In spite of the fact that the cinema's Production Code was still two years away, the censors of the day still managed to heavily censor "Blonde Venus" due to its' subject matter.
The story starts out with a bevy of showgirl beauties frolicking about sans clothes in a remote lagoon. Among them is Helen (Marlene Deitrich). A group of hiking students happens along and takes a peek. One of them Ned Faraday (Herbert Marshall) is attracted to her and the two become an item and eventually have a son Johnny (Dickie Moore). Ned contracts some form of radium poisoning and needs $!,500 to go to Europe for the cure. (Note: There is no cure for radium poisoning as Madame Curie found out). In any case, Helen announces that she will go back on stage to earn enough money for Ned to travel to Europe for treatment.
Helen goes to agent Ben Smith (Gene Morgan) who sets her up with nightclub owner Dan O'Connor (Robert Emmett O'Connor) who puts her into a revue and names her "Blonde Venus". The hit number features Marlene emerging from a gorilla costume in a sexy costume belting out a song. In the audience is playboy Nick Townsend (Cary Grant) who takes an interest in her. She gives him her sob story and he agrees to "help" her.
With the money that she has been "advanced", she finances the naïve Ned's six month trip to Europe and moves in with Nick along with young Johnny. One month before his scheduled return (cured by the way), Ned wires Helen of his return in one month's time. Nick and Helen go on a holiday. However, Ned decides to return two weeks early and sends a wire to that effect but Helen being away doesn't see the wire. At the end of their holiday, Nick says goodbye and sails for Europe.
When Ned arrives home he finds his apartment empty and finds the wire that he had sent unopened. Ned is hurt and vows that Helen will never get Johnny away from him. In a panic, Helen bundles up Johnny and flees. She leads Ned on a merry chase across the country. Unable to find work, Helen is forced "to do what is necessary" in order to survive. Finally, tired of running, she entices a detective (Sidney Toler) to her apartment and then reveals hers and Johnny's identity.
Ned takes Johnny and Helen is forced to continue her downward spiral winding up in a seedy hostel drunk and disoriented. She manages to find her way to Paris where she is rediscovered and becomes a hit. Then one night she meets Nick, the two become engaged and....................................................
Marlene as usual gives a sensuous performance, particularly in the musical numbers. There's no doubt what is going on in her life censorship notwithstanding. Herbert Marshall made a career playing the sad distraught wronged husband. He and Marlene played a similar scenario in "Angel" (1937). Cary Grant just staring out makes a suave if unlikely sympathetic playboy. And watch for Sterling Holloway as one of the hikers at the swimming hole and the beloved Hattie McDaniel as Cora, Helen's maid.
Wishy washy ending.
The story starts out with a bevy of showgirl beauties frolicking about sans clothes in a remote lagoon. Among them is Helen (Marlene Deitrich). A group of hiking students happens along and takes a peek. One of them Ned Faraday (Herbert Marshall) is attracted to her and the two become an item and eventually have a son Johnny (Dickie Moore). Ned contracts some form of radium poisoning and needs $!,500 to go to Europe for the cure. (Note: There is no cure for radium poisoning as Madame Curie found out). In any case, Helen announces that she will go back on stage to earn enough money for Ned to travel to Europe for treatment.
Helen goes to agent Ben Smith (Gene Morgan) who sets her up with nightclub owner Dan O'Connor (Robert Emmett O'Connor) who puts her into a revue and names her "Blonde Venus". The hit number features Marlene emerging from a gorilla costume in a sexy costume belting out a song. In the audience is playboy Nick Townsend (Cary Grant) who takes an interest in her. She gives him her sob story and he agrees to "help" her.
With the money that she has been "advanced", she finances the naïve Ned's six month trip to Europe and moves in with Nick along with young Johnny. One month before his scheduled return (cured by the way), Ned wires Helen of his return in one month's time. Nick and Helen go on a holiday. However, Ned decides to return two weeks early and sends a wire to that effect but Helen being away doesn't see the wire. At the end of their holiday, Nick says goodbye and sails for Europe.
When Ned arrives home he finds his apartment empty and finds the wire that he had sent unopened. Ned is hurt and vows that Helen will never get Johnny away from him. In a panic, Helen bundles up Johnny and flees. She leads Ned on a merry chase across the country. Unable to find work, Helen is forced "to do what is necessary" in order to survive. Finally, tired of running, she entices a detective (Sidney Toler) to her apartment and then reveals hers and Johnny's identity.
Ned takes Johnny and Helen is forced to continue her downward spiral winding up in a seedy hostel drunk and disoriented. She manages to find her way to Paris where she is rediscovered and becomes a hit. Then one night she meets Nick, the two become engaged and....................................................
Marlene as usual gives a sensuous performance, particularly in the musical numbers. There's no doubt what is going on in her life censorship notwithstanding. Herbert Marshall made a career playing the sad distraught wronged husband. He and Marlene played a similar scenario in "Angel" (1937). Cary Grant just staring out makes a suave if unlikely sympathetic playboy. And watch for Sterling Holloway as one of the hikers at the swimming hole and the beloved Hattie McDaniel as Cora, Helen's maid.
Wishy washy ending.