"BOMBSHELL" (1933) ReviewIn one of Hollywood’s ironic twists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released "BOMBSHELL", a 1933 comedy about the trials and tribulations of a movie starlet. To this day, many believe that the movie was supposed to be a satire on the life of silent film goddess, Clara Bow. But looking at the movie today, it could have easily been a take on the life of the film’s leading lady, Jean Harlow.
Based upon an unproduced play by Caroline Francke and Mack Crane, and directed by Victor Fleming; "BOMBSHELL" begins with movie star Lola Burns being fed up with the machinations of her studio’s publicity chief, E.J. "Space" Hanlon, who continuously feeds the press with endless fake scandals about her. Lola also has to put up with her drunken father who tries to manager her career, and an obnoxious brother; who both sponge from her. She also has to deal with a private secretary that takes advantage of her at every opportunity. Unaware of Space’s feelings for her, Lola is also torn between a fortune hunting European nobleman and gigolo and a brash Hollywood director. Lola decides to put her life in order by adopting a baby. But when Space and her family sabotages her efforts, Lola turns her back on Hollywood and flees to a desert resort.
What can I say? Not only is "BOMBSHELL" one of my favorite movies from the old Hollywood studio system, but one of my favorite comedies of all time. Screenwriters John Lee Mahin, Jules Furthman and Norman Krasna created a hilarious tale about the chaotic and surreal life of a Hollywood starlet. "BOMBSHELL" featured a rather funny interview between Lola and a writer from a Hollywood gossip rag. While Lola and her father provide the journalist with pretentious tidbits about their lives, the camera gives a view of the journalist’s more realistic take on their answers. Another hilarious scene featured a fist fight between Lola’s sponging Maquis boyfriend, Marquis Di Pisa Di Pisa and the volatile director, Jim Brogan. During the movie’s last half hour, Lola meets and becomes romantically involved with an East Coast blue blood named Gifford Middleton and his family. This relationship allowed Gifford to quote one of the most cringe-worthy and hilarious lines in film history:
"Your hair is like a field of silver daisies. I’d like to run barefoot through your hair!"
However, Space’s response to Gifford’s uh . . . compliment, had me on the floor laughing:
"He looks like an athlete. I wouldn’t want him puttin’ his foot through my scalp."
But not only is "BOMBSHELL" funny, it also gave moviegoers a glimpse (and I mean that literally) into life as an actress during Hollywood's studio era. The movie’s first twenty minutes revealed Lola being prepared for a day of shooting and the type of people that worked at a studio. The only unrealistic moment during this sequence was a scene featuring the studio’s boss, who was portrayed as a benign leader concerned for both his studio and the well-being of performers like Lola Burns under contract. But the egoism, back-stabbing and borderline insanity is all there.
I have always been a fan of Jean Harlow as an actress for as long as I can remember. But I believe that Lola Burns was one of the best roles in her career. Her comedic talent seemed to be at its height in this movie. She conveyed all of the best . . . and worst of Lola Burns. Harlow made it obvious that Lola is a victim of the studio system and her bloodsucking family. But she also skillfully conveyed Lola’s egotism, temper and penchant for illusions. Someone once commented that Lola's character and situation never changed for the better or worst by the film’s last reel. I cannot quite agree with this assessment. I got the feeling that Harlow’s Lola spent most of the movie indulging in illusions of a possible "normal life". These illusions led her to pursue relationships with men like the Marquis Di Pisa Di Pisa and Gifford Middleton and make an attempt to adopt a baby. While proclaiming that she had enough of Hollywood, Lola expressed signs of jealousy when Space informed her that another contract player might get a role that she had previously coveted. It is not that surprising that when faced with the end of her illusions, Lola returned to Hollywood.
