Advertise on podcast: Going Hollywood - Movies and Television from the Golden Age to Today

“I sing for myself. I sing when I want to whenever I want to.  Just for me. I sing for my own pleasure.” Was Judy Garland playing a character—or revealing herself? In her final completed feature film, “I Could Go On Singing “ (1963), Garland plays Jenny Bowman, an international singing sensation adored by millions but desperately lonely when the curtain falls. It's a haunting swan song in which the line between performance and reality becomes almost impossible to distinguish. This week, we explore the film’s troubled production, Garland’s compelling chemistry with co-star Dirk Bogarde, and the emotional tug-of-war between a mother, her former lover, and the son she longs to know. Part backstage melodrama, part intimate portrait of a legendary performer, “I Could Go On Singing” offers a haunting glimpse of the loneliness behind the applause. Join us as we revisit Judy Garland’s poignant cinematic farewell—and discover why this often-overlooked film deserves another Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

Remember “The Swan,“ “The Biggest Loser” and “Extreme Makeover”? Reality TV promised us that with a little help, anyone could become a whole new person. But what if the ultimate makeover cost you your soul and ultimately your life? Think “Extreme Makeover: Nightmare Edition.” This week, for our Halloween celebration, we dive into just that proposition as we discuss John Frankenheimer’s “Seconds” (1966), a chilling psychological thriller starring Rock Hudson as a man desperate to escape his seemingly perfect life. When a mysterious organization offers him a new face, new identity, and a second chance, the American Dream becomes a nightmare. We explore Hudson’s inspired casting, the film’s nightmarish visuals, its haunting themes of identity and alienation, and its eerie relevance in our image-obsessed world. Booed at Cannes and rejected by audiences, Seconds has since become a cult classic. Join us as we peel back the layers of one of Hollywood’s most disturbing films—and discover why its warning about reinventing ourselves is more relevant than ever. After all, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it!  Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

What happens when a man turns his back on everything society tells him he should want? In the aftermath of World War I, one man’s search for spiritual enlightenment takes him from the glittering drawing rooms of high society to the mountains of India. But the pursuit of inner peace comes at a price—and not everyone is willing to pay it. Based on W. Somerset Maugham’s celebrated novel, The Razor’s Edge (1946) stars Tyrone Power in one of his most unconventional roles, alongside Gene Tierney, Anne Baxter, and Clifton Webb. Behind the film’s glamorous surface lies a provocative exploration of love, ambition, obsession, and the elusive meaning of happiness. Join us as we explore the fascinating story behind this Darryl F. Zanuck production, its extraordinary cast, and the timeless questions that make The Razor’s Edge as compelling today as it was eighty years ago. Sometimes the hardest journey is the one that leads to yourself. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

Mel Brooks famously said that the only way to get even with Hitler is to make fun of him. Although Mel said it, he wasn’t the first to do it. That honor goes to Charles Chaplin (The Great Dictator”, 1940) and to the director of our film for today, the legendary Ernst Lubitsch and his brilliant political satire from 1942, “To Be or Not To Be.” To be or not to be, that is the question of this movie. A troupe of second rate actors are the last line of defense against the onslaught of fascism and somehow it’s hilarious and terrifying at the same time. We walk through why this wartime dark comedy still feels so modern today,  from the brilliantly incisive dialogue, to the sleight of hand structure, to the hysterical and meta performances of its stars: the incomparable Jack Benny and the luminous Carole Lombard, in her final screen performance.  The story keeps asking “what’s real and what’s staged?” as characters impersonate other characters, romances collide with resistance work, and jokes snap into suspense without warning. Along the way, we dig into what people mean by “the Lubitsch touch” and why the film’s sharp dialogue and careful misdirection reward repeat viewings.  This film also kicks off our listener requested “Swan Songs” series, as it’s impossible to separate the movie from the legacy of the great Carole Lombard. We talk about her brilliance on screen, her war bond tour, and the tragic circumstances that made this her final film, adding a haunting layer to an already daring piece of political comedy. If you enjoy deep dives into Hollywood’s golden age, subscribe to Going Hollywood, share this episode with a film lover, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. What’s the boldest comedy you’ve ever seen take on real world horror? Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

A great sitcom can survive a lot, but it can’t survive forgetting who it is. We’re back for Part Two of our “Laverne & Shirley” 50th anniversary celebration, and we dig into why that basement apartment window, the working-class charm, and “Making Our Dreams Come True” still feel so alive 50 years later. The early seasons don’t just deliver laughs, they build a world where being the underdog is the whole point. So, we give one last hurrah to the Milwaukee era, remembering a few more of our favorite (and one of the most famous) episodes, and then we get honest about the big shift that changes everything: the move to California. We talk TV network decisions, time slot damage, new characters that don’t click, and how the show loses its original magic even when there are still a few fun late-season nuggets, including an appearance by “goddess-of-the-pod” herself, Carrie Fisher. We also unpack the behind-the-scenes reality of Cindy Williams’ exit and why it still stings for fans. Subscribe, share the show with a fellow classic TV lover, and leave a rating and review. What’s your all-time favorite “Laverne & Shirley” moment, and when do you think the series should’ve ended? Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

