BOMBSHELL

US, 1933, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Frank Morgan, Franchot Tone, Pat O' Brien, Una Merkel, Louise Beavers, C. Aubrey Smith.
Directed by Victor Fleming.

While this is a 1930s screwball comedy, and filmrd just before the imposition of the norms for the Motion Picture Code, it is a spoof on Hollywood, MGM sending itself up and the leading star, Jean Harlow, also sending herself up as well as her popular image as the platinum blonde.

This is one of Jean Harlow’s best performances, just the right amount of seriousness, just the right amount of comedy, and a sense of fun in her screen presence. She portrays a popular star, hounded by her ne’er-do-well father, Frank Morgan, her secretary, Una Merkel, but clashing all the time with her press agent, played by a very fast-talking Lee Tracy.

There are all kinds of allusions to Harlow’s reputation, a scene with her kissing Clark Gable, references to her film Red Dust, jokes about harsh headlines, interviews with the press. Pat O’ Brien, having a holiday from Warner Brothers, plays her film director and Louise Beavers as her bouncy maid-confidant.

She has a romantic entanglement with a Count, and the press agent is able to get him into jail and then make himself seem big by organising the release. The actress is persuaded by a journalist that she should think about having a baby, about adopting, but falls foul of the agent who wants to sabotage this project. Then she flees to a resort in the desert and encounters a charming English young man, Franchot Tone, a poet who seems to know nothing about her, who introduces her to his rather pompous British parents. And then she discovers that they are hacks looking for an opportunity, employed by the agent.

Jean Harlow would be dead within three years, biographies in film following 30 years later with Carol Baker in one film and Carol Linley in another.

1. 1930s screwball comedy? The parody of the movies and movie personalities?

2. The title, Jean Harlow and her reputation and career, the bombshell of the 1930s? The image, the reality, the movies – and references to Red Dust and Clark Gable? The publicity, agents, directors, staff? Reporters?

3. MGM values, production, black and white photography, the cast, style?

4. Jean Harlow as Lola Burns, the posters, the stills, a place in the movies, Clark Gable? Her father, brash, conman, his interventions? The absent brother, Mexico, the touch of the hopeless? Her assistant, relying on her – and Lola finding her wearing her dresses and having a party?

5. The beginning of the day, waking, Loretta, confidante, taking the dogs for a walk, the clothes, his style, make up, studio demanding changes?

6. Lee Tracy as Hanlon, fast-talking type, loud, brash, two-timing? After any publicity? Lola and her relationship with the count, at the club, his arrest, in jail? Jerry as film director, his attention to Lola, the scenes, wanting the count out of the studio? Hanlon and Lola’s father? His glib answers, Lola wanting him fired, her attacks, his adapting? The issue of the adoption, and his spoiling the situation? Getting Lola headlines – but the touch of the scandalous? Setting up the fake family, bribing them? Lola finding out the truth – but Hanlon continually escaping?

7. Lola, her life, the role of the count, at the club, at the studio, her devotion, in jail, his phoning her, upset? The reporter and the discussions about adoption? Her feelings, the visit, the baby? Preparing for the ladies and the interview? The response to the headlines, to her brother arriving with his girlfriend? The deciding to go to the resort, the chance meeting with Gifford, riding, his poetry, not knowing who she was? The British family background, the emphasis on the name? Meeting his parents? The father turning up, the brother, the brash conversation, drinking? Spoiling the situation for Lola, Gifford not wanting to see her?

8. Father, her brother, the girlfriend, the brash background?

9. The character of the count, issues and supporting him?

10. Loretta, service, the black maid, with the dogs?

11. The revelation of the family fakes, wanting a film contract? Lola and her reaction, attacking?

12. MGM and spoofing itself?