The Great American Beauty Contest is a revealing 1973 ‘ABC Movie of the Week’ that attempts to pull back the shimmering curtain on the intense, high-stakes world of competitive pageantry.
It captures a specific cultural moment in the early 1970s, showcasing the ambition, the rivalries, and the sheer pressure placed upon the young women striving for the coveted national crown.
The story unfolds backstage at a major beauty pageant, focusing less on the televised glamour and more on the fraught drama lurking beneath the surface.
The narrative introduces a varied cast of characters, from the seasoned veterans steering the competition to the hopeful contestants themselves.
Eleanor Parker plays a key figure, perhaps a former winner or a chaperone, who understands the ruthless mechanics of the industry.
Her perspective contrasts sharply with the elegant, often cynical, presence of Louis Jourdan, whose involvement in the contest hints at the influential power brokers who manipulate the pageant from behind the scenes.
The central tension, however, belongs to the contestants.
The film is a significant time capsule, featuring early-career performances from future recognizable names.
Farrah Fawcett as Miss Texas, Tracy Reed as Miss New Jersey, Joanna Cameron as Miss Oklahoma and Barbi Benton as Miss Iowa portray several of the ambitious young women, each employing different strategies—from calculated sweetness to fierce determination—to edge out the competition.
Susan Anton appears as the most recent Great American Beauty winner.
Their paths intersect with figures like Larry Wilcox, who navigates the periphery of the event, possibly as an earnest reporter or a pageant staffer witnessing the complex politics firsthand.
As the final evening approaches, the drama escalates with rumors of sabotage, scandalous secrets, and manipulative tactics, demonstrating that the fight for the crown is far from a fair-play event.
The Great American Beauty Contest starring Farrah Fawcett (Photo/ABC Circle Films)
Reception for The Great American Beauty Contest
In The New York Times review from Feb. 13, 1973, Howard Thompson said “So much radiant sop oozes from television’s traditional beauty pageants that up to a point a made‐for‐TV movie called The Great American Beauty Contest can be taken seriously as a kind of healthy antidote. But only up to a point.”
Peter Hanson wrote on Every70sMovie that “Like so many things bearing the Aaron Spelling brand name, this brisk TV movie about backstage intrigue at a fictional beauty contest is the equivalent of junk food—it tastes good at first, but regret kicks in almost immediately.”
Legacy
The film’s legacy is tied to its status as a quintessential piece of 70s tele-cinema and a key early showcase for its ensemble cast, many of whom became cultural icons.
While the movie may now feel dated in its presentation of gender dynamics and media scrutiny, it provides an insightful glimpse into the societal obsession with feminine beauty and perfection that dominated the era.
The Great American Beauty Contest offers a dramatic look at the price of perfection and the intense desire to win, no matter the cost.
