Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 3 (1942)
*** (out of 4)
Actress Hedda Hopper appeared in well over one-hundred movies from the silent era up to the early 40s when she pretty much retired and instead focused on radio and eventually television. HEDDA HOPPER'S Hollywood was a six part series that featured the former actress turning into a gossip columnist where she would report on various Hollywood parties and the stars that attended them. The benefit of these short films today are being able to see many famous faces including some who weren't captured on film too much during this period. It's also worth mentioning that rumor has it that Hopper was one of the biggest influences on the character Burt Lancaster played in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS.
Another nice entry in Hopper's series that gives us a look at various Hollywood types that we normally wouldn't get to see off the sets. We start off at Carl Spitz animal training school where we see how he trains the animals that we eventually see in the movies. Most interesting is one segment where we're shown how a dog and deer are made to "get along" so that they can film scenes together. We also get to take a peek at a couple dogs owned by Lana Turner. We then go on a hunting trip with Gary Cooper, Ernest Hemingway, their wives and Anna Boettiger. We get to see that Cooper was actually a very good shot and even Howard Hawks eventually shows up for the fun. Those against animals being killed might want to look away as some birds and rabbits are shot. Once again the greatest benefit of this short is simply getting to see the stars without the make up or on some studio lot doing a promotional piece for the company. I really enjoyed the footage of Cooper hunting, eating chili and apparently very relaxed out in the country. Fans of classic Hollywood will certainly want to check this one out.
