Show Girl in Hollywood

This is surprisingly so much better than you'd expect. Being a very early talkie I was expecting a creaky and stilted museum curiosity rather than a normal entertaining little picture. It does have quite an old feel to it but as soon as you've realigned your perspective - and you like early 30s movies of course - you'll enjoy this.

Like a lot of films from this tumultuous time in Hollywood, the story is beautifully pure with characters which are fairly one-dimensional, there simply to tell the story. There's not much depth to these people, there's no great meaning hidden in the plot - it's just a sweet, fun and happy little story made to entertain you. In 1930, The Depression hadn't quite kicked in yet so unlike what we see in Zanuck's Warner Brothers which this studio was just about to evolve into, there's no struggle for survival, triumph against corruption, gangsters or girls forced into prostitution. This is purely about a pretty girl trying to make it in Hollywood.

The star is Alice White has to be one of the prettiest actresses the world has ever seen. She had a reputation however of being nothing more than a pretty face but a pretty poor actress. After watching this a few might agree but most I think most won't. Nobody, including herself, would ever consider her a great actress but she's perfect in something like this. She's a 'modern day' princess in a 'modern day' fairytale. Alice White herself was a 1920s showgirl who had actually made it in Hollywood. I don't think she was badly acting this character, this was who she was, this was her own character. Some might have found her bubbly, girly girl persona irritating but I think she was lovely.

Is this a good film? No. Is it a good example of a 1930s musical? Definitely not! Is it worth watching? Yes, and not just to see the loveliness that was Alice White, if you like old movies, it's fascinating to watch an early talkie about making early talkies. It's also reasonably well made - it's not one Mervyn LeRoy would put on the top of his CV but he keeps your interest and doesn't waste a single frame.

Cast aside all your cynicism and just enjoy!

Some years ago, I bought the novel for 25 cents in a library book sale. It was obviously published as a movie tie-in since it contained tantalizing stills from the film. Since I could not find a listing in any of the popular film guides, I presumed it was another "lost film" until I caught it on cable earlier this month. In this context, the quality of the film was irrelevant and I agree it was slow-going. The exception was Blanche Sweet-- a name entirely unknown to me until this film. Her performance was both understated and devastating, delineating the soul-rending panic that aging Hollywood actresses must still feel today. It's an odd feeling to be moved by performance that was filmed 70 years ago: I'm glad I wasn't alone in appreciating its underlying desperation.

If you're fascinated by early "talkie" musicals, this should be considered a must-see. There's a lot to like about it, most especially, its three lead performers (Alice White, Jack Mulhall and Blanche Sweet). Alice White is adorable as 'Dixie Dugan'--and is ably assisted by Mulhall as her steadfast beau. Mulhall is largely forgotten today, though he shows a fresh naturalness in an era when many actors seemed strait-jacketed by the new technology of sound (the fact that Mulhall had already been acting in films for over 20 years when this one was made may have helped!). Blanche Sweet has some touching moments as the premature 'has-been' actress, 'Donnie Harris'. The film moves along fairly briskly, under the direction of Mervyn LeRoy (in one of his earliest feature film directing assignments). I was struck by the scoring of the film, too. It effectively uses the featured tunes in different variations that are unusually subtle for that era (presumably, scored by Leo Forbstein). The 'big finale' is fairly typical of early talkie musicals--and one can imagine how much more effective it must have been when it was originally released in early Technicolor (no color copy of the final reel is known to exist). All-in-all, a pleasant and appealing little film that's surely worth a peek.

An early cautionary tale about the business of Hollywood and what it does to young women, and a film that's a vehicle for both Alice White and Vitaphone technology. It's not going to blow you away with its plot, as it's been done countless times, and much better too. The comedy elements in the script are weak, and you can see events coming long before they happen. However, there were enough other little elements in the film that it held my interest.

Some of those little extras include seeing Hollywood sights of the era, such as the Roosevelt Hotel (which is still there), the Café Montmartre, and the early studio lots. We also get a brief yet fascinating look into the process of making films during this period, with the Vitaphone technology (sound recorded on a separate disk) requiring noisy film cameras to be housed in soundproof booths. That's the main reason early sound films often appear so stagey, with a static camera - they were in these kinds of booths. Lastly, we get a film premier and red carpet cameo appearances from Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler, Loretta Young, and Noah Beery Sr. and Jr.

Unfortunately, as svelte and adorable as Alice White is with her Betty Boop eyes, she's not very strong at delivering her lines. Her best moments come while sashaying out of a giant clown face on stage and singing "I've Got My Eye on You" at about the 40 minute point, otherwise, don't expect much. Easily upstaging her is Blanche Sweet, who is wonderful as the has-been starlet (lol at age 34), looking at the newcomer with a sigh and a warning. She's the only good actor in the cast, and conveys real melancholy through her eyes and the way she moves. As this was her penultimate film after a career spanning 21 years (aside from a small part in 1959's The Five Pennies), there is a special meaning to everything she does here.

Overall, certainly not a great film, and one that could be easily skipped, so I'm probably rounding it up based on my love for the era, and for Blanche Sweet.

Show Girl in Hollywood tells the story of a young girl, Dixie Dugan (Alice White), who is lured to Hollywood by the empty promises of a pompous film director (John Miljan). Her boyfriend (Jack Mulhall) is not too keen on the idea. Once there, she soon realizes who empty the director's promises were. She meets and becomes friends with Donny Harris (Blanche Sweet), a once popular film star. Dixie does get her break but ruins things by getting temperamental. In the process, she also ruins Donny's chances for a comeback, who then attempts suicide. She is saved and Dixie realizes her selfishness and convinces the studio bosses to "go on with the picture", for Donny's sake.

Oh what a treat! This movie was one of the first to attempt to show Hollywood as it really was--and it ended up being pretty true to life. Dashed hopes, lecherous directors, ex-stars brushed aside. The "behind-the-scenes" look of portions of the film gives the viewer a glimpse of film-making in the early talkie days. The "I've Got My Eye on You" production number has a catchy tune and even made me want to sing and dance myself! Alice White is good as the young, hopeful show girl of the title. Most notable is Blanche Sweet's excellent performance as the washed-up silent star. Her near-death scene is extremely moving and recalls some of Miss Sweet's own past glories. Mervyn LeRoy's direction keeps things moving along and it all comes together beautifully. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this one!