The Girl Can't Help It

1956
Approved
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

YOUR RATING

Tom Ewell and Jayne Mansfield in The Girl Can't Help It (1956)

Trailer for this jumpin' shindig of a film

Play trailer2:42

1 Video

99+ Photos

Comedy Music

A gangster hires a down-and-out press agent to make his airheaded girlfriend a singing star.A gangster hires a down-and-out press agent to make his airheaded girlfriend a singing star.A gangster hires a down-and-out press agent to make his airheaded girlfriend a singing star.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination

Videos1

Trailer 2:42

The Girl Can't Help It

Photos102

+ 96

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Paul McCartney, he and John Lennon were underage when the film was released, and sneaked into the theater by wearing fake mustaches to make themselves look older. The movie is one of their earlier musical influences. (This charming story, though much-circulated, is almost certainly untrue. The film did not carry an 'X' certificate, which would have prohibited it to anyone under the age of 16, and, in any case, Lennon was well past that age by the time the film opened in Britain).

Goofs
In Toby Miller's commentary in the 2006 DVD release of "The Girl Can't Help It", he erroneously says that Little Richard is singing "The Girl Can't Help It" in his appearance with his band in the nightclub scene. Little Richard is in fact singing his hit titled "Ready Teddy" in that scene.

...and follows it up with a shortened version of the title track.

Quotes
Tom Miller: You don't want a career?
Jerri Jordan: I just want to be a wife. Have kids. But everyone figures me for a sexpot! No one thinks I'm equipped for motherhood!

Alternate versions
A black and white print of the film has also been shown on television.

Connections
Featured in The South Bank Show: Little Richard (1985)

Soundtracks
The Girl Can't Help It
Words and Music by Bobby Troup
Performed by Little Richard (uncredited)

User reviews60

Review

Featured review

7/10

1950's anthropology

Kids these days are not familiar with the problem we had in the fifties. We heard singers but to see them was rare- Little Richard didn't make it onto American Bandstand. So the big thrill of this film then was to actually see Little Richard, Fats Domino , Gene Vincent doing their gigs! the storyline was farcical and little more than a cover for the music but planting the music scenes in the movie was ingenious. Jayne Mansfield was luscious, even doing a caricature of a vamp. What else can one say? The new release DVD captures the wonderful color of the fifties- mauves and pink pastels everywhere. And Eddy Cochrane does his Elvis imitation and showing why Elvis was the King (and Little Richard the Queen) of Rock and Roll. Worth it for the history lesson- 1950's anthropology.