She Done Him Wrong (1933)

This first pairing of Mae West and Cary Grant who was still trying to "find" himself as an actor led to another in I’m No Angel (1933). But this is really West’s film (her first starring role) Grant is merely a pretty boy she uses. She famously "sings" three songs in it and this is the film in which her Lady Lou character utters "Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?" (#26 on AFI’s 100 Greatest Movie Quotes list). Entertainer Lady Lou works for Noah Beery’s character who has given her diamonds and the nickname "Diamond Lil". Beery’s character isn’t too happy that Grant’s character a Captain in a Salvation Army type organization by "saving souls" is losing him customers. Grant’s character tries to "save" Lil while she tries to seduce him. Louise Beavers plays Lil’s maid Owen Moore plays Lil’s ex-con boyfriend who returns to make trouble for her Rochelle Hudson plays a girl from the streets that Lil befriends. It was directed by Lowell Sherman; Harvey Thew and John Bright (The Public Enemy (1931)) based their screenplay on West’s play. Nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award this film was added to the National Film Registry in 1996.

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