Breakfast in Hollywood

To demand greatness of a film like this is to misunderstand the function of a programmer. Breakfast in Hollywood is popcorn for the mind, a pleasant interlude with some great characters actors (ZaSu Pitts, Beulah Bondi, Billie Burke, Raymond Walburn, Hedda Hopper) and a chance to see Nat "King" Cole and the King Cole Trio on the screen very early in his career (though carefully segregated from the rest of the cast.) Spike Jones does two numbers with the City Slickers, a wartime romance provides a bit of drama although the war is technically over, and there is even a cute dog. The inimitable ZaSu Pitts is worth the price of admission all by herself! The plot, such as it is, is a sort of comedic Bridge of San Luis Rey, following the lives of A HALF DOZEN people attending the radio broadcast. The stories are funny, romantic, or dramatic -- and no one dies at the end! Pure escapism, nicely done.

There's only one thing good about this movie--actually two--the inclusion of special musical guests Nat King Cole and his Trio and Spike Jones. Anyone who likes the nostalgia involved with Spike and his crazy band of loonies, will be happy to know that there were no electronic gimmicks used in these performances.

Every pistol shot, gurgle, burp, and every other noise is supplied live and in real time by Spike and members of his crew. The fact is, these were top notch professionals who were highly trained in their art. They went through hours of rehearsal just to get their parts down right.

That's all I can say about the film which is now in a box set of 49 other "musical" films from the 20s-to the 60s...

As with several movies I've reviewed for the last several days, this one has an It's a Wonderful Life connection which I like to cite as it's my favorite one: Beulah Bondi plays a lonely 82-year old woman with only a dog living with her who just wants to attend the film's title radio show hosted by one Tom Brenenan during the one day setting this takes place in. Other audience members that abound in this movie are a discharged sailor (Edward Ryan) in love with a young woman (Bonita Granville) whose fiancée she's trying to reach, an eccentric woman trying to get attention for a most outrageous hat (Zazu Pitts), and famous gossip columnist Hedda Hopper with the mothers of Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, and Brenenan sitting with her. I didn't think Ms. Pitts was too funny with her hat story but I was a bit touched by that of Bondi's condition after she was hit by a car whose owner (Raymond Walburn) touched another story of his gallivanting with young women while neglecting his wife (Billie Burke). That one was a little funny to me. The most touching was the one with that sailor and that young woman with Ms. Granville really charming in her wholesome beauty. Those subplots weren't too bad but it was largely the musical performances that I was interested in particularly that of The King Cole Trio that had a nice brief moment in the beginning with "Solid Potato Salad" and great second set with "It's Better to Be by Yourself". I especially loved when the camera showed close-ups of Nat King Cole's hands on the keyboards and that of the guitarist's as well. Then, there's Spike Jones and his City Slickers with their hilarious brand of music which is particularly funny on their second set when the only female in the band warbles her tune. Finally, there's Andy Russell, a regular on radio's "Your Hit Parade" who I previously watched as a much older man on a special edition of Richard Dawson's "Family Feud" on YouTube a couple of years ago, whose romantic croonings must've melted many a woman's heart especially when he sang in Spanish. So in summary, Breakfast in Hollywood is slight fluff that should provide at least some interest for some fans of the icons that appear here. P.S. Ms. Granville was another born in Chicago where I also was native to.

This unpretentious film with a remarkable cast features one of the last movie appearances of Bonita Granville, who deserves rediscovery through everything from the newly released "Nancy Drew" DVDs to a very effective performance in "These Three." Here she boosts a simple programmer with charm and conviction.

It's also a film where such contrasting acts as Spike Jones and Nat King Cole appear,and as bonus there's Hedda Hopper, who I always thought had a very interesting screen presence. I'm not familiar with the radio program the film ostensibly showcases, but it was evidently a popular fixture in its day. But it's Granville who anchors the film with her appealing manner and sincere acting.

Having listened to the radio program every single morning in the 40s, it was a trip back in time for me! As soon as I heard Tom's voice I knew who it was. My mother took all three of us children to the live broadcast on several occasions. And Mother wore her hats, always wore a hat and gloves back then. I think you'd need to be of the proper era to appreciate it, and a lot of the other old time movies, as well. The war years were a time unto themselves, and I don't know how this generation could relate well enough to appreciate the nation's, and the world's, philosophies and attitudes of that time.

This movie is a warm fuzzy for us older folks.