A fascinating film, attributed to RKO Pathé, which itself is an interesting piece of history. A film studio developed by silent film maker Thomas Ince, it went through several name changes and held this one from 1931-1935, after which it became Selznick International Pictures, and that's interesting because Selznick was the executive producer. But at the time it was a subsidiary of RKO.
Anyway, the film is really successful. Constance Bennett is good as the Brown Derby waitress who hooks alcoholic film director Lowell Sherman (a sort of Barrymoreish performance) and becomes a star. Neil Hamilton plays a millionaire who marries her, Gregory Ratoff is the archetypal film producer always wanting more, but sympathetic. The story of a star on the rise while a director falls is clearly the seeds of A Star Is Born. The screenplay is credited as 'By Gene Fowler and Roland Brown, based on a story by Adela Rogers St. John, screenplay by Jane Murfin and Ben Markson'. Charles Rosher is on camera and Max Steiner is the Musical Director. There are some remarkable montages, credited to Slakvo Vorkapich and Lloyd Knetchtel, notably the one that goes into Sherman's suicide.
It moves along at a good pace, has plenty of funny moments. Louise Beavers and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson have good roles. The inside look at Hollywood is fascinating. Films about filmmaking are always popular in this household and this is a good one.
Didn't think I knew Constance Bennett but we had met in Topper and As Young As You Feel.
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