In the mid thirties a few of the studios began putting some of the old time stars who were down on their luck under contract and using them in bit roles. With literally dozens of silent stars in featured roles (Mae Marsh, Esther Ralston) and bits (where to start - Francis X. Bushman, Charles Ray, Jane Novak, Betty Compson, Jack Mulhall) this is truly a movie lover's movie!!! Director Robert Florey had first come to Hollywood as a reporter for the French "Cinemagazine" to interview stars for a series of articles on Hollywood. He felt so at home, he stayed in Hollywood and his easy going and friendly nature made him many friends - so he always had an affinity with old Hollywood. He started his directorial career with a few experimental short films (the best of them was "A Hollywood Extra") and dotted through his features have been experimental camera shots (overhead angles in "The Cocoanuts") that make even his most economical features look pretty special.
In just 5 minutes into "Hollywood Boulevard" Florey shows, with some interesting shots of Sardis, The Trocadero, Grauhams Chinese Theatre and some outre camera angles, what it is like to be down and out in Hollywood. John Blakeford (John Halliday) is washed up - a sensational star of the silents, he cannot force himself to audition for "smaller parts, good bits or characters" - he still thinks he can compete with the big stars. When he is at rock bottom he meets Jordan Winslow (C. Henry Gordon), editor of a scandal rag "The Modern Truth", who wishes to write a series of articles about him, focusing on his love life. The payment of $25,000 sends John giddy with the thought that he is not forgotten and he will soon be at the top once more but he doesn't realise how scandalous the memoirs are going to be.
The joke is soon on Winslow as, unknown to him, his wife Alice (Frieda Inescourt) was one of Blakeford's old flames. Meanwhile Blakeford's daughter Patricia (pretty Marsha Hunt in one of her earliest movies) is upset at what the expose is doing to her mother, Carlotta (Mae Marsh, who sounds a bit like Billie Burke) and Blakeford, who has now been "rediscovered", is ashamed of the articles but Winslow is not ready to finish them off!!
The climax comes when John is left for dead by one of the many visitors to his house and there is a race to keep him alive so he can identify his assassin!!! Keeping with the "silent" theme, Florey also bought in Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton's old co-director and cameraman Karl Struss. Gary Cooper also makes a surprise appearance (he was one of the top stars at that time) as a well wisher at the bar. And last but not least Hyman Fink, photographer to the stars, played himself.
In just 5 minutes into "Hollywood Boulevard" Florey shows, with some interesting shots of Sardis, The Trocadero, Grauhams Chinese Theatre and some outre camera angles, what it is like to be down and out in Hollywood. John Blakeford (John Halliday) is washed up - a sensational star of the silents, he cannot force himself to audition for "smaller parts, good bits or characters" - he still thinks he can compete with the big stars. When he is at rock bottom he meets Jordan Winslow (C. Henry Gordon), editor of a scandal rag "The Modern Truth", who wishes to write a series of articles about him, focusing on his love life. The payment of $25,000 sends John giddy with the thought that he is not forgotten and he will soon be at the top once more but he doesn't realise how scandalous the memoirs are going to be.
The joke is soon on Winslow as, unknown to him, his wife Alice (Frieda Inescourt) was one of Blakeford's old flames. Meanwhile Blakeford's daughter Patricia (pretty Marsha Hunt in one of her earliest movies) is upset at what the expose is doing to her mother, Carlotta (Mae Marsh, who sounds a bit like Billie Burke) and Blakeford, who has now been "rediscovered", is ashamed of the articles but Winslow is not ready to finish them off!!
The climax comes when John is left for dead by one of the many visitors to his house and there is a race to keep him alive so he can identify his assassin!!! Keeping with the "silent" theme, Florey also bought in Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton's old co-director and cameraman Karl Struss. Gary Cooper also makes a surprise appearance (he was one of the top stars at that time) as a well wisher at the bar. And last but not least Hyman Fink, photographer to the stars, played himself.