talisencrw 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.

SimonJack This MGM comedy-romance drama has a wonderful cast with three big name leads of the day. Jean Harlow is Eadie, Lionel Barrymore is T.R. Paige and Franchot Tone is T.R. Paige Jr. The drama aspect is in a small-town girl leaving home to get away from an overbearing stepfather and escape a seedy lifestyle. The drama also comes in as Eadie tries to work her way into the circle of wealthy men. And in a short scene that ends with a broken businessman committing suicide. Eadie wants to find a rich man to marry, and not become a harlot in the process.It's that very drive to remain a good girl that makes for some of the comedy with T.R. Paige (Lionel Barrymore), who spots her as a gold-digger from the first. But it's also the allure that wins over T.R. Paige Jr. (Franchot Tone). The difference between a gold-digger and Edie, as Tom Paige Junior discovers, is that Edie doesn't want money and a good time. She wants marriage with the money – and a settled lifestyle. And for love to come with it – well, that's perfect."The Girl from Missouri," isn't a riotous or witty comedy. But it is a nice story with some very clever schemes and funny situations. I think Harlow is the funniest when she puts on airs and acts a snob – the exact type of person she dislikes. I suppose the writers and directors know that, and it's why she gets films such as this where she gets to play both roles.Lionel Barrymore is very good, as always. Franchot Tone is superb as the young banker-heir to his father's fortune. He's also a playboy, but well-liked by friends and acquaintances. Tom is smitten by Edie the moment he sees her, and he persistently pursues her. At first, she doesn't know who he is, and before she learns that he too is rich and heir to a fortune, they hit it off and she begins to fall for the guy. Of course, dad must try to dissuade the son and he tries everything to get him to see that she is a gold-digger.How it works out after their first encounters is all part of the fun of this entertaining film. It's not filled with laughs or witty dialog. But it is a fine comedy-romance with some drama thrown in for a good story. One character began to grate on me after a while. Patsy Kelly plays Kitty Lennihan, Eadie's best friend and companion – her chaperon, as Eadie calls her. But much of the time Eadie has to be chaperoning her. It might be funny once or twice, but after a few situations it becomes irksome.This film also has a number of top supporting actors of the day. Lewis Stone, Alan Mowbray, Hale Hamilton and others do well in their roles. This is a movie that most movie buffs should enjoy.This film came out in 1934, right when the motion picture industry began enforcing its "Hays Code" through the "Breen" office. So, I thought the opening script was interesting. It read, "This picture approved by the Production Code Administration of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America." It had "Certificate Number 91."

bkoganbing If the themes of The Girl From Missouri sound familiar it should. That's because Anita Loos who wrote the screenplay here also wrote the classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Unlike Marilyn Monroe in that film, Jean Harlow will accept any kind of jewelry from men of means.And it's men of means that Jean Harlow is after. She leaves the road side hash house run by her mother and stepfather because she's decided that the best way to gain the easy life is to marry it. Her talents as a chorus girl are limited, but she'll be able to trade in on that beauty.Her odyssey starts with her and friend Patsy Kelly getting an invitation to perform at a party thrown by millionaire Lewis Stone. But unbeknownst to Jean, Stone's just having a wild last fling before doing himself because of the moneys he owes not owns. Still she wrangles a few baubles from him that fellow millionaire Lionel Barrymore notices. Lionel's amused by it until Jean sets her sights on his playboy son, Franchot Tone. After that he is not amused and he looks to shake Jean from climbing the family tree.The Girl From Missouri went into production mid adaption of The Code so it went under peculiar censorship. I've a feeling we would have seen a much more risqué film. Still Jean Harlow as a younger and sassier version of Mae West is always appreciated. What a great comic talent that woman had, seeing The Girl From Missouri is a sad reminder of the great loss the world of film sustained with her passing three years later.Ironically enough the casting of Patsy Kelly with Harlow was no doubt influenced by the successful shorts Kelly was making with another famous platinum blonde, Thelma Todd. Harlow and Kelly have the same easy chemistry between that Patsy had with Thelma. Todd would also die a year later in a freak accident/suicide/homicide that no satisfactory explanation has ever really been given. Don't miss The Girl From Missouri, it's bright and sassy, must be from all that sparkling jewelry.

chris-459 I'm a Jean Harlow fan, because she had star quality. I don't think her movies are good and I don't even think that she was a good actress, but she certainly was Great in comedies. Every bit of comedy in The Girl from Missouri is very good. But this movie is perhaps more like a love story. Jean Harlow is wonderful in this one and you can forget the rest of the cast - their performances bring nothing new. It always impresses me much to think that Harlow's beautiful body was that of an ill woman. Well, in this movie she does look beautiful.