ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

twhiteson Otto Preminger's 1952 film noir, "Angel Face," is credited as being British actress Jean Simmons' American film debut. "Angel Face" had Simmons starring alongside Robert Mitchum in a story about sexual obsessions, murder, and insanity. However, RKO had already teamed-up Mitchum and Simmons for this silly film which was actually shot before "Angel Face," but not released until two years later. Upon seeing both of them as part of TCM's marathon birthday tribute to Ms. Simmons, it's very understandable why this film was put on the back-burner to allow "Angel Face" to be her American debut. "She Couldn't Say No" was just too lightweight (and terrible) a vehicle to be her introduction to American audiencesThe plot: "Corby Lane" (Simmons) is a 21 yr old oil heiress who has just returned home to the United States after spending years in English finishing schools. (Apparently, the producers felt that they had to explain Ms. Simmons' English accent.) With her inheritance in hand, she decides her first order of business is to pay back a debt of gratitude to the inhabitants of a tiny, rural Arkansas town who did her a kindness when she was a small child. So, she sets-out in a fancy new vehicle and designer wardrobe to Progress, Ark. where she intends to play secret Santa for all its long-term residents.Of course, her good intentions lead to all sort of unintended consequences with her learning some harsh lessons about cause-and-effect. A lot of lessons are taught to her by the ultra-smooth town doctor, "Robert Sellers" (Mitchum), who quickly both exasperates her and charms her seamed stockings off.The residents of Progress, Ark. are Hollywood archetypes of rural "hayseeds" played by a who's who of then Hollywood character actors who specialized in playing folksy, country bumpkins such as Edgar Buchanan and Arthur Hunnicutt. They sit on the porch of the general store, drink moonshine, and barter in pigs and chickens.Mitchum looks decidedly uncomfortable playing a down-home, country doctor who extols small town values while repeatedly lecturing Miss Lane about her "idiotic" attempts to help the local yokels. (Today, most of Mitchum's dialogue would be decried as "man-splaining.") Dr. Sellers comes across as smug and condescending. Yet, he has no problem attracting seemingly every good looking young women in the vicinity including Miss Lane.This was supposed to be a frothy romantic comedy. The comedy was to be provided by Ms. Simmons playing a fish-out-of-water and by showing the "humorous" consequences of her misguided attempts to be generous, but instead they only garner maybe a few tepid chuckles. Meanwhile, her scenes with Mitchum were supposed to generate the romance, but instead Dr. Sellers' constant lecturing her as to her "idiocy" makes one wonder why she didn't just tell him off.The ONLY reason to watch this utterly forgettable film is Jean Simmons. Essentially, it's a little over 90 minutes of her looking absolutely adorable which she does extremely well. Anytime she's not in a scene, the film just dies and unfortunately there are too many scenes without her. (I think she looks unbelievably cute with short hair, but clearly the producers of "Angel Face" did not which is why she wore an ill-fitting wig for that film.)In sum: Jean Simmons' beauty can overcome a lot of faults, but it cannot overcome this film's throwaway, feather-light plot and Mitchum's miscasting. I gave it an extra star because Ms. Simmons was just so incredibly cute.

blanche-2 Jean Simmons is the "she" in "She Couldn't Say No," a Howard Hughes film released in 1954 but probably made earlier. Simmons stars with Robert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicut, Edgar Buchanan, and Wallace Ford.Simmons plays Corby Lane, who as a child developed an illness and needed an operation her father could not pay for. The small Arkansas town she lived in took up a collection to send her to St. Louis and get the surgery she needed. Now, she's an adult and is returning to the town to show her appreciation.Her first stop is to see the doctor who diagnosed her and sent her to St. Louis, Dr. Sellers, but he's gone and has been replaced by his hunky son Dr. Sellers (Mitchum). There's an attraction, but Corby -- who hasn't given anyone her real name -- notices that the doc has a few girlfriends.She starts her giving by sending people things that she believes they need. They don't. She actually causes more problems than she solves. Then she decides to anonymously mail money (probably $5000 which in those days was a great deal of money - heck, I'd take it now). As soon as the news gets out, people drive in from all over the country hoping to get some nice mail like that. Meanwhile, the town residents are planning to leave and seek greener pastures.Kind of a strange movie - first of all, Jean Simmons was such a beautiful woman, yet her hair in this film is most distracting as it looks like it was cut with a weed whacker. Also the character she plays is kind of annoying. Just think - Audrey Hepburn did Roman Holiday and Sabrina while Simmons did this.Simmons and Mitchum make a great couple with lots of chemistry, as they did in the superior Angel Face. Mitchum is very sexy and Simmons does the best job she can with the material. The supporting cast is terrific, and the surroundings do evoke a small town atmosphere.This was Lloyd Bacon's last film, and what a comedown from 42nd Street! It's a ragged script that needed a little more development.I've always been a big fan of Jean Simmons and felt that she indeed lost out to Audrey Hepburn once she started working in the United States. Hepburn was a warmer actress, but I think Simmons had more range. Just an opinion.Okay if you're a Mitchum fan, as he comes off the best here.

Paularoc Given that this movie starred one of my favorite actors – Mitchum – and a couple of my favorite character actors – Ford and Hunnicutt – I was surprised how much I disliked it. The premise is promising: a wealthy young woman (Simmons) returns to the small town of Progress, Arkansas where as a small child the town's people saved her life by raising the money for an operation she needed. She wants to repay them by anonymously making their financial dreams come true. Upon arriving in Progress, she first looks for the doctor most responsible for saving her life and finds that he has died and his son has taken over the practice. Mitchum's character is an easy- going country doctor with an innate kindness and pleasing manner. The Simmons character is completely unlikable – egocentric to an amazing degree. Her "kindnesses" are not really kind and are done with the arrogance of one who is sure that she knows best regardless of all indications to the contrary. Her later speech of contriteness sounds phony. Mitchum walks through his part but at least is someone one actually would like to know. All of the character actors do a marvelous job, but my favorite scene was that of Dabbs Greer as a new father carrying his just born daughter into his wife and telling her "thank you." It was so touching. Greer nailed this scene perfectly. Even so, this is one movie I won't be watching again.

SumBuddy-3 I just couldn't get over the character of Jean Simmons being portrayed as someone you were supposed to care for, but during the entire film she treats everyone she meets with such a superiority complex. A town of less than 200, and she's honking her horn for a bellboy at a boarding house, calling a doctor on an emergency Bell, simply because she wants to talk to him. It goes on and on, and in the end she gets the guy and comes out on top? Her little speech to explain why she was giving away money, was meaningless and going nowhere, until Mitchum diverts everyone's attention with a punch to a spectator. Terrible stuff. Robert Mitchum is essentially wasted trying to counterpunch her irritating character. Again, not my cup of tea