Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)

To save his career, a writer for television advertising wants a famous actress to endorse a lipstick. In return, he has to pretend to be her new lover.

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Frank Tashlin (screen story and screenplay), George Axelrod (play)

Stars:

Tony Randall, Jayne Mansfield, Betsy Drake

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

In this spoof of the TV advertising industry, Rockwell Hunter is the low man on the totem pole at the advertising company where he works. That is, until he finds the perfect spokes model for Stay-Put lipstick, the famous actress with the oh-so-kissable lips, Rita Marlowe. Unfortunately, in exchange, Rock has to act publicly as Rita's "Loverdoll", and Rock's fiancée Jenny isn't too happy about it either.

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Plot Keywords:

advertising | publicity stunt | cosmetic | endorsement | dream girl | 

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Taglines:

Jayne throws you a curve when you ask the leading question!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

August 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

La blonde explosive

Filming Locations:

Stage 8, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono 4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The radio announces Rita Marlowe has just completed a picture with Cary Grant mere moments before the appearance of Betsy Drake (Jenny Wells), who was married to Grant at the time.

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Quotes

Rita Marlowe: I picked him up, I can pick him down.

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Crazy Credits

Instead of "The End", it says "The Very Living End".

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Connections

Referenced in The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield (1968)

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Soundtracks

You Got It Made
by Bobby Troup
Performed by Georgia Carr (uncredited)
Also sung by an off-screen vocal group

User Reviews

Jayne shines

A lightweight comedy famous as Mansfield's next big film after 'The Girl Can't Help It'. This was again produced by Frank Tashlin and satirises Jayne's public persona: a busty star of little apparent talent who will do anything for publicity.

Here Jayne plays Rita Marlowe who teams with advertising exec Rock Hunter (Tony Randall) for mutual gain. The film is quite long winded and wordy, revealing its stage origins, and mixes send-ups of the Hollywood publicity machine, the climb up the corporate ladder, and the introduction of television, though the unsubtle anti-TV jokes are very dated.

But anyone watching will be watching for Jayne and she's great. All her too-brief scenes are funny and she plays well with Joan Blondell, who is excellent as Rita's wise companion-assistant. Other enjoyable performers in the cast are John Williams of Hitchcock's 'To Catch a Thief' and 'Dial 'M' For Murder', and Henry Jones, the supercilious coroner in 'Vertigo'.