This movie started very strong for me. I love movies about movies and hollywood itself and more when it’s meta commentary (all the references to red dust, Clark gable, Norma shearer, etc) and a satire at the same time. And Jean Harlow is amazing in this, I now understand the adoration she received. She’s simply magnificent. But I feel it got depressing by the end and it reminded me of the lives of many actresses that had their lives exploited throughout all their existence until there was nothing left. All the people in Jean Harlow’s Lola’s life are leeches, they only want her bc of what she could give them, her drunk father and brother who spent all her money, her employees who steal from her, throw parties at her expense and badmouth her, her love interests that never treat her with an ounce of respect. They all want to use her and it’s honestly so sad. I know this is a comedy but to me it was more like a tragedy, it truly reminded me of the life of some of the most tragic female figures like Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears. It seems not much has changed regarding female celebrities, it’s like the world wants to chew and stomp them no matter how beautiful and talented they are. This doesn’t happen as much with their male counterparts. With women it seems that it is rather difficult to have control of their own finances, their own lives and even the narrative of it all. And it’s just all so sad. Another layer of tragedy: Jean Harlow dying so young and with a domineering mother behind her that tried to live her own dreams through her only daughter. You deserved so much more, Jean.

This movie started very strong for me. I love movies about movies and hollywood itself and more when it’s meta commentary (all the references to red dust, Clark gable, Norma shearer, etc) and a satire at the same time. And Jean Harlow is amazing in this, I now understand the adoration she received. She’s simply magnificent. But I feel it got depressing by the end and it reminded me of the lives of many actresses that had their lives exploited throughout all their existence until there was nothing left. All the people in Jean Harlow’s Lola’s life are leeches, they only want her bc of what she could give them, her drunk father and brother who spent all her money, her employees who steal from her, throw parties at her expense and badmouth her, her love interests that never treat her with an ounce of respect. They all want to use her and it’s honestly so sad. I know this is a comedy but to me it was more like a tragedy, it truly reminded me of the life of some of the most tragic female figures like Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears. It seems not much has changed regarding female celebrities, it’s like the world wants to chew and stomp them no matter how beautiful and talented they are. This doesn’t happen as much with their male counterparts. With women it seems that it is rather difficult to have control of their own finances, their own lives and even the narrative of it all. And it’s just all so sad. Another layer of tragedy: Jean Harlow dying so young and with a domineering mother behind her that tried to live her own dreams through her only daughter. You deserved so much more, Jean.