Vashirdfel
Simply A Masterpiece
Stoutor
It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.
Lollivan
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
kidboots
On February 2nd, 1922, William Desmond Taylor, a top Paramount director, was found dead of a gunshot wound in his Hollywood bungalow - a murder that has never been solved. A couple of witnesses saw a man or a woman dressed in men's clothing flee the scene but the studio was called before the police and in an effort to save careers and reputations a lot of evidence was destroyed or tampered with. "Hollywood Story" was purported to ride on the coat tails of "Sunset Boulevard" of the year before but I thought it had more in common with "The Preview Murder Mystery", a Paramount quickie of 1935, which told of the mysterious disappearance of a silent matinée idol.Larry O'Brien (Richard Conte) is a hot shot producer bought to Hollywood by Mitch Davis (Jim Backus), his old school chum now a top agent. He becomes enthralled by an unsolved murder of long ago (Jan. 5th, 1929) of a top silent director, Franklin Ferrara. He is given the bungalow where Ferrara met his death (the layout of the rooms looks eerily like those where Taylor met his death) and it is completely unchanged since 1929. Against Mitch's advice Larry decides to go ahead with a movie about the mysterious murder and a host of "old timers" are introduced - Francis X. Bushman, Betty Blythe, William Farnum, Helen Gibson - even "new timer" Joel McCrea has a cameo role. He also seeks out Ferrara's writer, Vincent St. Clair (Henry Hull) who is living in a shack and employs him to write the script.It seems everyone is less than pleased that a movie about the murder is being made - someone even takes a pot shot at Larry through the window. That murder attempt brings in inquisitive cop Budd Lennox (a young Richard Egan) and being a William Castle movie even he seems to have a hidden motive in trying to solve the old case. There is also Larry's manager Sam Collyer (Fred Clark) who says he will definitely not support dredging up the past then quickly changes his mind - it comes out he was also involved with Ferrara at the time, being his business manager. Also upset is Sally Rousseau (Julie Addams), Ferrara's leading lady's daughter who begs him to forget the movie as too many innocent people will be hurt - she seems to be very close to reclusive matinée idol Roland Paul (Paul Cavanaugh). I was amazed to see "The Phantom of the Opera" being passed off as a "Franklin Ferrara" picture instead of Rupert Julians. Had people of 1951 really forgotten so much about silent film history that William Castle was confidant that no one would pick up the obvious mistake!!! When "Hollywood Story" was released, Universal went out of it's way to promote the former famous silent stars who appeared in the movie (to me, William Farnum appeared more sprightlier than in the westerns I had seen him in from the early 1930s ie "The Painted Desert" (1930)) but there was always someone with a gripe. Elmo K. Lincoln, the movies original Tarzan, complained bitterly about being exploited, saying he was only paid $15 a day (for a non speaking part) but the studio got $15,000 worth of free publicity out of him!!!
Ted Watson (tbrittreid)
My position is exactly the same as that of bsnmsn. I saw this on "The Late Show" (for me, a locally-operated movie slot following the post-prime time news), where I saw numerous great, old films. Then, years later I learned about the William Desmond Taylor murder and recognized the parallels to this movie. Just couldn't be coincidence. I think I've seen "Hollywood Story" once since then, either on local TV in the late 70s to early 80s, or on a cable channel (TBS, WGN, WOR) in the early 80s. I keep scouring the listings of Turner Classic Movies for it, but so far no luck. BTW, I gave it a 7 out of 10, dropping a little because I remember it as looking somewhat low-budget; it IS an early William Castle effort.
marymal
This film truly is a Hollywood story, employing real actors from the silent period and filmed on real locations throughout Hollywood and Los Angeles. There are views of buildings up and down Hollywood Blvd., including Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Roosevelt Hotel, Charlie Chaplin Studios on La Brea Ave., the Sunset Strip, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood Christmas Parade. It appears that more silent film stars shot cameos than actually made it into the film, but it still salutes and highlights the early days of Hollywood. Art direction is top notch, the acting is fine, and the story is really entertaining. The mystery is well thought out and keeps you guessing until the end. This is much more serious and top notch than the typical William Castle film.
bsnmsn
Saw this movie as a kid, watching " The Late Show, " which was always a great old b/w movie. Years later, read about the murder of William Desmond Taylor and thought this hit awfully close to home. Taylor was a director of some note in early Hollywood, but also known to be quite the ladies' man. He was murdered in his apartment and the case was never officially solved. After his murder, the career of Mary Miles Minter, a well known Hollywood starlet was pretty much in ruins, due to several pieces of her personal belongings found at the scene of the crime, which is interesting, as studio bigwigs were called to the apartment before the police were called. Also interesting was the rumor that his now missing valet / butler / chauffeur was in reality his brother. The deceased Tayor was not who he appeared to be - he had long before abandoned a wife and child and re-invented himself. Years later, the famed Hollywood director King Vidor became interested in the mystery and worked on it for some years. His efforts were detailed in a book called " A Cast Of Killers, " well worth the read.
