wes-connors Beautiful blonde French teacher Marion Davies (as Sylvia Bruce) quits her job to pursue radio crooner Bing Crosby (as Bill Williams) to Hollywood, where Mr. Crosby is going to star in a motion picture. In Los Angeles, Ms. Davies moves in with new pal Patsy Kelly (as Jill Barker), who thinks Davies could be a movie star "better than Norma Shearer." Good one. Davies continues to swoon over Crosby, who is only has eyes for French co-star Fifi D'Orsay (as Lili Yvonne). Which of the dueling damsels will win Crosby's heart? A fine supporting cast, director (Raoul Walsh), and budget make this is a pleasant Bing Crosby musical masquerading as a Marion Davies movie. Two of Crosby's Brunswick 78 RPM recordings were hits: sung herein to Sterling Holloway, "Beautiful Girl" reached #11; the best film song "Temptation" went to #3; and, the big production number "We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" peaked at #8."Three Radio Rogues" singing impersonations are also highlights, with Jimmy Hollywood managing Kate Smith's "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" with uncanny ease. Mainly, though, it's Crosby's show.***** Going Hollywood (12/22/33) Raoul Walsh ~ Bing Crosby, Marion Davies, Fifi D'Orsay, Patsy Kelly

kidboots I have only seen Marion Davies in two films "The Bachelor Father" and "Going Hollywood". I will reserve my opinion of her talents until I see some of her silent films. In this film the standouts are the memorable songs (all of them now Bing Crosby standards), Bing's completely natural and easy going manner, Ned Sparkes (of course) and Marion's very clunky dancing.As one of the reviewers says it did seem to be a shorter film than intended. One of my favourite Crosby songs "After Sundown" not only was not sung all the way through, it was mostly sung as a "voice over" while Bing and Marion wined and dined. "Beautiful Girls" - Bing sang as he packed to go to Hollywood - I was expecting a big production number - I was disappointed but at least they were included.Sylvia Bruce (Marion Davies) is a teacher at Briarcroft Girls Boarding School. She longs to break free of the restrictions at this very strict college - "no music is permitted". One night when listening to Bill Williams (Bing Crosby) sing "Our Big Love Scene" - "Don't waste the night in wishing" - she decides to do what the song says, follow her heart and goes to Bill to tell him what he means to her.Bill is also going to Hollywood. There is a big production number. Busby Berkeley had many imitators but no one reached his excellence. This number was filmed in a clumsy way but with great gusto.Sylvia has to get past Bill's current love Lili (Fifi D'Orsay) but manages to secure a job with her as a French speaking maid (she had been a French teacher at Briarcroft). After one fight too many she quits and quickly teams up with Jill (Patsy Kelly) and finds a job as a dancer!!!!! in Bill's new movie. The wonderful Ned Sparks is the director and the scenes between him and Fifi D'Orsay are hilarious."We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" is introduced as a dream that Sylvia is having. It is odd - it starts off sophisticated, then suddenly they are dressed up in Edwardian clothes. At the end they are farm hands dancing an awful dance with dancing scarecrows. (It is a beautiful song!!!)The three Radio Rogues do a radio skit - they sing songs in the style and voice of popular singers of the day. They are really good. They sing "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" - Kate Smith, "You Call it Madness (But I Call it Love)" - Russ Columbo, "Remember Me - Morton Downey and "My Time is Your Time" - Rudy Vallee.Lili's temperament is holding up production and she then quits. Meanwhile Sylvia entertains the crew with an imitation of Lili singing "Cinderella's Fella". Stuart Erwin plays the producer who steps in and hires Sylvia as the lead (with her wonderful dancing talent!!!) To give Miss Davies her due I think she played the role excellently. Some of the lines she had to say - I don't think she sounded like a "stalker" but in another actress's hands the character may have come across as being "kooky".Bill romances Sylvia but she thinks she hears him in Lili's apartment (Lili is only listening to a record). Lili then finds him in a bar and plies him with liquour so he will not be able to make the studio the next day. He sings "Temptation" to Lili, looking so handsome!!! It ends very quickly - all the cast is on the stage to film "Our Big Love Scene" when Bill (singing of course ) comes through the door takes Sylvia in his arms and kisses her. I highly recommend this film.

thekatsmeow11 I just happened to catch this movie on TCM. It's a musical starring Marion Davies as an unhappy school teacher who follows Bing off to Hollywood. Don't expect a work of art when you see this movie, as it was clearly made to showcase the still up-and-coming Bing's voice, and to try and resurrect Davies' wilting career. The acting is slightly above abysmal, and the film, though just short of 80 minutes long, is littered with some incredibly pointless musical numbers. Also, Fifi D'Orsay's "french" accent is so hideously exaggerated, I was surprised to learn she's actually french Canadian! Though the movie is hardly a dramatic work of art, watching it is like stepping back in time to the 1930s. Keep watch at Davies' outfits throughout the movie, it's like looking in a fashion magazine from the time. There's a short scene involving a radio personality, and the final dance number is quite a spectacle. I also want to mention the extremely racist scene where Davies is painted up to be a black woman. Imagine them trying to pull something like that today! While the rewatchability is probably quite low on this movie, it's a fun way to pass time. If you're like me and you love the fashion and culture of the 1930's, you'll probably love this movie. And hey, can anyone every say no to Bing?

