It seemed in the late 30s every other mother thought their child was a potential Shirley Temple. With her huge popularity there was an influx of bossy stage mothers with their mostly untalented children camping outside studio gates.
Leslie Howard plays Atterbury Dodd, a conservative accountant bought in by the bank (that is holding the mortgage) to see if he can find out why Colossal Studios are going broke. He comes to Hollywood and finds talentless stars, hack photographers and syncophants galore. On arrival he is accosted by Elvira, a Shirley Temple "wannabe" pushed by her harmonica playing mother. It is a hilarious scene when the mother asks if Elvira can show him more of her act, Atterbury responds "Don't you think Elvira's done enough!!!"
He decides to stay at Mrs Mack's boarding house so he can get some "fresh air". Lester Plum (Joan Blondell) a "stand-in", also stays there - she tries to put him wise to Hollywood ways. "I was the Shirley Temple of my day" "Who is Shirley Temple? - I've heard that name a lot today"!!!
He finds extravagance everywhere - Koslofski (Alan Mowbray) rejecting a paper edelweiss flower in favour of a real one - even though he has to import one from Switzerland!!! Director Doug Kincaid (Humphrey Bogart) has to deal with Thelma (Marla Shelton), a temperamental actress who is his ex fiancée. Along with his faithful companion Max (a Scotch Terrier) he is trying to do the best he can in a sea of mediocrity. An injoke - when Atterbury first meets Kincaid, Kincaid is swinging a tennis raquet - Humphrey Bogart is said to have introduced the immortal line "tennis, anyone" in a 1920s Broadway play.
After an advance screening of "Sex and Satan" - it is considered a "dog". Atterbury decides to remake the movie as a comedy. He brings back Kincaid to direct, he takes Thelma out on the town so he can get her drunk and invoke the morals clause in her contract and terminate it. The movie ends pretty quickly but you know what is going to happen.
A young Jack Carson has the role of the obnoxious Mr. Potts. Mary McLaren, a leading lady of early silent days, plays Naomi, a woman in the boarding house who is insulted by the "extra" work she is offered. Charles Middleton ("Ming the Merciless" from "Flash Gordon") plays a gentleman at the boarding house dressed for when he is going to be offered the role of Abraham Lincoln. He tells Naomi to hold out for a bigger role.
Recommended.
Leslie Howard plays Atterbury Dodd, a conservative accountant bought in by the bank (that is holding the mortgage) to see if he can find out why Colossal Studios are going broke. He comes to Hollywood and finds talentless stars, hack photographers and syncophants galore. On arrival he is accosted by Elvira, a Shirley Temple "wannabe" pushed by her harmonica playing mother. It is a hilarious scene when the mother asks if Elvira can show him more of her act, Atterbury responds "Don't you think Elvira's done enough!!!"
He decides to stay at Mrs Mack's boarding house so he can get some "fresh air". Lester Plum (Joan Blondell) a "stand-in", also stays there - she tries to put him wise to Hollywood ways. "I was the Shirley Temple of my day" "Who is Shirley Temple? - I've heard that name a lot today"!!!
He finds extravagance everywhere - Koslofski (Alan Mowbray) rejecting a paper edelweiss flower in favour of a real one - even though he has to import one from Switzerland!!! Director Doug Kincaid (Humphrey Bogart) has to deal with Thelma (Marla Shelton), a temperamental actress who is his ex fiancée. Along with his faithful companion Max (a Scotch Terrier) he is trying to do the best he can in a sea of mediocrity. An injoke - when Atterbury first meets Kincaid, Kincaid is swinging a tennis raquet - Humphrey Bogart is said to have introduced the immortal line "tennis, anyone" in a 1920s Broadway play.
After an advance screening of "Sex and Satan" - it is considered a "dog". Atterbury decides to remake the movie as a comedy. He brings back Kincaid to direct, he takes Thelma out on the town so he can get her drunk and invoke the morals clause in her contract and terminate it. The movie ends pretty quickly but you know what is going to happen.
A young Jack Carson has the role of the obnoxious Mr. Potts. Mary McLaren, a leading lady of early silent days, plays Naomi, a woman in the boarding house who is insulted by the "extra" work she is offered. Charles Middleton ("Ming the Merciless" from "Flash Gordon") plays a gentleman at the boarding house dressed for when he is going to be offered the role of Abraham Lincoln. He tells Naomi to hold out for a bigger role.
Recommended.