About

Lola Burns (Jean Harlow) is a ravishing star of the silver screen. Adored by fans and gracing the covers of magazines, she appears to live a life of glamour and luxury. Away from the cameras, however, she is beset by parasocial parasites, Hollywood hangers-on and a conniving studio forever looking to exploit their prize property. Pushed to breaking point, Lola decides to run away in search of quietude and normalcy – but soon discovers this has its own unexpected surprises.

Inspired by the life of megastar Clara Bow, Bombshell is a scathing showbiz satire filled with fiery pre-Code verve and featuring a forceful lead performance from Harlow. With its unorthodox romance and frantically-paced quips, the film is a formative entry in the screwball genre that had not quite yet fully coalesced into its final form. It also remains a startlingly caustic exposé of the control that producers and studios would enforce over the talent they believed they owned.

Bombshell will screen from an imported 35mm print.