She Done Him Wrong Details

Probably the classic Mae West movie (with I'm No Angel) and a perfect opportunity to make the acquaintance of “the finest woman that ever walked the streets”. The truly outrageous West is today mainly regarded as a camp icon, a gross apology for femininity, totally butch in attitude and style, yet retaining some bizarre but sexless notion of womanliness, a sort of female drag artist. The predatory creature known as Lady Lou in this opus was once West's infamous “Diamond Lil” in her own play, but the requirements of both national and local censors caused the modification of nickname and dialogue for the movie. Young Cary Grant is the person she asks to “come up sometime and see me”, a phrase that is now well established as part of cinema iconography. For many, the real attraction of this film is the stunning art direction — the Gay Nineties are seldom so well evoked. The songs are cherishable, and the whole short shebang is well worth watching or recording, especially if you're not yet acquainted with the redoubtable and unique West.

As near undiluted Mae West as Hollywood ever came: fast, funny, melodramatic and pretty sexy; also a very atmospheric and well-made movie.