Going Hollywood

1933, Movie, NR, 80 mins

starstarstarstar
Fluffy fun, featuring Crosby in his first MGM film and Davies in one of her best performances. She's an attractive French teacher who follows aspiring crooner Crosby to Hollywood to save him from the clutches of the egotistical D'Orsay. You can probably guess the rest. Director Walsh handled the production with the brisk pace that was to become his trademark. Crosby, in collegiate sweaters, spectator shoes and white golf pants, is the essence of the casual crooner. He sings one of his biggest early-day hits, "Temptation." The production was lavishly sponsored by Cosmopolitan Productions, the filmmaking arm of newspaper czar William Randolph Hearst, who allowed his leading lady and mistress Davies all the luxuries of an empress during the film's leisurely production schedule.

The literate and amusing screenplay was written by Stewart, a witty Hollywood scribe of the Robert Benchley school, and the supporting cast for GOING HOLLYWOOD is solid with Sparks as the cynical film director, Erwin as the bumbling producer, Hayton as the versatile pianist and conductor, and slapstick galore from scene-stealing, wisecracking Kelly in her film debut after several smashing successes on Broadway. The film, when finally released, was an enormous success and transformed Crosby into a top ten box-office attraction. leave a comment

Are You Watching?
Going Hollywood
Loading ...
Advertisement

Advertisement