This is How Movies Should Be Made

Let's be realistic.

Good idea lost in the noise

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

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.

If we are all honest nobody really knew about the story of Hedy Lamarr, and that's not even because she's not from our generation. Of course, I knew her as an actress, but what she accomplished besides her acting career is far more interesting, and it's good to have a nice documentary about it. The documentary is well done, with interviews from all kind of people, going from family members, actors, journalists and scientists and so on. There is also alot of interesting footage of her childhood, movies, her public appearances and her at an older age. She's been called the best looking woman in the world at that time, I wouldn't go that far, but she wasn't ugly that's a fact. The start isn't great, her as a Jew married to a weapon supplier of the Nazi's but at the end she did her best helping to fight the Germans, and that through her creative inventing mind. She should deserve much more then just a plaque for her invention. At least this documentary will give her the respect she deserves for the things she did. She was probably not an easy person to live with, but that's because she was a victim of Hollywood and drugs. In the end, I think she would be much better off if she didn't start her acting career and just concentrated her efforts in the promising inventions she had in her creative mind. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is certainly worth a watch, just to have another and better view of the woman she was, way more then just a glamorous Hollywood diva.

I like many others who watch this will be in awe of the full extent of all the she did before seeing this film. You will even be saddened that she was not really fully allowed to do what her passion really was. It was a constant "Wow! She did that? and Her mind thought like that?" Most of what she did was forced upon her to keep as a sort of secret hobby. It was a different time back then. It will leave you wondering about all she could have done if she had been born now. I was in shock of the many great things and people we do know to push limits in their inventions that she helped inspire and make better. Her mind never stopped when the cameras shut down. I just remember falling in love with her watching old movies at my Granny's during sleep-overs. Back in the day where there were only a handful of channels and we had to walk across the room to turn the dial. In the evening there would be the Late show, then the Late-Late show and the Late-Late-Late show before the National Anthem would play early A.M. and the T.V. But, one of her greatest inventions which was turned down after being inspired like many Americans to do their part during the War. Again, sadly it was a different time back then and women like her. Women as well known and as beautiful as her were imposed upon to do their part and just look pretty and start selling War-bonds, and being eye-candy for the troops. She is one of those people that you wish that if there is life after death or reincarnation that she got to become whom she was meant to be in her first life. Now that women can be viewed a little differently for what they have to offer more now than just being another pretty face. A must watch if you love documentary movies as much as I do. A must-must watch if you grew up watching her movies way back when. You will love her even more.