Platinum Blonde (1931)

In the 1930s Hollywood had its major movie studio: MGM, Warner Brothers, Fox, RKO, and Paramount. They would be known as the "Big Five." There was also the "Little Majors," in Universal and United Artists. Then there were the very small studios, a grouping of studios near Gower Street in Hollywood today. One studio in particular would crawl up from what was known as "poverty row" and rise to the level of a little major studio, Columbia Pictures. With the help of their master director, Frank Capra, Columbia would start to produce more quality pictures that appealed to greater audiences and even catch the eyes of some critics. Here we take a look at one of his films, a fun little picture about misguided love and standing for what one believes is right over what is comfortable in Platinum Blonde. The picture would produce the right amount of drama, comedy, and heart that would embody what would be known as a Capra picture throughout his career.

Platinum Blonde is a story about newspaper reporter Stew Smith (Robert Williams) who upon covering a story about a playboy's family escapade ends up falling in love with the family's beautiful daughter Anne (Jean Harlow). Stew's quick wit and conning can't help him when he desides to marry Anne, leaving his fellow reporter Gallagher (Loretta Young) saddened as she secretly pined to be woman in his life.
Both Anne and Stew seek to turn their mate towards their lifestyle. When it comes clear that Anne is forcing Stew to be the rich socialite she wants him to be Stew rebels throwing a party in Anne's mansion while trying to finish the dream play Stew has always wanted to write with the help of Gallagher, whom Anne detests because she is so close to Stew and a woman as well. The events angers Anne and Stew realizes that this marriage is not to be as they are nothing alike and storms back to his humble apartment. There he finishes his play, which is based closely off his own life ending with his main character falling in love with his female best friend, and so does Stew and Gallagher as the movie ends.

The picture is fun story with some wonderful acting. The story plays rather fast for a film of its time and is filled with some great humor with the help of good writing, direction, and the acting of Williams. The film shares the qualities of what would come to be known as a Capra picture. The movie is a comedy, but shares a moral. In this case it is the character of Stew standing for what he believes makes himself the person he is. Many of Capra's pictures in his future work would share the same style of film. Not to be left out is the production quality is surerior as well. Capra's sets are detailed and the way he films his picture he utilizes all of it, using close up shots to get in on every nook and cranny, as well as broad shots and utilize multiple dimensions of the set. Capra shows his mastery with a camera in this picture, being the production had rather few sets, but he films them in many different ways that you are never bored with the fact you are in the same location.

Frank Capra was a studio director for the small Columbia Pictures Studio, who after starting as a prop man in the silent era would catch on to the whole process of production leading to him becoming a director. Although Columbia was a small studio, Capra in the 1930s would become one of the best known and highest revered directors in Hollywood, being nominated for best director six times and winning three times. His best works were yet to come after Platinum Blonde.

The films stars were all effected by the picture. Jean Harlow was the reason the picture was named Platinum Blonde. Originally to be called Gallagher after Young's character, when Howard Hughes, famous aviator, filmmaker, and executive, convinced produces to changes the title to promote Harlow's image. Soon "platinum blonde" became a popular phrase and image as Harlow's fans tried to copy her hair color and image. Loretta Young, who's role is the heart of the movie despite little screen time, had been on screen since she was a four year old child actress. She would have a long career that carried over into television in her later years. Williams found his first leading role in the character Stew Smith, but sadly would be his last as he would die three days after the film's opening from burst appendix. His witty role is memorable and fresh, truly carrying the film, making it very enjoyable and believable to watch.

Platinum Blonde was a small successful film for its time. If anything the picture was a good film on Capra's list of pictures and yet another stepping stone in the forcible push of the career of Jean Harlow. Harlow was not seen as a great actress of her time, but the publicists tried desperately to get in the social pipeline of Hollywood, feeling her image was good enough to sell tickets, which was true. All in all it makes for an enjoyable film that leaves you wishing Robert Williams had not passed away so soon after this picture.