She Done Him Wrong

Director: Lowell Sherman Lowell Sherman

Overview

"I'm the finest woman who walked the streets," declares bejeweled, hip-swishing Lady Lou (Mae West) at the beginning of She Done Him Wrong. Lou works as a singer at the Gay Nineties saloon of Gus Jordan (Noah Beery Sr.), who plies her with diamonds to keep her by his side. She runs afoul of stalwart mission captain Cummings (Cary Grant), who warns her that she's on the road to perdition. Mae West's first starring film, She Done Him Wrong literally saved Paramount Pictures from bankruptcy. It would remain the best of her feature films, most of which were severely watered down by the Production Code (whose renewed stringency of 1933 was brought about in great part by West herself). She Done Him Wrong was based on West's own stage play, +Diamond Lil, which ran on Broadway for 97 weeks. West sings "Frankie and Johnny," "I Like a Man Who Takes His Time," and ""I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone.""

Product Details

Release Date:	04/22/2008
UPC:	0025192578823
Original Release:	1933
Rating:	NR
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Language:	English
Time:	1:05:00
Sales rank:	34,034

Special Features

Exclusive introduction by Turner Classic Movies host and film historian Robert Osborne; Bonus cartoon - "She Done Him Right

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Mae West	Lady Lou
Cary Grant	Capt. Cummings
Gilbert Roland	Serge Stanieff
Noah Beery Sr.	Gus Jordan
Owen Moore	Chick Clark
David Landau	Dan Flynn
Rafaela Ottiano	Russian Rita
Dewey Robinson	Spider Kane
Rochelle Hudson	Sally Glynn
Tammany Young	Chuck Connors
Fuzzy Knight	Ragtime Kelly
Grace LaRue	Frances
Robert E. Homans	Officer Doheney
Louise Beavers	Pearl
Wade Boteler	Pat
Aggie Herring	Mrs. Flaherty
Tom Kennedy	Big Billy
James Eagles	Pete,Pete
Tom McGuire	Mike
Al Hill	Bar Fly
Arthur Housman	Bar Fly
Mary Gordon	Cleaning Lady
Michael Mark	Janitor
Mike Donlin	Tout
Harry Wallace	Steak McGarry
Lee Kohlmar	Jacobson
Ernie Adams	Man in Audience,Man in Audience
Frank Moran	Framed Convict
Heinie Conklin	Street Cleaner
Jack Carr	Patron
Ralph Rainger	Composer

Technical Credits

Mae West

Harvey Thew

John Bright

Lowell Sherman	Director
Mae West	Screenwriter
Harvey Thew	Screenwriter
John Bright	Screenwriter
William Le Baron	Producer

Editorial Reviews

She Done Him Wrong is the best example of the screen persona of Mae West and why it has endured as a icon of comic sexuality. Adapted from West's stage play, the story is secondary to West's charismatic one-liners and simmering seductiveness. While this sort of act was popular with 1933 audiences, who had little to compare it to, current-day viewers may wonder at the furor that West's name continued to generate for decades. The supporting cast appears to be there just for show, including West's nominal co-star, Cary Grant, whom Paramount was then attempting to build into a leading man. Paramount consistently selected material for Grant that failed to showcase his talents, and he did not achieve major box-office status until after leaving the studio in 1935. She Done Him Wrong holds the unusual distinction of being nominated for an Academy Award as Best Picture without being nominated in any other category.