We're making our dreams come true today, as we dive into the wonderfully wacky world of our two favorite Milwaukee bottle-cappers while they transverse life, love, and a little vo-de-oh-doh-doh. Yes, we’re talking about Ms. DeFazio and Ms. Feeney today, in the first of our two part celebration of the 50th anniversary of "Laverne & Shirley"! This situation comedy, which aired on ABC from 1976 until 1983, defines the term “classic television”.  We’re commemorating the show’s 50th by going back to the Milwaukee years, when two blue-collar  turn bad luck into a weekly art form. And yes, we start where the show lives best: big character choices, physical comedy that commits all the way, and jokes that still land because the emotions are real. In Part One, we talk about how the series spins out of “Happy Days”, why Gary Marshall had to “rebuild” the characters for the family hour, and how Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams create a partnership that feels equal in a way TV rarely gets right. Along the way, we dig into the “Lucy” influence, the chemistry that makes absurd situations believable, and the secret sauce of supporting players like Lenny and Squiggy when they stay as just that: support.  We also set the table for Part Two, where a terrible plot turn and growing backstage dramas change everything about the show we love so much. But that’s for later; today grab a Scooter-pie and a milk and Pepsi a join us in the festivities as we pay tribute to a TV classic.  If you enjoy the show, subscribe so you don’t miss the next chapter, and please leave a rating or review so more classic TV fans can find us. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

It's our 100th episode!! And we have something extra special in mind to commemorate the occasion.  We looked back 100 years to find a film that is widely considered one of the greatest silent films of all time - from 1926, it's Buster Keaton's masterpiece "The General".   A silent film where the biggest romantic rival is a locomotive sounds like a joke until Buster Keaton turns it into one of the most ambitious action comedies ever put on screen. It's a Civil War era train-chase epic that mixes breathtaking stunt work, meticulous visual storytelling, and a surprisingly dark sense of humor. We walk through why the premise is so clean and timeless: a railroad engineer loses the girl, loses the train, chases the train, and accidentally becomes a hero. We also get honest about what makes "The General" complicated. A comedy about one of the most tragic events in American history? That was what Buster Keaton took on in 1926, and its a choice that baffled many audiences and critics on release,  especially in an era when audiences expected war movies to be solemn and sentimental.  The lukewarm reception had a prolonged effect on the great comic's career, and after the film’s messy rollout and the initial box office disappointment, Keaton's career began a slow but steady slide into near oblivion.  The film's eventual re-evaluation and celebration by later generations is one of the most surprising and heartwarming stories in Hollywood history, and the long turnaround eventually put "The General" alongside the most celebrated movies ever preserved and praised. If you love classic Hollywood, silent cinema, or practical stunts that modern CGI cannot replace, press play, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a rating and review so more film fans can find the next hundred. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

The news hit like a gut punch: Dolly is gone, and somehow the whole world is mourning at once. We needed to talk it out, but since laughter through tears is our favorite emotion, not with a stats-heavy deep dive, but with the stories, songs, laughs, and screen moments that made her feel bigger than celebrity and closer than a neighbor.  We look back at the Dolly we met through film and television, from "9 to 5" (1980) to "Steel Magnolias" (1989) to the pure guilty-pleasure fun of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982),  plus a real soft spot for "Straight Talk" (1992). Along the way we dig into what made her performances work and that made even the lightest scenes feel true. And of course we talk music, including why “I Will Always Love You” lands differently in Dolly’s intimate original and why “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning” has carried so many of us through hard nights.  Plus "Jolene", "Here You Come Again", "Coat of Many Colors" and all the songs that make up the fabric of our lives. We’re joined by two friends of the pod who bring Dolly into sharper focus. Playwright Del Shores shares personal meetings that capture her kindness and her lack of judgment. Author and documentarian Randy Schmidt talks about growing up with Dolly on TV, her master plan to become a “universal star,” and gives us  a sneak peak at his upcoming documentary, "Dolly Uncovered" . We also honor the heart behind the legend, from quiet generosity to the Imagination Library’s massive impact on kids and families.  So don't feel like a bastard at a family reunion! Join us as we discuss this universally beloved star.  Listen, share it with a fellow fan, and subscribe for more. Then leave a review and tell us your favorite Dolly song or movie, what is yours? Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