Lee Tracy was equally funny as studio publicist E.J. "Space" Hanlon. His Space was sardonic, manipulative and quick with his tongue. Best of all, Tracy had a great screen chemistry with Harlow. It is a pity that they never worked with each other – before or after. Both had appeared in "DINNER AT EIGHT", but did not share any scenes together. Pity. The movie also benefited from other supporting performers such as Frank Morgan, who radiated both bluster and charm as Lola’s deadbeat father; Pat O'Brien, who was very sexy as Lola’s former beau, director Jim Grogan; Franchot Tone, as Lola’s new beau, who gave one of the most memorable lines in the movie; and a sharp-tongued Una Merkel as Lola’s bloodsucking secretary, Mac. Louise Beavers, who portrayed Lola’s maid Loretta, had two delicious moments in the movie, despite being saddled with a racially cliched role. I especially love the scene featuring her clash with Merkel’s Mac, when the latter threatened to have her fired. It gave her the opportunity to speak another one of the movie's more memorable lines. The only cast member I had a problem with was Ted Healey. His Junior Burns seemed like a mindless thug that lacked the charm of Lola and Mr. Burns. I found it hard to believe that he came from the same family.
If you want a peek into life at a Hollywood studio during the early 1930s, then "BOMBSHELL" is your movie. If you want a hilarious movie that starred Jean Harlow in one of her best roles, then "BOMBSHELL" is definitely your movie. Not only did the benefitted from the talents of Harlow and co-star Lee Tracy; but also from the directorial skills of Victor Fleming and a first-rate script written by John Lee Mahin, Jules Furthman and Norman Krasna.
"SOME LIKE IT" (1959) Review
It has been called one of the greatest film comedies of all time . . . and possibly the greatest. Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy,"SOME LIKE IT HOT" has been the topic of many books and documentaries on both Hollywood and the director's career. I have seen the movie more times than I can remember. And for the first time, I have decided to publicize my feelings on it.
Directed by Billy Wilder and co-written by him and I.A.L. Diamond, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" is a remake of a 1935 French film called "FANFARE D'AMOUR", which was based upon a story by Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan. "FANFARE D'AMOUR" was first remade in 1951 by director Kurt Hoffmann as "FANFAREN DER LIEBE". However, the French and German versions did not feature gangsters as an integral part of their plots. "SOME LIKE IT HOT" told the story of a pair of struggling jazz musicians who end up witnessing the Saint Valentine Day Massacre - at least a fictionalized account of it. When the Chicago gangsters, led by "Spats" Columbo see them, the two flee Chicago for their lives by taking a job as members of an all-girl band heading for Florida . . . disguised as women. The musicians, Joe and Jerry, become enamored of a "Sugar" Kane Kowalczyk, the band's vocalist and ukulele player. And both struggle for her affection, while maintaining their disguises. In order to win Sugar's affection, Joe assume a second disguise as a millionaire named "Junior", the heir to Shell Oil. As for Joe, he has attracted the attention of a real millionaire named Osgood Fielding III. But when "Spats" Columbo and his men make an unexpected appearance at a gangster's convention at their hotel, all hell breaks loose.
Does "SOME LIKE IT HOT" deserve its reputation as one of the greatest film comedies of all time? I believe it does. In fact, it happens to be my personal favorite comedy of all time. Fifty-two years have passed since it was first released and it is just as fresh and hilarious as ever. More importantly, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" features some twisted humor that does not seem dated at all. Mind you, there have been other movies and television series (think "BOSOM BUDDIES" of the early 1980s) with a gender bender theme. But not one of them have been as funny as "SOME LIKE IT HOT". Not even 1982's"VICTOR/VICTORIA" - which is a close second for me - is not as funny. Both movies featured the insidious possibilities of cross-dressing. But whereas the 1982 movie is a bit more obvious and a little preachy in its attempt to convince moviegoers to accept what is presented on the screen, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" is a lot more subtle and funny, thanks to Wilder and Diamond's script. In fact, the movie's last line said a lot more about the consequences of cross dressing than any other movie ever had. I only have one complaint about Wilder and Diamond's script. From the moment "Spats" Columbo and his men arrived in Florida, I found the movie's plot and pacing somewhat rushed. Only Marilyn Monroe's poignant rendition of "I'm Through With Love", Pat O'Brien, Nehemiah Persoff and the last scene saved the movie's final fifteen to twenty minutes.
