Red-Headed Woman (1932) in Color — Starring Jean Harlow & Chester Morris

Red-Headed Woman (1932) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Red-Headed Woman, the 1932 pre-Code comedy-drama starring Jean Harlow and Chester Morris, now available as a professionally colorized version. Written by the legendary Anita Loos and featuring one of the most brazenly unapologetic heroines in Hollywood history, this scandalous film was one of the key pictures that provoked the creation of the strict Production Code enforcement in 1934. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Lil Andrews is a scheming, ambitious secretary working in a small industrial town who decides that her ticket out of working-class life lies in the bedroom rather than the boardroom. After dyeing her hair a provocative shade of red — testing the effect in a mirror and asking herself with delighted satisfaction whether men could possibly see through her blouse — she sets her sights on her wealthy boss, Bill Legendre. Despite Bill being happily married to a socialite from a prominent family, Lil uses her seductive charms, calculated vulnerability, and relentless persistence to break up his marriage and maneuver him into proposing.

Once married to Bill and installed in his elegant home, Lil discovers that social climbing is harder than it looks. High society refuses to accept her, seeing through her pretensions with devastating clarity. The women snub her at parties, whisper behind her back, and make it clear that a bottle of hair dye and a marriage certificate do not make a lady. But Lil is not a woman who accepts defeat. Unable to conquer society through Bill alone, she begins a secret affair with a much wealthier and more powerful older man who can open the doors that remain closed to her, while simultaneously carrying on a passionate fling with the handsome French chauffeur Albert, played by a young Charles Boyer in one of his earliest American screen appearances.

Lil juggles her lovers with brazen audacity and no trace of guilt, viewing each relationship as a strategic asset rather than an emotional attachment. When Bill finally discovers the truth about her affairs, Lil’s carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her. But this resourceful, utterly shameless woman always has one more trick up her sleeve, and in a finale that shocked 1932 audiences, the film refuses to punish her for her behavior — instead sending her off to new conquests in Europe with her chauffeur-lover and a fresh rich victim already in her sights.

Cast & Crew

Director: Jack Conway

Stars: Jean Harlow, Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Una Merkel, Charles Boyer

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Red-Headed Woman was originally filmed in black and white, which ironically concealed the very red hair that drives the plot and gives the film its title. This professionally colorized restoration finally brings Lil’s famous red locks to vivid, eye-catching life with frame-by-frame precision, revealing the visual power of a color that audiences in 1932 could only imagine. The elegant art deco interiors of Bill Legendre’s mansion come alive with rich tones — polished dark furniture, gleaming marble, and the bright flowers and luxurious fabrics that represent the world Lil is desperate to conquer. Jean Harlow’s provocative wardrobe gains particular impact in color, from the sheer blouses that scandalized audiences to the increasingly expensive gowns she wears as her social climbing progresses. The colorized version adds a whole new dimension to this restored classic film, making Lil’s transformation from small-town secretary to international femme fatale visually stunning. Now also available in colour.

Buy Red-Headed Woman in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Written by Anita Loos, the brilliant author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Red-Headed Woman was one of the most scandalous films of the pre-Code era and is often cited as one of the specific pictures that motivated the Catholic Legion of Decency and industry censors to enforce the Production Code strictly beginning in July 1934. The film’s unapologetically amoral heroine — a woman who uses sex as a weapon, commits adultery without remorse, and faces absolutely no punishment for her schemes — was considered dangerous to public morality by reform groups who pointed to it as evidence that Hollywood had gone too far. The film helped establish Jean Harlow as MGM’s biggest female star, proving she could handle comedy as deftly as drama. It also introduced American audiences to a young French actor named Charles Boyer, whose small role as the seductive chauffeur hinted at the romantic leading man he would become. Chester Morris and Lewis Stone provide strong support as the men caught in Lil’s web, and Una Merkel adds sharp comic relief as Lil’s skeptical best friend. Through colorization, this provocative Hollywood classic reaches new viewers who can appreciate its audacious humor and Harlow’s irresistible star power.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 79 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Why is this considered a pre-Code film?
A: The heroine uses sex to manipulate men and faces no consequences for her behavior — in fact, she is rewarded with wealth and freedom at the end. This kind of content was explicitly banned after the Production Code was strictly enforced in 1934.

Q: Is the original hair color visible in the colorized version?
A: Yes, the colorization finally lets audiences see the striking red hair that is central to the story but completely invisible in the original black and white version, adding a visual dimension that was always implied but never seen.

Q: Who wrote the screenplay?
A: The screenplay was written by Anita Loos, one of Hollywood’s wittiest and most accomplished writers, who also authored the classic novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She brought her trademark sharp, knowing humor to every line of dialogue.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file compatible with virtually any device or media player.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
• The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
• The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951)
• The Bride Wore Red (1937)
• Follow the Fleet (1936)