Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

The Girl Can't Help It Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 29, 2022

Frank Tashlin's "The Girl Can't Help It" (1956) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include archival interview with Little Richard; archival program with Jayne Mansfield; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

"Easy, Fats. Rome wasn't built in a day." "She ain't Rome. What we are talking about is already built. Look at her."

Aging gangster Marty "Fats" Murdock (Edmond O'Brien) has found the perfect girl to settle down with. It is Jerri Jordan (Jayne Mansfield), a blonde bombshell whose figure can force a man to instantly lose his mind, or stop his heart from a distance. But before Murdock ties the knot with Jordan, he wants her to have the right image. It would be good for her, and it would be better for him. After all, Murdock has worked very hard to develop a reputation over the years, so he can’t just settle down with an ordinary girl.

Tom Miller (Tom Ewell) can fix Murdock’s problem. Miller is a veteran talent agent who has become an alcoholic after falling in love and losing Julie London, who is exactly the kind of star Murdock wants Jordan to become. Miller has the right instincts and the right connections, so if he agrees to transform Jordan into a star and they immediately begin working together, in six weeks Murdock can marry her. He’ll do it in a church of her choice, too.

Soon after Miller begins meeting Jordan, however, Murdock becomes suspicious of their work. Murdock thinks that Jordan’s star transformation consumes too much of her time and she is beginning to enjoy being around Miller, so to be absolutely sure that he isn’t going crazy, he dispatches Mousie (Henry Jones) to document everything they do and say, and then report back to him.

Meanwhile, while following closely Miller’s instructions and building her new image, Jordan reveals to him that she isn’t in love with Murdock and does not want to be a star. Not too long after that, Jordan also confesses that she dreams of being in a meaningful relationship with an ordinary guy exactly like Miller.

Frank Tashlin’s The Girl Can’t Help It is one of those very special time capsules that actually get better as they age. Why is that exactly? Two very simple reasons. First, it has a tremendous sense of humor that charges the stereotypes in its story with such positive energy that it becomes impossible not to enjoy the silliness that is at the center of it. This positive energy is extremely contagious too, which is why the unbridled enthusiasm of the actors becomes very attractive and ultimately shapes the film’s identity. Second, some of the era’s iconic singers and groups -- Little Richard, Fats Domino, The Platters, Eddie Cochran, and Eddie Fontaine are just a few of them -- step in front of Tashlin’s camera, and what they do looks and sounds completely organic. Needless to say, there is some quite electric material that further ramps up the aforementioned crucial positive energy. (It is not a coincidence that it had a huge impact on The Beatles).

Of course, the entire project is a feast for the eyes as well. Its management of color and lighting for instance is so bold, even brash, that from time to time a lot of the visuals leave the impression that they might have been extracted from an elaborate, slightly crazy animated film that was conceived by a man with a striking imagination. (Many decades later, Gregg Araki would direct a couple of films that very clearly imitate the same visual style, but while using completely different film stock and equipment that ultimately makes it a lot easier to produce the same or similar visual contrasts).

Tashlin worked with Oscar-winning cinematographer Leon Shamroy, whose credits include such visual stunners as Cleopatra, The Robe, and Planet of the Apes.

The Girl Can't Help It Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.36:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Girl Can't Help It arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"The Girl Can't Help It was preserved and restored in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 by 20th Century Studios, from the 35mm original camera negative and the 35mm monaural soundtrack."

The technical presentation of The Girl Can't Help It is very disappointing. While delineation, clarity, and depth routinely range from very good to excellent, the master that was used to source this release is so badly graded that the film's native identity is now dramatically altered. Much like on the recent presentation of The Flight of the Phoenix, here the color temperature of the visuals is shifted to cool/very cool and then a heavy blue tint compromises entire ranges of primaries and nuances. For example, the reds become light browns, while some very prominent steely grays overwhelm the whites (see screencaptures #3, 5, 9, and 12). Plenty of highlights are mismanaged as well, though the overall dynamic range of the visuals remains quite nice. Unsurprisingly, the notably garish look the film is remembered for is completely gone. Grain exposure is excellent. There are no stability issues. Finally, the entire film looks spotless as well. My score is 2.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Girl Can't Help It Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The lossless track is outstanding. Obviously, the wonderful music benefit the most, but there are plenty of other areas where subtle dynamic contrast make quite a difference. The upper register is very healthy, too. The dialog is always clear, sharp, and stable.

The Girl Can't Help It Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for The Girl Can't Help It. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• The Grandeur of Cinemascope - in this new video essay, critic David Cairns discusses the visual style of The Girl Can't Help It. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• John Waters - in this archival program, John Waters discusses his love for The Girl Can't Help It and its influence on his work, the film's visual style, and music, as well as some of the reasons why it should be considered an American classic. Also, there are some very interesting (and true) observations about Jayne Mansfield, her misunderstood personality and star image. The program was produced by Second Sight Films in 2004. In English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• On the Music - in this exclusive new program, WFMU DJs Dave "the Spazz" Abramson and Gaylord Fields discuss the musicians and bands that are seen and heard in The Girl Can't Help It. The program was produced in 2022 for Criterion. In English, not subtitled. (30 min).

• On Jayne Mansfield - in this new program, author Eve Golden (Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Can't Help It) discusses Jayne Mansfield's life, legacy, and difficult relationship with the media. The program was produced for Criterion in 2022. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• You Must Remember This - presented here is an archival episode of Karina Longworth's podcast You Must Remember This dedicated to Jayne Mansfield. The episode was produced in 2017. In English, not subtitled. (41 min).

• From the Archives -
  
  1. On-set Footage -- archival footage from the shooting of The Girl Can't Help It. In color. Silent. (14 min).
  
  2. Jayne Mansfield on Tabloid -- this short video interview was conducted in 1957. The actress discusses her career and involvement with The Girl Can't Help It. (15 min).
  
  3. Little Richard on The Merv Griffin Show - in this archival episode of The Merv Griffin Show, Little Richard discusses the impact of his music on other artists, including The Beatles, as well as the evolution of his career. The interview was conducted in 1984. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by cultural studies scholar Toby Miller in 2006.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring critic Rachel Syme's essay "The Fame Game" as well as technical credits.

• Printed Excerpts - printed excerpts from Frank Tashlin's book How to Create Cartoons (1952), with a new introduction by Ethan de Seife, author of Tashlinesque: The Hollywood Comedies of Frank Tashlin.

The Girl Can't Help It Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Frank Tashlin's The Girl Can't Help It is a magnificent, often indescribably funny time capsule with a legendary soundtrack. I love it and could not wait to get Criterion's release. Regrettably, the technical presentation of the film is very disappointing. The master that was used to prepare the release is so badly graded that it gives the film a brand new contemporary appearance, which effectively destroys its native identity. If you want to have the release in your library, find a way to rent and test it first, and only then make a decision whether to purchase it.