Harlow (II) (1965)

Loosely based biography of 1930s star Jean Harlow as she begins her climb to stardom.

Director:

Alex Segal

Writer:

Karl Tunberg

Stars:

Carol Lynley, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Ginger Rogers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carol Lynley	...	Jean Harlow
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	William Mansfield
Ginger Rogers	...	Mama Jean Bello
Barry Sullivan	...	Marino Bello
Hurd Hatfield	...	Paul Bern
Lloyd Bochner	...	Marc Peters
Hermione Baddeley	...	Marie Dressler
Audrey Totter	...	Marilyn
John Williams	...	Jonathan Martin
Audrey Christie	...	Thelma
Michael Dante	...	Ed
Jack Kruschen	...	Louis B. Mayer
Celia Lovsky	...	Marie Ouspenskaya
Robert Strauss	...	Hamk
Sonny Liston	...	First Fighter

Storyline

One of two "Harlow" film biographies that appeared in 1965, this one stars Carol Lynley in the title role that begins as Jean Harlow, a bit player in Laurel and Hardy comedies, is invited to test for director Jonathan Martin for the lead in Howard Hughes's "Hell's Angels." She is an instantaneous sensation, and in a series of films devoted more to her body than her talent, she becomes Hollywood's "Platanum Blonde."

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Plot Keywords:

blonde | director | husband wife relationship | music box | suicide | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blonda bombnedslaget

Company Credits

Production Co:

Theatrofilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before Carol Lynley landed title role, Dorothy Provine and Diane McBain were mentioned as possible leads.

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Goofs

When Harlow falls ill in middle of shooting scene on a movie set there are (probably for budgetary reasons) less than a handful of studio employees in attendance; in reality, a set of a major picture is teeming with dozens of creative and technical staffers.

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Soundtracks

"With Open Arms"
Written by Al Ham, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Vocal solos and obligatos by Mary Mayo

User Reviews

Second of Competing "Harlows", with Better Lead, Weak Plot...

In 1965, in yet another classic example of "Copycat Movie Making" Hollywood produced not one, but two film biographies of Jean Harlow, the 30s 'Blond Bombshell' whose tragic, short life was reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. One was a gaudy, ambitious big-budget production starring theater and film actress/sex symbol Carroll Baker; the other was a low-budget, experimental film starring television actress/sex 'kitten' Carol Lynley. Both films failed, both in capturing the essence of Jean Harlow, and as film biographies. While the Lynley film, which I'll discuss here, stars the actress who 'looked' more like the real Harlow, poor production values and a fabricated story would 'do it in'.

The 'real' Harlow, born Harlean Carpenter, in 1911, arrived in Hollywood at 16, with an over-ambitious mother and newlywed husband in tow. Divorcing her husband, she appeared in 'bit' parts until Howard Hughes 'discovered' her, and cast her "Hell's Angels", in 1930. She was a sensation, despite possessing a tinny, twangy speaking voice (which voice coaches would work on, throughout her career.) Eventually signing with MGM, she would become a sensation, frequently co-starring with Clark Gable, and her off-screen life would be even more sensational; her second marriage, to producer Paul Bern, would last only two months, and he would soon commit suicide, fueling rumors of his inability to 'perform' his duties as a husband; a third marriage, to cameraman Harold Rosson, soon followed, only to last eight months. She finally found happiness with actor William (The Thin Man) Powell, but before they could marry, she developed uremic poisoning and kidney failure, dying in 1937, at 26.

Lynley's "Harlow" dumped any references to Gable and Powell (Efrem Zimbalist Jr. plays the character 'based' on Powell), offered the legendary Ginger Rogers as her mother (which must have felt like deja-vu for the actress, as her mother accompanied HER to Hollywood), and offered a brittle, angry, ultimately bitter Harlow, fighting both the studio and the men who attempted to 'use' her.

Jean Harlow was an optimist, self-reliant and resilient, with a ready laugh, and an often too-generous nature. She never took her sex appeal too seriously, and preferred 'being comfortable' to creating illusions. She was adored by her co-workers, and the grief everyone felt at her death was genuine, not staged.

If "Harlow" had gotten even a part of this right, it would have been a far better film!