She Done Him Wrong (1933)

Director: Lowell Sherman

Writers: Mae West, Harvey F. Thew, John Bright

Composer: John Leipold

Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Owen Moore, Gilbert Roland, Noah Beery, David Landau, Rafaela Ottiano, Dewey Robinson, Rochelle Hudson, Tammany Young, Fuzzy Knight, Grace La Rue, Robert Homans, Louise Beavers

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Mae West gives a HOT TIME to the Nation

Plot: In the Gay Nineties, a seductive nightclub singer contends with several suitors, including a jealous escaped convict and a handsome temperance league member.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again?  Maybe.

Anything with Mae West is worth your time.  This is the picture that introduced her famous line, "Why don't you come up and see me some time?"  She was among the greats for her sharp and playful wit and she's got it on display in this picture.  It's darn short at only 64 minutes.  Comedy takes up the first two thirds until the last act when it suddenly becomes very serious with the accidental murder of a woman while the fuzz is all over the joint looking for someone.  That was an unexpected turn of events.  West plays Lou (changed from Lil as in her stage show this was based on, Diamond Lil) with such confidence it's no wonder that she hit the screen big and made a huge impact.  For the most part, the funny belongs to her and she naturally gets the best and juiciest lines.  It's worth watching just to see how sex-hungry and naughty she is.  I liked the picture just fine but there are more song numbers in it than need to be and it feels a little disjointed at times.  It's still a good time.  She wrote the play and this was her only film she was in that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.