User Reviews

Even though Jayne Mansfield died at a very young age (34), after watching this program I felt more sorry for her ex-husband Mickey Hargitay. He's the really nice guy in this Hollywood saga. It's not that Mansfield was not a nice woman, but Hargitay is exceptional, exhibiting a forgiving spirit that was amazing. How Jayne could keep cheating on him and then divorcing this guy, defies belief.

Whatever. The first thing the narrator of this show is anxious to point out is the extremely high I.Q. of Jayne Mansfield. That is because this woman - for those too young to remember her - was, perhaps, the ultimate image of the dumb, sexy, buxom blonde bombshell. This is a female who dyed her hair platinum blonde, posed nude and did it, I believe, before Marilyn Monroe did it....or at least around the same time. It was a big deal back in 1951, unlike today. She also made a big splash because her breasts were enormous and she wasn't shy about showing them.....to anyone! So, of course she was perceived as a ditzy blonde. The movie roles given her also fit that, and she was a fine actress deserving of much better roles.

However, she didn't help her case for any sympathy by being shallow, herself. She dumped her first nice-guy husband early on because she was more concerned about making it as a star in the movies. Fame and fortune came far ahead of a having a nice nuclear family. But, Jayne was a good, loving mother to her young daughter. Also, the more you watch the show, the more sympathetic - despite her shortcomings - you feel toward Jayne. Her ex-husbands didn't trash her. To this day, they stand by her.

Overall, a very interesting biography about a person who definitely stood out in a crowd. No one who ever paid attention to Hollywood celebrities back in the '50s and '60s can ever forget Jayne Mansfield.

She created herself into what she became. A few good roles (or is that rolls?) do not guarantee a bright future. Where Marilyn Monroe was a goddess and Mamie Van Doren was a bombshell, Jayne was a Bimbo. I keep hearing about this I. Q. of 163, when was this test administered and where are the supporting documents? She continued to rely on flaunting her natural assets up to her demise. Documentaries seem to leave out the parts of the trainwreck party girl that was constantly in unsavory situations to include public drunken brawls, wardrobe malfunctions, promiscuity and who knows what else that helps to explain the truth behind her lack of Silver Screen achievement. Death is a tragedy regardless of the circumstances but it doesn't make you a martyr. It's nice to see a fluffed up documentary but if you tell the truth you never have to worry remembering what's been said or happened. P. S. Mariska, get the chip off your shoulder.

Biography: Jayne Mansfield - Blonde Ambition (2004)

Raymond Strait (biographer), Paul Mansfield (former husband), Jayne Marie Mansfield (daughter), Mickey Hargitay (ex-husband), Hugh Hefner and Mamie Van Doren are among the people interviewed about the quick rise and tragic fall of Jayne Mansfield. This episode of the very popular series does a terrific job at talking about Mansfield both on and off the screen. We get why she rose to fame so quickly but at the same time why her career took a nose dive due to "B" movies and soon she was forced to stay in the headlines with nudity. The interviews are certainly terrific and especially the ones with her family as they share some terrific stories about her. There are plenty of film clips show and of course her tragic death is also covered.

Episode: A-