Customer Reviews

Jean Harlow (A Pyramid illustrated history of the movies)

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JEAN HARLOW Pyramid book came on time, intact, without damage.
Lots of beautiful pictures and close-ups, but few words. Not
a book to read, but great to look at. Those photographs are
worthwhile. --- Too many people have forgotten JEAN HARLOW
the actress, and this book remains a good introduction to
what a beautiful girl actress she really was. Historically,
she was Hollywood's first "blonde bombshell" and paved the
way for others like Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield,
Mamie Van Doren, Diana Dors. A sad situation she died so young.
She deserved better.

Brown's Book is not too bad, but contains several mistakes, and the author falls short of getting a deep focus into Harlow's life. In return, Brown tries to focus on the films. But the facts and the films being more renarrated than analysed, the book's total worth ist somehow doubtful. Unfortunately, I haven't read any other English books on Jean Harlow, but for anyone who speaks German, I strongly recommend Bettina Uhlich's "Das Leben der Leinwandgöttin Jean Harlow" (the life of screen goddess Jean Harlow), 2011. She avoided any mistake Brown made. She wrote a vivid, empathetic, intelligent, thorough, accurate, sensitive and entertaining biography. Brown is just a reporter, Uhlich is a real narrator, thus revealing what is the quintessential Jean Harlow without ever getting too sensational.