet another film based upon her notorious stage plays, it must've had quite an impact on audiences when it debuted. Although Miss West was not the first female comedian (Mabel Normand was there long before her), she was important in film history as the first female character which was strongly assertive. When others did her wrong, Mae was quick in putting them in their place with a suggestive comment or sharp one-liner. After spending years on the stage, Mae was an old pro at tossing out bawdy one-liners with ease, a trademark of her character. And she could speak volumes with just a roll of her eyes or sway of her hips; quite a contrast from today's actresses who must engage in graphic sex scenes or bare all to get our attention.
Armed with a strong script & surrounded with a solid cast (the young, handsome Cary Grant, Gilbert Roland, Noah Beery, Sr., etc.), Mae entered into a confrontation with the Censorship Bureau over the film's content---the first of many battles for her. Ultimately (and obviously), the film was made, was a box office smash, and saved Paramount Pictures from the brink of bankruptcy. Quit an impact, indeed!
Balancing comedy & drama, SDHW sets the mold for many vehicles in which Mae's character was continually assaulted because of her "past", but she always won out due to her unflappable manner & deep-down integrity. Singing & talking in her husky, slightly nasally voice, Mae was certainly impressionable.
Handsomely packaged & remastered, the DVD also includes a dandy introduction from Robert Osbourne, as well as an early cartoon clearly patterned after Miss West titled "She Done Him Right". Undoubtedly, Mae West at the peak of her powers. April 29, 2008

AT LONG LAST UNIVERSAL PICTURES RELEASES DVD OF "SHE DONE HIM WRONG"

"SHE DONE HIM WRONG" IS THE FILM VERSION OF MAE WEST'S THEATRICAL HIT "DIAMOND LIL" AND IS THE MOVIE THAT SAVED PARAMOUNT PICTURES FROM BANKRUPTCY 75 YEARS AGO (1933).IT IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST OF ALL OF HER 12 FILMS..IN THIS CINEMA CLASSIC, MISS WEST SINGS 3 OF HER POPULAR SONGS "EASY RIDER","I LIKE A MAN WHO TAKES HIS TIME" AND HER SIGNATURE SONG "FRANKIE AND JOHNNY".THE DVD RELEASE IS REAL CLEAR AND CONTAINS BONUS FEATURES WHICH IS UNUSUAL FOR MOST OLDER FILMS TRANSFERRED TO DVD.IT HAS AN INTRODUCTION BY ROBERT OSBORNE(THE FILM HISTORIAN AND MOVIE HOST OF TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES) AS WELL AS A CARTOON PARODY OF THE FILM THAT IS ENTITLED " SHE DONE HIM RIGHT" IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF UNIVERSAL HAD ALSO INCLUDED TRAILERS FROM HER OTHER MOVIES BUT ALAS DID NOT.PERHAPS THEY MIGHT IN FUTURE DVD TRANSFERS OF HER MOVIES.WE CAN ONLY HOPE.

WILLIAM J. LANDIS April 25, 2008

Unfortunately, a Famous Quote Is Missing

I eagerly watched the new DVD release of "She Done Him Wrong" which is one of Mae West's best films, and contains some of her best dialogue. One famous quote from this film "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me" must have been excised from the print used for the DVD transfer. I'm surprised that Universal would use a source that has been edited. Aside from that, it's great to have this classic to view. Just wish it was all there. April 23, 2008

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