PLATINUM BLONDE (1931) **1/2 Robert Williams is supposed to be really smart, but it takes him a couple reels to realize that he'd be better off with Loretta Young in a dive than Jean Harlowe in a mansion. It's not much more than that, good delivery and glorified hooch. I have to admit that I have no idea how Jean ended up being a pin-up of the age, and not just because she's kind of zaftig. It was a different world then, I guess, but didn't lack of charm or talent count for anything? Maybe it's all just a reasonably well executed canary in a gilded cage flick, but Williams demonstrates how constraining the cage can feel, and Loretta symbolizes what's better beyond the limitations that you don't want or need.
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