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6.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Three Wise Girls remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Okay, so 'Three Wise Girls' from way back in '32. If you're a sucker for old Hollywood, especially the stuff before the Hays Code clamped down, this one’s *definitely* worth a look.
You get a glimpse into a New York that feels both familiar and totally alien. If you need explosions or stories that move at TikTok speed, well, you'll probably just wonder what all the fuss is about.
Our main gal is Cassie, played by Mae Clarke. She bops into the big city from a place called 'Elmville' – real subtle, huh?
She's got this wide-eyed innocence that slowly chips away. Not in a sad way, just a *real* way.
She takes on these little jobs, like one bit where she's a soda jerker, and you can practically smell the fizz and stale popcorn.
Then there’s the modeling thing. It’s not presented as super glamorous right away. More like another grind, but with fancier clothes.
There's a scene, I swear, where she's posing for a dress, and the photographer just tells her, 'Look hungry, kid.' And she *nails* it. A small line, but it sticks.
And then there's Jean Harlow. Oh man. She plays Dorothy, and she just *owns* every frame she's in.
She's not even the main character, but you can’t take your eyes off her. She has this swagger, this way of saying lines like 'A girl's gotta look out for herself in this town,' that just *lands*. You believe her.
It's not just an actress saying words. The other 'wise girl,' Gwen, is a bit more forgettable, honestly.
She kinda blends into the background whenever Harlow or Clarke are on screen. It’s a shame, because you want more from a 'wise girl' trio.
The whole thing feels a little... *loose*. Morally, I mean.
Not scandalous by today's standards, but there are hints of things. Like the girls talking about 'sugar daddies' without actually saying 'sugar daddies.' It's all in the subtext, in the quick glances and knowing smiles.
One moment, Cassie is struggling, then suddenly she's got a fancy apartment. The movie doesn’t really dwell on *how* she got there.
It just kinda implies, 'Hey, that's New York, kid.' You fill in the blanks, which is actually kinda cool.
The editing can be a little jarring sometimes. A scene will just cut abruptly, like they were running out of film or something.
There's this one moment where Cassie's talking to her love interest, and the camera just *snaps* to a close-up, then back to a wide shot, all within a second. A bit clunky.
And the romantic subplot... it's there. Walter Byron as the main dude. He’s handsome enough, I guess, but his dialogue is a little *stiff*.
You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters.
The dialogue, though, has some zingers. People talk fast. You gotta pay attention.
There's a line where someone says, 'She's got eyes like a cashier's till,' and it’s just so perfectly *of its time*.
Also, the background noises are really noticeable. Like, you can hear a specific streetcar bell in one scene, and it just keeps clanging, a little too loud.
It kinda pulls you out, then pulls you right back into the city chaos. It's an interesting effect.
It doesn't have a big, grand ending. It just kinda… ends. Like life, I suppose.
The girls have learned their lessons, but it's not a neat package with a bow. It leaves you thinking about what comes next for them. Especially Dorothy, you know she's got more stories.
So yeah, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got grit and a certain charm. And watching Harlow just *be* Harlow? That alone is worth the price of admission. Or, you know, the streaming subscription.
IMDb —
1921
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