Valley of the Dolls

Jacqueline Susann hated this film version of her blockbuster novel Valley of the Dolls. Funnily enough, she appears in the film herself in a cameo role as a television reporter. Watching this film, you can see the reason for novelist's complaints. Whereas the novel made for compulsive, absorbing reading, the movie is more blandly glossy. It's all stylish surface.

Not to say that that's a bad thing. The film now has camp status. It's worth watching alone for Susan Hayward's portrayal of uber-bitch Helen Lawson. In one extraordinary scene Helen Lawson has a fight with Neely O'Hara (played by Patty Duke) and let's just say, the wigs go flying.


If you're ever at a swishy gay cocktail party you don't want to be caught short by not having this seen this movie. However, the original novel, which showcases Jacqueline Susann's extraordinary ear for showbiz and insider dialogue (she herself worked as a B grade actress for years) is worth a look into.