She is, yet again, making some news.
That’s because of the 2017 release of Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, Alexandra Dean’s fascinating historical documentary forcefully presenting the view that Hedy in fact was a intellectually gifted woman and pioneering inventor — in addition, of course, to being one of classic Hollywood most renowned sexpots.
In any event, Bombshell (readily available on DVD) is must viewing for any self-respecting classic movie fan. It’s part of a healthy evolution about Hedy is viewed. She was a lot smarter than most anyone had appreciated.
But anyone who is even casually familiar with her movie career is probably familiar with dark references to “that weird movie” she made as a teenager that sparked a scandal across pre-World War II Europe — and almost cost the actress her Hollywood career.
How times change. Today that “weird movie” is shown uncut at film festivals and on the Turner Classic Movie cable channel, and its artistic merits seriously debated by cineastes and film scholars.
Today we present so to speak her “scandalous” appearance in “Ecstasy.” Vienna-born Hedy Kiesler while still an actress in her teens earned dubious early fame on the back of a Czech-made movie that had the sensational effect of stoking international libidos.
We are referring, of course, to 1933’s “Extase” or “Ecstasy.” Directed by one Gustav Machaty, the movie tells the story of a luscious, young wife (Hedy) of a physically debilitated much-older man who cannot consummate their marriage.
The frustrated young bride goes skinny-dipping one day in the woods and is accidentally discovered by a virile construction worker (played by 27-year-old German actor Aribert Mog). The two are passionately drawn together…… Well, you get the drift.
At the time it was made “Ecstasy” was conceived as an “art film.” Dialogue was kept to a minimum. Music and cinematography were emphasized.
What added zest to the project was the fact that Hedy at 18 was shown in long tracking shots running through the woods completely in the buff. Those seeing the picture for the first time are surprised to see the somewhat zoftig figure she sported at the time.
(We think she looked great.) After the movie was finished, Lamarr put herself on a diet.
What caught world attention were her love scenes with costar Mog (with whom she actually was having an affair at the time). To put it mildly, they were highly realistic. Both were “winging it,” Hedy later confessed.
Although female nudity had been shown onscreen before “Ecstasy,” it is said that the movie shows for the first time to mainstream audiences a woman in the throes of sexual intercourse.
As a result, “Ecstasy” was publicly condemned by Pope Pius XI, and didn’t open in the U.S. until 1936, after which it was promptly “condemned” by the National Legion of Decency.
An “Ecstasy” screening her parents attended at the Berlin debut of the movie did not go well. At his first glimpse of his naked daughter, Hedy’s father bolted from his theater seat, announcing, “we are leaving.” Grabbing his wife by the arm, Emil Kiesler did just that.
Worse was the reaction of Hedy’s first husband, Fritz Mandl, an enormously rich munitions merchant she married at just 19. After a private screening, the outraged, control-freak spouse vowed to buy up all prints of the offending “Ecstasy” including the original negative. “I don’t care how much I have to pay.” After laying out several hundred thousand dollars in his quest, Mandl gave up the futile effort. (Mussolini for one refused to sell his private print of the picture.)
We saw “Ecstasy” uncut on TCM. It holds up really well, and not just for sensational reasons. It could be argued that Hedy never looked more appealing.
Keep those comments coming…
“Films have a certain place in a certain time period. Technology is forever.” –Hedy Lamarr
“Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, Alexandra Dean’s fascinating historical documentary forcefully presenting the view that Hedy in fact was a intellectually gifted woman and pioneering inventor — in addition, of course, to being one of classic Hollywood most renowned sexpots…” was also available on Netflix.
But before the documentary… There was the PLAY -FREQUENCY HOPPING,
a dark comedy based on the remarkable collaboration in 1940 between Hedy Lamarr and “bad boy” composer George Antheil on a secret new communication system, frequency hopping, that would decades later lead to Wi-Fi, cell phones, and satellite navigation technology. The play was performed on stage in New York City in 2008.
But before the play… There was writer Fleming Meeks 1990 interview with Hedy for Forbes magazine, that was used as the very basis of the documentary.
The sad fact is, to this very day… To Joe & Frank’s very article right here, it’s STILL despite the numerous articles, despite the award-winning play, and despite the millions who saw the documentary on Netfilx… Its STILL her world debut nude orgasmic scene in ECSTASY, that she’s best remembered for.
Next to that, it’s the HOLLYWOOD inside-joke of the word-play of her name Hedy and Hedley, as seen in Mel Brooks 1974 comedy BLAZING SADDLES, that even many times more people will remember her for.
And before all that, she gained the unwanted headline notoriety of a different kind with her 1966 humiliating arrest for shoplifting at the May Company department store in Los Angeles, for stealing $21.48 worth of laxatives and eyedrops. Charges that were later dropped in return for her not breaking the law again.
STILL, it was ECSTASY that really doomed her career from the very beginning, typecasting her great beauty over her great brain.
And it was this conflict that would lead to her depression and anxiety that made her difficult to work with and reclusive. She lived between that proverbial fine line of genius and madness…
But don’t mention any of this to someone texting or in deep conversation on their cell-phone, or someone trying to find an address with their GPS in a car…
And definitely don’t expect any of the hundreds of millions on the inter-net both watching and performing themselves, a never-ending feast of orgasms, to remember HEDY LAMARR either!
Finally, the comical and poetic irony of the very mention of the name ECSTASY in our pop-culture/trending now world… What comes to mind first -Hedy Lamarr OR the “date-rape” drug?