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Beauty for the Asking

  • 19391939
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
368
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Lucille Ball, Patric Knowles, and Donald Woods in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
  • Drama
  • Romance
Denny drops fiancée Jean and marries Flora who is worth ten million dollars. When Jean is fired from her job she decides to market the face cream she invented. She goes to Jeffrey and he sen... Read allDenny drops fiancée Jean and marries Flora who is worth ten million dollars. When Jean is fired from her job she decides to market the face cream she invented. She goes to Jeffrey and he sends a sample of the product to 12 selected rich women. Only one woman invests in the busine... Read allDenny drops fiancée Jean and marries Flora who is worth ten million dollars. When Jean is fired from her job she decides to market the face cream she invented. She goes to Jeffrey and he sends a sample of the product to 12 selected rich women. Only one woman invests in the business and Jean is happy until she learns that it is Flora - but she takes the money. As Denny... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
368
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Glenn Tryon
  • Writers
    • Doris Anderson(screen play)
    • Paul Jarrico(screen play)
    • Edmund L. Hartmann(story)
  • Stars
    • Lucille Ball
    • Patric Knowles
    • Donald Woods
Top credits
  • Director
    • Glenn Tryon
  • Writers
    • Doris Anderson(screen play)
    • Paul Jarrico(screen play)
    • Edmund L. Hartmann(story)
  • Stars
    • Lucille Ball
    • Patric Knowles
    • Donald Woods
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 10User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro

    • Photos9

    Lucille Ball in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball, Patric Knowles, and Donald Woods in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Frieda Inescort and Patric Knowles in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball, Inez Courtney, and Donald Woods in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball and Frieda Inescort in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball and Donald Woods in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball and Inez Courtney in Beauty for the Asking (1939)
    Lucille Ball in Beauty for the Asking (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lucille Ball
    Lucille Ball
    • Jean Russellas Jean Russell
    Patric Knowles
    Patric Knowles
    • Denny Williamsas Denny Williams
    Donald Woods
    Donald Woods
    • Jeffrey Martinas Jeffrey Martin
    Frieda Inescort
    Frieda Inescort
    • Flora Barton-Williamsas Flora Barton-Williams
    Inez Courtney
    Inez Courtney
    • Gwen Morrisonas Gwen Morrison
    Leona Maricle
    Leona Maricle
    • Eve Harringtonas Eve Harrington
    Frances Mercer
    Frances Mercer
    • Patricia Whartonas Patricia Wharton
    Whitney Bourne
    Whitney Bourne
    • Peggy Ponsbyas Peggy Ponsby
    George Beranger
    George Beranger
    • Cyrilas Cyril
    • (as George Andre Beranger)
    Kay Sutton
    Kay Sutton
    • Miss Whitmanas Miss Whitman
    Ann Evers
    Ann Evers
    • Lois Peabodyas Lois Peabody
    Leon Belasco
    Leon Belasco
    • Beauty Shop Owneras Beauty Shop Owner
    • (uncredited)
    Leonard Carey
    Leonard Carey
    • Petersas Peters
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Coleman
    Charles Coleman
    • Mrs. Harrington's Butleras Mrs. Harrington's Butler
    • (uncredited)
    Sayre Dearing
    Sayre Dearing
    • Wedding Guestas Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    George Ford
    • Wedding Guestas Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    George Golden
    • Wedding Guestas Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Hart
    • Reporter at Weddingas Reporter at Wedding
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Glenn Tryon
    • Writers
      • Doris Anderson(screen play)
      • Paul Jarrico(screen play)
      • Edmund L. Hartmann(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Denny drops fiancée Jean and marries Flora who is worth ten million dollars. When Jean is fired from her job she decides to market the face cream she invented. She goes to Jeffrey and he sends a sample of the product to 12 selected rich women. Only one woman invests in the business and Jean is happy until she learns that it is Flora - but she takes the money. As Denny has no job, the girls give him an office at the factory. The business takes off, but Jean finds that she is still in love with Denny and Denny seems to forget he is married to Flora. So Jean and Flora send him to California for six weeks to open the West Coast branch of Jeanne Varelle. —Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
    • timeframe 1930s
    • face cream
    • cheating husband
    • beautician
    • husband wife relationship
    • 27 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Go Glamorous - to Hold "Him!" (original print ad)
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Loosely based on the career of cosmetics giant Helena Rubenstein, founder of a company bearing her name that made her one of the richest women in the world. After her death, the company was sold to Colgate-Palmolive in 1973 for $142.3M and was subsequently acquired by L'Oreal in 1988, which as of 2021 still maintains the brand.
    • Quotes

      Jean Russell: Why should a woman stop using her brains just because she's caught her man.

    • Soundtracks
      Wedding March
      (uncredited)
      Music by Felix Mendelssohn

    User reviews10

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    B-movie worked on by five writers...each had one good joke a-piece
    Thin production courtesy RKO Pictures has a plot-line that Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo would positively envy. Ball plays the inventor behind a pricey face cream for high society customers; she makes a fortune with it and draws a former flame back into her life. Relatively low-keyed comedy from the era of the screwball farce, relying on cynical jabs at the beauty business rather than sight-gags. Script was worked on at different times by five writers (Grace Norton, Adele S. Buffington, Edmund L. Hartmann, Doris Anderson, and Paul Jarrico), none of whom provides that much-needed hilarious set-piece. Some leisurely laughs along the way, mostly forgettable. Lucy-addicts will raise the rating a notch. ** from ****
    helpful•5
    6
    • moonspinner55
    • May 12, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 24, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Beauté sur commande
    • Filming locations
      • RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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