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 & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tony Randall	...	Rockwell P. Hunter
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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rita Marlowe was named after actresses Rita Hayworth and Jean Harlow; the surname Marlowe is also an homage to 16th century playwright Christopher Marlowe, who wrote the 1604 drama "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus", which loosely inspired the original play this film was based on.

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Goofs

The airplane window behind Jayne Mansfield's bed is large and square shaped, but when the plane is shown landing, all the windows on it are small and round.

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Quotes

Henry Rufus: [watching reporters swarm a movie star] What's Rita saying?... Turn on the TV.
Rock Hunter: Which station?
Henry Rufus: Any station! It's like when the president speaks.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are filled with bad advertisements from the LaSalle Agency.

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Connections

References Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

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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

This is a lot of fun, Lover-Doll...

"Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" is a film that stars Tony Randall as a small-time advertising executive that somehow becomes a world-wide sensation. While none of this is particularly believable, it is fun. Here's how it happens. Randall and his boss (Henry Jones) are worried that they are about to lose one of the company's biggest clients--a cosmetics company. On a lark, Randall proposes that they get a famous movie star (Jayne Mansfield--playing a Marilyn Monroe knockoff) to endorse the cosmetics. However, Jayne's character is a bit of a self-publicizing nut and begins promoting Tony as her latest lover. With the usual media blitz following a bit star, Tony becomes all the rage--and EVERY woman seems to think he's an amazing lover. While he hates all this publicity, he cannot tell everyone the truth--or else Jayne will not sign the contract. So, until she does so, he has to pretend to be this 'Lover-Doll' and put up with the annoyance. There's a lot more to the film than this (including a clever cameo at the end) but I don't want to say more about this--it would spoil the fun.

While I will admit that some of the humor is a bit broad, the film is quite fun and original. Randall is great and Mansfield is in one of her better roles. And, when it comes to spoofs about the advertising world and fame, it's very good. And, if you like it, try watching the great Doris Day/Rock Hudson film about advertising, "Lover Come Back"--it's even better.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

August 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

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