Startlet. Screen Siren. The Most Beautiful Woman in the World. All phrases used to describe 1940s Hollywood icon Hedy Lamarr. Alexandra Dean’s illuminating documentary adds Inventor to the list. Known for her physical glamour and electric on-screen persona, Lamarr’s beautiful mind was often overlooked.
An Austrian Jewish émigré who acted by day and drew mechanical and electronic schematics by night, Lamarr invented a “secret communication system” to help the Allies fight the Nazis. Lamarr gave her patent to the Navy, received no credit for her contributions, and eventually wound up impoverished. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Storyis a film for lovers of history, Hollywood and science.
-Note adapted from the Tribeca Film Festival
Purchase tickets at https://www.wjff.org/film/bombshell/
