PBS REVISITS AN OLD PLAY ABOUT LUCE 'WOMEN'.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic A RECENT MAGAZINE article suggested that when it comes to ruthlessness, women are the new men. Nice try, but Clare Boothe Luce Clare Boothe Luce (April 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American editor, playwright, social activist, politician, journalist, and diplomat. Witty, perceptive, and determined, she was also a prominent figure in New York society circles. figured that out back in 1936, with her play ``The Women,'' about less-than-genteel society women baring their teeth and Jungle Red fingernails. ``The Women'' was provocative in its day. It was made into a classic 1939 film starring Joan Crawford. It has aged surprisingly well - it even inspired a best-selling children's book, Amy Goldman Koss' ``The Girls.'' PBS' ``Stage on Screen'' series presents a revival of ``The Women,'' with a formidable cast - Kristen Johnston, Rue McClanahan, Cynthia Nixon and Jennifer Tilly. We're given better than a front-row-center seat for the production, but alas, the actresses are still playing to the balconies (the play was taped before a live audience). It's the story of Mary (Nixon), a society woman whose husband is having an affair with a perfume-counter salesgirl (Tilly). Her ``friend'' Sylvia (Johnston) - through the appropriate gossip channels - makes sure Mary finds out. But Sylvia's marriage is in no better shape; much gold-digging, double-crossing and bitchery bitch·er·y n. Malicious remarks or spiteful behavior: "the rapidly escalating and darkening volley of nasty political bitchery" Joe Brown. Noun 1. ensue. Luce, who was married to Time Magazine founder Henry R. Luce, wrote a play filled with savagely mordant mordant (môr`dənt) [Fr.,=biting], substance used in dyeing to fix certain dyes (mordant dyes) in cloth. Either the mordant (if it is colloidal) or a colloid produced by the mordant adheres to the fiber, attracting and fixing the colloidal dialogue. In this production, however, the lines are projected at unwise decibel decibel (dĕs`əbĕl', –bəl), abbr. dB, unit used to measure the loudness of sound. It is one tenth of a bel (named for A. G. Bell), but the larger unit is rarely used. levels. Nixon is likable and empathetic, but Johnston is as broad as she was on her sitcom ``3rd Rock From the Sun'' and Tilly is, well, Tilly. An oddly smarmy Jason Alexander hosts this presentation, making for a gratuitous injection of testosterone for those daunted daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin by too much estrogen. THE WOMEN - two and one half stars What: ``Stage on Screen'' adaptation of Clare Boothe Luce's scabrous scab·rous adj. 1. Having or covered with scales or small projections and rough to the touch. See Synonyms at rough. 2. Difficult to handle; knotty: a scabrous situation. 3. 1936 comedy. Where: KCET KCET Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (Japan) KCET Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology . When: 9 tonight. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Jennifer Tilly comes clean in a scene from Clare Boothe Luce's ``The Women'' on KCET tonight. |
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