Jean Harlow was one of Hollywood’s most iconic sex symbols of the 1930s. She was known for her platinum blonde hair, bright red lipstick, and alluring figure. However, what many people don’t know is that Jean Harlow used her breasts as a weapon, just as men would use a gun.
Harlow was not afraid to flaunt her sexuality on the big screen. In her films, she often wore low-cut dresses and used her ample cleavage to her advantage. She would lean forward and jut out her chest, drawing the attention of male characters and the audience alike.
One of Harlow’s most famous scenes is in the film “Red Dust,” where she plays a prostitute named Vantine. In the scene, Harlow enters the room wearing a revealing silk robe and sits down on a bed next to the film’s male lead, played by Clark Gable. As she leans forward, her cleavage is on full display, and Gable’s character can’t help but stare.
But it wasn’t just on the screen where Harlow used her breasts to her advantage. In her personal life, she was known to be quite flirtatious and would often use her body to get what she wanted. According to biographer David Stenn, Harlow once used her breasts to distract a group of male reporters while she snuck out of a hotel to avoid them.
Harlow’s confidence in her sexuality was rare for a woman in the 1930s, and she was often criticized for her overt sexuality. However, she remained unapologetic and continued to use her breasts as a way to assert her power and control over men.
Unfortunately, Harlow’s life was cut short when she died at the age of 26 due to kidney failure. However, her legacy as a Hollywood icon and a woman who was unafraid to use her sexuality as a weapon lives on. She paved the way for other women to embrace their sexuality and be confident in their bodies, regardless of societal expectations.
Jean Harlow had a tumultuous personal life, marked by several marriages and affairs. She first married at the age of 16 to Charles McGrew, a wealthy businessman, but the marriage was annulled soon after. In 1932, she married MGM producer Paul Bern, but the marriage was short-lived as Bern committed suicide just two months later. Harlow was devastated by the incident and was rumored to have attempted suicide herself.
After Bern’s death, Harlow entered into a relationship with actor William Powell. They starred in six films together and were engaged to be married, but Harlow’s mother reportedly disapproved of the match, leading to the couple’s eventual breakup. Harlow then married MGM executive producer Hal Rosson in 1933, but they divorced just two years later.
In 1937, Harlow met actor William Howard, and they began a relationship. They planned to marry, but Howard was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1939, leaving Harlow heartbroken once again. Harlow was also linked romantically to several other men, including boxer Max Baer and actor Robert Taylor.
Despite her tumultuous personal life, Harlow remained a popular and beloved actress throughout her career. Her untimely death at the young age of 26 shocked the world and left many wondering what could have been if she had lived longer.
In conclusion, Jean Harlow was a trailblazer for women in Hollywood and an icon in her own right. Her use of her breasts as a weapon was a powerful statement in a time when women’s sexuality was often suppressed. While her life may have been short, her impact on Hollywood and society as a whole continues to be felt to this day.
