It Should Happen to You (1954)
Directed by George Cukor
Genres - Comedy, Romance |
Sub-Genres - Satire, Showbiz Comedy |
Release Date - Jan 15, 1954 (USA - Unknown), Jan 15, 1954 (USA - Limited), Jan 18, 1954 (USA) |
Run Time - 86 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Gladys Glover (Judy Holliday) is an unsuccessful model and actress who believes that a jolt of publicity will do her career a world of good. She gets that publicity by renting a billboard in the middle of Manhattan, emblazoned with her name. As a result, Gladys is showered with endorsement by a gentleman named Evan Adams III (Peter Lawford). He becomes enamored with Gladys, which irritates her "unofficial" boyfriend, documentary-director Pete Sheppard (Jack Lemmon, in his film debut). Pete grows tired of Gladys' publicity stunt, feeling that it is turning her into an object rather than a human being, but Gladys luxuriates in the fame and fortune. A happy ending may be inevitable, but it's a hard-won happiness for both hero and heroine. Scriptwriter Garson Kanin had intended this as a vehicle for Danny Kaye, but Kanin's wife, Ruth Gordon, suggested the gender-switch to Judy Holliday, noting that what might seem aggressive from Kaye would appear merely whimsical from Holliday. In one of the best scenes, real-life celebrities Melville Cooper, Ilka Chase and Constance Bennett show up as talk-show panelists -- the ideal magnet for the likes of Gladys Glover, who has become famous merely for being famous.
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Themes
Keywords
actor, advertising-campaign, boyfriend, failure, fame, fortune [wealth], happiness, modeling, publicity, publicity-stunt, stars [celebrities]