“What should happen to me?” you might ask yourself as the weekend of love notes and dreaded rejection looms ahead.
This Valentine’s Day, find out by settling in to watch the forgotten 1954 classic “It Should Happen to You.” Directed by George Cukor—better known for films like “My Fair Lady”—this romantic comedy follows the story of Gladys Glover, an endearingly guileless gal who wants to make a name for herself. Her solution? Buy a billboard space in NYC to display—you guessed it—her name! Just her name. Hijinks ensue and escalate, and Gladys eventually finds herself facing the love of two men, an advertising company and the attention of the American public.
Gladys is played by doe–eyed Judy Holliday, the comedienne who branded “dumb blonde with emotional depth” before Legally Blonde had a chance. If you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like to be a member of the masses, those dreadfully un–Ivy–League–educated folk, blithely unaware of their intellectual inferiority, take a walk in Gladys’ shoes. [Ed. Note: we're told this was meant to be sarcastic]
To the douchey cynic, she’s that one kid who makes you wonder, “Holy hell, who let you into Penn?” To someone a bit more optimistic, she’s that everyday gal, defined neither by brains nor beauty, but simply by the worth of her own character. How many times do you hear someone around campus saying they’re looking for that this weekend? For the record, Holliday, famous for this kind of simpleton character, had an IQ of 172 and was one of the most sought–after actresses of her generation.
So this Valentine’s Day, take a chance on the “average American girl.” At least, that’s the way ad–exec Evan Adams III, played by Peter “fourth member of the Rat Pack” Lawford, sees her. The audience quickly learns that as one of Gladys’ suitors, Evan Adams (aka Mr. Wharton) is only interested in the lady because of the wonderful marketing opportunity she presents.
During their seduction scene, Gladys comments that she doesn’t mind the way the man is acting (and by acting, she means foreplay), but she minds the way he seems “entitled.” His rousing defense? “Oh, maybe I am.” She walks away, leaving some members of the Penn community with a threefold bro–tip: just because you think you look hot in your salmon–colored khakis you bought at Urban with your parents’ money doesn’t mean everyone else is absolutely dying to pull them off; have a good answer to the question “are we only dating because I’m their TA and turned their F to an A?”; and whether or not “III” or “IV” follows your name, no one is entitled to anything. In other words, college doesn’t last forever.
Perhaps you’re thinking to yourself, “you’re wrong—I’ve met plenty of creative, individual folk here!”Congratulations, you’ve read Ego of the Week. If this is the case, you’ll enjoy watching the charmingly quirky, would–be filmmaker attempt to win Gladys’ heart. This true love is played by, in his first film role, Jack Lemmon—better known for dressing up like a lady in “Some Like it Hot.”
If you’re into comedies just a bit smarter than anything starring Ice Cube or Zac Efron (in theatres now!), or if you’re single this Valentine’s and are tired of watching “Atonement” with a carton of B&J’s, keep company with this big–hearted gem.
