Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story

The next time you use Wi-Fi, think of Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr. The next time you use Bluetooth technology, think of Hedy Lamarr. And the next time you think of MGM Stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, misunderstood by the scientific world because they were blinded by her beauty - think of no one but Hedy Lamarr.

Now in theaters is "Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story," a compelling new documentary about what could be called Hollywood's most innovative beauty.

A child of Austria-Hungarian birth, and a young adult at the start of Hitler's regime, Lamarr appeared in the 1933 Czech-Austrian�film "Ecstasy," where she's seen fully nude, simulating explicit sex scenes (for the time). She abandoned her family and her heritage, fleeing the war to England (in disguise) in the dark of night. Lamarr got the attention of Louis B. Mayer while he was on a trip to Europe, buying up all the actresses fleeing Hitler's regime. Hedy came to America to be an actress in the controlling Hollywood studio system.

Even though Lamarr became renowned as an actress and was stunningly beautiful, she was not taken seriously for her true passion, which was invention. She had the mind of an ingenious scientific creator. It was her hobby, and she thought up numerous ideas, including a pivotal advantage against the Hitler Nazi's frequency jamming techniques, called "frequency hopping" (the predecessor concept to current day firewall technology). Unfortunately, her applied patent was shelved and never explored by the Navy and the U.S. Government. Or was it?

Although claiming she was writing her autobiography before she died in 2000, Lamarr never got to tell her story - until now. "Bombshell" is exhilaratingly weaved with newly discovered, eye-opening audio interviews, representing first-hand accounts by Hedy of her rise and fall. It's what makes this documentary a "Bombshell" in its own right.

"Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story" also features wonderful interviews with Hedy's children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends. Comedian Mel Brooks makes an appearance, most likely because of his running joke in "Blazing Saddles" with Harvey Korman's character "Hedley Lamarr." Although his inclusion is a bit of a reach, Brooks is highly entertaining. "Bombshell" also features TCM host and actor Robert Osbourne in what is believed to be his final interview.

"Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story" is executive produced by Susan Sarandon, Michael Kantor and Regina Scully, and directed by Alexandra Dean. Dean tells Lamarr's story with a passion, respecting the person she was, and dutifully holding a torch to her unknown legacy.