As I memorialize the passing of the beautiful Julie Adams, a Universal contract player for a good portion of the 1950's, I get to revisit or see for the first time the variety of films that she made, many of them in gorgeous Technicolor, and see the versatility of a cult film star that certainly deserved much more credit than she got. As my first view of her was as the grasping Paula Denning on the daytime soap opera "Capitol", I got to see the mature actress who while still gorgeous could truly command your attention in a dramatic scene and certain moments that could be viewed in some ways as camp. having gone from colorful westerns throughout the early to mid 50's to a variety of comedies and dramas in the late 50's, I was delighted to find this spoof of the Hollywood Western that is somewhat clever in spite of being a bit cloying in spots.
As a Hollywood publicity woman, Adams discovers the hunky Jock Mahoney singing country and western songs at a going away party for retiring country star William Hopper. Mahoney's real life personality isn't as clean cut as Hopper's, so it's up to Adams to bring a little light onto his image by having a young orphan fan Tim Hovey come just stay with him for a month. It's instantly clear that Mahoney's image is in so much who he is or who he keeps company with, and that happens to be blonde starlet Joanna Moore whom Adams guest to show a thing or two in some hysterical caddy scenes including one that results in Moore realizing that she's met her match, and it's a real shiner. Hovey ends up playing fairy godfather for Mahoney and Adams who begin to spend a lot of time together which has Mahoney desperately wanting to adopt the young kid and marry Julie in spite of the fact that his past seems to stand in that way.
It's cute but corny, showing in several scenes how westerns were made and ironically presenting the actors playing the natives exposing themselves obviously as Caucasian in dark makeup and disguise. While Mahoney is hunky and Hovey is cute, for me the best performances come from Adams, Moore and Hopper who obviously has more than just a passing interest in his PR lady. This was the second film that Adams did with little Tim Hovey (the other being "The Private War of Major Benson" with Charlton Heston) and is just as family-oriented as the previous one. So overlooked the same and enjoy it for the presence of a leading lady and supporting cast and a sweetness that is rarely found in films today.
As a Hollywood publicity woman, Adams discovers the hunky Jock Mahoney singing country and western songs at a going away party for retiring country star William Hopper. Mahoney's real life personality isn't as clean cut as Hopper's, so it's up to Adams to bring a little light onto his image by having a young orphan fan Tim Hovey come just stay with him for a month. It's instantly clear that Mahoney's image is in so much who he is or who he keeps company with, and that happens to be blonde starlet Joanna Moore whom Adams guest to show a thing or two in some hysterical caddy scenes including one that results in Moore realizing that she's met her match, and it's a real shiner. Hovey ends up playing fairy godfather for Mahoney and Adams who begin to spend a lot of time together which has Mahoney desperately wanting to adopt the young kid and marry Julie in spite of the fact that his past seems to stand in that way.
It's cute but corny, showing in several scenes how westerns were made and ironically presenting the actors playing the natives exposing themselves obviously as Caucasian in dark makeup and disguise. While Mahoney is hunky and Hovey is cute, for me the best performances come from Adams, Moore and Hopper who obviously has more than just a passing interest in his PR lady. This was the second film that Adams did with little Tim Hovey (the other being "The Private War of Major Benson" with Charlton Heston) and is just as family-oriented as the previous one. So overlooked the same and enjoy it for the presence of a leading lady and supporting cast and a sweetness that is rarely found in films today.