Beauty for the Asking (1939) User Reviews (13)

She's "The Fuller Brush Boss"....

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 3 May 2013]

In 1950's "The Fuller Brush Girl", it was Lucille Ball on the street, selling creams, powders and hairstyling items, but here, she's the inventor of a cream she is sure will revolutionize the beauty industry. It all happens after the man she loves (Patric Knowles) marries a member of the upper-crust (Frieda Inescort), breaking her heart. She peddles her product to a manufacturer (Donald Woods) who finds an investor in none other than Inescort. The romantic tensions re-arise between Knowles and Ball as they become re-acquainted, and Lucy, who has come to find Inescort to be a good friend, struggles to do the right thing.

This light-hearted "B" movie is a surprisingly good little drama of a woman making good in spite of herself, past failures and learning how to retain her integrity while rising in the business world. Ball comes on to her investors with a clever deception which actually makes the seemingly snooty Inescort admire her all the more and reveal her down-to-earth nature, only exploding when she learns that husband Knowles intends to leave her to return to Lucy. But the somewhat hasty ending resolves all between the two friends, putting Inescort's bitchy society friends in their place, and proving that women don't have to be competitors for men, can be friends, and can work together without resulting in the snarls of cat-fights and wisecracks.

Those who love Lucy mainly for her TV comedy won't find that persona here, but she's also a far cry from her nasty gangster's moll in "The Big Street" and the cynical dames of her many other "B" films at RKO. The result is a multi-layered characterization that is actually much more realistic and relatable.

Enjoyable B Movie

[allans-7 · 7/10 · 19 November 2007]

I enjoyed this movie. The review of it in "The RKO Story" was not very flattering and I was expecting something fairly dire. But I was surprised when I began to view it and felt compelled to watch it through.

While it does have a conventional story line and predictable ending, the acting is believable, the script is believable and the direction moves the story along. I enjoyed the efforts of the Lucille Ball character in getting to the top, and helping her counterpart in beautifying herself. The Lucille Ball role (and Lucille herself) reminded me of Ginger Rogers for some reason. I thought she was good as a woman struggling between heart and mind. I didn't go much for the Donald Woods character however - too sappy except for at the start.

starring role for Lucy

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 2 July 2019]

Lucy tells the story of a woman who is dropped by her fiance, but who goes on to bigger and better things. She takes on selling of her beauty cream, and parlays it into a multi-million dollar industry. She blusters he way into Jeff Martin's (Don Woods) office, and bullies him into helping her set up the business. they also get her ex-boyfriend and the new girlfriend involved for financial help in setting up the salon to sell the beauty products. The stress of having the "ex" involved is one of the sub-plots. It's also interesting that one of the characters is called Eve Harrington. Eve Harrington will also be the star of "All About Eve". Patric Knowles, Frieda Inescort co-star. It's mildly interesting, considering its based on a true story. Script could be a little stronger... i found it difficult to believe that so few people in the story would know that Denny was Jean's fiance originally. I think it would have been a pretty well-known fact. and this one has a bit of the back-stabbing wit that we see in "the Women" from 1939. Directed by Glenn Tryon. started as actor in the (silent) 1920s, did some writing. "Beauty" was one of the eleven films he directed in the 1930s and 1940s. and of course, Lucy would end up OWNING the RKO studio lots, as Paramount.

Lucy rises above trite material

[kidboots · 6/10 · 21 November 2007]

Lucille Ball wasn't always "madcap" Lucy. From the late 30s on she appeared in a variety of films to show her versatility as an actress - some were prestigious productions, "Stage Door", "The Big Street", "Best Foot Forward", "Without Love" - this film at 70 minutes wasn't one of them.

It did show that she could rise above trite material and play a sympathetic and flesh and blood character very convincingly.

She plays Jean Russell, a beautician who is creating a new cold cream. She is "engaged" to two-timer Denny (Patric Knowles) who has just informed her he is marrying rich but plain Flora Barton (Frieda Inescort). (It takes to the end of the film for Jean to realize that Denny is a first class heel.

While trying to drum up business she meets Jeffrey Martin (the always boring Donald Woods) and together they make the face cream a sensation. Flora Barton puts up $500,000 to get the cosmetic factory off the ground. Flora (the idiot) loves Denny and Jean helps her achieve the outer beauty she never thought she possessed.

Frieda Inescort looks gorgeous with the glamour treatment. Inez Courtney plays Jean's buddy. It all ends conventionally happily ever after.

Really, really good....but a very weak ending as well.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 3 July 2019]

I really enjoyed "Beauty for the Asking" but felt a bit disappointed that the ending was a bit weak. Still, it is well worth seeing.

The story begins with Denny (Patric Knowles) dumping his fiance, Jean (Lucille Ball), for a rich woman. Jean is naturally heartbroken but manages to collect herself and begin working on her pet project...a face cream. Soon, she has financial backing and opens up some elite beauty salons...and the money comes pouring in to her. However, her backer turns out to be Denny's rich wife....and Jean STILL is in love with the idiot.

The acting is very good in this one....and Lucille Ball is particularly good in this non-comedic role. The plot is also clever and creative. My only problem is the ending...the new man in Jean's life seemed tacked onto the story and didn't have the necessary foundation to make much sense. Still, it is very good overall.

