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.

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.

Shot in only 8 days on video tape, this version of the story of Jean Harlow didn't set the world on fire any more than the big screen big budget version of Harlow that Paramount put out with Carroll Baker.

No true story of Jean Harlow could possibly be filmed. Too many people were still alive, most importantly William Powell, William Mansfield in this version of Harlow. Powell in retirement then saw both films and said that the Jean he knew was nothing like what was shown on screen. One of her contemporaries in her memoirs Rosalind Russell said that Harlow of all the people at MGM when she was just starting was the most thoughtful and kind to a young player looking to succeed.

The story of how she was a meal ticket to her stage mother mother and her second husband played here by Ginger Rogers in her farewell screen performance and Barry Sullivan is well known. They actually named Louis B. Mayer in this Harlow and he's played with a certain verisimilitude by Jack Kruschen. There's also a good performance by Hermione Baddely as Marie Dressler who did co-star with Harlow in Dinner At Eight. Other than Hell's Angels none of her films is given a title here.

The issue of her the impotency of her second husband Paul Bern is dealt with most delicately. Irving Schulman's biography of Harlow on which the Baker film is based goes into that throughly. Hurd Hatfield really never develops his character with what he's given to work with.

Two beautiful blondes named Carol played Jean Harlow in 1965 in different films. Both films were trashy and exploitive with little difference save in budget.

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 ****

Although she's not particularly interested, a reluctant actress named "Jean Harlow" (Carol Lynley) is eventually convinced to take a role in a movie even though, by doing so, she opens herself up to film critics over her marginal acting ability--with the condescending remarks from an actor named "William Mansfield" (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) being particularly annoying. Likewise, the parasitic nature of her mother, "Mama Jean Bello" (Ginger Rogers), and stepfather, "Marino Bello" (Barry Sullivan), is also emotionally draining. However, things seem to change for the better when she meets a fellow actor named "Paul Bern" (Hurd Hatfield) who appears to be the answer to her problems. Unfortunately, it isn't long after their wedding that she realizes he isn't the man she thought he was--and things take a turn for the worse after that. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, although this film had a solid cast, other than Carol Lynley, none of the other actors really stood out. Throw in a weak script and terrible cinematography, and I have difficulty rating this movie any higher than I have. Slightly below average.