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{{Short description|1954 film by George Cukor}}
{{Distinguish|It Could Happen to You (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| image = It_Should_Happen_To_You_Movie_Poster_(1954).jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[George Cukor]]
| producer = [[Fred Kohlmar]]
| writer = [[Garson Kanin]]
| starring = [[Judy Holliday]]<br/>[[Peter Lawford]]<br/>[[Jack Lemmon]]<br/>[[Michael O'Shea (actor)|Michael O'Shea]]
| music = [[Frederick Hollander]]
| cinematography = [[Charles Lang]]
| editing = Charles Nelson
| studio = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| distributor = Columbia Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1954|01|15|New York City|1954|03||United States}}
| runtime = 87 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
|gross = $1.4 million<ref name="box">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety197-1955-01-05/page/n58/mode/1up|title=1954 Box Office Champs|magazine=Variety Weekly|date=January 5, 1955|page=59}} - figures are rentals in the US and Canada</ref>
| budget =
}}
'''''It Should Happen to You''''' is a 1954 American [[romantic comedy|romantic comedy film]] starring [[Judy Holliday]], [[Peter Lawford]] and [[Jack Lemmon]]; it was Lemmon's first major film appearance. The film was directed by [[George Cukor]], and partly filmed on ___location in New York City. Screenwriter [[Garson Kanin]] originally intended the script as a vehicle for [[Danny Kaye]], but Kanin's wife, [[Ruth Gordon]], suggested casting [[Judy Holliday]] instead. The title was initially ''A Name for Herself''.<ref>{{IMDb title|id=0047123|title=It Should Happen to You}}</ref>
Lemmon had a contentious meeting with studio boss [[Harry Cohn]], who feared that critics might use jokes about the name "Lemmon" in headlines panning the film. He wanted Lemmon to change his name to "Lennon". Lemmon countered that if he did that, people might confuse his name with "[[Lenin]]" and associate his name with communism—a legitimate concern in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/28/obituaries/jack-lemmon-academy-award-winning-actor-dies-at-76-2001062892218652797.html|title=Jack Lemmon, Academy Award Winning Actor, Dies at 76|work=-The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=June 28, 2001|access-date=April 2, 2019}}</ref>
== Plot ==
Gladys Glover
Wandering despondently, Gladys's attention is caught by a large billboard overlooking Columbus Circle that is available for rent. She has visions of her name on the billboard, and manages to secure it. Within a few days the sign is up and she is thrilled. However, it turns out the Adams Soap company has traditionally booked the sign and is upset to learn that another client has obtained it. She is called to a meeting where Evan Adams III attempts to induce her to give up the sign by offering her more money. Gladys is not interested. She is called to another meeting and is offered six signs in exchange for the one. This time, she accepts. Now, there are six huge signs in New York, one in lights, each saying simply "Gladys Glover".
== Awards ==▼
*The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design (Black-and-White). ▼
Meanwhile, Pete has taken an apartment adjacent to Gladys, and the two become friends. Pete is, however, exasperated by Gladys's fascination with her signs and her requests he tour the city with her to see them. City-goers are intrigued by the mysterious signs. Gladys shops in [[Macy's]] department store, and when she gives her name, the word spreads quickly and dozens of people flock to get her autograph.
*The film was also nominated for [[Writers Guild of America]] Award (Screen) for Best Written American Comedy.▼
Soon, Gladys is being asked to appear on television shows, where she is treated as a figure of fun. Pete is not pleased with her portrayal on television, but Gladys does not seem to realize that she is not being depicted in the most flattering light. As she becomes more known to the public, Evan Adams III hires her to do a series of advertisements for Adams Soap. While Gladys pursues what is becoming a lucrative career, relations between her and Pete become strained, as he sees no merit in her ambitions to be famous. At the same time, Adams is showing an increasing interest in her. The situation reaches a crisis when Gladys breaks a date with Pete and his parents in order to attend what Adams says is a business conference to discuss a cross-country publicity tour. The conference turns out to be an attempted seduction, and she leaves. When she arrives home she finds a film from Pete confessing that he loves her, and that the film is his farewell.
Gladys's advertising career continues, but she begins to find the jobs more humiliating, and their emptiness frustrating. She recalls Pete's frequent questions as to why she wants to be above the crowd instead of being happy as part of the crowd. When a plane is named after her by the USAF, she is asked to speak at a ceremony, but breaks off, realizing the truth behind Pete's words.
