What Price Hollywood?

1932
Passed
1h 28m

IMDb RATING

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Constance Bennett and Neil Hamilton in What Price Hollywood? (1932)

The career of a waitress takes off when she meets an amiable drunken Hollywood director.The career of a waitress takes off when she meets an amiable drunken Hollywood director.The career of a waitress takes off when she meets an amiable drunken Hollywood director.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total

Photos32

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Top cast64

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Constance Bennett

Mary Evans

Lowell Sherman

Max Carey

Neil Hamilton

Lonny Borden

Gregory Ratoff

Julius Saxe

Brooks Benedict

Muto

Louise Beavers

The Maid

George Reed

Undetermined Secondary Role
(scenes deleted)

Alice Adair

Undetermined Secondary Role
(uncredited)

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson

James - Max's Butler
(uncredited)

Sam Armstrong

Undetermined Secondary Role
(uncredited)

Zeena Baer

Secretary to Julius Saxe
(uncredited)

King Baggot

Department Head
(uncredited)

Gerald Barry

John Reed - an Actor
(uncredited)

Floyd Bell

Undetermined Secondary Role
(uncredited)

Veda Buckland

Nana - Jackie's Nursemaid
(uncredited)

Nicholas Caruso

Chef at Brown Derby
(uncredited)

L. Casey

Writer
(uncredited)

Lita Chevret

Actress Filming on Movie Set
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
This film bears such a striking resemblance to A Star Is Born (1937) that it is often considered "the original version" of that often remade classic. In fact, David O. Selznick, who produced both this film and Star is Born, was threatened with a lawsuit by this film's writers, claiming plagiarism.

Goofs
When the screen shows a newspaper gossip column, we can see part of an item relating a joke about a Jewish boy and a bird. Several months later, another gossip column shows the identical item.

Quotes
Max Carey: Every hour that you're out of jail you're away from home.

Crazy credits
There is a "by" credit to Gene Fowler and Rowland Brown after the title shows, but there is also a "screenplay by" credit to Jane Murfin and Ben Markson, without leaving any clear explanation or context as to what "by" actually means. But the reality was that Fowler and Brown wrote the real screenplay, with Murfin and Markson providing the continuity.

Connections
Featured in David O. Selznick: 'Your New Producer' (1935)

Soundtracks
Three Little Words
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Ruby
Part of a medley played during the opening credits

User reviews45

Review

Featured review

10/10

"Priceless" is What Price Hollywood?

The direction of George Cukor for this film is excellent. The three lead characters have three charming, yet completely different personalities. The great talent of George Cukor doesn't allow the energy of any of his characters to wane. The performance of Lowell Sherman only adds to the wonderful script, and only the innocence of Constance Bennett is able to carry the role of an aspiring starlet that makes it so believable. Neil Hamilton (later to play the 'Commissioner' on the "Batman" TV series of the mid-1960's) is excellent as the 'love interest'. But it is Lowell Sherman who steals nearly every scene in the wonderful jewel of a film. The story of this film is like many real-life stories of almost everyone who has ever worked in Hollywood - either in front of the camera or behind the lens. To me, this IS the original "A Star is Born", and that is why it is one of my favorite films of all time. From the appearance of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson to the Brown Derby to the scenes of the night life of the early days of Hollywood, "What Price Hollywood?" will always be a memorable film for me.