Harlow

After appearing in the Laurel and Hardy silent "Double Whoopee", curvy Carol Lynley (as Jean Harlow) is discovered by actor Lloyd Bochner (as Marc Peters), and invited to appear in a screen test for the sound re-make of Howard Hughes' unreleased "Hell's Angels". Although she is nervous about having to wear a bra, Ms. Lynley tests positive, and becomes an overnight sensation. Lynley is also nervous around smarmy star Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (as William Mansfield), who observes her screen test - but, later, they will fall in love.

With pushy "Mama" Ginger Rogers (as Jean Bello) and stepfather Barry Sullivan (as Marino Bello) soaking up her coattails, Lynley becomes one of Hollywood's biggest stars. But, Lynley is unhappy. She resents "bathtub scenes", and wants to be an Actress, like "Dinner at Eight" co-star Hermione Baddeley (as Marie Dressler). In her personal life, Lynley is devastated when she learns groom Hurd Hatfield (as Paul Bern) is impotent; she calls him a "pathetic cripple," drinks gin, and hires studly Michael Dante (as Ed) to satisfy her sexually.

This "Harlow" is the one with quick, low budget production values; the other one, released simultaneously, has Carroll Baker, Technicolor, and better production values. Both movies found greater success when resurrected for trashy television airings. As you might suspect, neither film is accurate or respectful as a biography of Jean Harlow. This film's strengths are its soundtrack (by Nelson Riddle & Al Ham), occasionally effective supporting cast, and teleplay "look" - as directed by Alex Segal in "electronovision".

***** Harlow (5/14/65) Alex Segal ~ Carol Lynley, Ginger Rogers, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

The rise of Hollywood's first blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow, who died tragically at the age of 26. Magna Pictures distributed this low-budget venture, which was first shot on an early form of videotape and then transferred to film. It competed with Paramount's version of Harlow's story (also entitled "Harlow" and released in 1965!), but because of its unusual pedigree, this effort (ambitious, if rough) was hardly seen. Carol Lynley portrays Jean not as the raucous, lovable gal who made friends so easily, but as a volatile, impatient, often heartless young woman who wasn't quick to take good advice. Lynley does well in the role, even if her body type isn't right and her voice falls short (her performance actually improves as the movie progresses, and she has a very strong scene with mama Ginger Rogers near the end). Some identities have been changed, and Harlow's first and third marriages are barely mentioned, but the movie makes its point with little pomposity: this was a troubled young woman who had no inkling of her own impact with movie-going audiences, constantly short-changing herself in the romance department. Rogers does solid work; Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., as a movie idol à la William Powell, Hurd Hatfield as tortured producer Paul Bern, and Lloyd Bochner as a director are each excellent in support. Does any of it ring true? Probably not. Writer Karl Tunberg seems to have constructed his script out of fan magazine articles, and the picture is fairly useless for those wanting to know the real dish on the 1930s superstar. Still, there are interesting accents and attributes throughout "Harlow", and it is seldom dull. **1/2 from ****

Saying that this is the better of the two movies about Jean Harlow in 1965 isn't saying much. The other Carol Baker one ranks as one of the worst movies ever made by a major studio. When the only good performance in a movie comes from Red Buttons, you know there's a problem. As opposed to the Baker-Harlow disaster, this one is merely bad, occasionally it rises to the level of being mediocre, mostly when Ginger Rogers is on-screen. How sad that this last performance of this legendary actress should be in this pale and dull quickie. Carol Lynley looks like Tuesday Weld. Both were beautiful and talented and had a few good roles, but neither really got the breaks to get to the stardom they deserved. "Bunny Lake Is Missing," "The Night Stalker" and "Poseidon Adventure" are probably her best works. Its funny that she is so sexy when she's not trying to be, and here, when she's trying to be, not sexy at all. She gives it the old college try, but whenever she starts channeling Jean Harlow, the poor script and poor production values undercuts her.

This is a must see for all Jean Harlow film fans, but lower your expectations so you won't be too disappointed.

As if insulting the memory of Jean Harlow with one bad fictitious screen biography wasn't bad enough they had to go and make two! At least the Carroll Baker one was in color with a decent budget but this cheap quickie was shot in only eight days and looks it.

Filled with terrible performances from everyone but Ginger Rogers as Mama Jean this has at its center an actress, Carol Lynley, of limited skill none of which is on display here and absolutely zero approximation of the real Jean Harlow's screen charisma or magic.

The incredible thing about both of these bad bios is that the real Jean Harlow had an event filled life, packing an awful lot into 26 short years, yet both movies fabricate stupid untruths which they present as fact. Why bother to make the film, and shed a negative light on the subject, if you can't be bothered to tell the truth. Oh well maybe someday she will receive her due, in the meantime skip both of these pieces of trash and watch Jean's classic films. A much better use of your time.

More of a curiosity than a movie, this shot-in-8-days quickie was made to beat the release date of the big budget Joseph E. Levine production of Harlow. Lasting in a few theaters for just about as long as it took to shoot it, it utilized the experimental "Electronovison" process (as was The T.A.M.I Show and Richard Burton's Hamlet) which was basically a step up from kinescopes. The effect is like watching a shot-on-video soap opera from the 60s and one not quite as polished as say, Dark Shadows. As for the content, this Harlow trivializes the image of the great 30s star as much as the Carroll Baker Harlow yet in different ways. Here she's petulant, demanding, and obnoxious. With its shot-on-the-fly direction, writing, and performances, it doesn't get much deeper than the video tape allows. Oddly enough, what this movie most reminded me of was Inserts, the low-budget Richard Dreyfuss movie about the shady adult-film industry in the 30s. Yet, if you get a chance to see it don't miss it. It's one-of-a-kind.