Three Wise Girls (1933) with Jean Harlow

The movie begins with Jean Harlow working unhappily as a soda jerk behind the counter.  In one scene, we see Jean whipping up an ice cream sundae after a kid comes in and orders one. I love how the camera focuses in on the dish so we see the ice cream up close.


She's bored in her small town, so she and her friend Dot find an apartment in the big city. Jean meets an old friend (Mae Clark) and makes a few new ones, including dapper millionaire played by Walter Byron, who becomes smitten with her, yet holds a secret.

The movie's tone is often serious, even though Jean is funny at times with a number of her wisecracks. It leans more romantic-drama than romantic-comedy, since several of the characters are driven to some emotional extremes that wouldn't be very funny in real life.

For example, tension builds when Mae Clark's beau (Jameson Thomas) starts making passes at Jean, who has become a fashion model. Meanwhile, Walter continues to pursue Jean throughout the film, but when his secret is revealed, she is faced with having to make several uncomfortable decisions.

Waiting to see what will happen to these characters is what makes this film so enjoyable, but I won't give anything away. Will she quit her high-paying job as a fashion model? And what will she do, move back to the small town where she came from and hates? You'll just have to see the movie.

Marie Prevost's Dot provides comic relief as her flirty best friend, and she eventually falls for Walter's chauffeur (Andy Devine). They make a cute couple.

I highly recommend this one if you can catch it on TCM; it's not on DVD.

The Baroness Von Vintage, another fan of this film, reminds me that the three female leads are "wise" in the sense of being sassy, irreverent, and cheeky. Though there are three of them, Jean Harlow's character is the main focus throughout.

Directed by William Beaudine

Read a review from She Blogged By Night

I wonder if the movie "Three Smart Girls" took it's title from this film.