Bombshell

The title cuts two ways.

The apparent subject is the Viennese beauty many declared the greatest beauty in Hollywood.That bombshell Hedy became a favourite both at the box office and fan magazines.  The film traces her fast stardom in Austria and her rise and fall in America, her succession of marriages and the astonishing genius she showed in inventing “frequency jumping.” That enabled the navy to radio-control its torpedoes and to send uninterruptible messages. It’s the source of our Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and all our remote connectivity. Hedy invented that between her film shooting schedules. 

The film itself is a bombshell dropped on the American film industry and military for failing to recognize, use and reward this extraordinary woman. Hollywood writers, directors, producers and Hedy’s husbands were enable to venture past her beautiful face to discover her remarkable mind and character. She was too beautiful for men to love. 

She was given roles and films beneath her capacity. When she ventured into producing, the industry closed her out. She was further failed by the drugs and cosmetic surgery she took to extend her career.  

Her radar invention has grown into a 30 billion-dollar industry today. For that she received — nothing! The navy denied employing her invention within her patent period (though they demonstrably did). She died acknowledged but not repaid. She was in need, but not repaid. 

To its own shame, the Navy disdained her invention at the time it was most needed, to repel the Nazi torpedoes. The beautiful woman could not possibly be an inventor, they insisted, so they sent her off to entertain the troops and sell war bonds. 
     Essentially this is the story (i) of a remarkably gifted woman’s success and (ii)of the stupid male systems that undervalued and misused her.