Platinum Blonde (1931)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Harry Chandlee (story) and
Douglas W. Churchill (story) ...

Release Date:

31 October 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

She Was Gorgeous - He Was A Man . . . So, the other girl had to wait !

Plot:

A young woman from a very rich family impulsively marries a reporter, but each assumes the other is the one whose lifestyle must change.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Mansion | Socialite | Mother In Law | Unrequited Love

Cast

Loretta Young	...	Gallagher
Robert Williams	...	Stew Smith
Jean Harlow	...	Anne Schuyler
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Smythe, The Butler
Reginald Owen	...	Dexter Grayson
Edmund Breese	...	Conroy, The Editor
Don Dillaway	...	Michael Schuyler (as Donald Dillaway)
Walter Catlett	...	Binji Baker
Claud Allister	...	Dawson, The Valet
Louise Closser Hale	...	Mrs. Schuyler

Also Known As:

Gallagher (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Robert Williams died of appendicitis just three days after the film's release.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Stew Smith is married, his colleagues make fun of him in the press room. At that moment his wife calls and he walks over to the phone with his pipe in his mouth. However, when he picks up the phone, the pipe disappears.

Quotes:

Stew Smith: I am white, male and over 21. I've never been in jail... that is, not often. And I prefer Scotch to bourbon, I hate carrots, I hate peas, I like bad coffee, and I hate garters. I make seventy-five bucks a week, and I got eight hundred and forty-seven bucks in the bank... and I don't know yet whether your eyes are blue or violet.
Anne Schuyler: That's because you're too far away, Stew.
[kisses him]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: On Blondes/Walter Kundzicz/The Art of Flirting (#6.13)" (2004)

Nice, bristling romantic comedy

PLATINUM BLONDE marks the start of three careers- First, Frank Capra. He has a natural style of handling actors. There is scene where lovebirds Jean Harlow and Robert Williams mock sing-song to each other. It feels improvised, very natural, unlike the stage learned dialog that infested early talkies. He's experimental with camera angles, and playing with sound (One scene is filmed by a crackling fountain) and he keeps the pace and dialog delivery going at rocket pace. Then you have Jean Harlow. Wow, do you have Jean Harlow! Not only is she stunningly beautiful (even when photographed from behind) but she has a cool, likable wit (She suppose to be a society dame, but she makes the character so likable, you just want to hang around). Thirdly, you have Robert Williams, who was just starting to make a name for himself with this 1931 film. Sadly, this bristling talent died later that year of appendicitis. He's wonderfully energetic, quirky and full of speed (He's so wonderfully jumpy when he feels enclosed in a stuffy mansion you'd think he has Starbucks running through his viens.) PLATINUM BLONDE seems to be dress rehersal for the film Capra would make five years later- MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (My favorite Capra film) Williams (Like Gary Cooper) is labeled "Cinderella Man", he loves yodelling and getting the servants to yodel in his newfound mansion home. Catch this film if you can.