When her father refuses to give her a job in his toothpaste company, Angela Twitchell sets out on her own in "Traveling Saleslady." She's going to prove him wrong, that the business world is not place for a woman. And does she ever in this film.
Joan Blondell plays Angela and Grant Mitchell plays her dad, Rufus. While billed as a comedy romance, this film hardly has any of the latter, and very little of the former. Angela teams up with Elmer, played by Hugh Herbert, who has invented unique flavored toothpastes. She then offers the product to her dad's competitor, with the proviso that she still owns the product and gets to go on the road to sell it.
That she does, much to the consternation of her dad's top salesman, Pat O'Connor (played by William Gargan), for whom Angela has eyes. A very good supporting cast of various characters contribute to this film. It was a glowing tribute to "women's lib" long before that movement of the late 1960s. Indeed, Hollywood made any number of movies ahead of that time in which women were cast in business and professional roles. Some were comedies - much better than this one, and others were dramas, mysteries and other genres.
As a comedy, "Traveling Saleslady" just isn't very funny. It has very little humorous dialog. And the funny situations are light at best. Part of the problem may be with Blondell herself. She was a favorite for lead roles at Warner Brothers during the Golden Era, especially comedy. But in this genre she always seemed to have one face - a wide-eyed, perky, smiling, agreeable, go get-em persona. So, when the dialog, action or scene doesn't mesh with that persona, what otherwise would be funny is a thud or just a pass over.
Here are a couple of the few good lines in this film.
Harry, "Is that you, Claudette?" Claudette, "Errr, ya got me. How are ya, Harry?" Harry, "Oh, me, I'm pretty OK, uh, except I caught cold last Tuesday. No, maybe it was Wednesday." Claudette, "Well, try to remember. I must know." Harry, "Let me see. My birthday was on Tuesday..." Claudette, "You sure?" Harry, "No.... no, when did I catch cold?" Claudette, "Listen, Harry, when you do remember, telephone me."
Martha, "Pat, pat!" Pat, "What do you want?" Martha, "I wanna go to Niagara Falls." Pat, "Can you swim?" Martha, "No, but I can cook."
Joan Blondell plays Angela and Grant Mitchell plays her dad, Rufus. While billed as a comedy romance, this film hardly has any of the latter, and very little of the former. Angela teams up with Elmer, played by Hugh Herbert, who has invented unique flavored toothpastes. She then offers the product to her dad's competitor, with the proviso that she still owns the product and gets to go on the road to sell it.
That she does, much to the consternation of her dad's top salesman, Pat O'Connor (played by William Gargan), for whom Angela has eyes. A very good supporting cast of various characters contribute to this film. It was a glowing tribute to "women's lib" long before that movement of the late 1960s. Indeed, Hollywood made any number of movies ahead of that time in which women were cast in business and professional roles. Some were comedies - much better than this one, and others were dramas, mysteries and other genres.
As a comedy, "Traveling Saleslady" just isn't very funny. It has very little humorous dialog. And the funny situations are light at best. Part of the problem may be with Blondell herself. She was a favorite for lead roles at Warner Brothers during the Golden Era, especially comedy. But in this genre she always seemed to have one face - a wide-eyed, perky, smiling, agreeable, go get-em persona. So, when the dialog, action or scene doesn't mesh with that persona, what otherwise would be funny is a thud or just a pass over.
Here are a couple of the few good lines in this film.
Harry, "Is that you, Claudette?" Claudette, "Errr, ya got me. How are ya, Harry?" Harry, "Oh, me, I'm pretty OK, uh, except I caught cold last Tuesday. No, maybe it was Wednesday." Claudette, "Well, try to remember. I must know." Harry, "Let me see. My birthday was on Tuesday..." Claudette, "You sure?" Harry, "No.... no, when did I catch cold?" Claudette, "Listen, Harry, when you do remember, telephone me."
Martha, "Pat, pat!" Pat, "What do you want?" Martha, "I wanna go to Niagara Falls." Pat, "Can you swim?" Martha, "No, but I can cook."