The Girl from Missouri

The Girl from Missouri

The story of a platinum blonde who wouldn't go off the gold standard!

  • 73 Mins
  • 1934
  • en
  • star6.9/ 10

Leaving Missouri to find a wealthy husband in New York City, Eadie Chapman becomes a chorus girl and soon entertains at the lavish home of millionaire Frank Cousins. Cousins proposes to Eadie, only to then commit suicide due to bankruptcy. Fellow millionaire T. R. Paige defends Eadie when the police question her for having Cousins' jewelry -- but when she becomes enamored with his son, Tom, Paige declares Eadie a gold digger.

Review

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After seeing this, my third film from the 7-DVD 'Jean Harlow 100th Anniversary Collection' from Warner Archives, I'm very tempted to say, without exaggerating, that perhaps she was the first 'modern' actress (though Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford would also be in the running). Her speech was very fast by that era's standard, she displayed a huge range of emotion, was incredibly sexy and was great at both comedy and drama. This was great, as she's a chorus girl from a poor family in the Midwest who wants to marry a millionaire but the right way, and without sacrificing her values in the process. At first she's not taken seriously, as she meets a wealthy banker (finely played by Lionel Barrymore) who knows what it's like to be on the poor side of the tracks, and enters his social circle. Then his playboy son (a very good performance by Franchot Tone, whom I liked best in 'Mutiny on the Bounty', his only Oscar-nominated work) takes a shine to her, unsure if she's the real thing or just another floozy. Heartily recommended. Not a great script, but it's lifted with Harlow's personality, jolly comedic relief by Patsy Kelly and a solid supporting cast, decently directed. For single-handedly saving Warner Brothers from bankruptcy just the previous year, she deserved better but this wasn't a bad showcase at all for her considerable talents.

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