That was an excellent one.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

There are two impressions that come across in "Going Hollywood." Despite Orson Welles' caricature of a Marion Davies clone in "Citizen Kane," the real Ms. Davies was a first-rate actress, a bright, brash comedic talent. As for Bing Crosby, he had that easy, carefree manner even back in 1934 although his singing style -- a deep, rich vibrato -- hadn't yet given way to crooning. The plot of "Going Hollywood" is admittedly tissue-thin. Davies is a schoolmarm who falls in love with radio personality Crosby sight unseen, heads for Hollywood and is inadvertently tapped to be his next co-star.Today, no self-respecting screenwriter would pile up as many coincidences as there are in their wildly improbable love affair. But it was another, more innocent time -- and if you're willing to suspend reality, you'll find "Going Hollywood" surprisingly entertaining.

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

It's frustrating if you look at the IMDb ratings for three stars from the silent and early sound era. For some odd reason, a group of people have flooded the system with unusually high ratings for William Haines, Gloria Swanson and Marion Davies. In the last year or two, their film have shot up the charts and a completely disproportionate number of their films rank among the top 50 of the 1920s and 30s. Now some might argue that somehow these great actors have suddenly been recognized, but this is not the case. Even their bad films are getting flooded with scores of 10. Why anyone thinks this is their duty is beyond me. A great example is Haines. In a period of about 8 years, he basically made the exact plot again and again and again. The names and locations were changed, but the plot itself is identical--following the exact same pattern...yet the films are all flooded with 10s.As for Marion Davies, who starred in GOING Hollywood, this weird pattern has emerged. You'd think by looking at the ratings that she was the greatest actress of her age, though by any objective analysis this is not true. Sure, she did some wonderful films that have been rediscovered (SHOW PEOPLE, for example, is an amazing film), but her stinkers also have astronomical ratings. A good example of this is CAIN AND MABEL, a film that pretty much killed her career. 69% of the ratings its received are 10s--compared to 39% for GONE WITH THE WIND, 29% fro BEN HUR, 39% for 2001, 31.5% for RAGING BULL, THE GODFATHER (the second highest rated film on IMDb) at only about 57% and 59% for THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (the highest rated film)!! So, according to the Marion Davies cult, this lousy film (and most of her films) are better than pretty much all the film on IMDb--at least that's what these inflated scores would imply. This is odd, as the book "Hollywood Hall of Shame: The Most Expensive Flops in Movie History" features the film in one of its chapters and had nothing particularly positive to say about the film--and the same could be said of the reviewers of the day. If you don't believe me about this cult-like devotion, check out the her films or the list of Top 100 from the 1920s and 1930s--her films (along with Haines' and Swanson's) dominate the lists.So let's talk specifics about GOING Hollywood. While Miss Davies appears to try her best, there are many things to hate about this film. Seeing her in Black-face pretending to be a Black extra is pretty embarrassing (and sad in the way it marginalizes Black-Americans), the acting is very, very broad and the plot itself is pretty creepy. The film begins with Marion as a teacher in a girls' school where all the other teachers and the principal are dried up old sex-less biddies. When Marion hears one of Bing Crosby's songs on the radio, she dances about and announces to all that she's quitting her sequestered job, as she wants to experience life and love. Then, she chases after Bing--spending most of the rest of the film stalking him--and announcing that she loves him--even though she never met the man!! Isn't this a bit creepy as well as totally ridiculous?! In fact, such a film could never be made today...unless it was intended as a horror/suspense film, such as THE FAN!! Aside from a dumb plot, the film is jam-packed full of very, very broad acting from Fifi D'Orsay (who is more a caricature than a realistic portrayal), too much singing (I can't blame the movie entirely for this, as this was not unusual for 1933) and the ridiculous way everything works out perfectly just like in A STAR IS BORN. It's perfectly dreadful in places and is, at best, a silly time-passer. It also seems to encourage sickos to stalk Hollywood stars--after all, it all works out great in the end!!Don't believe the hype and don't believe the Kool-Aid drinkers who would make this film appear to be one of the greatest of the era.By the way, 32 of the top 50 films on IMDb for the 1920s star Davies, Haines and Swanson. In comparison, only one of Harold Lloyd films, two of Keaton's and two of Chaplin's made the list! If you think this is because they are all comedies, then how about none of Greta Garbo's (probably the biggest female star of the decade) and none of any of the three Barrymores (John, Lionel or Ethel) even made the list??!! Sheesh!By the way, if you care, just 9 of the top 50 films of the 1930s starred these three actors, though this is mostly due to their not having made all that many films in this decade.

Bing Crosby truly was the quintessential vocalist of his time. I strongly recommend Gary Giddins bio on Bing; an excellent reference.Anyway, the story may be weak in this film, but the songs and Bing's clear baritone voice make up for it.An interesting tidbit about this film: Of course Marion Davies was W.R. Hearst's mistress, and Hearst financed the film. Ms. Davies thus took full advantage of the situation by showing up for filming at 10 AM, shooting a scene or two before a four hour lunch replete with all the catered trimmings and wines. The day wound down by 4PM.It's no wonder it took six months to shoot this film in an era when the typical film was shot in 2 weeks!