Gable, Harlow, Astor - Red Dust, or before Mogambo. I’m reading the results of a recent study by Jennifer Chattman that the absence of discrimination between men and women entails the disclosure of creativity, and I’m thinking more and more about this film. So sexism and masculinity suppress not only initiative but also ingenuity in women? More than a controversial conclusion, especially if you start from the "Red Dust". The thing is that this film just proclaims the conditional “cult of the male”.
Modest Mary Astor won’t be discouraged for long by a young doctor living in the wilds of Africa. Without delay, only having felt the vulgar look on herself, she will without hesitation slap him in the face. But Clark Gable won't stop. A sweet smile and a completely unnecessary, intrusive mention that he will always be ready to help her if necessary. Such simple flirtation. But at this very time, the beautiful Jean Harlow simply does not know how to revive passion in the same person, and does not hide this fact from anyone.
So, from the point of view of the current political correctness, you can’t come up with any more stupidity than the one proposed. Clark Gable simply enjoys his gender status and in fact constantly demonstrates some degree of dominance. It’s interesting what the study participants Jennifer Chattman would say.
With each step, the atmosphere gets hotter. An innocent kiss, given a number of circumstances (bedroom, solitude, looks, lost appearance after) can be regarded much more ambiguously than proposed formally by Victor Flemming. This kiss is filmed so intensely, as if Rocco Sifredi worked his next marathon. The same. frivolous in essence, are the scene of bathing in a barrel of water from Jean Harlow, and molesting her Clark Gable (quite qualifying under the label of “domestic violence”), and even a fatal shot.
Much later, John Ford will shoot a much better-tailored “Mogambo”, and the adaptation of Hemingway’s “Macomber’s case” quite echoes. But all these films will focus on other aspects. The film of Victor Flemming is about adultery, the difficulty of maintaining a relationship with a couple and sexual desire. This movie has value and is still alive today. It's expensive. And without any exaggeration, I can, without further clarification, rank it in the top five films of 1932 (according to my version, of course). Politically incorrect and not too plot balanced, violating all modern prohibitions, partly anticipating many films about infidelity (even "Casablanca"). "Red Dust" by Victor Flemming.
10 out of 10