The Dark Corner

While Lucille Ball is most recognized for her extraordinary talent as a comedienne, she was also a very good dramatic actress whose more serious roles tend to be overshadowed by her comedic ones. Before the whirlwind success of I Love Lucy, Lucille was known as "Queen of the B's"--the "B" movies, that is.  She played several notable supporting roles in "A-list" films such as Stage Door, Without Love, and  Easy to Wed, but never really got the lead in an A-list film until after her popularity increased, due largely to the success of I Love Lucy.

 The Dark Corner is a Twentieth Century-Fox Picture from 1946, and is an excellent example of Lucille's capabilities as a serious dramatic actress.  In this film noir, starring Lucille Ball as Kathleen Stuart, and Mark Stevens as Bradford Galt, the film focuses around Brad's history as a Private Eye and around his developing romance with sincere secretary, Kathleen.  Negligent to tell Kathleen about his shady history (being convicted of manslaughter), she eventually convinces him to open up to her when it is discovered that someone is trying to kill him.  Matters only get worse when Brad wakes up in the floor, beside his murdered ex-partner, only to realize that he has been framed for it.  Brad and the ever-loving Kathleen work tirelessly together to uncover who is framing him for murder.  Through several twists and turns of the plot, the perpetrator is discovered (played by the masterful Clifton Webb) and the matter eventually resolved. Finally, Brad and Kathleen are able to happily get married. 

Unfortunately, this film would not be a happy memory for Lucille.  At the time of filming, she was in negotiations with her agent and studio.  Desi was also frequently gone from home, making the entire period of filming very stressful. It is rumored that she never actually viewed the film herself because of the stress associated with it.

Regardless of whether you are a Lucy fan or a fan of film noir (my favorite genre), if you like either, you are sure to like The Dark Corner.  Interestingly, it was released in one of film noir's most productive years. Other films also released that year, which have come to be noir classics, include: The Big Sleep, Gilda, Notorious and (one of my absolute personal favorites) The Postman Always Rings Twice.

* Los Angeles Examiner quote taken from Lucy at the Movies: The Complete Films of Lucille Ball

**This film is available for Instant Streaming on Netflix!

Happy 100th Birthday, Jean Harlow!

Jean Harlow, the Original Platinum Blonde

Jean Harlow was the original blonde bombshell.  She was smart, funny and stunningly gorgeous. Jean Harlow is the platinum blonde from which all other platinum blondes have evolved (myself included!). Many people who hear "platinum blonde" think of Marilyn Monroe.  But what they don't realize is that Marilyn idolized Jean Harlow, and modeled much of what became known as "the Monroe" look after Jean. One thing is certain: before Marilyn, or Madonna or Gwen...there was Jean.

Born March 3, 1911 as Harlean Carpenter in Kansas City, Missouri, she later changed her name to Jean Harlow (Harlow being her mother's maiden name) and would be the first to popularize those brilliant-white locks.  As a child, Jean suffered from bouts of meningitis and scarlet fever (which would later be the cause of her tragic, untimely death at the tender age of 26). 

Professionally, Jean is most noted for her roles in films such as Platinum Blonde, Dinner at Eight, Libeled Lady and Bombshell.  But it seems she has come to be most frequently remembered for her sometimes-eccentric personality, and particularly referenced for her signature look: curvaceous woman with platinum hair in a clingy, white-satin, bias-cut gown, shining like a star in the night. (Just look at the pictures, and you will see why!)



The Original Blonde Bombshell

 Now, this blog is dedicated to the legacy of Lucille Ball, so you may be wondering, "What does Jean Harlow have to do with Lucille Ball?"  Well, there are a couple of notable connections: the first being that both Jean and Lucille were born in 1911, (Jean on March 3, and Lucille on August 6) making this year their would-be 100th birthdays; the other connection has to do with the films Libeled Lady and
Easy to Wed.

Jean starred in the 1936 screwball comedy Libeled Lady as Gladys Benton, who is a tough, but funny broad.  It was ten years later, in 1946, that MGM remade the film as Easy to Wed, in which Lucille Ball also played the part of Gladys Benton.  Both films are excellent productions of the same screenplay and carry strong comical performances by major actors (William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow--and later--Van Johnson, Esther Williams and Lucille Ball.)  It is the role of Gladys Benton that really steals the show, and both Jean and Lucille played her wonderfully.

About Lucille,  The Los Angeles Times wrote, "Comedy provided by Miss Ball is really the most compensating feature of this production. She is at her super best..." And a review by Film Daily read, "...very special honors go to Lucille Ball for her topnotch comedy scenes which highlight the film."

Lucille gave much credit to director Eddie Buzzell for the success of her comedy sequences, saying that he allowed her to use her own instincts and helped encourage her uniqueness by not forcing a performance.  Regardless of which version you prefer, both Jean Harlow and Lucille Ball give two of their finest film performances as quirky, scene-stealing Gladys Benton.  So here's to Jean, and Lucille, and to all the ways they continue to inspire us, even 100 years after their birth! 

Check out these links for resources pertaining to the amazing life of Jean Harlow.