Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12605 in VHS
• Released on: 1994-03-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Amazon.com
The whirlwind comedy Bombshell deserves a place in the pantheon next to such screwball cinema classics as Bringing Up Baby and My Man Godfrey. The incomparable "laughing vamp" Jean Harlow, for whom the term bombshell might well have been coined, scintillates in this ferocious exposé of the Hollywood studio system. Harlow essentially plays herself: a platinum blond sex goddess--here named Lola Burns--who every woman wants to be and every man wants to bed. (The line between fiction and reality is so thin here that Lola shoots retakes of Harlow's movie Red Dust.) The world sees Lola's life as a glamorous bed of roses, but her real existence abounds with thorns. She's a "glorified chump," surrounded by sycophants, spongers, and salesmen--not to mention a rabid press, egged on by the studio's double-dealing freight train of a press agent, Space Hanlon (the kinetic Lee Tracy). Lola even has a stalker! But she longs for life's simple pleasures: a quiet home and the patter of little feet (at least that's what she wants this week).

The film is blessed with a first-rate supporting cast, especially Frank Morgan (the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz) as Lola's blowhard, boozing father; Una Merkel as her sour, sticky-fingered personal assistant; and Louise Beavers as her much-beleaguered maid. Three enormous, energetic English sheepdogs--Harlow's own--jump into the fray whenever a dull moment threatens. Luckily, none come to pass. --Laura Mirsky

Customer Reviews

Hilarious look into the darker side of Hollywood stardom
It took a great deal of courage for MGM to produce a picture like "Bombshell" as it was akin to turning a funhouse mirror back onto yourself. It delivers a devastating and "warts and all" look at how the studios created, groomed, manipulated,and marketed the great stars of the Golden period of Hollywood in the 1930's. All this satire is delivered with a copious serve of laughs which makes "Bombshell" a delight to behold by anyone who likes old movies or loves the glamour of the "good old days" of Hollywood movie making.

"Bombshell" indeed has it all, larger than life movie queens, conniving press agents, ruthless studio bosses, old style movie star mansions and all the fake sincerity that you can imagine went into creating such a unique place as Hollywood. The story centres around one 1930's Movie Queen, Lola Burns (played by Jean Harlow in an hilarious performance) a typical product of the period, complete with humble beginnings, platinum blonde hair and a liking for flamboyant clinging outfits and huge hats, who also sports an assorted collection of family hangers-on who are both supported and bailed out of frequent trouble by her her. The fine line between fantasy and reality is very fine indeed in "Bombshell" and that's what makes it such a special viewing experience and a movie buff's delight. Lola works for Mammoth Studios which is obviously based on MGM right down to the porticoed entrance way. She is actually working on the production of "Red Dust" with Clark Gable which Jean Harlow had completed the previous year and part of the action actually takes place on the old "Red Dust" set which was still standing. Frequent mention is made of various contemporary MGM performers and also current productions like Garbo's and Gable's "Susan Lennox: Her Fall And Rise". Marvellous stuff and in viewing "Bombshell" it's often hard to work out what is real and what is just part of the movie being viewed.

MGM excelled themselves in all departments with "Bombshell". Victor Fleming directed at a full throttle pace which suits this fast moving story perfectly. He had directed Jean Harlow the year before in the huge hit "Red Dust" and would go on to everlasting fame as the director of both "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard Of Oz" and numerous other Clark Gable vechicles. His gruff, no nonsense approach to direction fitted this production like a glove. Jean Harlow has probably her best role in "Bombshell" and it was tailor made for her abilities and persona. She is wonderful as the put upon and frustrated movie queen who is tired of the fake glamour and parasites who live off her and who only wants a child and a normal life away from all the false stories, flash bulbs, and lies printed about her in the Hollywood Tabloids. Inded the part is very biographical right down to the grasping, relations, sensational headlines and glamourous paroxided appearance. Rarely has she shone so brightly in a part and it is obvious that in portraying Lola she is enjoying getting a little bit back on the Hollywood establishment that was hounding her at the time over her news grabbing personal life. Lee Tracey an actor I have rarely seen has the other flashy lead role of Space Hanlon the conniving publicist to end them all, who possesses no scruples at all and who will do anything to create a sensational headline for his lead articles (generally at Lola's expense). This takes many creative forms such as framing Lola's "phoney" suitor the Marquis de Pisa at the Coconut Grove or exposing the latest "sensation'from among Lola's beleagured family life.

