Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

Tags

1950's, Betsy Drake, Comedy, Frank Tashlin, Henry Jones, Jayne Mansfield, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Lili Gentle, Mickey Hargitay, Tony Randall, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

Film Title

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

Director

Frank Tashlin

Starring

• Tony Randall as Rock Hunter
• Jayne Mansfield as Rita Marlowe
• Betsy Drake as Jenny Wells
• Joan Blondell as Vi
• Henry Jones as Henry Rufus
• John Williams as Irving La Salle Jr.
• Lili Gentle as April Hunter
• Mickey Hargitay as Bobo Branigansky

A riotously funny satire on the advertising agency of the 50’s featuring the colourful direction of Frank Tashlin, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? engages with over the top humour and the comedic talents of Tony Randall and Jayne Mansfield. Some of the barbs may not be as witty as they once were, but most of them come off well in this lampooning of celebrity hype, movie stars and advertising. Along with his previous satiric venture The Girl Can’t Help It with Jayne Mansfield, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? is a success for Frank Tashlin.

Rockwell Hunter, commonly called Rock, is a writer for TV commercials at a prestigious agency on Madison Avenue. Unfortunately for him, he isn’t high up on the success as some of his superiors. The company is about to lose the account for the lucrative ‘Stay-Put Lipstick’. With his job on the line, the hapless Rock concocts a plan to keep them in business. He sees the curvaceous and ubiquitous actress Rita Marlowe, the girl with the ‘Oh so kissable lips’ and decides she may be the key to securing the account. Little does Rock realise what he is letting himself in for. Rita wants to make her ex boyfriend and muscle man Bobo jealous after he gave her the brush off, and Rock provides the perfect opportunity for this by walking unaware into the plan. Soon Rock is snapped up by the press as Rita’s new lover and he is forced to play along with this charade in order for Rita to agree to the lipstick deal. This of course has a bad effect on his relationship with his fiancée Jenny, who feels slighted by this attention to his so-called relationship with the glamorous Rita. Will Rock begin to see that fame doesn’t bring happiness? All will be revealed in this comic satire on the nature of celebrity and the mad world of advertising.

Frank Tashlin brings a comic glee to the proceedings and lampoons the outrageously colourful world of media with gaudy colours and over the top set designs. The witty and acerbic script pokes fun at celebrity culture and the price of fame with exaggerated moments of hilarious humour, the most funny being Rock chased by female fans and barely managing to get away. Some of the quips don’t quite have the zing that they once had, but the use of lampooning and mocking of Hollywood is still enjoyable to watch. A jaunty music score encapsulates the sarcastic view of stardom with an exuberance that is hard to resist.

Tony Randall is a joy to watch as the hapless title character, caught up in this hilarious situations because of his ambition. Jayne Mansfield delivers a funny performance by sending up her blonde bombshell image to the max with outrageous glee. With her squeaky voice, outrageous get ups and comic timing, she is a standout in a talented cast. Betsy Drake is quietly effective as Rock’s neglected fiancée, while Joan Blondell is on wise-cracking form as Rita’s right hand woman. Henry Jones and John Williams contribute humour as two of Rock’s co-workers who cajole him into the scheme to get Rita’s signature. Lili Gentle is gushing and adoring as Rock’s niece who idolizes Rita Marlowe and Mickey Hargitay(Mansfield’s then boyfriend and later husband) is a hoot in the small role of the muscle man who split up with Rita and accidentally spills the gossip of the ‘relationship’ between Rock and Rita.

Outrageous and satiric, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter is a humorous look at the media with colourful direction and comic performances.

 

 

The Girl Can’t Help It

Tags

1950's, Comedy, Edmond O'Brien, Frank Tashlin, Henry Jones, Jayne Mansfield, Musical, The Girl Can't Help It, Tom Ewell

Film Title

The Girl Can’t Help It

Director

Frank Tashlin

Starring

• Tom Ewell as Tom Miller
• Jayne Mansfield as Jerri Jordan
• Edmond O’Brien as Marty ‘Fats’ Murdock
• Henry Jones as Mousie

A wild and funny satire on the emerging rock n roll music industry of the 1950’s, Frank Tashlin’s The Girl Can’t Help It is a colourful, eventful and rocking comedy musical. It may be dated in some ways, but the comedic performances and music keep it a watchable experience.

Tom Miller is a down on his luck talent agent who hasn’t discovered a singing sensation in years and drinks heavily as a result of these crises. He is approached by mobster Marty Murdock, also referred to as Fats. Having been released from jail, he wants Tom to do a job for him. He wants Tom to turn his attractive, curvaceous and seemingly gullible moll Jerri Jordan into a star in under six weeks. The one hitch is that Jerri can’t sing and freely admits this fact to Tom. Jerri says she just wants to be a wife and live a life of domesticity, but with Fats as a partner this seems impossible. Daunted by what Fats could do to him if he doesn’t oblige, Tom agrees to the task, little realising he will get more than he originally bargained for. Matters become very complicated as Tom begins to fall for Jerri and Fats begins to suspect something about the two. Witty lines, satiric barbs and a host of cameos from many of the music stars of the 50’s heyday all come together in The Girl Can’t Help It.

Frank Tashlin brings his experiences from working in cartoons to the film and shoots it sumptuously in CinemaScope. His skill at larger than life spectacles is perfectly suited to the piece and brings an exuberance and vibrancy to the work. His eye-popping use of colour and blending with rocking music is shown to full effect when Jerri wiggles down the street in a figure-hugging dress and sends men into a frenzy, causing a man’s glasses to break and ice from the cooler to thaw in her curvaceous presence. The musical interludes of the film are outstanding and showcase the talents of many a 50’s singing sensation in inventive ways. Most of the humour in The Girl Can’t Help It comes from the satiric vibe aimed at the underhand world of the music industry and the script nicely gives this a fresh spin. Some of the story may be dated and more than a little silly at times, but these are minor flaws in a cracking musical comedy with visual flair.

Tom Ewell manages to be funny and sympathetic as the down and out Tom, whose life becomes more complicated because of his involvement with Fats and Jerri. The gorgeous Jayne Mansfield brings sexy energy to the part of the seemingly dumb blonde bombshell, who isn’t as dim as people think she is. Mansfield owns the film with her seductive shimmy,witty lines, girlish squeals and quiet intelligence that is masked by her beauty. Edmond O’Brien brings humour and a little menace to his part of Fats, his many outbursts at those around him a particularly funny occurrence. Henry Jones is quietly amusing as the enforcer of Fats, who isn’t as tough as he sometimes looks and has a decent heart.

A rollicking satire on rock n roll, The Girl Can’t Help It can’t quite escape its age but is still a whole lot of fun because of the performances and soundtrack.