The only Western director George Cukor ever made, HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS is a comedy about show business with satirical commentary on the Western genre. The film, based on a novel by Louis L'Amour and full of witty exchanges and a striking visual style, concerns a vaudeville troupe that stays one step ahead of the bill collector as it tours the frontier circa 1880. The central premise finds ringleaders Angela Rossini (Sophia Loren) and Tom Healy (Anthony Quinn) needing a more flamboyant act than normal in order to entertain the citizens of the wild West. The film and the novel are based upon the unconventional theatrical career of Adah Isaacs Menken, whose perennial equestrian role became legendary in the 19th century. HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS was Walter Bernstein's first script since he was blacklisted in the 1950s, and his efforts, together with a fine score and impressive cinematography, helped Cukor capture a legendary era.