Show Girl in Hollywood

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.

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!

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!

Although this 1930 film is clunky and fraught with (what we now know to be) film cliches, it is worth seeing -- if only for the outstanding performance of one-time silent-film great Blanche Sweet. Without realizing who it was, I kept marveling at her poignant, true portrayal of a washed up silent screen star (clearly, almost autobiographical). What a brilliant choice to cast her. Imagine my surprise after the film when we rewound to the credits!

A fine, unjustly overlooked gem of early filmmaking (that has songs, to boot).

"Show Girl in Hollywood" (First National, 1930), directed by Mervyn LeRoy, stars that pert blonde, Alice White, as Dixie Dugan, show girl from Brooklyn, a role she originated in the part-talkie, "Show Girl" (First National, 1928). In that earlier edition, Charles Delaney co-starred as her love interest, Jimmie Doyle, a role enacted here by Jack Mulhall. Based on the comic strip character, this musical sequel, based "Hollywood Girl" by Joseph Patrick McEvoy, is an interesting look back at the studio system in the days of early talkies, with added treats of non-credited guest stars as legendary singer, Al Jolson and his then wife, Ruby Keeler (in non-speaking parts); Loretta Young, Noah Berry and his son, Noah Beery Jr., all briefly glimpsed in the movie premiere sequence; along with the youthful but almost unrecognizable, Walter Pidgeon, as master of ceremonies at the Hollywood gathering.

Opening inter-title: "Jimmie Doyle's musical show, 'RAINBOW GIRL' opened and closed." Regardless of its two-week run for which Dixie Dugan (Alice White) worked as an understudy, playwright Jimmie Doyle (Jack Mulhall) intends on improving the story, this time giving his girl, Dixie, the nominal lead, which she should ha played in the first place. Escorted to a nightclub by Jimmy, Dixie does a number for its visiting guest, Frank Buelow (John Miljan), a movie director from Hollywood. Taking an interest in this free-spirited girl, Buelow persuades Dixie to come to Hollywood and appear in his forthcoming motion picture. Going against Jimmy's wishes, Dixie takes the next train west, sending her occasional telegrams to Jimmy at his Brooklyn residence: 41 Pineapple Street. While in Hollywood, Dixie's meeting with Sam Otis's (Ford Sterling), the production head, proves shattering when she is told she's one of many girls tricked into coming to the studio only to learn no such arrangements have been made. Along the way, Dixie learns more of the downside of Hollywood when she meets and befriends her favorite movie actress, Dottie Harris (Blanche Sweet), now a 32-year-old has-been. Not only does Dottie get the runaround from Buelow, her former husband, but must accept the fact she's only just a memory. As fate would have it, Sam Otis acquires the script of "Rainbow Girl" which he likes, and sends for its author, Jimmy Doyle. During their meeting, both Jimmie and Otis agree its leading lady should be Dixie Dugan. All goes well during production of the movie until Dixie meets with Buelow, now fired by the industry. Buelow, however, manages in changing the sweet innocent girl into a temperamental and conceited actress, causing friction and delays that could literally put an end to Dixie's film career before it's even started.

A distinguished early talkie with acceptable tunes by Buddy Green and Sammy Stept, include: "I've Got My Eye on You" (sung by Alice White); "There's a Tear for Every Smile in Hollywood" (sung by Blanche Sweet); "I've Got My Eye on You" (reprise) and "Hang on to the Rainbow" (Alice White). Of the three song interludes, only "Rainbow" gets the production number A portion of the "Rainbow" number was used for the final chapter to the 13-week documentary of Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's Hollywood: The End of an Era (1980).

Blanche Sweet (1895-1986), a long time veteran actress of the silent screen dating back to 1909, is quite effective as a drifting movie queen who becomes Dixie Dugan's guide through the studio system. Her vocalizing to a sentimental tune revealing the happiness and hardship of Hollywood comes very much as a surprise as does her character, limited somewhat in the photo-play yet crucial to the story. Film buffs would also delight in witnessing the behind-the-scenes activity of movie making, then called "Vitaphoning." Also taking part in the supporting cast are Herman Bing, Virginia Sale and Spec O'Donnell.

Although the "Dixie Dugan" character would never be enacted by Alice White again, further adventures of this comic strip character would be revamped and reintroduced to the screen again as a programmer titled DIXIE DUGAN (20th Century-Fox, 1943) starring Lois Andrews in the title role. An attempt for a movie series based on that character never got past the initial entry.

While "Show Girl in Hollywood" remains a rare find indeed, it did consist of several television broadcasts during its early stages of Turner Classic Movies cable channel . As it stands for now, this and other Dixie Dugan stories remain, "just a memory." (*** Vitaphone discs)