starring Judy Holliday, Peter Lawford, Jack Lemmon
directed by George Cukor
86 minutes
Unemployed model Gladys Glover (Judy Holliday) is spotted by photographer Pete Sheppard (Jack Lemmon) in Central Park. He strikes up a conversation with her. He’s there shooting footage with a handheld camera for a movie he is making. He gets her address after she expresses an interest in seeing the movie he is working on. They chitchat and then go their separate ways.
She spots an unused billboard near Columbus Circle. She contacts the company that owns the billboard and rents it for a week. She has them paint her name on the billboard.
The Adams Soap Company, that usually rents the billboard that Gladys just rented decides that they want it back. They offer her six other billboards if she will let them have the one billboard back. She is reluctant but eventually accepts their offer.
Pete moves into the same building as Gladys, across the hall from her. They go on a few dates but she is more interested in her billboards than she is in Pete.
The six billboards with Gladys' name on them eventually lead her to become a local celebrity. The Adams Soap Company hires her to be a spokesperson for their products. Evan Adams III (Peter Lawford), the son of the owner tries to woo Gladys, very aggressively. She does not respond positively to his advances.
Pete moves out of the building. Gladys eventually comes to realize what she’s lost and goes after him.
Thoughts
It should be apparent from my description but this is Judy Holliday’s movie. The two male leads play second fiddle to her.
I’m not crazy about this movie. I don’t hate it but it didn’t really connect with me. I laughed a few times but for the most part I just sat there in silence waiting for something to grab me.
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