Four Girls in Town

Actor Judson Pratt IS credited.

Art Direction by Alexander Golitzen and "Haworth". It can be assumed this is Ted Haworth.

Music Supervision by Joseph Gershenson; "Rhapsody for Four Girls" composed by Alex North

Assistant Director: Dick Maybery (one "r")

CinemaScope/Technicolor.

Credits above are from the film print itself.

Also, I have tried MANY times to get this credit added - to no avail: Jose Ferrer appears UNCREDITED as a movie director in this film.

From its animated opening credits to the presence of such icons as George Nader and Julie Adams, this is one of those movies which could only have come out of the 1950s. It's glossy, it's superficial, it's utterly unconvincing in its depiction of behind-the-cameras Hollywood, and yet it has the sort of entertaining, audience-pleasing quality which a number of current movies seem to have lost. Of the four women who come to Hollywood via a talent search, each gets involved in a subplot which is neatly tied up before the final fade-out. Gia Scala gets lost in the shuffle but the other three women come across well, especially Elsa Martinelli who dominates every scene she's in with a slightly over-the-top performance. She and Julie Adams and Marianne Cook all have swimsuit scenes but Gia Scala does not.

George Nader also has a swimsuit scene but the other two "hunks" whom Universal was grooming for stardom -- John Gavin and Grant Williams -- do not.

Very little is actually shown of the film-making process and what is depicted is almost laughably unconvincing. Hollywood has always had a problem in filming "Hollywood" and this curio from the 1950s is no exception.

An fine example of the sort of film that isn't made anymore. Studio engineered vehicle to spotlight a crop of its newest and most promising contract players.

The men are more or less disposable and none had careers of much distinction, though John Gavin had a good run of leads in the late 50's/early 60's. Too bad he was such a mechanical actor he certainly had the looks of a leading man.

Likewise none of the ladies ever made it to major stardom but all reached some level of renown in their native countries and all four are incredibly beautiful. The lone American, Julie Adams in particular had a very successful 60 year long career as a respected performer. Martinelli had a brief Hollywood run and a decent career in Italy as did Koch once she returned to Germany. Even the ill-fated but exquisite Gia Scala had some memorable roles before her personal problems ruined her career and life.

Here they all get their moment to shine in a story that was probably old hat in silents, the plucky actresses who have to compete for a crack at the big time. It's lush, plush and pretty empty with some outdated 50's sensibilities but if you like films made with exceptional care with that old studio sheen this is one worthy checking out.

This Hollywood drama begins with a world-wide search for an actress to play the title role in an upcoming epic "The Story of Esther", since Manning Studios is having issues with their temperamental star Rita Holloway (Helene Stanton). Four are finally chosen: an Austrian (Marianne Cook (Koch)), an Italian (Elsa Martinelli), a Frenchwoman (Gia Scala) and an American (Julie Adams), all brunette beauties. There's some fascinating backstage, back-lot sequences, all shot on the Universal-International sets. Some of the women find love after some trials and tribulations. The men include George Nader, John Gavin, Sydney Chaplin, Grant Williams, Maurice Marsac. There's also an unexpected denouement at the end. The story receives tremendous boost by being photographed in color and Cinemascope (although I haven't seen it in widescreen). The day and night beach scenes are striking, the music by Alex North is fascinating, costumes by Rosemary Odell beautiful. The supporting cast is filled with familiar faces, all excellent, with Mabel Albertson in particular a standout as Adams' pushy stage mother.

This is a true sleeper of a "B" film. It is a film about Hoillywood filmmakers by Hollywood filmmakers--when there was still a "Hollywood"--comprised of studios and people who tried, on whatever level of ideas--to be professional about participating in a marketplace of a sort relating to talents, scripts, films, advertising and selling of these to ticket buyers. There are several strands of story at work in this narrative. A studio sexpot, "friend" of a producer, wants a part in a classic drama for which she unsuited; she balks at her assignment, so the studio's heads then decide to conduct a talent search, inviting four actresses to test for the part a la Gone With the Wing, to generate publicity. . A young studio functionary directs their visit and screen tests, one who want to be allowed to direct eventually. And we learn about the four hopefuls and get to see their progress and their reactions to Hollywood. George Nader plays Mike, the young director; the four girls are Julie Adams, Marianne Koch, Elsa Martinelli and Gia Scala. The men in their lives are Syndey Chaplin, Grant Williams, and John Gavin, as well as Nader. Jack Sher was both writer and director of this well- made Universal Studios' effort. Others in the large and interesting cast included Herbert Anderson, Hy Averback, Ainslie Pryor, Dave Barry, James Bell, Mabel Albertson, Maurice Marsac, Helene Stanto, Irene Corlett and Eugene Mazzola. Alexander North did the excellent music, Julia Heron the set decorations and Rosemary O'Dell the challenging costumes. The film is fascinatingly different, bright, and well-paced. The young cast is unusually-sincere and some such as Marianne Koch and Chaplin surprisingly good. The climax of course comes when the four aspirants face the studio heads' choice of a leading lady; some have already made life-choices before the announcement is made, others are paired off with the gentlemen; but the choice comes as a shock to all concerned--and life in a Hollywood of minds committing professional suicide through lack of clear definitions goes another step toward TV-hastened oblivion. This is a not a stylish nor a pretentious film; it is however intensely interesting as an "insider" film about Hollywood; and it is very entertaining as a presentation of characters and filmland types. recommended.

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