She had a brilliant mind…for an actress. She was a feminist before it was ever a word. Her impact on the world today was profound and pervasive when all the world cared about was her beauty. She was cast aside for the crime of aging. Her story almost went silent.
“The government never took Lamarr’s idea seriously, until they removed her name.”
It all began when documentarian Alexandra Dean started with a search for early female experts in the field of science and technology. Her search led her to the inventor of “frequency hopping,” the technology crucial in secured wi-fi, GPS, Bluetooth and most secret communication conducted by our government and the military. Her search simultaneously leads her to silver screen actress, Hedy Lamarr (not Hedley).
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is a film of tragedy and inspiration. Tragic in the sense that Hedy Lamarr’s life began escaping an Austrian homeland overrun by Hitler to being exploited by an unfair Hollywood system. Throughout her life, Lamarr was forced to hold everything close to her vest. She denied her Jewish heritage. She disguised her age through plastic surgery. Her final years were spent in reclusion from not just the world but her family too.
Inspirational in the sense that Hedy Lamarr was a fighter. She fought for her career during a time when studio moguls didn’t listen to women. She demanded upgrades in the quality of roles she was offered, and when Hollywood stopped offering role, she made her own films.
“Actress by day and inventor by night…”
Lamarr was incredibly intelligent too. She had ideas spinning in her head and the determination to make her ideas a reality. Actress by day and inventor by night Lamarr worked feverishly to help the war effort. Inspired by a radio dial, she came up with the idea of frequency hopping. She drew up plans, secured a patent and donated her patent to the U.S. Military. The government never took Lamarr’s idea seriously, until they removed her name. Then they became real serious.
The timing of Bombshell’s release could not be better in light of current events. Director Alexandra Dean does her due diligence researching the veracity of Hedy Lamarr’s life both incredible and as some would claim unbelievable. The real tragedy against humanity uncovered by Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is the millions of ideas that never came to light because society refused to listen to women.
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017) Directed by Alexandra Dean. Starring Hedy Lamarr.
4.5 out of 5 stars
