Review of Valley of the Dolls (1967) by Irvin C — 09 Aug 2013

This film wants to have its cake and eat it too. It's clearly a rather trashy, campy soap opera that's a bit naughty (for its time) but it also seems to want to be taken seriously as a drama. It's about three women struggling the ups and downs of show business: the sex, the booze, the drugs.

It's pretty racy and shocking at the time but fairly tame now (It could get away with a PG-13, quite frankly). It's a tad overlong and the drama is kind of blah. There are fun, campy bits but they come and go.

It's gorgeously shot and designed though. Entertaining and watchable but not a must-see.