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In honour of Norma Shearer's 114th birthday, which was on Wednesday, this week on «Film Friday» I bring you what is arguably one of her most iconic pictures. Directed by George Cukor, The Women (1939) begins when Sylvia Fowler (Rosalind Russell) learns from her manicurist, Olga (Dennie Moore), that Stephen Haines, the husband of her cousin Mary (Norma Shearer), is having an affair with a predatory perfume clerk named Crystal Allen (Joan Crawford). A notorious gossip, Sylvia shares the news with her Park Avenue friends and then sends Mary for a manicure with Olga so that she hears the rumour herself. Mary's mother, Mrs. Morehead (Lucile Watson) urges her to ignore the gossip, but she cannot control herself when she encounters Crystal at a fashion show. To Sylvia's delight, the meeting between the two rivals makes the front page of the society columns, which leads Mary to ask for a divorce.   Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Norma Shearer, Joan Fontaine, Mary Boland and Pau...

Since today is Laurence Olivier's 108th birthday, I thought I would tell you about one of his films for this week's "Film Friday." I believe this was the fi rst of his films I saw . Theatrical release poster Directed by Robert Z. Leonard , Pride and Prejudice (1940) opens with the arrival of wealthy bachelors Mr. Cha rles Bingley (Bruce Lester) and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Laurence Olivier) in the rural English town of Meryton . They caus e quite a stir among all the mothers in the village, who hasten to introduce their ummarried daughters to them. The most enthusiastic of them all is Mrs. Bennett (Mary Boland), with her brood of five : Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) Elizabeth (Greer Garson), Lydia (Ann Rutherford), Kitty (Heather Angel) and Mary (Marsha Hunt). Mr s. Bennett worries that her husband's estate will fall into the hands of his supercilious cousin, Mr. Collins (Melville Cooper), unless a male heir is produced.  The delicate Jane im...