drednm This musical comedy features beautiful Marion as a bored French teacher who runs off to Hollywood. Seems like a standard 30s musical. But wait. The narrative structure of this film is more complex than it at first seems. When Davies turns on the radio and gazes out at the night sky she starts to wish upon a star. Just as she says "I wish I may, I wish I might...." Bing Crosby's voice cuts across the moment as he begins the lyric of "Our Big Love Scene": "Don't waste the night in wishing..." as though in answer to Davies' wish upon a star. She sits up, startled, and packs her bags. So sets off not to go to Hollywood, but to find Crosby, who plays a famous radio singer about to embark by train to Hollywood to star in a picture. Crosby is also involved with the picture's French star, played by Fifi D'Orsay. As Crosby is packing up to go, and after a live broadcast of his singing "Beautiful Girl" to Sterling Holloway, Davies finds him. He brushes her off as just another fan and heads to the Grand Central Station, where he sings "Going Hollywood." On the train, who should show up but Davies. In today's context, Davies is certainly a crazed fan stalking her idol, but in 1933 her actions were (in the context of this film) acceptable. D'Orsay catches the two together (Davies is correcting Crosby's French pronunciation) and immediately suspects them of being up to something. D'Orsay is on the rampage because her maid has quit. Of course Davies becomes her maid, having taught French and all. The second time D'Orsay catches them together, she slaps Davies. She quits her job. Next we find Davies in Hollywood at "Central Casting," asking to see Crosby. She's turned away and meets Patsy Kelly, a film extra. They hit it off right away, and Kelly invites Davies to share her digs. The director walks by and hires them as extras in the film starring Crosby and D'Orsay.At Kelly's bungalow, Davies takes a nap and has a bizarre dream about herself and Crosby starring in a surreal production number called "We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines." While Davies dreams, we are shown a huge close up of her face, which is occasionally superimposed over the dream-scene action so that we don't forget it's all a dream. The scene opens with Crosby and Davies in a cozy cottage. Crosby starts the song, and the couple is strolling through a field of giant, swaying daisies and then sitting in a carriage where Davies joins Crosby in a brief duet. They come upon a farm scene of dancing scarecrows . Suddenly Davies emerges from the dancers and takes center stage in a dance number. But Crosby and Davies are still sitting in the carriage. Davies points to herself dancing and asks Crosby, "me?" He nods and soon he also is in the dance number. A windstorm suddenly comes up and everyone is drenched by the downpour. Crosby and Davies run back to the cozy cottage where they sit by the fire, wrapped in blankets, while Crosby finishes the song. On the movie set, Davies once again finds Crosby. He's in between scenes when Davies approaches. She's in blackface and dressed like Aunt Jemima. He doesn't seem to notice that she is not really black. D'Orsay catches them again and slaps Davies for a second time.Next we're on location and D'Orsay is about to sing her big number, "Have You Heard." The number has a Cinderella theme with the blonde-wigged D'Orsay as the Prince. As she launches into the song, Sparks stops her and tells he she's doing it all wrong because she's doing it as a kooch dance. She throws a fit and storms off the set. Back in her trailer, Crosby tries to comfort her. Meanwhile, back on the set, the Radio Rogues do a series of impressions of current radio stars who include Kate Smith, Morton Downey, and Crosby's singing rival of the day—Russ Columbo. Davies is then coaxed into doing an impression (Davies was famous for her ability to mimic, and does so in several of her films). Of course she launches into an impression of D'Orsay singing "Have You Heard." D'Orsay hears this and marches out to catch Davies in mid-dance and hauls off and slaps her for a third time. This time Davies strikes back and delivers D'Orsay a black eye. D'Orsay quits and Davies is hired to star in the film! There is an abbreviated scene, with Davies and Crosby dating, with Crosby singing the wonderful "After Sundown." Later, Davies attempts to deliver some flowers to Crosby, but standing in the hallway outside his door she hears D'Orsay talking to Crosby.She lures Crosby to a Mexican bar and plies him with drinks, knowing he will be fired from the picture for being absent for days. Davies tracks him down yet again and tries to get him back but he's drunk and can't think straight. This sets up the film's best number and another dream sequence. Crosby sings "Temptation" while sitting at the bar and drinking what looks like absinthe. As he sings we see huge close-ups of D'Orsay (to match the close-ups of Davies in the previous dream sequence) and cutaway shots of a dance floor crowded with same-sex couples. In the bar itself, no one is dancing. As Crosby approaches the last notes of the song, he lifts his glass and drains the last drops. It's an amazing sequence.The scene shifts back to the film set where, after seeing a dance montage to "Have You Heard," Davies is about to film an elaborate production number. As she is about to begin the scene with Crosby's replacement, he can be heard reprising "Our Big Love Scene," and the lovers meet. End of film.