HARLOW

US, 1965, 125 minutes, Colour.
Carroll Baker, Red Buttons, Raf Vallone, Angela Lansbury, Peter Lawford, Michael Connors, Martin Balsam, Leslie Nielsen, Mary Murphy.
Directed by Gordon Douglas.

One of two 1965 biographies of the thirties' film star (the other was in a process called Electronovision and starred Carol Lynley and Ginger Rogers). This version is a vehicle for Carroll Baker and her interpretation of Harlow is more herself than the original star. The film is popular magazine biography, although it is quite restrained. John Michael Hayes' screenplay has a lot of the tough sentimental witticisms that pass for wisdom in Hollywood and there are many interesting sequences about film-making which give a background to Hollywood of the twenties and thirties. There is a rather breezy score by Neal Hefti. The supporting cast work quite well and contribute interesting performances in sometimes stereotyped roles. Direction is by Gordon Douglas whose films range from comedies to many tough action dramas and westerns.

1. How did the success of the film depend on audience knowledge of Jean Harlow, interest in her, her appeal in the thirties? A film of the sixties representing interests in Hollywood then? Now?

2. How did the film sustain its interest in Hollywood and film-making? The world of the movies, the practical making of films, the hard life of work and money deals, power struggles? Myth-making and star-making?

3. The credits and the tour of the studios and the details of film-making: the various departments, the various stage locations, costume fittings, make-up etc.? How did this continue throughout the film: screen tests, hiring of casual actors and actresses, the setting-up of scenes, the silent comedy routines, money deals, successful breaks for
would-be stars?

4. The Hollywood treatment of the subject? Panavision, colour, lavish sets, the use of the studios, decor, costumes? The musical score, the final song and its lyrics?

5. The theme of the Hollywood career? The type that wanted this kind of success, Jean within this world, as a person, a type, a symbol? How well did she understand herself? How successful an initial career, why the failure - inevitable? The truth in the biography, Arthur Landau as adviser and central character, the liberties taken with the plot, with details of the studios and Harlow's films? The presentation of Harlow's image - innocence, seduction? How innocent was Harlow, how much a victim?

6. The particular qualities of Carroll Baker's style and interpretation? How much did she re-create the style and personality of the original? Of her film performances? flow much of Carroll Baker herself?

7. Harlow as a frightened type, her reactions to men, her moves of self-preservation at the beginning especially with the assistant director and allowing herself to be sacked and "blacklisted"?

7 The antagonism towards Moreno and her despising of him? her love for her mother and depending on her - yet critical of her laziness and sponging on her? The encounter with the assistant director and her holding her own against him? The relationship with Arthur Landau and her suspicions, the friendship, her dependence upon him? His respect for her? Advice? The encounter with Jack Harrison and his party, her fear and rejection of him? His courting of her and taking her out to such events as the boxing match and her attempt to keep pace with him, the contrast of his courting with that of Paul Bern and his trying to educate her, opera, books? The contrast with Richard Manley and his power, his seduction of Harlow and her independence of him, the confrontation sequence and her freeing herself from him? The importance of her degradation in returning to him? The range of emotional reactions the film presented? Her fighting for success, her long year of work under Arthur's auspices and her comedy roles and being the victim of slapstick? Arthur's vision of her image, Manley’s promotion of it? The build-up to the career under the auspices of Everett Friedman? The prospects of marriage) the joy of the marriage, the humiliation and her reaction with Bern’s impotence? Her reaction after the funeral, the attempt to seduce Moreno, the casual men, the return to Manley? Her throwing herself into her work, watching the billboards with her films? The sequence on the beach and her death? How did these incidents and relationships illustrate the character of Harlow? Life at the price of stardom? Arthur's final comments about her capacity for life?

8. How well did the film draw the characters of Mama, Jean and Moreno? Way of life in Hollywood, marriage, the happiness of their marriage and Jean's discussion with her mother about their sexual relationship? The financial schemes? The importance of the sequence of the signing of the contract? Moreno enjoying prosperity? His rejection of Jean and the seduction? Mama Jean and her support, enjoying the good life, her presence at her death?

9. Arthur as the small agent round town. a sympathetic character, his insights, looking for breaks, his friends, push, Jean's early working periods, promoting her with Manley, with Aedman especially in helping her to get out of the contract? His own life and work, relationship with his wife? His inability to advise her at the end? His final comments?

10. The portrait of the Hollywood men, types? How well did the film delineate their characters: Jack as the tough film star, card-playing, women around the house, tough towards Harlow, wanting to marry her, taking her out, Friedman pressurising him to marry Harlow, his marriage and saying goodbye to Jean? Paul and his role at the studio, advice, cultural education of Harlow, the build-up to the marriage, the impotence and his bashing her, the confrontation and his proposal for living happily together, his suicide and its impact? Richard Manley as the proverbial lascivious tycoon, the tour of his house, his promoting Harlow, his using her especially for her tour of the United States and her sex symbol singing and dancing, her humiliating him, her return to him? Redman and the portrait of the Louis B. Mayer style Hollywood studio boss, greed, lack of culture, using people, manipulating marriages? The initial assistant director and his presuppositions about starlets, his attempt to seduce her, his blacklisting her?

11. Jean Harlow and the image created and how well she corresponded to it? Her films, the importance of the tour and her stage appearances and their glamorous presentation?

12. The quality of the dialogue? the mixture of the popular, the trite, the hard-headed wit?

13. A magazine story presentation of the star - audience interest, entertainment, curiosity, insight?