The Love Goddesses

A fascinating but maddeningly snippety compilation of clips purporting to trace the changing face of the vamp and Hollywood's treatment of sex. The thesis is negligible, and not helped by the evident non-cooperation of some studios (notably MGM), so that Garbo is represented only by an early Swedish short, and Hedy Lamarr by the nude bathing scene from Ecstasy. But after its splendid opening coup (Dietrich emerging from the gorilla skin in Blonde Venus), it does offer pleasing glimpses, from Louise Glaum to Monroe, Taylor, et al. Pity the print quality is variable and the silent footage printed at the wrong speed.