everything you have heard about this movie is true.

As Good As It Gets

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I mean, I'm not one to pine for days gone by, but Jean Harlow, people. Jean. Harlow. Her name is cooler than anyone alive.

Good acting too. I enjoyed seeing Robert Williams and sorry to read that he died soon after the film was made. He played the snappy reporter just right, although the movie never really explained the great attraction between his character and Jean Harlow's very well-all of a sudden, they are married.Not a Loretta Young fan...but she is fine in this film, and of course (as per her contract I think) she has to end up with the man. Strange to see a divorce being the reason, but then it is pre-code. Still, usually you would see the woman walk out on the man, not vice versa.The plot is pretty cliché, but the pace is fast, and keeps moving, so it keeps your interest. Gets a little heavy-handed with the "bird in gilded cage" references...

Platinum Blonde is directed by Frank Capra and written by Jo Swerling. It stars Robert Williams, Loretta Young and Jean Harlow. Plot finds Harlow as rich heiress Ann Schuyler, who seduces down to earth reporter Stew Smith (Williams) into marriage. It's a union that causes chagrin to many around them…….Not quite a screwball comedy as some folk have called it, Platinum Blonde is more a comedy drama that's laced with some tasty satire involving the gap between the classes. The lady actors are oddly cast, but remarkably this does not hurt the movie too much. This mainly comes down to fact that the wonderful performance of Williams dominates the picture. Williams would sadly pass away within a month of Platinum Blonde's release, a victim of complications caused by a ruptured appendix, Platinum Blonde shows that a great career was in the making. With an unassuming face and smooth and correct delivery of comedy set-ups, Williams adds meat to the skeleton script whilst creating a working-class guy we can really root for. Not that the rich are constantly bludgeoned here, story does have Harlow's Ann as sympathetic and capable of loyalty to her husband when her parents frown and look down their noses at Stew.It has been suggested that Harlow and Young perhaps should have switched roles? There's some decent logic behind that working far better for the movie. Both ladies have different sexual dynamism, Harlow walks like a panther and carries a man eater aura, Young is gorgeous, prim and looks bred into money. Both of which are at odds with the characters they are playing! In the support slots are three fine performances: Halliwell Hobbes as Butler Smythe, Louise Closser Hale as Mother Schuyler and Reginald Owen as the Schuyler's lawyer Dexter Grayson. The ending holds no surprises, but this is exactly the type of thing that Depression Era audiences lapped up in spades. The format and thematics of Capra's movie would become a staple of many more movies from the classic era, this is a good place to start, with some sharp dialogue, the tongue in cheek satire and a lead male performance of some quality. 7/10

Platinum Blonde (1931)*** (out of 4)Romantic-drama centered on a blue collar reporter (Robert Williams) who marries a society girl (Jean Harlow) even though his heart might be with an old friend (Loretta Young). It's been reported many times else where but I'll write it again, Williams would end up dying three days after the release of the film and one can't help but wonder what he would have done in his career had his life not taken such a sad turn. With Capra, Harlow and Young listed in the credits, there's no doubt that this film belongs to Williams. His performance was clearly very influential as the sleepy eyed reporter bit would be played many times in the future and one can't help but see the influence that started here. As far as the film goes, I don't think it was as good as its reputation but it's still a pretty good movie for the time. What will certainly draw most people to the movie is its stars Young and Harlow and both are them are quite good in the film. Harlow's role is pretty underwritten but her sex appeal still shines through. Young is as glamorous as ever but once again the film belongs to Williams. The film's one major flaw is that it's just way too predictable with nothing fresh every really happening. We all know the formula it's going to take and how it's going to end but the movie is still worth watching due to the three leads.