If BOMBSHELL isn't the story in a story about the real life of Jean Harlow, I'll eat my hat. Interestingly, it was also a thinly veiled bio of Clara Bow, who was quite close to director Victor Fleming once upon a time.
A hilarious comedy of errors, no matter who its based on, and designed to give audiences during the Great Depression a laugh on the back of Hollywood itself. BOMBSHELL was tailor made for the talents of Jean Harlow and she just rolls with it. The supporting cast is what you would equally expect, lead by fast-talking, idea man Lee Tracy, playing Jean's Hollywood press agent.
Frank Morgan plays her broke dad and Una Merkel (a star in her own right) is her sis, just as much fun to watch. On the gentlemanly side you have Pat O"Brien and Franchot Tone and that's one heck of a bill to entertain just about any audience.
While Warner Brothers and Paramount generally turned out these wacky romps in the early 30s, the writers at MGM did their homework and produced what now has become a classic screwball comedy, which has gained a new generation of fans.
Long debated by critics as one of Harlow's very best roles, a tough call to make at that. Jean followed this with DINNER AT EIGHT, which would make an incredible double feature. After all these years, though, you often wonder how this film would have turned out starring Clara Bow. Hmm?
Always on dvd and remastered blu ray. Special thanks to TCM for reruning this great film.
A hilarious comedy of errors, no matter who its based on, and designed to give audiences during the Great Depression a laugh on the back of Hollywood itself. BOMBSHELL was tailor made for the talents of Jean Harlow and she just rolls with it. The supporting cast is what you would equally expect, lead by fast-talking, idea man Lee Tracy, playing Jean's Hollywood press agent.
Frank Morgan plays her broke dad and Una Merkel (a star in her own right) is her sis, just as much fun to watch. On the gentlemanly side you have Pat O"Brien and Franchot Tone and that's one heck of a bill to entertain just about any audience.
While Warner Brothers and Paramount generally turned out these wacky romps in the early 30s, the writers at MGM did their homework and produced what now has become a classic screwball comedy, which has gained a new generation of fans.
Long debated by critics as one of Harlow's very best roles, a tough call to make at that. Jean followed this with DINNER AT EIGHT, which would make an incredible double feature. After all these years, though, you often wonder how this film would have turned out starring Clara Bow. Hmm?
Always on dvd and remastered blu ray. Special thanks to TCM for reruning this great film.