published on February 25, 2024 in blog

Heller in Pink Tights

With Heller In Pink Tights director George Cukor puts tongue in cheek to turn an ordinary story into a gaudy, old-fashioned western satire with gleeful touches of melodrama.

With Heller In Pink Tights director George Cukor puts tongue in cheek to turn an ordinary story into a gaudy, old-fashioned western satire with gleeful touches of melodrama.

Taken from a novel by Louis L’Amour, Heller follows The Great Healy Dramatic and Concert Co in two red wagons through the wilds of Wyoming. The traveling theatre is fighting for its survival, and Sophia Loren and Anthony Quinn put up a strong enough battle to make things interesting and amusing. It’s when the film’s plottage dissolves into pure western that it becomes somewhat commonplace.

Loren dons blonde tresses for the role of an actress who has a knack for getting into situations. She looks fine with golden head and turns in a respectable, most believable performance. Quinn, as head of the Healy company, adeptly projects as the he-man, yet properly building a tender, calm characterization.

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Eileen Heckart just about steals the whole shootin’ match as an actress who has given up a ‘promising’ career for her daughter’s chances on stage. It’s real comedy, and Heckart carries it off with polish. Steve Forrest makes a lovable villain, evil but never evil enough to lose his attraction. Margaret O’Brien is fine in a role that offers her more chances to be seen than heard; Edmund Love is very good as a ‘Shakespearean’ actor; and Ramon Novarro is aptly sinister as a well-heeled banker.