George Cukor directs Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell in this lengthy drama about a doting society wife who discovers her husband is cheating on her long after the rest of her friends and enemies do.

Famous for its all female cast, this expansion of the stage play absolutely rocks when it is catty, camp and couldn’t give a hot damn about The Code. To these modern eyes Shearer is a bit of a drip so it is a trudge when we focus too much on her. Russell is a genuine hoot however as the back stabbing, gossipy mega-bitch and everyone else looks alluring to a fault. There’s a Technicolour disruption at a fashion show, a wrestle at a divorce ranch and a farce finale. Though now more of a museum piece than an out-and-out classic there still plenty of pleasures to be sifted out here.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Grand Hotel (1932)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/