Girl Can’t Help It, The (1957)

This rock ‘n’ roll comedy starring Tom Ewell and the pneumatic Jayne Mansfield is witty, stylish, clever and (by today’s standards) extraordinarily sexist.

Tom Miller (Ewell), a small-time theatrical agent, is given the task of turning glamorous Jerri Jordan (Mansfield in her first film) into a top rock ‘n’ roll personality.

The problem is that Jerri doesn’t want to be a star, Tom is falling for her and her boyfriend, Fats Murdock (Edmond O’Brien) happens to be an ex-gangster.

Jerri marries her agent and Fats makes it as a star with a #1 hit entitled Rocking Around The Rockpile – although Murdock suggests a number of alternate titles such as No Lights On The Christmas Tree, Mother – They’re Using The Electric Chair Tonight and I’ll Get No Good Behavior Baby, If I Keep Thinking Of You.

The film features more than a dozen major music acts, including Little Richard (who wrote the title song), Eddie Cochran (singing Twenty Flight Rock), Fats Domino (Blue Monday), and Gene Vincent singing Be Bop a Lula.

But director Frank Tashlin’s viewpoint is pure acid, and only balladeer Julie London is filmed without cynicism.

The use of CinemaScope is exemplary, and the movie is a perfect 1950s piece.

But the question still remains, how did Mr Average himself, Tom Ewell, get to co-star with such bombshells as Marilyn Monroe, Sheree North and Jayne Mansfield?

Tom Miller
Tom Ewell
Jerri Jordan
Jayne Mansfield
Marty ‘Fats’ Murdock
Edmond O’Brien
Mousie
Henry Jones
Wheeler
John Emery
Hilda
Juanita Moore
Julie London
Julie London
Fats Domino
Fats Domino
The Platters
The Platters
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Little Richard
Little Richard
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
The Treniers
The Treniers
The Chuckles
The Chuckles

Director
Frank Tashlin

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