[...] the Warner Archive Jean Harlow set: The Girl From Missouri, Reckless, Suzy, Personal [...]

[...] Archive has apparently been successful with their collections, since they keep announcing more of them — and the latest has a special [...]

i love old films and don’t really know Harlow, so I’m excited to get this set and see what the buzz is about. And if Red Dust is available to Warner Archive and has that kind of cinematography reputation, they probably are planning on it being a solo release. $20 for one movie is better for their bottom line than 7 movies for $50.

@Mark,

I think the reason that the films Dinner at Eight, China Seas, Wife vs Secretary and Libeled Lady aren’t on this particular collection is because those four films are on a TCM Jean Harlow four film disc. Here is the link…

http://www.amazon.com/TCM-Greatest-Classic-Film-Collection/dp/B0047BXR1C/ref=pd_cp_mov_3

And wow, I can’t believe it’s not available on DVD.

Tonio, I find the auteur theory suspicious in many ways. I don’t think you can have THAT many people working on a film and still claim a sole authorship.

I totally agree, and here’s what I have written in my review: “Some of them are rather weak movies, but even in those, Harlow is not only of a radiant and unique beauty, but offers a remarkably elaborated and distinguished performance which is worth watching. In other words, even a bad Harlow movie gives us the opportunity to see Harlow as a real actress and not only as a sex bomb. Every Harlow movie has some magic moments, and the magician is one of the most underrated actresses ever.”

As far as Red Dust is concerned, yes, I also totally agree, it IS fascinating and a defiance of the French auteur-theory according to which only the director is a movie’s “author”. No, “Red Dust” is a perfect teamwork, as you have described it. But as I feel it, “Hold Your Man” manages not only to copy it, but to turn the sexual attraction between Gable and Harlow into a radical and thus convincing melodrama. Converning photography, I’d agree that “Harlow’s Halo” is of unique beauty in “Red Dust” and a little exaggerated in “Hold Your Man”, but to me, there isn’t a too big difference. Greetings from Germany, Tonio

I agree that Wife vs Secretary isn’t Harlows best. But, like Personal Property, it’s a role that is different from typical Harlow roles and shows a hint of diversity. Plus, we get to see Harlow act with Jimmy Stewart. That has to count for something.

Honestly, there are very few Harlow films that are exceptional or even mediocre. The appeal of a Harlow film is Harlow. She’s got that thing that makes me want to watch her in spite of the film.

And I agree about the lack of commentary.

PS
A great extra would have been to have the music video of No Doubt’s “It’s My Life”.

PPS
this was interesting, wikipedia has Fay Wray saying that Harlow was originally cast in the Ann Darrow role in King Kong but MGM wouldn’t loan her out, which is the reason for Wray wearing the platinum blonde wig. Although neither Stenn or Golden bios mention that at all.

Of the three you mention, I’d like to see Hold Your Man included, because that is a great film with her and Gable, but I never saw the appeal of Red Dust. (Maybe you can explain it to me?) I know that has her famous “bathing in the water scene”, but is there more to it than that? Wife vs. Secretary, meanwhile, was already on DVD, and imo, it isn’t that great a role for her, although seeing her as a virtuous workaholic is temporarily entertaining.

I’ll have to look for one of those bios, thanks.

The Sharon Stone thing would have been excellent if they had gotten someone other than Sharon Stone to narrate. While she seems the obvious choice she sounds like she took a handfull of xanex. The most lifeless and dull narration I think I’ve ever heard.

I liked Personal Property. I agree that when compared to her other roles it seems like she was miscast. But I look at her role in that movie as the direction that Harlow was heading had she kept going. In the two superb bios by Eve Golden and David Stenn (which, if you can find them I highly recommend), Harlow was trying to break out of the roles typically given to her. Looked at in that light, Personal Property seems like a nice direction for her.

And I agree with you on Riff Raff. A great cast but that movie is relentlessly annoying. Tracy is such a tool in that that you kind of hope Harlow sticks it out with the other guy.