33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This movie's got a lot of what they call the most, October 20, 2001
"Our story is about music, not the music of long ago, but the music that expresses the refinement, culture, and the polite grace of the present day."
Tom Ewell introduces this highly entertaining and warm-hearted story with the above narration before being interrupted by a blast of Little Richard singing the title song. He plays Tom Miller, a has-been talent agent who has six weeks to turn a blonde... Jerri--real name Georgianna--Jordan, (Jayne Mansfield) into a star. Edmond O'Brien ("Fats" Marty Murdock), a perfect cariacature of a tough, fat, aggressive, cigar-smoking ex-con, wants Miller to make her a star so he can marry her, a somebody. But the Fates of the cinematic plot set things in motion, all towards a happy ending, fortunately. After all, this is a comedy.
Jayne Mansfield is a sheer delight as Georgianna, and for her to be so stunning blonde bombshell with a size 44 who wants to be a housewife is a dream come true for males. She is the dream for the men in the 1950's and maybe that perfect woman who would be appreciated by men even today. The Keirsey analysis would classify Georgianna as a Provider Guardian, an expressive, friendly, loyal, traditional, and organized person, someone who gives home-cooked meals and the hugs that heal. I would sure love to have her as a mother. Tom Miller would probably be a Crafter Artisan, which is a perfect match according to Keirsey. As the song "Ready Teddy" says, "she's got a lot of what they call the most."
Frank Tashlin's sight gags involving the men's reaction to Jerri are hilarious. When she sways by the ice man, the block of ice he's lifting from the truck instantly melts into a puddle down the truck bed. And probably the one with the most innuendo, is of a milkman holding a bottle of milk, which bursts open, causing the milk to gush out of the bottle. Then there's Jerri holding Miller's two full bottles of milk against her, symbolizing potential motherhood.
The music here is a nostalgic time capsule of music that came following the heels of Bill Haley and the Comets and is a mixture of the old with the new. With songs performed by the Little Richard, Abbey Lincoln, Julie London, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, the Treniers, Fats Domino, and the Platters, what a treat! Trivia note: Abbey Lincoln appears to be wearing the same orange dress or a lookalike of the one worn by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Great dialogue bits: Miller: "Six weeks? Rome wasn't built in a day." Murdock: "She [Jerri] ain't Rome. What we're talking about is already built." Tom [to paperboy]: "She's just a girl, Barry. Just a girl." Barry: "If she's a girl, then I don't know what my sister is." Too true, Barry!
There's also bits of dialogue that still holds relevance today. Murdock tells Mousey, "Money meant something in the old day before taxes." And how about music? Murdock makes Miller and Jerri listen to Eddie Cochran sing, to which Miller tells Jerri what Murdock had in mind. He tells Jerri and as predicted, Murdock tells Miller, "Okay, so Jerri can't sing. Well, that guy ain't got a trained voice either, and he's one of the top paid record stars in the country. Why? Because he has a new sound." This statement on music is SO SO relevant today. Remind you of anyone you hear on the radio or see on MTV? Yep, I thought so.
The Girl Can't Help It embodies the music, culture, and ttitudes of a time long-gone. I wonder what a modern day version of this movie would be like, and thinking back to the introductory narration, wouldn't it be interesting to analyze this fifty years later, the same way I've done with this movie?
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Live Action Rock n' Roll Cartoon!, March 24, 2002
This movie is a great, make that GREAT, musical-comedy!
It's a live-action cartoon (because Frank Tashilin, director of so many of Warner's "Looney Toones") directed it & it's a satire of the music industry.
It's also a great chance to see some early legends of rock n' roll, including Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, The Platters, Fats Domino, Little Richard, along with some other minor rockers including Eddie Fontaine, The Three Chuckles, as well as pop singer Julie London & jazz great Abbey Lincoln. Anyone who wishes to hear REAL rock 'n roll music from the '50's (NOT nostalgia musicals like "Grease") as well as to see these rockers in the prime of their youth as they were meant to be seen (not as old men past their musical prime like on those well-meaning, if misguided PBS specials), well...this movie is for you! (I missed out on the '50's, having been a teenager during the '80's, so this film is a fun, "educational" piece of Americana for me!)
If you like comedy, "The Girl Can't Help It" delivers. It's not only a good pop-culture satire, but it's risque' sex-humor manages laughs without outright vulgarity. (Today's comedy writers could learn from this 46 year-old gem.)
And what words can bring justice to the incredibly gorgeous Jayne Mansfield? "Va-va-va-voom!"
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