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Jean Harlow is one of most the defining figures of the early decades of American cinema. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 3, 1911, she made her feature film debut as an uncredited extra in the silent drama Honor Bound (1928). After a small speaking part in The Saturday Night Kid (1929), starring Clara Bow and Jean Arthur, she was hired by Howard Hughes to star in his World War I epic Hell's Angels (1930), which turned her into a overnight sensation. Signing with MGM in 1932, she became one of the studio's most profitable leading ladies, appearing in such hits as Dinner at Eight (1933), China Seas (1935), Wife vs. Secretary (1936) and Libeled Lady (1936), the last three co-starring Clark Gable . Her final picture, Saratoga (1937), which also paired her with Gable, was released after her death and became not only the highest-grossing film of her career, but also the biggest moneymaker of that year. Although she was in the motion picture industry for only nine year...

Carole Lombard is undoubtedly one the greatest comediennes in cinema history. Born Jane Alice Peters to a wealthy Indiana family on October 6, 1908, Lombard began her acting career at the age of 12, when director Allan Dwan cast her as Monta Blue's sister in A Perfect Crime (1921). Although the film was not widely distributed and paid only $50, the experience spurred Lombard's mother to enroll her in drama school. In 1924, just as she turned 16, she was screentested by Fox Film Corporation, which led to a co-starring role opposite Edmund Lowe in Marriage in Transit (1925). Both movies are now considered lost.   Unlike many other actors, Lombard made an easy transition to sound, signing a five-year contract with Paramount Pictures in 1930. Four years later, she was loaned out to Columbia to work on Twentieth Century (1934), a film that not only made her a major star, but also became the prototype of screwball comedies.   LEFT: Carole Lombard and Monta Blue in A Perfect Crim...

For this week's «Film Friday,» I initially thought of writing about a June Allyson picture, since today is her 99th birthday. But then I realized that I have already written about quite a few of her films, so I decided to honour instead Carole Lombard's 108th birthday, which was yesterday, by telling you about one of the first films that I saw her in. This also happens to be the picture that introduced her to her future husband, Clark Gable. Directed by Wesley Ruggles, No Man of Her Own (1932) concerns Jerry «Babe» Stewart (Clark Gable), a smooth conman who swindles wealthy executives in rigged card games. When his ex-mistress, Kay Everly (Dorothy Mackaill), threatens to expose him, Babe leaves New York for the small town of Glendale. There, he becomes infatuated with the local librarian, Connie Randall (Carole Lombard), who is bored with her life and desperate to escape her stifling environment. Babe pretends to be a wealthy businessman to impress Connie, but she refuses his ...

Directed by George Cukor, Dinner at Eight (1933) revolves around the eminent dinner part hosted by Millicent Jordan (Billie Burke), the snobbish socialite wife of shipping magnate Oliver Jordan (Lionel Barrymore). Millicent is so aggravated about everything going wrong that she is oblivious to Oliver's impending bankruptcy and serious heart condition, as well as her daughter Paula's (Madge Evans) preoccupation about the return of her fiancé, Ernest DeGraff (Phillips Holmes), from Europe. One of the guests is Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler), a former stage star and Oliver's one-time flame. Also invited are corrupt mining tycoon Dan Packard (Wallace Beery), who is secretly consuming Oliver's business, and his brassy young wife Kitty (Jean Harlow).   LEFT: Madge Evans and John Barrymore. MIDDLE: Jean Harlow and Marie Dressler. RIGHT: Lionel Barrymore, Billie Burke and Edmund Lowe. On the eve of the dinner, Millicent, short of an extra man for Carlotta, invites washed-up s...

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, Dancing Lady (1933) tells the story of Janie «Duchess» Barlow (Joan Crawford), a young dancer who is reduced to stripping in a burlesque show. Arrested for indecent exposure, she is bailed out by millionaire playboy Tod Newton (Franchot Tone), who was attracted to her while slumming at the theatre with his society pals. When Janie tries to get a part in a Broadway musical, Tod intercedes with director Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable): he will put his money into the show, if Janie is given a part in the chorus. Although he needs the money, Patch is resistant, until he sees Janie dance and realizes her talent. Soon, Tod proposes to Janie and she accepts, but only if the show fails. Meanwhile, Patch has realized that neither his show nor his star, Vivian Warner (Gloria Foy), is right, so he gives Janie the lead in the new version. Although Patch and Janie are attracted to each other, she decides to go away with Tod when he secretly withdraws his backing and r...