Main Cast: Lucille Ball, Eddie Albert, Carl Benton Reid, Gale Robbins, Jeff Donnell
Release Year: 1950
Country: US
Run Time: 84 minutes
Plot
Hot on the heels of such Red Skelton slapstick comedies as The Fuller Brush Man and The Yellow Cab Man came The Fuller Brush Girl, starring Lucille Ball in a fascinating dry run for her wacky "Lucy Ricardo" TV character. Unable to hold a job because of her tendency to get into trouble, Sally Elliot (Ball) hires on at the Fuller Brush company as a door-to-door cosmetics salesman. After several misadventures involving obnoxious children and snooty matrons, Sally finds herself in the middle of a murder scheme. With reluctant boyfriend Humphrey (Eddie Albert) in tow, Sally gets mixed up in one hilariously life-threatening situation after another, culminating in a prolonged chase sequence on board a tramp steamer. Highlights include Ball's outrageous striptease scene (to the tune of Rita Hayworth's "Put the Blame on Mame") and a choice cameo by Red Skelton as an all-too-cooperative customer. Most of the sight gags in Fuller Brush Girl were cooked up by former cartoon director Frank Tashlin, who'd also contributed to Fuller Brush Man. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Robert A. Peterson - Art Director, Jean Louis - Costume Designer, Earl Bellamy - First Assistant Director, Lloyd Bacon - Director, William Lyon - Editor, Heinz Roemheld - Composer (Music Score), Morris W. Stoloff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Clay Campbell - Makeup, Charles Lawton - Cinematographer, James A. Crowe - Set Designer, Frank Tashlin - Screenwriter
Sally and Humphrey have just put a down payment on a house when Sally loses her receptionist job after accidentally destroying the switchboard. She applies for a Fuller Brush franchise, but needs a reference from her former employer, Harvey Simpson. Meanwhile, Harvey is in trouble with his wife because he's come home with a suitcoat smelling of Fuller Brush powder. Mrs. Simpson thinks her husband is having an affair, so Harvey calls Humphrey to have Sally go to his house and explain everything to his wife. With her reference letter depending on it, Sally goes to the house to find a bogus Mrs. Simpson and a dead body.
