Bombshell (1933)

Bombshell (AKA Blonde Bombshell)
Directed by Victor Fleming
Written by John Lee Mahin and Jules Furthman from a play by Caroline Francke and Mack Crane
1933/US
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Lola Burns: “Stone-Age Stuff!” “Mad with Desire!” “Lovers’ Brawl!” Is that the way you prove you just more than care for me? Treating me like a strip act in a burlesque show! A glamorous Bombshell, eh? A glorified chump, that’s what I’ve been! Well, I’m through do you understand? With the business, with everybody! You can get another “It Girl,” a “But Girl” or a “How, When and Where Girl.” I’m clearing out – and you can all stay here in this half-paid-for car barn and get somebody else to pull the apple cart! I’m going where ladies and gentlemen hang their hats and get some peace and quiet… and if any of you try to interfere with me – I’ll complain to the authorities!

I don’t associate Victor Fleming with screwball comedies but he did very well with this one. Jean Harlow had developed into quite a comedienne by this point.

Lola Burns (Harlow)  is a movie star and a sex symbol despite herself.  ‘Space’ Hanlon (Lee Tracy) is her fast-talking wisecracking publicity man. Poor Lola is supporting her family and a raft of hangers on and is being driven crazy in the process. Lee is always on hand to defeat her wishes and keep her on the job and her name in the headlines.

Among the projects Space defeats is Lola’s plan to adopt a baby and a couple of different romances.  With Frank Morgan as her drunken father, Ted Healy as her loser brother, Una Merkel as her assistant, Louise Beavers as her maid, and Franchot Tone as one of her suitors.

I found this frenetic but very entertaining.  The script is quite funny with the dialogue running at a mile a minute.  Harlow and Tracy make good antagonists.  The story was based on the life of Clara Bow but it bears some resemblance to Harlow’s own life. Recommended.