The Hucksters

Victor Norman, Clark Gable, is a World War II veteran who returns home with a determination to reenter the radio advertising field, yet he doesn’t want to appear desperate. To project casual disinterest, he splurges a few dollars and ends up with only fifty to his name, then spends part of his journey to a crucial interview at the Kimberly Advertising Agency on a hand-painted necktie to seem earnest. A chaotic phone call from Evan Llewellyn Evans, the feared head of the agency’s biggest client, Beautee Soap, disrupts his plans, and Victor seizes the moment by proposing a clandestine strategy: recruit Kay Dorrance, Deborah Kerr, a poised widow of aristocratic British birth and the widow of a U.S. general, to spearhead a Beautee Soap campaign aimed at Manhattan’s social elite.

Victor lands a needless-but-clever appointment by pretending to represent the Charity League, and in the meeting he quickly wins Kay over with his mix of confidence and charm. The real work begins at the photo shoot, where the art director’s bold concept—an intimate depiction in a negligee—is vetoed by Victor. He pushes for a more dignified image: Kay portrayed in an evening gown, surrounded by her children, a tableau that feels real and respectful to her life. The next day, Evans and Mr. Kimberly confront the changes, yet Victor’s overnight radio commercial plays perfectly for them, and Evans announces that Victor has earned the job. The alliance is charged with electricity as Victor finds himself drawn to Kay, and a double date with the Kimballs deepens the personal stakes.

At a nightclub, a chance encounter with Jean Ogilvie, Ava Gardner—a torch singer and a former flame—stirs old passions and tests Victor’s commitment to Kay. To smooth things over, he invites Kay on a romantic Connecticut getaway, hoping the change of scenery will heal any lingering doubt. But the trip backfires when they discover the property has changed hands, and they’re assigned adjoining rooms with a connecting door. A sense of disillusionment settles over Kay, who leaves in frustration, her faith in Victor shaken.

Back in the mix of deals and deadlines, Evans pushes for a new radio variety show featuring Buddy Hare, Keenan Wynn, a volatile comedian with a string of tired jokes. Victor agrees to secure Hare by maneuvering Lash, Dave Lash, Edward Arnold, who will be leaving on an evening train, into the arrangement. Before the departure, a visit to Kay’s home makes the personal stakes clear once more; a train ride with Jean renews a complicated tug-of-war between past and present, and Victor enlists Jean’s help to seal the deal with Hare at a lower price. Lash, sensing the ruse, chooses to honor the bargain, even as he suspects manipulation.

The project moves to Hollywood, where Victor and his team assemble the show, but Hare is kept off the air due to his abrasive humor. A dinner with Jean rekindles the chemistry, yet Victor’s heart remains tethered to Kay. Returning to Kay after the trip, he recognizes that his affection for her runs deeper than ambition, and the two share a quiet reconciliation. Victor visualizes himself as a provider who can blend practicality with taste for Kay and her children, and this new self-image becomes a compass for his choices.

Yet the path to success proves morally fraught when a legal snag threatens the Hare contract. Victor, driven by the pressure of numbers and deadlines, uses innuendo and implied pressure against Lash to secure the deal, a decision he immediately regrets. He returns to New York to pitch the updated show to Evans, only to find that the old tactic—groveling for a break—no longer suits him. He confronts Evans, condemning the way the system operates, and chooses to walk away from the pressure to conform.

Outside, Kay waits in her car, and Victor delivers a candid verdict about their future: they will postpone marriage until he can establish financial stability. She retorts that money is not everything, as long as he can sell with dignity and taste, and in a symbolic final gesture, he tosses his last scraps of change into the street. The moment signals a fresh start—an honest partnership built on mutual respect rather than merely chasing success, and a quiet affirmation that their journey forward will be defined by integrity and shared dreams, not just the next big campaign.

Last Updated: December 13, 2025 at 08:21