Myrna Loy on Jean Harlow

Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow appeared to be very different, on-screen. One of them was the perfect wife and the other was a sex symbol. But they did have one thing in common: William Powell.

It was during a session for the Louella Parson's radio show (where Powell and Loy were performing some scenes from their popular film The Thin Man) that Powell introduced these two cinema queens to each other. Powell and Harlow were an 'item' at the time (a full post on that latter).

I thought, My God, I've never seen such beautiful skin. That creamy complexion and platinum hair really knocked you out. She was being very careful and shy, since this was her first time out in public with Bill. Jean was beautiful, but far from the raucous sexpot of her films (Being and Becoming, 124).

Shortly after their meeting the two co-starred in their first film together, Wife vs. Secretary (1936) with Clark Gable, followed shortly by Libeled Lady (1936) with Powell and Spencer Tracy. However, it wasn't during either of these films that these two legends of the silver screen really became friends but rather during the filming of After the Thin Man (193).

At the premiere of Libeled Lady (also in the photo is Arthur Hornblow, Myrna's husband).

They were shooting exteriors in San Francisco. Bill, Jean, and Myrna went up by train together. Upon arrival, Bill and Myrna were told by the management of the St. Francis Hotel that the Flyshaker Suite had been reserved for them. They had assumed that they were married, which isn't difficult to believe after seeing their on-screen chemistry (which was up to five films by now). The rest of the hotel was booked, except for a small hall bedroom. "There's nothing for you to do," Jean said, "We'll just have to put Bill downstairs."

That mix-up brought me one of my most cherished friendships. You would have thought Jean and I were in boarding school we had so much fun. We'd stay up half the night talking and sipping gin, sometimes laughing, sometimes discussing more serious things...  

Jean was always very cheerful, full of fun, but she also happened to be a sensitive woman with a great deal of self-respect. All that other stuff - that was all put on. She wasn't like that at all. She just happened to be a good actress who created a lively characterization that exuded sex appeal (143).

Arriving in San Francisco (note the book Jean is holding).

It was also during this trip that Myrna realized the extent of Jean's love for Bill.

... a total childlike love, full of the exuberance and wonder that characterized her. She wanted marriage but he was afraid to marry her [he was , she was 2]. He loved her, but he'd been married twice... and both marriages had gone bust (142).

When Jean died suddenly in 1937, Myrna was devastated. "It was horrible, an awful blow; I loved Jean deeply. I felt a sickening mixture of grief, guilt, and frustration because I hadn't been able to do what might have saved her: get her away rom her mother for an examination [Jean and her mother were Christian Scientists]. With proper treatment, the cerebral edema that killed her would never have developed in a twenty-six-year-old girl."

So as not to end on a sad note, Sarah Burford of Curious Pip has drawn several sketches of what she imagines Myrna and Jean did when they "hung out." She frequently creates dolls and draws sketches, postcards, and paper dolls of both Myrna and Jean (and other 1920s/30s actresses such as Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, and Claudette Colbert) to sell on Etsy - they go quick! If you are a fan of either of these actresses you will ADORE her creations! Check out her "Day in the Life of Jean Harlow" sketches as well as some of her Jean Harlow dolls and Myrna Loy/Nora Charles dolls.

Libeled Lady (1936)

Today is the first National Classic Movie Day. What better way to celebrate than write about one of my favorite movies, which also just so happens to be a Romantic Comedy. It stars four of the biggest stars of the 1930s: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, and Spencer Tracy. Yep, it's Libeled Lady.

First of all, a definition of "libel":

Libel - a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.

The following synopsis is from the TCM website (it's been a while since I've seen the movie and I don't own it on DVD yet):

The presses at The New York Evening Star stop too late to kill a false story on heiress Connie Allenbury (Loy), so she sues the paper for libel, asking $5,000,000 in damages. Warren Haggerty (Tracy), the paper's editor, would do anything to get her to drop the suit, although he is happy that it has saved him from finally taking his girl friend Gladys (Harlow) to the altar. Hoping to get themselves out of the suit, Haggerty and the owner, Mr. Bane, reluctantly track down former Star employee Bill Chandler (Powell), a specialist in libel cases. Bill tricks Haggerty into a big salary, then plans his strategy: he will marry someone in name only, then pursue Connie and have his "wife" find them in a compromising situation, thereby forcing her to drop the suit. Although she doesn't like the idea, Gladys agrees to marry Bill when Haggerty promises to marry her later. Bill arranges to meet Connie and her father, J. B. Allenbury (Connolly), and eventually she becomes attracted to him.

 

 

No one can resist that face

 

 

 

On a fishing trip, Bill begins to return her affection and he tricks Haggerty and Gladys into postponing the plans. Back in New York, Bill and Connie see each other secretly, while Gladys begins to appreciate Bill's suave attentions. When Haggerty suspects that Bill isn't doing his job, he goes to Connie to plead for the paper and runs into Bill. He then incites Gladys into going through with the plan by printing a false society column linking Bill and Connie. He follows Gladys to a charity carnival they are attending. When Mr. Allenbury hears gossip that Bill may have a wife, he warns Connie, who instead proposes to Bill. When Gladys and Haggerty go to their hotel, they discover that Bill and Connie are married and that he has told her everything.

The showdown

Bill reveals that he had discovered the day before that Gladys' Yucatan divorce from her first husband was not valid and thus her marriage to him was a fake. Gladys, however, says that she got another divorce later in Reno and really is married to Bill. She refuses to let Bill go, but Connie makes her realize that she only fell for Bill because he showed her the little kindnesses that Haggerty didn't. When the women hear the men fighting, Gladys rushes to Haggerty and they make up. Finally, Mr. Allenbury arrives and demands an explanation, which they loudly and simultaneously give him.

 

Would I ask you to do this thing for me if I didn't consider you practically my wife?

You can't build a life on hate, or a marriage on spite. Marriage is too important.

Mine only lasted an hour, but... I know.

The absolute best scene in the entire movie is when Powell, pretending to be an expert on fly-fishing, actually has to go fishing with Loy and her father, who are avid fly-fishers. You can watch the scene below:

 

               

On the set (note Powell's upside-down book)

 

Filming the scene

Another interesting aspect of the film is that at this time, Powell and Harlow were a couple. Harlow wanted to play the part of Connie so she would be the one that ended up with Powell, but the studio wanted another Powell/Low movie. Harlow had to be content with the roll of Gladys. This makes her scenes with Powell all the more interesting as she has to act as though Powell thoroughly disgusts her and her character has to pretend to be madly in love with him. She calls him and ape and bites his hand when they're alone and kisses him passionately when they're not. Unfortunately, after making just two more pictures, Harlow died 8 months after the release of Libeled Lady, leaving behind a heartbroken Powell. She was only 26.

 

 

A couple costume sketches by Dolly Tree for Harlow and Loy.

                

 

The hat from the sketch

 

If the above clips haven't encouraged you to immediately find a copy of this movie to watch, perhaps Robert Osborne can persuade you. After all, it is one of his top five favorite comedies...

 


Behind-the-scenes photos and costume sketches from the TCMDb Archives. All other pictures found via Pinterest.

This movie airs on TCM on Nov. 13th at 11pm EST.
Also, be sure to check out this awesome behind-the-scenes look at the movie by Silver Scenes.

This post is part of the My Favorite Classic Movie Blogathon hosted by Classic Film and TV Café. Be sure and check out all the other fantastic posts.

 

How did you celebrate?

Myrna flipping pancakes on the set