"Bombshell' benefits greatly from the superb supporting cast, among them many famous MGM regulars. Frank Morgan, forever associated with his role of the wizard in "The Wizard Of Oz" produced countless fine performances over the years and he is superb as Lola's drunken and brag hearted father who is totally reliant on Lola for the kind of lifestyle (paid for by Lola's endless hard work), that he and his drop out son would like to get used to. Pat O'Brien is effective as the director brought in for retakes on Lola's latest picture who is an old flame and is eager to get the romance going again. Franchot Tone and C.Aubrey Smith in smaller roles as a fake titled family set up by Space Hanlon to break up Lola's romance are also a treat and it comes as quite a surprise to see C. Aubrey Smith in a complete change of character from his usual work, in such a con artist role .

For anyone who enjoys a look into the workings of old Hollywood or are interested in the "glamour factory" for any reason, "Bombshell" is unsurpassed as a cynical, no holds barred but nevertheless comical look at what made Hollywood tick. Produced with just the right elements of humour and autobiography it is a laugh a minute and is one of the finest but also unflattering looks that Hollywood has ever taken of itself. Marvel at the genius evident in this MGM gem from 1933 because it portrays a manufactured world of glamour we will never see again.

Harlow's Best Performance is Unparalleled
This film more than any other, shows why Jean Harlow is remembered as the silver-screens first great sex-goddess-she is simply the funniest and most accessible. She delivers dialogue with rapid fire wit and displays such impressive control of her physical movement and pitch control, that many actors with 20 years of stage experience may have a difficult time matching her. Harlow did this at 22. Harlow aside, this film is probably one of the best satires ever written on Hollywood with a top-notch script written by John Lee Mahin. Director Victor Fleming (Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz) does a superb job in showcasing Harlow's beauty and talent, it's no surprise that he would eventually move on to Universal acclaim six-years later. A Harlow DVD collection would be nice.

Action so fast and funny you'd swear The Keystone Cops directed it
Bombshell keeps viewers laughing all the way while giving them an inside look at the abuse of stars under the old Hollywood studio system. Other reviewers are right--the lines ARE funny and double entendres pop out at you all throughout the film. Jean Harlow plays an actress being driven crazy by her mooching family and the movie studio where she works. The striking similarities between Harlow's real life and her character of actress Lola Burns abound. Bombshell even takes it to the point where she has to redo some scenes from Red Dust, a movie she starred in just the year before, with a newly returned director, Jim Brogan. The actors turn in a rather convincing performance and the very fast pace of this screwball comedy makes you wonder if The Keystone Cops directed it.

In the Hollywood world of Lola Burns, played so ably by Jean Harlow, everyone wants to spend romantic time alone with Lola; and she has her eyes on several men herself. Lola suffers from the abusive mooching of both relatives and friends. Her carousing father and her drunken brother, played by Frank Morgan and Ted Healy respectively, constantly want money from Lola without giving her the comfort or support you would expect from close family members. Lola's mother is deceased so she has no family to support her. Meanwhile, Monarch Studios, an obvious allusion to MGM, hires publicity agent E.J. "Space" Hanlon, played by Lee Tracy, to concoct not so flattering stories about Lola which the press is only too happy to race to publish. Hanlon will do anything to keep Lola's name in the newspaper headlines. In fact, Hanlon even hires actors to pose as crazed stalkers and stuffy would-be in-laws. Unfortunately for Lola, she only sometimes sees through "Space" Hanlon's trickery. Lola wants love; and she at least thinks she wants motherhood; but a different ending awaits her as the movie ends.

The cinematography exceeded my expectations: characters are well framed within the screen and the shades of black and white give the impression of color much better than I thought they would. The choreography shines bright with some excellent fight scenes and other chaotic scenes in which ten actors or more are on the set all doing what they have been directed to do. Harlow plays a character much like herself; she is glamorous and she delivers one-liners with finesse. I felt sorry for Lola because she is so very badly abused; the studio system and even her family treat her strictly as a commodity. Frank Morgan is very amusing as her bumbling, carousing father who wants nothing more then his own daughter's money; and Lee Tracy is the perfect actor to play the sneaky press agent "Space" Hanlon. In addition, the music that sometimes plays in the background adds color and credibility to the picture. The end result proves to be a very funny motion picture that nevertheless can be disturbing as it exposes the cruelties of the Hollywood studio system.

I recommend this film for Jean Harlow fans and for people who enjoy early screwball comedies. People who love satire will laugh out loud at this movie for its excellent
exposé of Hollywood.