I always thought
the title of this was Will Success Spoil Rock Hudson. Disappointed to realize
that it is Rock Hunter. And Tony Randall. Back in 1957 this satire targeting
advertising, television, commercials, fandom, gossip columnists, Hollywood,
stardom and celebrity must have felt more pointed. Barbed. But though nothing
has really changed, in fact gotten worse, it feels quaint. All of this has
so taken over our culture that we barely notice it. It is the air that we
breathe. We succumbed to a world driven by advertising, influencers and celebrity.
Still, this Frank Tashlin directed film is consistently clever and witty.
A terrific script based on a play.
Tashlin is one of the more underrated comedy
directors of the 50s into the 60s. He began as a creator of lots of Looney
Tune cartoons before moving into live film. Perhaps that gave him a visual
eye because his films always look bright, modern and fresh. He worked with
Bob Hope, Lewis and Martin, Doris Day and Jayne Mansfield. He made Mansfield
a star in The Girl Can't Help It and gives her a wonderful role here as a
publicity seeking self-absorbed blonde bombshell who underneath the sexual
aura is as smart as a whip. Mansfield basically playing a caricature of herself.
She had played this role on Broadway. While the other blonde sex symbol of
the time was trying to go serious, Mansfield throws herself into this absurd
role with relish and verve. And is still extraordinarily beautiful.
The film telegraphs its intent during the
opening credits with a bunch of faux funny commercials. Randall is a mid-level
executive at an advertising agency on the verge of losing his job. Randall
was 37 years old at the time, primarily doing theater till he got this role.
Randall tends to annoy me more than anything, but he is pretty good here
as a schlemiel who makes good by being at the right place at the right time.
A big star after her film The Girl Can't Help It (making it clear that Mansfield
is playing Mansfield) has come to NYC to get away from her boyfriend (played
by her future husband Mickey Hargitay) and she wants to make him jealous.
And who should walk through the door in hopes of getting her to endorse a
lipstick product? The schlemiel. They put on an act of being lovers, he becomes
a star with young girls chasing him. Success. Or is it? He gets to kiss Mansfield,
so yes.
A good cast of Betsy Drake as his girlfriend,
Henry Jones as his conniving boss and the fabulous Joan Blondell as Mansfield's
gofer. Blondell has a good part and at one point tells Mansfield, I was once
young, had what you had and I thought, you sure did. Also, wait for a cameo
by Groucho Marx who once had Mansfield on his TV show You Bet Your Life in
which he absolutely dotes on her. This was still the 1950s of course, so
in the end no one gets laid and true love wins.
