Watch Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story For Free

Pretty Good

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is a wonderful documentary about the woman of the century..As an Imigrant, citizen later ( 1953 ) she contributed so much to this country, especially during the war years. Selling war bonds more than any other person at that time, invented a frequency hopping product to sink German U-boats during WW2., plus used during the '60's Cuban crisis, when we almost went to war with Russia. Because of her outstanding beauty, she was more admired for it, than her brains, so she wasn't taken seriously even with a patent on her invention. Susam Sarandon, co-producer said in an interview, that her story really should be made into a major motion picture, for what she did, and went through, while living in Europe during her younger years. In the DVD version, there are extras, with more in depth info from Mel Brooks, who was asked why he used her name as the butt of a joke in his movie, "Blazing Saddles". ..and more interviews. I was so taken by the DVD, that when it was shown for the first time on PBS's, "American Masters", I had to watch it again. Of course, you do not get to see any extra's as on the DVD. Till this day, I do not see why this woman hasn't even been put on a US postage stamp icon...but, you do see on occasions, other less accomplished celebs, and even Mickey Mouse .

A look at the amazing life of Heady Lamarr through the eyes of her children, the few left who know her, and 4 tapes of a conversation a writer made in 1990 when she wanted to sell her story to Ted Turner. Her story reads like a Hollywood screenplay. Truly amazing! The documentary does have several maddening shortcomings. There is no explanation as to why only one attempt was made to tell the armed forces (Navy) about her frequency hopping invention. For example, why didn't she to Howard Hughes, who she'd been both good friends and a lover with? Many aspects of her personal life are also left out, buy adding them would have expanded the documentary to two hours. Still, this is a star vehicle, and as always, Hedy carries the day. I was impressed by Alexandra Dean's detective work piecing together how Hedy probably thought up the idea. And for those who sniffed at the graphics, they reflected the style of her drawings, and not a superhero movie. One small technical point that was missed is that frequency hopping is also the basis of multi-spectrum quiescent radar and sensors. As a result, the value of the market that uses her basic idea is far larger than the $30 billion listed at the end of the documentary. I highly recommend it, especially her reciting of the Kent M. Keith's "The Paradoxical Commandments" at the end. Considering her life, it's hard not to tear up.

GRADE: B- THIS FILM IS RECOMMENDED.IN BRIEF: An insightful documentary about the actress, Hedy Lamarr and her unacknowledged scientific inventions.JIM'S REVIEW: Hedy Lemarr was a most fascinating woman and Alexandra Dean's documentary, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, certainly adds to her allure. Most called her an international movie star of the 40's. Others called her a spy. Very few recognized her scientific achievements. It was always a case of beauty over brains.The film focuses on her untold story from her childhood and early bohemian life in Vienna during the 1930's, her rising 40's Hollywood career, subsequent scandals, and many marriages and divorces. It also shows her as a woman of creativity and intelligence, one who actually patented inventions that were early prototypes of WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS technology. Documents reveal her plans for radio controlled torpedoes during World War II, aeronautic aviation advances, and secret communication systems. One can easily accept the film's main title for its double meaning after seeing the evidence on display.However, Ms. Lamarr's scientific aspirations and skills were derailed by her beauty and chauvinistic attitude at that time. It was her glamour that most wanted to idolize which led to a thriving film career. Using archival footage, photos, interviews with family, animation, and film clips of Ms. Lemarr's films, the documentary chronicles her life using a found taped interview by the actress that tells many hidden details of her flamboyant life as its primary source.While always interesting, this documentary seems to overcompensate about her scientific breakthroughs and bogs down with the technical underpinnings of her inventions. The animation is crude and unnecessary. The film provides glosses over the few facts about her numerous love affairs and marriages it shares and uses her Hollywood films as an afterthought that takes second place to her personal backstory. All seems well researched, but one wishes the filmmakers would have concentrated more on her two-sided complex life, with more film clips and exposition about her love affairs and relationships. It rarely stays on any one aspect of Ms. Lemarr's for too long.Still, with such a fascinating woman as the subject, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is always compelling and offers many facts unknown to this reviewer. I gained more insight and admiration from this documentary for this under-appreciated talented woman which is a strong statement in itself for Ms. Dean's film too.NOTE: This document is now available in movie art houses that showcase independent films. It is also on DVD and local streaming services.

4/25/18. This is a really well done biopic about an underrated actress who got her just due with this film. I really liked her in Samson and Delilah although I haven't seen any of her other movies. Over the years I have heard her mentioned as an inventor and thought that was a curious fact to share about an actress. This biopic goes into enough detail for the viewer to understand just how intelligent Lamarr was in electronics and that her inventions are still being used in our time through the technology we use. Sadly, she was never compensated for her patents. If she was she wouldn't have lived such a hardscrabble life in her later years and had all that plastic surgery that really ruined her face. It is somewhat sad to see how such a talented woman had a series of unhappy marriages that emotionally ruined her and how Hollywood never gave her the recognition she wanted and so truly deserved. Worth catching.