Beautician builds a cosmetics empire

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 3 July 2019]

The beautiful Lucille Ball and she was back in her salad days gets jilted by Patric Knowles in Beauty For The Asking. Our heroine is down but not out. She manages to market the tricks of the beautician trade into a cosmetic empire and she can buy and sell Knowles and Frieda Inescourt the rich woman Knowles did marry.

Lucy does well in this role which has some comic and dramatic elements. But Knowles really comes out best in this story. Knowles was never a lead, he's probably best known as Will Scarlett in the Errol Flynn Robin Hood film. But he could occasionally be a villain and he does excel here.

Donald Woods is here, always reliable as the second lead. But he's always kind of bland and he really isn't given much to work with.

Lucille Ball fans should like this.

needs more desperation

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 3 July 2019]

Beautician Jean Russell (Lucille Ball) gets dumped by Denny Williams who marries wealthy Flora instead. On top of that, she loses her job. She tries to launch her face cream with the help of ad man Jeffrey Martin. They get backing from Flora who doesn't know Jean's previous relationship with Denny. Denny has since become a kept man. Jean wants him to work again and puts him in charge.

This could work if Jean is more obsessive in her love for Denny. Lucille Ball may not have the range. She needs more desperation. She needs to be pathetic in loving such a jerk. She is too self assured to play that. If she has the desperation, she could break down and get saved by Jeffrey. That's the romantic move. That's the melodrama. As it stands, it couldn't reach quite that level. Also Lucille Ball is not using her funny bone. It's nice to see her do something else but this doesn't have much juice.

An early, 1939, "women for women" plot, in contrast to the jungle bitchery of 1939's classic THE WOMEN

[dwingate108 · 10/10 · 3 July 2019]

I just watched this in 2019, and was struck by the very modern concept that women CAN support each other, without a man. It's a convoluted but fun plot that relies on some unusual serendipity, and also with some of the same unpleasant but apparently commonplace "bitchery" found in the more famous classic film. THE WOMEN, also released in 1939. Different times, different standards. Most women of that time frame had the simple and primary ambition of marrying a good breadwinner. But the two lead women in this B-picture are excellently different. The top-billed star played by Lucille Ball doesn't use her patented ditzy persona that later made her America's best-loved clown, but instead she very sympathetically plays a beauty chemist who has brains, honesty and beauty to boot. She is contrasted by a wealthy but desperate and plain Jane rival who unwittingly steals away Lucy's gold-digging fiancee. Both characters happily are women of honesty and common sense, except when it comes to the Patric Knowles character that misuses both of these worthy women. Fortunately, Patric gets his well-deserved comeuppance and our two misused and well-intended lead women ultimately prevail in amusing fashion.

Enjoyable and Unpredictable

[jeepgirl22 · 7/10 · 23 October 2022]

I really enjoyed this movie. At the beginning, I thought this movie would be predictable and formulaic, but it surprised me, especially at the end and I loved the ending.

Flora was my favorite character by far. I was sympathetic toward her at the beginning and really enjoyed seeing her transformation. And it was so fun to see Frieda Inescort play a character so different from the usual ice queen roles I've seen her play.

Lucille Ball was pretty and good in her role, but nothing to write home about. Patrick Knowles was good in his role as a character who doesn't realize what a huge jerk he is.

But, Inescort shines in her role as Flora. She is what made this movie good and different.

B-movie worked on by five writers...each had one good joke a-piece

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 12 May 2009]

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 ****

A gem - a pleasantly different romance

[larrywest42-610-618957 · 9/10 · 23 October 2022]

It starts like a formulaic 30s romance, but the female leads (Ball, Inescort, Courtney) play surprisingly savvy - though definitely fallible - women.

The male leads play their roles quite well, Patrick Knowles especially, but it's Ball and Inescort, and their relationship, that really stand out and make this movie well worth watching.

Even the beauty salon theme feels more honest and better thought-out than what you'd expect from a Depression-era rags-to-riches tale. Ball's character even emphasizes that good health is the key to beauty.

FWIW, I watched this (thank you, TCM) with someone who almost never has patience for old films, and she was hooked after about 20 minutes.

Snappy and sharp

[conniecam-25667 · 8/10 · 8 October 2021]

Just caught the last 45 minutes of this unexpectedly well-written and performed movie gem. Excellent melding of a sharpe, no-nonsense script with sharp, no-nonsense acting on Miss Ball's part. Nice underlying feminist message of two women rivals becoming friends after experiencing betrayal by the same man...very protocol-feminist.

SHE DOESN'T NEED TO ASKS!

[unlvrebels-53531 · 10/10 · 23 October 2022]

Pleasantly surprised in how modern the story and characters were quite frankly. All the casts were marvelous, but miss lucille ball definitely stands out. She was not only talented comically, as we found out later in the career, but was really good as a dramatic actress as well. And as a matter of factly she was also strinkingly beautiful in her own right. Mister Patrick Knowles was particularly handsome, reminiscent of erroll flynn, montgomery clift, and tyrone power. So happy to have found and watched this classic movie gem on TCM.

Pleasantly surprised in how modern the story and characters were quite frankly. All the casts were marvelous, but miss lucille ball definitely stands out. She was not only talented comically, as we found out later in the career, but was really good as a dramatic actress as well. And as a matter of factly she was also strinkingly beautiful in her own right. Mister Patrick Knowles was particularly handsome, reminiscent of erroll flynn, montgomery clift, and tyrone power. So happy to have found and watched this classic movie gem on TCM.