After a failed audition, where she is recognized as a burlesque performer from the Gaiety Theatre, her manager and fiancé Mike Hannegan suggests she write an autobiography to project a more literate image and he hires Frederick Manly Gerard as a ghostwriter.

The Production Code Administration also strongly objected to the portrayal of the lead character as a stripper, and several screenplays submitted by the studio were rejected.

People, pretty generally, look up [sic] the business of the burlesque shows--and, more importantly, the strip tease--as, possibly, the very lowest form of public entertainment, and this same viewpoint is reflected in the reaction of the Censor Boards.

Another report from July 1945 mentioned that William Eythe was scheduled to play the "romantic lead," and Hazel Dawn was also listed as part of the cast.

[4] Bosley Crowther’s review in The New York Times of Doll Face describes the film as a disappointing production, failing to justify the hefty price paid by Twentieth Century-Fox for the rights to Louise Hovick's (Gypsy Rose Lee) literary effort.

The review points out that the screenplay is monotonous and riddled with grammatical errors, and that it brings no innovation or significant personality to the characters or the music.

Overall, Crowther’s review suggests that, despite being based on Hovick’s work, her talents were not well-utilized, and Doll Face is portrayed as a lifeless, colorless production lacking the boldness that defined burlesque at its peak.

[6] The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that "The film has its faults, chiefly technical... Dennis O'Keefe makes a handsome, hard-hitting manager and performs with great sincerity.

He begins by noting that, even with the use of Technicolor, the 20th Century Fox musical would be irredeemably dull, suggesting that no amount of vibrant color could save the film from its failure.

Viany criticizes the romance between Vivian Blaine and Dennis O'Keefe, calling it "so ridiculous that it’s almost pitiful," indicating that the romantic plot was poorly executed and unconvincing.

Regarding Carmen Miranda’s performance, Viany is harsh, stating that she "does nothing" in the film and that her makeup was "horribly done," reflecting dissatisfaction with both her appearance and her acting in the production.

"[9] In 1985, comedy troop LA Connection used Doll Face as episode 9 of its syndicated show Mad Movies, in which films were re-edited with a dubbed soundtrack.