Actress Jean Harlow was born on this day in 1911 (prone to bouts of influenza at a time when penicillin was not yet widely available, she died of kidney failure at age 26 in 1937.) Let's start out with a few home movies:
Watching the above you might get the impression Harlow was a silent film star. In fact, she was a major star of early talkies, as well as a major sex symbol of early talkies. In this scene from 1932's Red Dust, she tries her best to break the ice by talking up dairy products with a major male sex symbol of early (as well as later) talkies, Clark Gable (speaking of which, Gable's behavior at one point probably wouldn't pass a present-day #MeToo test, but keep in mind it's not the present day but 92 years ago):
Red Dust was a drama, though the above scene was obviously one of the film's lighter moments. Now, while I won't pretend it was the first and foremost reason she or later blond bombshells as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were such box office draws, Jean Harlow was in fact very good at comedy. Here's a comic scene from another movie that was otherwise dramatic, 1933's Dinner at Eight. I've shown it before (in a post about Marie Dressler, who also appears) and it never fails to make me chuckle:
Take that, Sam Altman!
Clark Gable sure was sexy. This scene from Dinner at Eight still makes me laugh. And what a pairing: Jean Harlow and Marie Dressler.
ReplyDeleteMitchell, unlike some other male movie idols of long ago (Herbert Marshall, George Raft) whose appeal may seem a bit puzzling 85 to 95 years later, Clark Gable just keeps shining on.
DeleteI love Dressler's double-take when Harlow tells her she read a book.
Hi, Kirk!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing a tribute piece on actor Jean Harlow on what would have been her 113th birthday. It boggles the mind that she died so long ago, 1937, at age 26, preserved forever young. While I am not fond of early talkies featuring tough dames and muscular lugs that manhandle women, I recognize Jean's talent in dramatic and comedic roles. Her early demise was Hollywood's loss.
Regrettably, you and I missed each other last month. On Tuesday, I will officially return to the blog scene for three days active duty. That same day, I'll publish a new post in which I will go all political on you and offer a progressive alternative to the lackluster choices currently available in the 2024 race for President of the United States. Hope to see you this week, good buddy Kirk!
OK, Shady, see you Tuesday.
Delete"Oh my dear, that's something you never need worry about" -- Hahahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteYour laughter says it all, Debra.
DeleteThat is very funny, and rather wicked for the day.
ReplyDeletePre-Code, Andrew. It may have not been allowed a mere two years later by which time Joseph Breen had been appointed head of the Production Code Administration, i.e., the Censor.
DeleteYou're right, the double take was well timed.
ReplyDeleteMike, I've watched this clip dozens of times and always expect Dressler to fall over.
DeleteI always say I'll someday sit down and watch these classics, but who am I kidding. I have barely time to take a break. Lol! It's good to see these videos though.
ReplyDeleteEven if they're only a few minutes long, Lux, I try to pick the best videos I can find.
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