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Rating:  - fine, brilliant comedy with great music, too !!!
Many comedies purport to have lots of laughs; but The Girl Can't Help It is truly hilarious. Sure, there are innuendos about women's anatomy that a few stuffed shirts still won't like today; but I thought it was all very well done. The action moves along at a great pace; the casting is excellent; and the acting is very convincing. Moreover, the numerous musical numbers are all first rate; and this impresses me greatly.
The action begins with Marty "Fats" Murdock wants to marry his beautiful but allegedly dumb blonde girlfriend Jerri Jordan (Jayne Mansfield). There's just one fly in the ointment, though--Marty's luck hasn't been so good since he was jailed for income tax evasion and more; and he wants to finally marry a "somebody" to bolster his own image again. Marty hires down and out agent Tom Miller (Tom Ewell) to sell Jerri to the nightclub bosses and give her singing lessons to make her a true chanteuse.
Naturally, Jerri can't exactly sing to save her life--but the men certainly do notice her for her fabulous figure. Tom Miller tries everything to get Jerri to cut a record with a real recording company--and when she finally does you'll laugh at how she does it!
Things worsen for all when "Fats" Murdock becomes rightly suspicious that his girlfriend Jerri has fallen for Tom Miller--who was only supposed to be her agent and nothing more. "Fats" tries to have Jerri and Tom's phone call tapped by his sidekick Mousie (Henry Jones) but that too has its own unexpected results.
Although the acting is wonderful, the musical numbers in particular really impressed me in this motion picture. You get Ray Anthony And His Orchestra, Little Richard, Julie London, Fats Domino, The Platters--and more! The music is wonderful and I loved every number.
The DVD itself comes with the Biography Channel's episode on the life of Jayne Mansfield; I learned an awful lot about Jayne from this fine bonus and I recommend you watch it.
Overall, The Girl Can't Help It is a superior comedy from Fox Studios that really has it all--laughs, action, a fairly good sized plot for all the music that it has, and, of course--the music that it has! I highly recommend this for people who enjoy classic comedies and fans of Jayne Mansfield and the musicians in this picture should get this one! It is also available in the DVD set entitled The Jayne Mansfield Collection.
Rating:  - THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT features... and is... one huge bust.
To say 1956's THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT is a funny movie is a lie. It's not. Maybe it was once, but it's not now. No, TGCHI is a labored catastrophe, lost in its own vision of glee. It's cartoon characters (more on this coming up soon) marooned in an Acme world. The twists and ribbon'n'bows at the end of the movie are all forced and silly.
And it's no wonder, as THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT was written and directed by Frank Tashlin (who did tons of great animation for Warners and Disney). But unfortunately, his cartoon vision doesn't translate to his live action movies. He crafted a misfire of a live action cartoon; when Mansfield walks by, milk bottles explode, blocks of ice melt, and eyeglasses shatter. The only thing missing was a bowtie spinning by itself. Tashlin even named these characters Tom and Jerri.
Amid the hackneyed plot, the film becomes a showcase for great recording acts like Little Richard, Abbey Lincoln, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Eddie Fontaine, Fats Domino, and (how's this for a bad name for a band?) The Chuckles. Each get to perform parts of their songs as the leads swim in and out of the scenes.
When the movie started, we all thought we were in for a treat. But then, nothing. Only a mildly amusing line here or situation there. In fact, I'm not sure I even understand what the title means in relation to the movie. Such a lackluster endeavor that the highlight for me was seeing frequent SUPERMAN (the TV series) villain Milton Frome show up for a minute.
Rating:  - She puts the HOUR in hour-glass!
Reportedly, Jayne Mansfield's measurements were 40-18-35. Tell that to anyone, and they won't believe it because that sounds so unreal. Well, after seeing Jayne in that red dress, they'll believe!
Jayne is simply wonderful. Her known off-screen spirit and likeability (the stories told about her are great! When she starred in the broadway version of "Rock Hunter", she would remain into the wee hours of the night until every fan's autograph was signed; when tour busses approached her home, she would run out and great them!) really shine through in the movie.
As great as Jayne is in this movie, it's really too bad that her entire career was that of a caricature of Marilyn Monroe. Caricatures never gain the appeal and stardom of the original. And, when one looks at the early home videos of the young Jayne with her natural dark hair, she looks like a cross between Ava Gardner and Sophia Loren! One can't help but wonder how far she would have gone if she had simply been herself, and not one of many Marilyn wannabees.
Rating: - Easy to see why Jayne's daughter is an Emmy winner.
Ignore the glitz, Jayne Mansfield like Marilyn Monroe beneath the hype is a great actress. Fun to watch. And The Girl Can't Help It is one of the best rock 'n roll movies of the fifties. I first saw this film fifty years ago and then just the other night. My wife and I loved it. Buyer's tip. It is much much cheaper to buy the collection set that has this film, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter, and The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw. It is over priced to buy it as a single.
Rating: - fantastic!!
an absolute time capsule of 1950s rock and roll. some of the best rock of the day. unfortunatley the artists dont get to perform the entire songs, but they are still great. and what can be said about jayne mansfield? she is stunning! seeing her in that red gown is reason enough to buy this movie. the supporting players are great. (note: juanita moore, annie johnson from lana turners "imitation of life" appears as the maid, later nominated for an acadamy award in 1959). this movie is a real treasure.
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