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Baker’s Log – A Quick Look: The Girl Can’t Help It (1956)

Sunday, January 14, 2018 Rock Baker Feature Films 0

Although a star in her own right, Jayne Mansfield was always considered a second-string Marilyn Monroe (of course, Mansfield had her own second-string challenger in the form of Mamie Van Doren). Somewhat showier than Marilyn, Jayne burst onto the scene as a full-fledged star in THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT, an early rock and roll big-budget musical. In the film, Jayne plays the moll of gangster Edmond O‘Brien, who delivers to Tom Ewell the ultimatum to make Mansfield a singing star, despite her lack of musical ability.

Some major musical acts contribute, including Little Richard, who provides the title tune. Directed by Frank Tashlin, the film is an absolute scream, a live-action cartoon. This was followed up by the even more berserk WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER? the very next year. This time around, Mansfield was teamed with Tony Randall -who, in my favorite bit, interrupts the movie to provide a commercial break for fans of television! Jayne even got to bring along Mickey Hargitay to play a TV Tarzan. Although Mansfield was a star until her tragic end in a car crash, she never quite topped this early period of her career.

About the author

Rock Baker

Illustrator at AC Comics // Website // More articles

Rock is a pencil jockey by trade. He's done work for AC Comics, Main Enterprises, and Moonstone, among others. Some of the strips he's created include Dinosaur Girl (AC Comics, creator, writer, pencils), Crissy Carrots (Main, creator, writer, pencils), and Betsy the Bookwriter (Main, co-creator, writer, pencils). His specialty is cheesecake cartooning (what they call "good girl art" these days).