Robert Williams plays a newspaper reported named "Stew Smith" who is too smart for his own good. Although he is most comfortable when he is with his best friend, named "Gallagher" (played by Loretta Young), he doesn't realize how much he enjoys her company until he meets and then marries a rich society woman named "Ann Schulyer" (Jean Harlow). At first he is quite smitten with her just as she is with him. But when she tries to change him things begin to come unraveled. Now, this story is totally predictable and being made in 1931 there aren't any risqué scenes that most people today might come to expect. It's pretty much all vanilla. That said, while Loretta Young played her part in a decent manner and Jean Harlow was very cute, I thought Robert Williams was simply outstanding. Again, it's an old film and some people might not value it as much because it's from another era. That's fine. But for those who are willing to make allowances and can appreciate something made during a different time then I honestly think they will enjoy this film.

Good acting too. I enjoyed seeing Robert Williams and sorry to read that he died soon after the film was made. He played the snappy reporter just right, although the movie never really explained the great attraction between his character and Jean Harlow's very well-all of a sudden, they are married.Not a Loretta Young fan...but she is fine in this film, and of course (as per her contract I think) she has to end up with the man. Strange to see a divorce being the reason, but then it is pre-code. Still, usually you would see the woman walk out on the man, not vice versa.The plot is pretty cliché, but the pace is fast, and keeps moving, so it keeps your interest. Gets a little heavy-handed with the "bird in gilded cage" references...

Platinum Blonde is directed by Frank Capra and written by Jo Swerling. It stars Robert Williams, Loretta Young and Jean Harlow. Plot finds Harlow as rich heiress Ann Schuyler, who seduces down to earth reporter Stew Smith (Williams) into marriage. It's a union that causes chagrin to many around them…….Not quite a screwball comedy as some folk have called it, Platinum Blonde is more a comedy drama that's laced with some tasty satire involving the gap between the classes. The lady actors are oddly cast, but remarkably this does not hurt the movie too much. This mainly comes down to fact that the wonderful performance of Williams dominates the picture. Williams would sadly pass away within a month of Platinum Blonde's release, a victim of complications caused by a ruptured appendix, Platinum Blonde shows that a great career was in the making. With an unassuming face and smooth and correct delivery of comedy set-ups, Williams adds meat to the skeleton script whilst creating a working-class guy we can really root for. Not that the rich are constantly bludgeoned here, story does have Harlow's Ann as sympathetic and capable of loyalty to her husband when her parents frown and look down their noses at Stew.It has been suggested that Harlow and Young perhaps should have switched roles? There's some decent logic behind that working far better for the movie. Both ladies have different sexual dynamism, Harlow walks like a panther and carries a man eater aura, Young is gorgeous, prim and looks bred into money. Both of which are at odds with the characters they are playing! In the support slots are three fine performances: Halliwell Hobbes as Butler Smythe, Louise Closser Hale as Mother Schuyler and Reginald Owen as the Schuyler's lawyer Dexter Grayson. The ending holds no surprises, but this is exactly the type of thing that Depression Era audiences lapped up in spades. The format and thematics of Capra's movie would become a staple of many more movies from the classic era, this is a good place to start, with some sharp dialogue, the tongue in cheek satire and a lead male performance of some quality. 7/10

This is a Capra film that falls rather uneasily between two stools. There was the Capra of silent films and the era of slapstick, visual humor. Harry Langdon comes to mind. And then there is Capra in full form with his (self-described) "Capracorn" that we know so well from "Mr. Smith" and "Wonderful Life" to name only a few of his successes. Time didn't treat him quite so well later in life and the formulas that once served so well seemed to fizzle. "Platinum Blonde" has several germs found in later films but as yet undeveloped. Loretta Young's character had tremendous potential and Jean Harlow's character was not quite ready to fly yet with the later screwball comedies. Stew was the Star and that about summons things up. It's a curious film that would undoubtedly appeal to people specifically interested in Capra's development but I wasn't overwhelmed or even very much impressed.Curtis Stotlar