For Beauty's Sake

This rarely-seen comedy/mystery has recently turned up on a DVD from oldietv dot com, and I had just recently bought the poster online so felt compelled to pick up the DVD. As expected it's not exactly a Great Film, but is not at all disappointing within those expectations.

The remarkably wooden Ted North plays a cloistered stargazer who inherits his aunt's thriving beauty salon. Ditzy Marjorie Weaver meets him, becomes wildly infatuated, and pulls some strings behind his back to hire unscrupulous publicist Ned Sparks (as Jonathan B. Sweet) to ensure the shop becomes even more successful. As it turns out, not only hairstyles and makeovers are en vogue at the salon, and thereby hangs the tale, though it's rather clumsily told, befitting a rushed low-budget production.

Ned is in fine form, turning this completely B picture into something watchable, but he's not alone. The discovery for me is that his scene stealing is matched by that of Joan Davis, previously known to me only for her equally hilarious turn in 1938's John Barrymore comedy "Hold That Co-Ed," coincidentally also featuring Ms. Weaver.

The DVD cost me $15 plus shipping, but the scene of an oversedated Ned in drag (yes, you read that right) is by itself worth the cost of admission. Absolutely a must-see for fans of the original Squidward, of whom the animated version is of course a mere pale imitation.