THE GREAT AMERICAN BEAUTY CONTEST

US, 1972, 73 minutes, Colour.
Eleanor Parker, Bob Cummings, Louis Jourdan, Farrah Fawcett, Tracy Reed.
Directed by Robert Day.

The Great American Beauty Contest is an interesting and enjoyable melodrama, much better than the title might indicate. It was written by Stanford Whitmore, writer of such films as The Summer of My German Soldier. The film portrays the background of the beauty contest and the possibility of rigging. It also shows a cross section of the contestants and is able to introduce such themes as racism and feminism. Eleanor Parker gives a very strong performance as the co-ordinator of the contest and Robert Cummings personifies the bland compere. Louis Jourdan is the suave villain. The film runs along somewhat expected lines but is interesting and enjoyable nonetheless. It was one of Farrah Fawcett's earliest roles.

1. The appeal of the subject, presentation? The popularity and place of such contests? The emphasis on beauty? The media, competitiveness? The focus on the candidates and the type of girl who enters such a competition? The human interest of the people involved? The possibility of corruption and rigging? The glamour of winning? (Feminist themes and Women's Liberation.)

2. An entertaining telemovie, for the how audience used to watching such competitions? Brevity, the theme of the competition, character interaction?

3. Los Angeles and the world of glamour, hotels, the media, the various items in the contest, the final pageant? The ballyhoo of the press and the atmosphere of such competitions?

4. Peggy and Corton and the running of the competition, their pride in its traditions, the emphasis on integrity, press conferences and press releases, the possibilities of something going wrong? The introduction to Peggy and Corton and the setting of the scene?

5. Eleanor Parker's style as Peggy - her past success, the tradition of the contest, her statement of high ideals, her ability to cope with people and situations? The press, the opening dinner and her speech? The quality of her advice to the various candidates? Her relationship with Dupree and the past? His blackmailing her? The choice of Angelique and Peggy's giving her the key? The importance of her changing her mind, the stance that she took, telling the truth to Corton, his handling the press? The defeat of Dupree and her realisation she could have won the competition without him? Her handling of the other girls especially T.J. and the story of her marriage? Her final enjoyment of the competition? A rounded portrait of a film star working in this role?

6. Corton and his style, the nice guy image, his integrity, his awareness of problems, Peggy's confidence in him, the confrontation with Dupree, his M.C-Ing the final part of the contest and his good humour, platitudes, the expected statements?

7. Dupree and his film background, the suave manner, his expectations of himself and using people, his choice of Angelique, the hotel room sequence, the clash with Peggy and his defeat?

8. The background of the competition - training in movement, beauty, acting and singing, poise, the final pageant and the statements on happiness? The work of the chaperones?

9. The pros and cons of such a contest - artificiality and glamour, the feminist objections and campaign, the hopes, the chances for career, scholarship? The ideals of American beauty?

10. The cross-section of girls presented:
- Miss Idaho and her being away from home for the first time - her prayer at the end for happiness?
- Miss New Jersey, the black girl, race statements, Peggy's discussion and persuasion of her to stay in the competition for race reasons. Her statement on happiness?
- Miss Texas and Farrah Fawcett and her glamour, style, giggly attitudes, her boyfriend, hiding him in the room, his press conference and her denial, her performance of the Sheikh of Araby, her joke about happiness?
- Miss Maine - and her seriousness, the telegram from her father and the phone calls, her decision to go to Dupree's room, her saying that she wanted to model herself on Peggy, her statement on happiness?
- Miss Oklahoma and the plan for upsetting the competition, her friends in the Liberation Movement, her poise and glamour, her being confided in by Peggy - did Peggy really know and understand her? Her statement on happiness? Her winning and her being overcome?

11. The dramatic significance of Miss Oklahoma winning, being overwhelmed and succumbing to the atmosphere of the competition? The hostility of her friends at the betrayal?

12. Popular entertainment and presenting issues to a wide popular audience?