The line hits like a slap- literally: “Let me tell you the truth for once in my life...I was the slut of all time!” From that notorious confession, we jump into one of the most infamous Hollywood melodramas of all time, MGM’s "Butterfield 8". Today on "Going Hollywood" we're unpacking this notorious guilty pleasure from 1960, and why this film is widely called trash while still being weirdly hard to look away from.  We dig into the behind-the-scenes story that makes "Butterfield 8" essential Hollywood gossip history: Elizabeth Taylor reportedly despised the script, rushed to finish her final MGM contract, and pushed for demands that shaped the production, including New York locations and a role for Eddie Fisher. Then we get into the on-screen chaos: Gloria Wandrous as “call girl” versus “model,” the Production Code-era dance around sex, and the film’s relentless need to shame and punish its heroine. Along the way, we talk about Lawrence Harvey’s chilly performance, the mink coat plot trigger, and that marathon car crash finale.  The most revealing part might be the meta-layer. "Butterfield 8" plays as a commentary on Taylor’s real-life scandal with Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, right down to casting and styling choices that feel pointed. We also explain the title itself as a phone exchange tied to Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and we trace how Taylor’s near-death illness and tracheotomy helped shape her first Best Actress Oscar narrative, even as many argue Shirley MacLaine deserved the win for "The Apartment". Subscribe, share the episode with a classic film friend, and leave us a review, then tell us: is "Butterfield 8" glorious trash or just trash? Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

It's our first crossover episode! Taking a page from 1990s "Must See TV", today we have a special treat. Join us for a "Going Hollywood/Front Row Classics" crossover event as Tony welcomes FRC's Brandon Davis and guest Ben Burke to the show to discuss the (questionable) guilty classic, MGM's musical remake of "The Women", 1956's "The Opposite Sex" . We talk about the remake’s biggest swings: adding eye-popping Metro-color, wedging in yawn-inducing production numbers, and most criminal of all: introducing men into the cast!  Add into the mix a murderous row of gifted actresses whose lifeless performances and lack of on-screen chemistry leave this legendary story of real housewife bitchery strangely lifeless, and you're left with the one big question: WHY?  From June Allyson’s lackluster “society wife” energy to Joan Collins as a Crystal who never quite gets her claws, we compare performance, pace, and the intangible spark the original captures so effortlessly.  If you love classic Hollywood history, MGM musicals," The Women", 1950s fashion, or remake autopsies, you’ll have a lot to argue with us about. If you enjoy the conversation, subscribe, share this with a fellow old-movie obsessive, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

A gangster’s superstition turns into a citywide con, and somehow it becomes one of the most humane stories of the 1930s. We’re talking about Frank Capra’s "Lady For A Day" (1933), where Apple Annie sells apples in Times Square and Dave the Dude buys one before every deal like it’s a talisman. When Annie’s daughter returns from Spain expecting a wealthy society mother, Dave and his crew scramble to build a high-society illusion overnight, complete with manners, clothes, and a borrowed life. What surprised us most is how well the film balances fantasy with real Depression-era texture. Mae Robson makes Annie feel fully lived-in, and we dig into why her performance carries the movie even when she isn’t getting the punchlines. We also get honest about what works less, what characters we wish had more time, and the scene we think could have been milked for even better comedy during Annie’s rapid makeover. After the film talk, we share listener survey results that overwhelmingly favor the 1930s and 1940s, plus the series and stars you want us to cover next. If you enjoy classic Hollywood podcasts, film history, and thoughtful movie reviews, hit play, subscribe, and share the show. Then leave us a rating and review, and send a text or voicemail so we can feature your thoughts on an upcoming episode. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

One performer. No guest stars. No dancing chorus to hide behind. Just one unbelievably talented and chutzpah-filled 22-year-old staring down the biggest network in America—and winning all the marbles.  It’s Barbra Streisand in the 1960s. Today, we revisit her first two iconic CBS television specials, My Name Is Barbra (1965) and Color Me Barbra (1966), and explore how a girl barely out of her teens could make an hour of pure singing feel like must-see television. These weren’t conventional variety shows. They were something closer to the prototype for the modern music video—built around persona, irony, theatrical movement, visual storytelling, and, above all, Streisand’s ability to inhabit a song rather than merely sing it. We dig into the creative gamble behind Streisand’s five-million-dollar contract, the three-act structure that makes each special play like a miniature stage production, and the extraordinary way she turns every song into a character piece. Along the way, we get into all the backstage happenings:  the elusive studio audience, the tale of five ill-fated penguins, an overly amorous llama, and all the fascinating production choices that helped make these specials feel so different from anything else on television at the time. So join us as we take a trip into "Streisandland"  circa the 1960s. It’s a journey you won’t soon forget. If you love classic Hollywood, TV history, or the craft of performance, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a rating and review so more listeners can find Going Hollywood. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

