Hoopla

1933
Passed
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

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A hula dancer at a carnival sets out to seduce the son of the show's manager.A hula dancer at a carnival sets out to seduce the son of the show's manager.A hula dancer at a carnival sets out to seduce the son of the show's manager.

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IMDb RATING

6.6/10

321

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Top cast24

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Clara Bow

Preston Foster

Nifty Miller

Richard Cromwell

Chris Miller

Herbert Mundin

Hap Spissel

James Gleason

Jerry

Minna Gombell

Carrie

Roger Imhof

Colonel Gowdy

Florence Roberts

Ma Benson

Damorès

Erville Alderson

The Sheriff
(uncredited)

Bob Burns

Barker
(uncredited)

Dick Dickinson

Carnival Spectator
(uncredited)

Ethel Loreen Greer

Fat Lady
(uncredited)

Chuck Hamilton

Side-Show Troublemaker
(uncredited)

Otis Harlan

Town Councilman - Side Show Customer
(uncredited)

John Irwin

Roustabout
(uncredited)

William Le Maire

Tall Gum-chewing Spectator
(uncredited)

Frank Mills

Barker
(uncredited)

Director
- Frank Lloyd
Writers
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Trivia
In 1930, Clara Bow's secretary Daisy DeVoe left the star in a fit of anger after an argument, taking piles of the actress's personal documents with her. DeVoe tried to blackmail Bow, but the star called the police and took DeVoe to court, which ended up backfiring horribly. The trial ensured that all of Bow's private dalliances became public knowledge, and the actress never had the cleanest record. Her dirty laundry was nowhere near as bad as the tabloids were making out at the time, but she did gamble, had taken multiple lovers without marrying them (still shocking in the 1920s), and was guilty of starting some sort of affair with an older married doctor, whose wife named Bow as a cause for "alienation of affection" in the couple's divorce. Ultimately, the rumors surrounding Bow were enough for Paramount to cancel her contract with them. The actress's star was already fading and it was hard work doing constant damage control on the many allegations surrounding her. As a result, she never appeared in another film after this one.

Connections
Featured in Hollywood (1980)

User reviews16

Review

Featured review

Clara Bow's Final Film

Hoopla is a talkie remake of The Barker, a famous play of the day that was made into a hit silent/part-talkie starring Betty Compson (Oscar nomination) who played Carrie while Dorothy Mackaill played Lou. Here Bow plays the lead role of Lou, a good-time carnival girl who, on a bet, chases after the boss' innocent son only to fall in love. Bow is remarkable in her final film and follow-up to the sensational Call Her Savage (1932). Her vitality and sexuality jump off the screen and make her very contemporary. She's also a fine actress, able to jump from comedy to drama easily. She rivaled Jean Harlow in her ability to make audience like tramps. As the hoochie koochie dancer, Bow gets to do a couple of numbers. Her final costume is a doozie. The cast is quite good. Hunky Preston Foster is wonderful as the boss and father of the innocent boy. He's aged about 10 year but carries the part well. Minna Gombell as Carrie, Florence Roberts as the fortune teller, James Gleason, Herbert Mundin are good, but Richard Cromwell is a bit gooey. If not for personal problems, Clara Bow could have had a great career in talkies. Too bad.