How to Be Very, Very Popular

"How to Be Very, Very Popular" was anything but upon its release, and has not gained any stature since. In fact, its reputation has actually grown worse. It's infamous as the picture that Marilyn Monroe refused to do, leading to her celebrated walk-out on Fox. Sheree North, a practically unknown dancer-starlet, was quickly put into the role, coiffed and made up to look almost exactly like MM. The film, needless to say, bombed, and Sheree--strong armed into being a virtual Monroe clone--bore the brunt of most of it. Betty Grable (MM's co-star from "How to Marry a Millionaire") took advantage of the film's lack of success and used it as her chance to retire from the grind. In retrospect, the film really isn't all that bad--although it's obvious why Monroe balked at playing the North role; it's little more than window-dressing. Actually, had North been given the role from the get-go, and not encouraged to look and sound EXACTLY like a carbon copy MM, the picture might've been pulled off as a cute, harmless little comedy. The film was clearly a step down for a superstar of Monroe's stature, but could've been a nice, showy stepping stone for a rising starlet. Grable is her usual warm, bright self, but she's getting a bit old to be playing scantily-clad chorines. Next to the very young North, especially, she looks decidedly matronly. North isn't given much to work with (again, it's hard to comment on a performance which was basically conceived as a blurred copy of an original), but she does get to do a splendid, wild, rock and roll dance to "Shake, Rattle & Roll." Sadly, the film's complete failure relegated the promising North to the back burner; and she had much more musical and dramatic talent than Jayne Mansfield, whom Fox began to build up instead. So, if "How to Be Very, Very Popular" should show up on television one afternoon, sit back and enjoy it. It may not be great cinema, but it's an underrated little slice of mindless entertainment.

Unlike the others who have commented on this film, I really enjoyed it. It is on my personal top-10 list of comedies. I like the fact that the two female stars (Grable and North) do not spend the whole movie prancing around in their skimpy dancing costumes--this is a comedy, not soft-core porn! I especially enjoyed the performance by Mr Coburn, who played the president of the college. His scenes, especially the one where he all-but-ignores the beautiful girl (North) on his lap while he fondly recalls an amorous episode from his own student days, make the movie for me. I did not know anything (before reading it here) about the Marilyn Monroe connection to this film, but I am glad she did not appear in it, as I have always thought her over-rated, both as a beauty queen and as an actress. Miss North was far better for the part. It has been at least 10 years since I last saw this, but I still remember much of it, and would gladly watch it again.

Betty grable, and what appears to be a marilyn monroe knockoff, sheree north. Two beautiful women, at a college graduation, hiding out from a mob boss. It's all pretty silly. The awesome charles coburn is doctor tweed, and fred clark is in here as marshall. Alice pearce (from bewitched!) is in here as miss sylvester. Bob cummings is the college student who doesn't seem to really belong there. The girls kind of hide out with the college students, some silly sub-plots. The story lines are way over the top, but it's good to see grable and clark in their roles. Sadly, alice pearce will die so young at 48 from cancer. Apparently, the real m. Monroe refused to take part in this film, and this was also the last film role for grable; she, monroe, and fred clark had just made how to marry a millionaire. It's fun, but goofy. So goofy, they hardly ever show this one. One of the films where north allegedly filled in for a marilyn monroe.

This film is sadly embarrassing for many reasons, perhaps the most glaring, initially, is its complete disrespect and misuse of Betty Grable whose scenes really are few and far between. Both Grable and the terrific Sheree North are wearing raincoats for most of the film, the latter only coming to life (she is hypnotized for most of the 'epic') during one sex-sational dance number. Grable's legs are seen once or twice, but there is no song, no number for her to do...YET, amidst the rubble, Grable's growing craft as a comedienne are visible momentarily. The culprits in this disaster are the inept writers and, of all people, director Nunnally Johnson (didn't he know any better?). The dialog is a blithering mess... and the plot meanders across a landmine of sloppy character developments and plot machinations. Robert Cummings and Tommy Noonan are pretty awful in dreadfully written parts. Orson Bean and Alice Pearce occasionally show a bit of humor. Sheree North, a fine dancer and, later in her career, one of the most under-appreciated and excellent actresses ('No Down Payment' as an example) can merely show her adorable self. The plot plods along with no sense, and has an ending that is disgracefully sloppy for a professional unit. (Whatever plot came from Howard Lindsay's play is missing). Had Johnson tried an out-and-out farce, it might have been a little funny, because the cast understands comedy. But this entire 'romp' thumps down to a disastrous level. Pity the talented two blonde stars. One merit - you can see, briefly, the lovely Charlotte Austin who went on to a very slight film career.

Unpleasant comedy about two belly dances on the run from gangsters. Orson Bean carries the movie on his back. However much Orson brings the movie up Sheree North drags it back down again. A real stinker. Do yourself a favour and avoid this movie at all costs.