Loretta Young!
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sludgehound — 17 years ago(November 16, 2008 04:37 PM)
Just saw this one today. Boy films like this and the Busby dance routine
ones (Fred & Ginger too) offered the Depression Era such needed escapism.
Npw we have the Bond series and beloved as those are, I don't sense the
same lift to the spirit needed now.
Young and Harlow just roll thru this. Writing is of Broadway stage level
for that time. Check those interiors with sky high ceiling and curtains.
Capra's shots from the upper staircase are practically Busby like. The
audience must have been awestruck by the mansion magnificence.
As an aside, one wonders what this kind of film said to the rest of the
world as to the US place in the globe back then. What a mix of rich vs
working class even if they were reporters.
So loved Young & Harlow. Esp Young. So fresh yet the womanly range was
right there. I loved the bits about how, oh she's 'just' Gallagher, one of
the boys. Even that name is so male, yet has the Gal in it.
Really sets the tone for the wisecracking journalism films yet to come. But
those didn't play up the same rich crowd theme. They were more on the small
d democrat mold as the Big D went deeper. Less glamour & flash w/o the babe
power charge.
Be interesting to see how Hollywood, such as there is such a thing, treats
what unfolds as this current econ mess goes thru. Will they mostly ignore it
as with the Mideast wars or dig into it.
Meanwhile it is great to see the comments here on PB and see that quality does
survive time! Pass on any more such delightful films guys. -
cyninbend-149-610489 — 10 years ago(March 03, 2016 07:55 AM)
A long time since, but what a great post! The "GAL agher" went right over my headTY TY TY!
I'd love to see what you posted about Hollywood's reaction to the economic crisis at the time you wrote your post I can think of lots of independently sourced films that dealt with corruptionand did they not lavishly remake F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby? A bit late tho We got quite a few vampire movies and a lot of sci fi about a dystopian future.Hunger Games, Divergent, Elysium, etc All based on books? -
xylonian-1 — 17 years ago(January 11, 2009 11:43 AM)
I don't know, I think Jean Harlow looks her prettiest in this movie than in other films I have seen her in, however have not seen all that many. Loretta Young is very pretty here also and I might say the same for her. IMO they are pretty in different ways one a 'bombshell' the other less "noisy".
Vesele Vianoce!!!!
http://www.iarelative.com/czech/xmas/index.html -
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FranLovesBetteD — 14 years ago(March 19, 2012 04:29 AM)
While I'm a huge fan of both Young and Harlow, I never thought of the latter as a great beauty. Sure, she was cute, pretty and immensely charming, especially while playing tough girls with heart of gold in those great '30s comedies; but Loretta Young was certainly a vision of beauty. Her face was just exquisite and her beauty classy and angelic.
Unlike many previous posters, I don't think they were miscast, as in the end is the gorgeous and sensible Loretta who -with all justice- gets the guy.
Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop -
ABetterDay — 13 years ago(January 02, 2013 06:22 PM)
I agree. Young steals this film and deservedly so. If you get a chance, see her in the silent film "Laugh Clown, Laugh." Simply gorgeous.
And yes, as many others have said, this film may be the best example in history of where 2 actors should have switched roles. Harlow and Young were miscast as used but would have been perfect in the other's role.
Remember When Movies Didn't Have To Be Politically Correct? -
s007davis — 12 years ago(September 24, 2013 08:57 PM)
With certainly no offense meant to Jean Harlow, who's a beautiful woman, but Loretta Young is simply radiant in this film! Each scene she's in just resonates with her stunning beauty! I was completely taken with her the first time she came on screen.
Me too. While Miss Harlow was good too, it was obvious for me from the beginning that Loretta Young is the true beauty of the film. Especially when she appears at the swanky society party in her stunning white dress making Williams begin to notice her. Maybe 1931 film goers thought Harlow stole the picture from Young but for me seeing it later it's the opposite case. Perhaps they should've stuck with the original title
Gallagher
instead. -
bruno-32 — 11 years ago(May 06, 2014 05:27 PM)
Harlow was billed in third place so technically she was not suppose to be the star of this movie. Harlow did not hit her stride until a couple of years later. Personally, I was a fan of Harlow because I had only seen her in 2 films and in those films she was not the brassy type..the movies were "Suzie" and her last film "Saratoga". She was the redhead that she was born to be.in those films..when they made her a plantinum blond, she turned out to be the caricature of herself. Also, in this movie she seemed like she was putting on weightnot the svelte type she turned out to be. Hard to believe this movie was done by Caprait was obvious the 2 female rolls should have been swappedthen again, maybe that was his idea of going against the norm. it turned out that MGM was set to put Harlow in those "Masie" movies which in turn went to Ann Sothernand all of those were mainly 'the second feature' in those days when the movies showed 2 ..main and a "B" movie, cartoon, news of the day, coming attractions and for the kiddies on a saturday morning..the serial movies"Flash Gordon"LOL
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PoppyTransfusion — 11 years ago(July 06, 2014 03:13 PM)
Well the camera was soft focus whenever it fell upon Loretta Young, emphasising a vulnerability and etherealness. I don't think Young was the more beautiful of the two though. Harlow had amazing lips and a dimple on her chin. She looked very beautiful in this.
I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil. -
jpulid2 — 11 years ago(September 26, 2014 10:43 AM)
I agree Loretta was incredibly beautiful in this film. I don't think there was anyone in that time or since that had the kind of facial beauty that Loretta had in that era. Jean Harlow in comparison was not even attractive in my opinion.
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cyninbend-149-610489 — 10 years ago(March 03, 2016 07:25 AM)
She was stunning here! Radiant is a great word for it. Harlow had charisma, sex appeal, star quality, etc, but she was not beautiful in the perfect way Loretta Young was. Harlow's nose if big, he chin pinched, and her bone structure nothing to write home about. It goes to show that these qualities that carry movies and make an actor world famous are not the same as classic beauty and perfection I can't take my eyes off Jean Harlow in any scene, but Loretta Young glowed with real beauty. And she received top billing here, even tho her screen time seemed very short.
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carrieandxtina — 10 years ago(March 04, 2016 08:57 PM)
While I'm a huge fan of both Young and Harlow, I never thought of the latter as a great beauty. Sure, she was cute, pretty and immensely charming, especially while playing tough girls with heart of gold in those great '30s comedies; but Loretta Young was certainly a vision of beauty. Her face was just exquisite and her beauty classy and angelic.
Unlike many previous posters, I don't think they were miscast, as in the end is the gorgeous and sensible Loretta who -with all justice- gets the guy.
I agree with this completely. I like both ladies and they bring their unique charm to this movie. Loretta Young is talented actress and very gorgeous women. I liked that she got him in the end as well