Gettin' Glamour

Getting' Glamor (1946)

** (out of 4)

Bland MGM short from Pete Smith takes a look at the types of make-up women must wear to look pretty and offers up some friendly tips on how they can enjoy their housework more as well as stay in shape doing it. Needless to say, I doubt modern women will find much entertainment out of this short and there's no question that it's not a good movie. With that said, the thing actually becomes watchable simply because it shows the type of mentality a lot of people had when this thing originally played theaters. Watching this short today it is pretty funny seeing how women were looked at and how it appears people thought they'd be a lot happier doing their chores if they added more work to them to stay "pretty" for their husbands. What we basically get here is a good looking woman who smiles while doing her chores because she adds a bit of exercise to them to make her healthy. We also see some other tips including her putting her elbows in lemons to keep them fresh. With Smith involved, he adds a lot of smart remarks but most of them go towards a less attractive woman who keeps messing up the exercises. Either way, this Smith short is really without laughs.

Producer-narrator Pete Smith introduces his pretty blonde secretary with a close-up of her legs. She seems to be having problems trying to pick up a pencil with her feet. She has weird facial tics, too. In reality, these motions are all purposeful. Sally and other women are all doing exercises while working, to maintain their attractive faces and figures. It's called, "Getting glamour while you work." Ladies need to work off that "midriff bulge." Even when not working, Sally and her clumsy friend Gussie are always trying to maintain their beauty and poise. Gussie is around for comic relief, and ends clumsily. Poor Gussie. This "Pete Smith Specialty" short suggests women should work extra hard to be pretty and fit.

** Getting' Glamour (1946-02-02) Philip Anderson ~ Pete Smith, Jacqueline White, Gertrude Short, Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian