Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

George Axelrod (play)
Frank Tashlin (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 July 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Man, oh man, oh Mansfield! [UK]

Plot:

To save his career, an ad man wants a sex symbol to endorse a lipstick. But she wants something too: he has to pretend to be her new lover.

Plot Keywords:

Advertising | Actress | Television Commercial | Chicken | Cosmetic

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Tony Randall	...	Rockwell P. Hunter / Himself / Lover Doll
Jayne Mansfield	...	Rita Marlowe
Betsy Drake	...	Jenny Wells
Joan Blondell	...	Violet
John Williams	...	Irving La Salle Jr.
Henry Jones	...	Henry Rufus
Lili Gentle	...	April Hunter
Mickey Hargitay	...	Bobo Branigansky
Georgia Carr	...	Calypso Number
Dick Whittinghill	...	T.V. Interviewer
Ann McCrea	...	Gladys
Alberto Morin	...	Frenchman
Louis Mercier	...	Frenchman

Also Known As:

Oh! For a Man! (UK)

Runtime:

USA:93 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | 4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Netherlands:AL (2009) (DVD) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The name of Jayne Mansfield's character, "Rita Marlowe", is a combination of *Rita* Hayworth, Jean H*arlow*, and Marilyn *M*onr*oe*.

Quotes:

Breakfast Food Demonstrator: Each little Crunchie contains energy, contains pep for your growing youngsters, builds strong legs so that when they're older they can stand the long waits in the unemployment lines.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Munsters: Will Success Spoil Herman Munster? (#2.12)" (1965)

Soundtrack:

The Girl Can't Help It

Classic 50s Satire

This is, in my opinion, Tashlin's best film... also the best of Randall and Mansfield I've seen. Randall's television interlude is a classic, the opening credits, executive washroom scene and Bobo Branigansky interview are also fun. Wonderful sets and Technicolor cinematography rivaling Douglas Sirk in garishness.

I showed clips from the opening credits for a class presentation and someone was surprised they had such biting social satire back in the 50s. "Nick at Night" and "Pleasantville" the 50s weren't...