She Done Him Wrong

She Done Him Wrong (1933)

Runtime: 65 minutes

Directed by: Lowell Sherman

Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Owen Moore, Noah Beery, Gilbert Roland

From: Paramount

Before last night, the only Mae West film I had viewed was... Myra Breckenridge <<shudders>>. That was experienced over 15 years ago and notwithstanding how it's awful in a unique way, it is a film better left unseen, even if there needs to be a review to explain WHY its painfulness is truly one of a kind. Thankfully She Done Him Wrong is much more palpable, an adaptation of West's own play Diamond Lil.

It is unknown by me whether or not Diamond Lil was meandering in its plot but the movie certainly was. As rumored, there were issues w/ the censors so some things did have to be taken out. Be that as it may, at least it was never dull and of course Mae (as Lou) was the highlight. She was a bold lady who loved diamonds, was often flirty, was interested in multiple men, took no crap from anyone, and also sang a few songs. Most of the action takes place at a barroom saloon where Mae performs at. She interacts w/ several shady men, including the owner of that saloon, an ex who is now in prison; an actual decent male she also pines for was Cary Grant-who works next door at a mission and follows the temperance movement-the setting is 1890's NYC.

Its plot issues aside, at least She Done Him Wrong provided a decent amount of laughs, and not just from West. This was still in the Pre-Code era so there is dialogue and moments which were bawdy for the time. For example, she changes clothes in the same room as a man-even if she's behind a shade while doing so-and this was where she uttered her immortal line, “Why don't you come up sometime and see me?” As this was only 65 minutes, it was an easy watch. It does have to be noted that Lou has a Black maid (Louise Beavers) and as it is the 1930's, it was a Mammie stereotype. Even if she calls the maid “Eight Ball” at one point, it was West who asked her to be cast in a role... and even wanted Black performers in her stage plays-that does deserve some kudos. Other than the Mammie stuff, this has not aged poorly.