We take a listener recommendation and give Brad one more chance to become a George Stevens fan. Will he? Won't he? You'll have to listen to find out, as we tackle what is, arguably, Steven's masterwork and certainly one of the greatest films of the 1950s: "A Place in the Sun". One bad decision is a plot. A thousand tiny compromises is a life, and "A Place in the Sun" (1951) stares straight at that truth until it becomes unbearable. We follow Montgomery Clift’s George Eastman as he reaches for the "American Dream", only to find it quickly morph into the American nightmare. Is he a character who truly meant to do harm, or was he  simply a victim of the illusion and promise of the "American Dream"? This one will give you plenty to think about. We talk about Theodore Dreiser, the real-life murder case that inspired the original novel, and why Stevens’ adaptation chooses implication over explanation in key moments. Then we get nerdy about craft. Stevens’ extreme close-ups, long static shots, and eerie dissolves don’t just look beautiful; they tell us the story in ways that mere dialogue cannot. We also touch on Edith Head’s iconic costumes, Franz Waxman’s sweeping score, the film’s Academy Awards run, Charlie Chaplin’s legendary praise, and the ugly art-versus-commerce fight over TV broadcasts chopped up by commercials. Finally, there's the cast.  The 17 year-old Elizabeth Taylor, at the peak of her youthful bloom, beauty and possibility;  her polar opposite, Shelly Winters, in a career-defining performance as the young woman who blocks Clift from obtaining his place in the sun and pays the ultimate price for it. There is Clift himself, an American Icarus, whose ambition to attain the American Dream at any cost sends him plummeting to his ultimate destruction.  Listen, then share your take with us: is George Eastman a villain, a casualty, or both? If you like what you hear, subscribe, rate and review, share the show with a friend, and please fill out the survey linked in the show notes. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

“She croaked the blues right out of the horn.” So went a famous movie review by-line, and it kills us to  admit it, but it’s true. It’s also true that it is by popular demand that we’re tackling it all…the good, the bad, and the filters, because, it’s today ladies and gentlemen!  From Warner Bros. in 1974, we’re talking about “Mame”. But we’re going to try to look past the punch lines, and dive into the notorious bomb with a little tenderness and understanding, because the story of how it misfires is more complicated than just “Lucy can’t sing.” We break down the core mismatch of persona that shapes everything, then we widen the lens to the choices around the film. From the direction, to the screenplay, to the  editing, to why a cast this loaded ends up feeling oddly muted (with one magnificent exception). We also get into the juicy behind-the-scenes turns that fans love: Bette Davis lobbying for Vera, Madeline Kahn originally cast as Agnes Gooch before being fired, and the way musical “surgery” can strip story motivation and emotional payoff. Along the way we still call out what works, including the opening sequence, the sets, and those moments when the movie accidentally becomes mesmerizing as a guilty pleasure. If you’ve ever argued about a notorious adaptation, or wondered how ambition and timing can derail great material, you’ll have opinions by the end. Subscribe, share the episode with a fellow classic film fan, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.

"So gentlemen prefer blondes do they?"  This famous opening line is delivered with more than a little irony by our leading lady, the lethally funny Lil Andrews, in today’s film: MGM’s 1932 pre-Code classic “Red Headed Woman”. After all, the woman saying it is cinema’s most celebrated platinum blonde—Jean Harlow—who trades peroxide for provocation and proceeds to set the screen ablaze as a redhead whose morals are negotiable but whose style is impeccable.  Marriages go smash, reputations take a nosedive, and even murder gets a crack at the spotlight—all served up with a wink and a wicked little laugh by Harlow in her star-making turn as the gold digger to end all gold diggers. Even in glorious black and white, “Red Headed Woman”  crackles with the fiery havoc Jean Harlow unleashes—and it is easy to see why the film caused such a stir in 1932. We look at what makes this MGM pre-Code lightning strike so distinctive: its glossy style, wicked humor, and gleeful refusal to punish bad behavior on cue. Along the way, we explore the film’s ties to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Anita Loos, Lil Andrews’ ruthless ambition, its blunt view of sex and power, and the Paris ending that pointedly dodges a tidy moral lesson.  We also explore the popularity and prevalence of these morally questionable characters during the depths of the Great Depression, examining why audiences embraced their defiant, anti-establishment attitudes and how the enforcement of the Production Code in 1934 brought their era to an abrupt end.  If you love classic film history, pre-Code cinema,  and Hollywood’s Golden Age deep dives, hit play, then subscribe, share the episode with a fellow movie lover, and leave us a rating and review so more listeners can find the show. Text us or Leave a Voice Mail  Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at [email protected] Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist on Spotify.