She finally resolves to end her quest for fame, and arranges for a plane to skywrite a message to Pete, which he reads while filming a crowd sequence in the zoo.
Ultimately, Gladys and Pete are married and while driving on their honeymoon discussing their future plans, Gladys's attention is caught by an empty billboard available for rent. Pete notices this and asks what she is looking at, and Gladys replies as she embraces him: "Nothing, absolutely nothing!"
==Cast==
* [[Judy Holliday]] as Gladys Glover
* [[Peter Lawford]] as Evan Adams III
* [[Jack Lemmon]] as Pete Sheppard
* [[Michael O'Shea (actor)|Michael O'Shea]] as Brod Clinton
* [[Vaughn Taylor (actor)|Vaughn Taylor]] as Entrikin
* [[Connie Gilchrist]] as Mrs. Riker
* Walter Klavun as Bert Piazza
* [[Whit Bissell]] as Robert Grau
* [[Constance Bennett]] as Herself, TV panelist
* [[Ilka Chase]] as Herself, TV panelist
* [[Wendy Barrie]] as Herself, TV panelist
* [[Melville Cooper]] as Dr. Manning, TV panelist
A teenage [[John Saxon]] also appears in the film, as an uncredited extra in Central Park.
==Reception==
On Rotten Tomatoes, this film holds a rating of 100%, based on eight reviews, indicating an encouraging response.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/it_should_happen_to_you/|title=It Should Happen to You|date=15 January 1954|work=rottentomatoes.com|access-date=12 October 2015}}</ref>
When the film appeared, [[Bosley Crowther]], writing in ''[[The New York Times]]'', called it "a neat piece of comic contrivance that will contribute to the joy of man" with "intelligence, compassion, and lots of gags." Holliday is "brilliantly droll", and the script "a compound of clever situation and broad but authentic character, wrapped up in free splurged emotions and witty, idiomatic dialogue." He said the role in which Jack Lemmon was cast, referring to him as the "new young man", was "played superbly".<ref>{{cite news|last=Crowther|first=Bosley|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1954/01/16/archives/the-screen-in-review-it-should-happen-to-you-starring-judy-holliday.html?auth=login-smartlock|title=' It Should Happen to You,' Starring Judy Holliday, Is New Comedy at State|work=The New York Times|date=January 16, 1954|access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>
The ''Brooklyn Eagle'' found it a "lightweight but plenty funny" film that "depends on inspired dialogue and the Judy Holliday personality for its appeal....Her dialogue ... always has an unexpected twist, and Judy handles it with her now famous skill. However, the story is so meager that the film leads a kind of void in its wake. It is more of a character study, if that term can be applied to a Judy Holliday film, than a plot-sized picture....It's
sophisticated and bright as it stands, but it could have been expanded into a more involved story without losing any of its comedy."<ref>"Judy Holliday, Dumb as Ever in New Loew's State Comedy". ''Brooklyn Eagle'', 16 January 1954.</ref>
The ''Buffalo Evening News'' was enthusiastic without reservation: "It is difficult to communicate the charm of 'It Should Happen to You' with a simple account of the story....If you think this is too thin for the most delightful comedy since 'Born Yesterday,' you reckon without its Lafayette star, Judy Holliday; its screenwright, Garson Kanin; and the wittiest director surviving the late Lubitsch, George Cukor."<ref>Smith, Ardis. "Another Triumph is Chalked up by Judy Holliday." ''Buffalo Evening News'', 17 April 1954.</ref>
▲* The film was also nominated for [[Writers Guild of America]] Award (Screen) for Best Written American Comedy.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{refbegin}}
▲*{{imdb title | id=0047123 | title=It Should Happen to You}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0047123|title=It Should Happen to You}}
* {{TCMDb title | id=235 | title=It Should Happen to You}}
* {{AFI film|id=51238|title=It Should Happen to You}}
{{refend}}
{{George Cukor}}
{{Garson Kanin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:It Should Happen To You}}
[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:
[[Category:1950s satirical films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about advertising]]
[[Category:Films directed by George Cukor]]
[[Category:Films scored by Friedrich Hollaender]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Garson Kanin]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]
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