Platinum Blonde (1931) Film Review - Jean Harlow

Plot Summary - Frank Capra directed, pre-code melodrama. Wisecracking newspaper reporter, Stewart "Stew" Smith (Robert Williams), is sent to the mansion of the wealthy, society Schuyler family to get the scoop on a breach-of-promise suit by a Follies girl against the family son. Settled for 10,000 bucks, but the girl in question retains some incriminating letters - the family attempts to bribe our newsman to hold back the story, but he won't bite. Somehow our reporter has gotten ahold of the letters (did I miss something?) and brings them over the next day, handing them over to the daughter, Anne Schuyler (Jean Harlow), who happens to be a platinum blonde beauty. They hit it off over tea and before you know it - this odd couple have eloped! Anne has ideas about turning her new hubby into a "gentleman". Stew wants his new wife to move into his flat - but she would prefer him to quit his 75 buck a week job and move in with her to live in the left wing of the mansion. Well, he's soon tucked in his room in the left wing with silk PJ's and his own valet, his fellow reporters start to call him "Cinderella Man", and he don't like it!! Forced into white tie and tails to attend society parties, he still retains a friendship with co-worker Gallagher, who the wife thinks is a male, but actually is a very beautiful young lady (Loretta Young) who happens to be in love with Stew! Stew's really the "spaghetti party" type of fellow anyway, how long will he stand for all this?!

Review - This seems to be a tale promoting a guy to just be a regular fellow rather than fall for that high society stuff. Predictable, but still entertaining - my one gripe is that I see little chemistry from the get-go between Jean Harlow's character and Stew the reporter. I love Jean Harlow, but it was hard to see her as being right in this society girl role. Interesting shot taken through the flowing water of a fountain, done in one scene. Rating - 8/10 stars

Libeled Lady (1936) Film Review - Harlow, Tracy, Loy, Powell

Plot Summary - Romantic comedy with a touch of screwball and featuring four great Thirties stars. When a New York newspaper is facing a libel suit for five million dollars over a false story calling one of the "richest girls in America", playgirl Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy), a "husband stealer", gung-ho newspaper man, Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracy), must come up with a way to get rid of the lawsuit and save the paper. He recruits former colleague and libel expert Bill Chandler (William Powell) to help and they come up with an idea to prove Connie an actual husband stealer. So - Bill marries Warren's fiancee Gladys (Jean Harlow) - a hot-tempered blonde often sporting frilly negligee and a pair of mules - with plans to set up Connie for a fall with Gladys posing as a "wronged wife" (then later sending Gladys to Reno for a quickie divorce). Bill heads for London to travel back on the same ocean liner as Connie and her father, then attempts to befriend the pair basically by kissing up to the dad, exchanging fish stories and posing as a great angler (dad's favorite hobby) - - as it happens, Bill has never fished and has to study up in books! Bill and Connie start to fall for each other - will he go through with the frame up, will she drop the lawsuit? Hmm - just you watch.

Review - This is a great film - I've seen it a number of times before and it still makes me laugh, very amusing! With the star power of Myrna Loy, William Powell, Spencer Tracy, and Jean Harlow all together in one film, it would be hard for this one not to work. The script is well written and features lots of snappy dialogue, the story is fun to watch. Loy and Powell certainly have their usual onscreen chemistry together - and I really think Jean Harlow practically steals the show, even with all those other stars - she's over-the-top, even a bit campy in this, and she dominates every scene she's in - fun stuff. I love this movie! Rating - 10/10 stars