Remember the first time you saw "Plan Nine From Outer Space"? Did you laugh? Did you have a difficult time keeping up with the story line?
Well, "Valley Of The Dolls" is in the same vein, but there actually is a story line...three girls looking for fame, love, etc....you know...what all girls are looking for, except that these girls have some real problems.
There is our heroine, Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins), who leaves the snowfall of New England for the slush of New York. Naturally, she ends up with a dream job upon arrival, meets Mr. Heartthrob, tangles with the nasty Helen Lawson (Susan Hayward...who took the role after Judy Garland was fired), becomes a super model overnight...all the things that happen to most girls.
Then there's Jennifer North (Sharon Tate), who only has a body (and what a body it is) but she can't act (probably the only honest role in the film). She too falls in love, except this guy is a real cheesy lounge singer ("Come Live With Me"), who happens to harbor a deep, dark secret which will drive Jennifer to do unspeakable things with dirty French director.
And then there is Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke). I saved her for last...and rightfully so. She steals the scene, in fact, she steal every scene. Forget Stanislavsky, forget Lee Strasberg, forget acting 101...Patty is in a school of her own.
Watch Patty as she walks out "with dignity" from Ms. Lawson's show. Watch Patty as she claws her way to the top, singing some of the worst songs ever written for the silver screen. Watch Patty's fame evaporate into Pills and Booze. Watch Patty make mincemeat out of Ms. Lawson's wig. Watch Patty in her final, star-stopping scene (warning: turn down your volume).
All in all, this is a great film if you need a laugh. And to get an even better laugh, keep telling yourself that everybody is trying to be serious in this movie.
Well, "Valley Of The Dolls" is in the same vein, but there actually is a story line...three girls looking for fame, love, etc....you know...what all girls are looking for, except that these girls have some real problems.
There is our heroine, Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins), who leaves the snowfall of New England for the slush of New York. Naturally, she ends up with a dream job upon arrival, meets Mr. Heartthrob, tangles with the nasty Helen Lawson (Susan Hayward...who took the role after Judy Garland was fired), becomes a super model overnight...all the things that happen to most girls.
Then there's Jennifer North (Sharon Tate), who only has a body (and what a body it is) but she can't act (probably the only honest role in the film). She too falls in love, except this guy is a real cheesy lounge singer ("Come Live With Me"), who happens to harbor a deep, dark secret which will drive Jennifer to do unspeakable things with dirty French director.
And then there is Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke). I saved her for last...and rightfully so. She steals the scene, in fact, she steal every scene. Forget Stanislavsky, forget Lee Strasberg, forget acting 101...Patty is in a school of her own.
Watch Patty as she walks out "with dignity" from Ms. Lawson's show. Watch Patty as she claws her way to the top, singing some of the worst songs ever written for the silver screen. Watch Patty's fame evaporate into Pills and Booze. Watch Patty make mincemeat out of Ms. Lawson's wig. Watch Patty in her final, star-stopping scene (warning: turn down your volume).
All in all, this is a great film if you need a laugh. And to get an even better laugh, keep telling yourself that everybody is trying to be serious in this movie.