The Female Gaze (literally)

Jean Harlow giving herself a pep talk in the wonderful Reckless, where she marries a deeply unhappy man (Franchot Tone), while being best buddies (and something more?) with William Powell. In this mirror moment, she feels herself getting hot and bothered on a moonlit night, with Franchot makin’ the moves on her, and thinks it prudent to put the brakes on. So she gives herself a stern talking-to in the mirror. It’s charming.

There’s another mirror scene in Reckless, where she and Franchot Tone wander into a fun-house mirror and can’t find their way out.

Directed by Victor Fleming, Reckless is a fantastic showcase for Harlow – in a way, even more so than the amoral character she plays in Red-headed Woman (although she’s great there, too). Reckless is about what most Harlow movies are about: she’s a platinum-blonde showgirl and so everybody has the wrong idea about her. They project onto her their dirty minds. They are suspicious of her. (Interestingly, the woman Franchot ditched to take up with Harlow is played by Rosalind Russell, in a sneakily moving performance.) Everyone always thinks the Harlow character is this bad bad girl. But she’s really not. She’s a practical girl who likes to have fun. She’s a hard worker, and a go-getter. She’s unsentimental. She looks out for herself. She’s nobody’s fool.

And so she feels herself being seduced in the moonlight, and draws herself back from the abyss, not allowing herself to get swept away. She whips out her mirror. And speaks very sternly to herself. Re-establishing her own ground rules, her own boundaries. Everyone else might get the wrong idea about her, but she knows who she is.

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2 Responses to The Female Gaze (literally)

  1. hugh says:

    love your writing, especially when you write about music. i noticed you are a little richard fan. i recently discovered on youtube the recording of i’m in love again by the world famous upsetters. it is brilliant, a cover of the fats domino song. if its not little richard, its the worlds greatest impersonator! give it a listen when you have time.

    • sheila says:

      Hugh – hey, thanks!! Thanks for reading and commenting!

      I don’t know the recording you mention but I will be sure to check it out! Thanks!

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