Nothing in Clara Bow's upbringing suggests that she would one day become the archetypal 1920s flapper and silent screen sex symbol. Born into poverty to abusive parents living in a Brooklyn tenement, Bow grew up with more than her share of dysfunction. Her mentally ill mother occasionally prostituted herself, locking Clara in the closet when serving clients, and her father allegedly raped her at the age of 15. This undoubtedly contributed to lifelong challenges, which may have led to later bouts of schizophrenia, alcoholism, and drug abuse.

Yet, Clara Bow now transcends most stars of the silent era. After a series of small parts, she reached the pinnacle of popularity in the 1927 film It, based on Elinor Glyn's novel that had designated Bow as the "It Girl." Glyn does a cameo of herself in a dining scene to summarize exactly what "It" is:

"That strange magnetism which attracts both sexes... entirely unself-conscious... full of self-confidence... indifferent to the effect... she is producing and uninfluenced by others."

The simple story is very easy to follow. Waltham has just inherited his father's large department store and is congratulated by his buddy Monty (William Austin), who is fascinated by Glyn's Cosmopolitan excerpt about "It." He sets out to see if any of Waltham's sales girls have this elusive quality and is soon transfixed by Betty Lou. She uses him as a means to get to Waltham, illustrating how independent, liberated women could actively pursue sexual conquests in the Jazz Age.

That doesn't mean that Betty Lou is a loose woman, however. At the end of her first official date with Waltham, she abruptly slaps him when he attempts a kiss: "So you're one of those Minute Men--the minute you meet a girl you think you can kiss her!" No good time girl routine for Betty Lou, and her dream man doesn't even get an invitation for coffee. Despite her prudish behavior, she reveals how much she relishes that initial affectionate expression in the privacy of her chamber. This won't be the last time that she'll send mixed signals, as she plays "hard to get".

A series of typical misunderstandings take place, complicated by bureaucratic social workers, but we expect that the desired match will eventually work out—the poor girl will end up with the handsome rich guy. Director Clarence G. Badger's It is an ordinary story acted out by a number of non-descript characters except for the one--the engaging, charismatic, fiercely independent, flirtatious Clara Bow. Only when she is on screen does the story spring to life! This film alone serves as ample explanation for why Bow will forever remain a Hollywood legend.

The same year, Bow also appears in the much higher-regarded Academy Award-winning Wings, but It is the film that established her as an icon. Thankfully, Milestone Films has preserved this classic on DVD, including a commentary by film historian Jeanine Basinger.