Production-wise, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" seemed pretty top-notch. Production manager Allen K. Wood did his best to re-create the late 1920s for the film. I certainly had nothing to complain about Edward G. Boyle's sets and Ted Haworth's art direction, both earning Academy Award nominations. Although a part of me find the idea of "SOME LIKE IT HOT" shot in color somewhat appealing (see the photograph above), I must admit that Charles Lang's black-and-white photography (also an Oscar nominee) looked very attractive - especially his photography of San Diego's famous Hotel Del Coronadostanding in as the Florida hotel where Sweet Sue's band performed. Legendary Hollywood veteran Orry-Kelly won the film's only Academy Award for his costume designs. I must admit that I found them very impressive and captured the late 1920s beautifully. I only wish that the women's shoes worn with the costumes had been just as accurate. Looking at Marilyn Monroe's famous walk along the train station platform, I could easily tell that her shoes were circa 1958-59. And I could say the same for the hairstyles worn by the female cast members.
Speaking of the cast,they were superb . . . every last member. The supporting cast provided brief, but memorable moments from the likes of Billy Gray as a young hotel bellhop lusting after Joe (as Josephine), Nehemiah Persoff as the colorful crime boss Little Bonaparte, Beverly Willis as band member and lover of raunchy jokes Dolores, Dave Barry as the band's "dignified" manager Beinstock and a delicious Pat O'Brien as the sardonic police detective Mulligan. The movie also featured a funny performance from Joan Shawnlee as the band's tough talking leader, Sweet Sue. And George Raft was effectively menacing as bootlegger/gangster "Spats" Columbo. I have only seen Joe E. Brown in perhaps two roles . . . and one of them was Osgood Fielding III, the sweet and hilarious millionaire whose heart is captured by Jerry aka "Daphne". I have a deep suspicion that Osgood may have been one of Brown's best movie roles ever. And he also had the good luck to utter one of the funniest and memorable last lines in Hollywood history.
But the movie truly belonged to Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Monroe won a Golden Globe award for her performance as the love-sick chartreuse, "Sugar" Kane Kowalczyk. She may or may not have been difficult during the movie's production, but she more than earned that Golden Globe award. She was funny, poignant, sweet . . . and slightly mercenary - especially in her character's pursuit of the fictional Shell Oil heir, "Junior". It is heartening to see that so many have finally learned to appreciate Tony Curtis' talents as an actor. While co-stars Monroe earned a Golden Globe and Jack Lemmon earned an Oscar nomination, Curtis ended up with the "short end of the lollipop". Pity, because he was just as funny as the seductive trombone player Joe. But I found his portrayal of the fictional "Junior" even funnier and he managed to utter the second funniest line in the movie. Bull fiddler Jerry aka "Daphne" led to a second Academy Award nomination for Jack Lemmon . . . and he deserved it. One, he formed a great comedy team with Curtis (with whom he would reunite six years later in "THE GREAT RACE"). Two, watching him assume the airs of woman had me rolling on the floor. But what really cracked me up were his acceptance of the possibility of becoming Osgood's next bride, while basking in the throes of their night together at a Cuban restaurant. It was a superb comedic moment for Lemmon and I would not be surprised if it was the very one that led to his nomination.
What else can I say about "SOME LIKE IT HOT"? Okay, it is not perfect. I was able to spot a few flaws in the costumes and one in the plot. But it is the closest to a perfect film comedy I have seen so far. And remember . . . this movie had been made fifty-two years ago. William Wyler's remake, "BEN-HUR" ended up sweeping the Oscars for that year. Pity. I have never been a fan of that movie. And if it had been up to me, I would have given the top awards to "SOME LIKE IT HOT".
