The Girl Can't Help It (1956)

A gangster hires a down-and-out press agent to make his airheaded girlfriend a singing star.

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Frank Tashlin (screenplay), Herbert Baker (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Ewell, Jayne Mansfield, Edmond O'Brien

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Ewell	...	Tom Miller
Jayne Mansfield	...	Jerri Jordan
Edmond O'Brien	...	Marty 'Fats' Murdock
Julie London	...	Self
Ray Anthony	...	Self
Barry Gordon	...	Barry the Paperboy
Henry Jones	...	Mousie
John Emery	...	Wheeler
Juanita Moore	...	Hilda
Fats Domino	...	Self
The Platters	...	Themselves
Little Richard and His Band	...	Themselves (as Little Richard and his Band)
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps	...	Themselves (as Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps)
The Treniers	...	Themselves
Eddie Fontaine	...	Self

Storyline

A down-and-out gangster hires an alcoholic press agent to make his blonde bombshell girlfriend a recording star in 6 weeks. But what is he going to do when he finds out that she has no talent? And what is going to happen when the two fall in love?

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Plot Keywords:

singer | based on novel | psychotronic film | cult favorite | laundry drying on a clothesline | 

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Taglines:

BABY, IT'S THE GREATEST! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the opening scene, Fats is speaking to Tom about being homesick for the US and begins reciting a poem: "Breathes there a man with soul so dead... You know it?" and Tom nods. The line is from Walter Scott's poem "The Lay of the Last Minstrel".

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Goofs

In Toby Miller's commentary in the 2006 DVD release of "The Girl Can't Help It", he erroneously says that Little Richard is singing the song "The Girl Can't Help It" in his appearance with his band *in the nightclub scene*. Little Richard is actually singing his hit titled "Ready Teddy" in that scene.

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Quotes

Jerri Jordan: Pretty is just how good you apply your base.

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Alternate Versions

A black and white print of the film has also been shown on television.

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Connections

Referenced in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)

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Soundtracks

Plaisir d'Amour
(uncredited)
Traditional French folk song
Played in the background during the prologue

User Reviews

Born Yesterday in a DD cup...

...with some rock n' roll thrown in for good measure. Tom Ewell does his exact same performance from The Seven Year Itch with Edmond O'Brian doing a Broderick Crawford impression, I liked that Jayne- who was obviously intended to be a foil for Monroe at her home studio of Fox - didn't try to act like Marilyn.

She came across as very natural and her "own self"- someone secure with who she was. There was a scene where she had to break down in tears and, well, I bought it.

However, the real star of the film was the music- from the awesome title track by Little Richard to Ray Anthony to Gene Vincent to a strange meta-cameo by Julie London (I had forgotten what a wonderful voice she had).

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Girl Can't Help It

Filming Locations:

Westward Beach - Westward Beach Road, Malibu, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1