The Great American Beauty Contest


The Great American Beauty Contest is a 1973 American satirical comedy–drama television film, starring JoAnna Cameron, Eleanor Parker, Robert Cummings, Louis Jourdan and featuring Farrah Fawcett in an early film appearance.
It was directed by Robert Day and was originally shown on the anthology film series ABC Movie of the Week in the United States on February 13, 1973.

Plot

Feminist Gloria Rockwell enters a beauty contest, hoping to win and deliver a speech on exploitation and sexism at the end.
Meanwhile, pageant runners Peggy Lowery and Dan Carson have their own troubles. Peggy is displeased when lecherous movie producer Ralph Dupree attends as a last-minute replacement judge, and host Dan worries the contest will be rigged.
Each contestant has their own challenges: talented Miss Maine feels neglected by her father, naive Miss Ohio gets her first taste of the world beyond home, cynical Miss New Jersey feels marginalized as the lone African-American contestant, friendly Miss Utah is considered an also-ran, and vivacious Miss Texas's relationship with her boyfriend is tested when the contest forces them apart.
The pageant world is satirizes as the contestants rehearse with their chaperones and in preliminary stages. Ralph attempts to blackmail Peggy into arranging a liaison with Angelique to win the pageant, which is how Peggy got her first break.
Gloria, Pamela, Melinda, Angelique, and T L are the finalists. Ultimately, Gloria wins the pageant, but surprising her feminist friends and herself, tearfully accepts the crown.

Cast

Production

The film was announced in December 1972.
"It's turning out to be great camp", said Aaron Spelling during filming.

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called it "witty, perceptive."
The New York Times wrote "Even with some biting dialogue that often rings true, this drama... is essentially a sour‐tasting mess of pottage. "