MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

GazerRise Fantastic!

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

writers_reign This may well, as Ginger Rogers liked to say, have finished RKO, where not only herself and Fred Astaire, but Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and others enjoyed early success. This is nothing if not bizarre; six well-known names and no two even close to suggesting they're in the same movie. In Rogers case there is not an iota of chemistry between her and 1) Barry Nelson, her leading man - in the sense that they wind up together and 2) Carol Channing, her co-star and team-mate in a 'female buddy' movie. Channing and Nelson were both more comfortable on Broadway and both found success there. Here, Channing has the only number in the film proper (there is a title song sung over the credits) and though she brings it off it's a stand-alone item rather than an integral part of the plot. But if Channing and Rogers are mismatched Channing and Clint Eastwood, who actually share a kiss, borders on the grotesque. Add Jim Arness as a heavy and you have a real curio.

atlasmb The title role of "The First Traveling Saleslady" is played by Ginger Rogers. She portrays Miss Rose Gillray, a woman who sells corsets like she is a missionary selling salvation. But circumstances require that she make a change of vocation and she becomes a traveling saleslady peddling barbed wire to Texas ranchers. Talk about a challenge! She is assisted by Molly Wade, played by Carol Channing. I don't think audiences would have been familiar with Miss Channing when exposed to her in this role. She plays the part with energy and displays her unique vocal talents fully.I am a fan of Miss Rogers, but I was disappointed by her performance in this silly comedy. When she first spoke, I questioned if the character was supposed to be drunk. I think she was deliberately changing her voice to create her character, but I am not sure. The portrayal is uneven--like the entire film. There were moments I enjoyed and others that had me scratching my head in perplexity.Clint Eastwood (as Lt. Jack Rice) appears in one of his first credited roles as a fresh-faced Rough Rider who instantly falls for Molly. Barry Nelson plays an entrepreneur (Charlie Masters) who might be an intermittent love interest for Rose as he literally comes into and out of the film repeatedly.The film contains some interesting content regarding a "Purity League" that safeguards the morals of society and some mentions of Women's Rights, particularly Women's Suffrage.There are some cute references to how the country has changed, like the mention that traveling over the road at 12 MPH is thrilling.James Arness portrays Joel Kingdom, owner of most of Texas it seems. When he is on screen, he has a strong presence and he energizes those scenes. As a whole, this film drags at times and often seems a parody of the type of film it is. It feels like the direction is most to blame.

utgard14 Harmless fluff about a corset-selling suffragette (Ginger Rogers) in the 1890s who's forced to take to the road selling barbed wire. Carol Channing plays her showgirl friend. Barry Nelson, David Brian, and James Arness play her potential suitors. Clint Eastwood appears in an early role as a guy for Channing, not Rogers. Middle-aged Ginger looks great and is likable as ever but something is weird about her voice. Pretty distracting in some scenes. Speaking of which, I only recognized the young Carol Channing here because of her distinctive gravelly voice. This isn't a particularly funny comedy but it is pleasant and watchable. Ginger fans will like it more than most.

jotix100 This was Ginger Rogers last movie for the studio in which she was a star, RKO Radio. In fact, most of the interest in watching this weak attempt at comedy is the cast that was put together for the film. Director Arthur Lubin seems to have been directed by remote control and the screen play Devery Freeman and Stephen Longstreet supplied was not interesting. It's a mystery how this film was made, at all.Unfortunately, the film doesn't offer much to Ginger Rogers in the way of an colorful role to play. She was a much better actress that deserved better than this Rose Gillray, the corset maker turned barb wire saleslady. Barry Nelson is the man who believes in the future of the automobile and whose path to California keeps meeting Rose in the most unlikely places. Ms. Rogers and Mr. Nelson don't show much chemistry between them, and probably this is where the film fails, something than with another director, could have been solved, but which Mr. Lubin ignored.The film offers performances by Carol Channing, a Broadway star that never made it big in the movies. She plays Molly, Rose Gillray's assistant. In fact, she has the best lines in the film. A young Clint Eastwood is seen as Lt. Jack Rice, a member of the Rough Riders that Rose and Molly meet at the hotel. James Arness, another television idol, plays the rich landowner Joel Kingdom. Lastly, David Brian, an actor that tended to be seen in heavy roles, makes a good appearance as James Carter, the barb wire manufacturer.This is a film to be watched as a curiosity.