The Hucksters Reviews

Madison Avenue ad agencies, radio commercials, and bigshot businessmen all got a lashing in this glossy drama. Gable plays a predictable rabble-rouser, Kerr the genteel society girl, Gardner the showbiz siren. It's all fairly predictable, a notch above MGM formula stuff, stolen by the expansive Greenstreet's egomania. Gable at first was not interested in doing this film but MGM toned down the hard-hitting best-seller by Wakeman and softened Gable's character to the point where he maintained some scruples at the finish. He approved of both his leading ladies and was particularly fond of Gardner. Kerr had been in films for about six years; this was touted as her first American film by MGM. Although effective in her role, few thought she would ever reach the superstar status that would come with later films such as FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer was convinced Kerr would make it to the top and it was he who suggested a line the studio used in its advertisements for THE HUCKSTERS when listing her name: "Deborah Kerr (rhymes with `star')."