The Women

So they are remaking “The Women” with Meg Ryan and Eva Mendes. My nightmare is complete. “The Women” is a brilliant film made in 1939 consisting of an all female cast (including all female animal actors as well) about Mary Haines, a well-to-do wife of Stephen Haines, who is having an affair with Crystal Allen (a to die for Joan Crawford). What makes it so delicious is the fashion, the cattiness, but mostly the dialogue. It is like the best of the films from the 1930’s with rapid fire dialogue and fantastic acting- mostly overdramatic in the best possible way. Rosalind Russell is hilarious and watching her wrap her mouth around the the words like tongue twisters is just plain fun.It's probably a bit sexist as well, but who cares. It's divine. Well, I have now seen the preview for the new one. It sticks to the story for the most part, which was always the weakest part of the original, but the quick wit and melodrama is gone. We have traded it for a standard “he cheated on you” picture. Candace Bergen does look interesting as Mary’s mother and Eva looks smoking as Crystal (but when you are re-doing Joan, you have some BIG shoes to fill), but I am planning to be severely disappointed. Oh well. Compare for yourselves, but I recommend checking out the original today. You will have to pay attention though. When I say RAPID fire dialogue, I mean it.