Ugly men!

That was kind of a 1950's phenomenon. The big sexpots of the 1950's were usually teamed up with homely men (Tom Ewell, Hugo Haas, Karl Malden), nerdy men (David Wayne, Tony Randall, Donald O'Connor, Tommy Noonan), or if they were lucky, good-looking but way older men (Clark Gable, Robert Ryan, Gary Cooper, James Stewart). They were rarely cast opposite really sexy young actors who were their male counterparts like Jeffrey Hunter, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Guy Madison. Go through the filmographies of Jayne, Marilyn Monroe, Mamie Van Doren, Cleo Moore, Kim Novak, Carroll Baker, etc. and you see it over and over. I guess it's to make them seem "available" to the average joe of the era.

It was to make the average guys who went to the movies to see them feel like they had a chance. These movies were clearly targeted to young men or men in general. Women might be interested too but I don't think they were the main audience.


Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

I love this film, but they could have gotten Jack Lemmon for the Tom Ewell part, he could be very nerdy, but he was very attractive. He would have been great.