Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter

Will Success spoil Rock Hunter? was a good movie but I really didn’t find as humorous as Modern Times with Charlie Chaplin’s slapstick style of humor. It was funny in a more serious way. This seriousness in no way makes it any less humorous, it made the humor all the more delectable.

One of the first things I noticed was Henry Rufus’ unique style of speaking. He would shorten and add the suffix –y to some words. I’m not sure if this has any significance but it was something I thought worth notice.

A lot of the humor in this movie, I think, was kind of oxymoronic (I’m not sure if this is the correct word I’m looking for). Meaning that the humor comes from pairing together opposites. For example after the hoard of teenage girls attacks Rockwell, he visits Rita Marlowe. She has him change out of his suit, into a suit worn by her ex-boyfriend, Bobo Branigansky. This is huge on Rockwell, which is humorous. Another example in the movie was all the commercials in the beginning credits. One of which was an advertisement for a beer that was “All beer and no head”, once poured it was all head and no beer. This can also be considered parodic humor, parodying the style of commercials in the 50’s.

Toward the late middle of the movie the one of the main themes of the movie, at least what I thought was one of the main themes of the movie, came into clearer light. If you can remember, Irving La Salle Jr. was the president of the advertising agency Rockwell worked for. He confessed that he never wanted to go into the advertising business but rather into horticulture. The same with Rockwell, he wanted to raise chickens but was “forced” to give up his dream to chase after the mainstream idea of success. So one of the   themes and/or morals of the movie is in essence do what makes you happy and success will follow. It may not be the success that most people think of but it is success nonetheless. Success, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Another Strong theme is love. Every character is trying to find it. It may not be the love between individuals, but the love of what you do. Rockwell is trying to keep his love, Jenny, from leaving him. Rita is trying to get over her infatuation with “Georgie” but is unsuccessful. Vi is trying to move on from her crush the milkman that she does by courting Henry Rufus. Mr. La Salle is trying to follow his love for horticulture and does so after resigning from his advertising company.

This movie makes you think about what some people are willing to do to get into the big leagues. Would you sacrifice a loving relationship, like Rockwell, just to attain the mainstream idea of success? Or would you rather be the “average guy” and be successful and happy in your own way? Just some food for thought.