Review of Strike Me Pink

Following a somewhat similar formula from Cantor's earlier (and, in many ways, superior) films, this vehicle casts him as a quirky wimp who is thrown into unfamiliar territory and comes out on top. Cantor is the owner-operator of a cobbler/dry cleaner shop adjacent to a university. He tutors one of the numb-skulled, but kindly, jocks (Jones) while pining away for nightclub personality Merman, whose photos he keeps pasted in a nearby closet. When Cantor sends away for a book on assertiveness training and starts to practice the lessons, Jones' mother enlists him to help her fend off some thugs who are trying to infest her amusement park with rigged slot machines. Secretary Eilers aids Cantor in growing a backbone against the villainous Donlevy and his thugs, of which Frawley and La Rue are included. He also acquires the "assistance" of a bodyguard played by (and referred to in the film as) Parkyakarkus! Amidst the many failed attempts on his life, he finds time to moon over Merman in scenes that feature elaborate musical numbers. A rowdy finale includes an extended chase on a roller coaster which includes many members of the cast (though, sadly, not Merman.) Cantor is amusing here, though his humor has been tamed a little from the inception of the Hayes Production Code. If the movie falters, it's really more due to the script which lacks proper focus and meanders in several directions without a clear purpose for all of the scenes and characters. Virtually all Cantor movies are fanciful and silly and he's usually thoroughly watchable in them. He just doesn't get quite the mileage out of this that he did in some of his previous projects (and the budget doesn't seem to be as high either.) Merman delivers a couple of striking songs. The first is a moody and arty piece filmed in deep shadows with her face highlighted as she's surrounded by a Black chorus (the men in low cut shirts that reveal chiseled physiques.) She and Cantor share a duet in which they are depicted in old age makeup. Then, all in white, she sings in a big production number that also features a tap dancer whose reflection in the glossy floor has a mind of its own! It's great to see her in these scenes, though she is hardly the heart-stopping, sigh-inducing looker called for in the script. Cantor also has a song with sassy and undulating Drake who dances herself silly. Eilers does a nice job as the sharp assistant and Lowell is amusingly crusty as the park's owner. (A very busy lady, this actress would do about ten more films in a year's time before abruptly dying!) Parkyakarkus is certain to annoy a lot of viewers though sometimes his schtick provides a laugh or two. Some of the film's comedic material falls flat today, more so than in "Kid Millions" or "Roman Scandals" for example, yet it's still an amusing and entertaining little trifle. Some brief, vintage amusement park footage portrays a time, a lifestyle and a place that is forever gone. Frawley would go on, of course, to the legendary TV series "I Love Lucy".