Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Directors:

Irving Cummings
Malcolm St. Clair
(more)

Writers:

Lou Breslow (idea)
Hilary Lynn (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 October 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | History

Plot:

Michael Linnett Connors takes Molly Adair from Broadway understudy to 1913 Hollywood star. Although she is in love with him...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Hollywood | Motion Picture Studio | Actress | Motion Picture

Cast

Alice Faye	...	Molly Adair Hayden
Don Ameche	...	Michael Linnett 'Mike' Connors
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Dave Spingold
Alan Curtis	...	Nicky Hayden
Stuart Erwin	...	Pete Tinney, Michael's Cameraman
Jed Prouty	...	Keystone Cop Police Chief
Buster Keaton	...	Himself
Donald Meek	...	Lyle P. Stout, Studio Chief
George Givot	...	Claude, an Englishman in the Show
Al Jolson	...	Himself (as Mr. Al Jolson)
Eddie Collins	...	Keystone Cop Driver
Ben Turpin	...	Bartender in Western
Chester Conklin	...	Sheriff in Western
Hank Mann	...	Keystone Cop
'Snub' Pollard	...	Keystone Cop (as Snub Pollard)
Heinie Conklin	...	Keystone Cop
James Finlayson	...	Keystone Cop
Chick Chandler	...	Chick, Assistant Director
Robert Lowery	...	Henry Potter in the Show
Russell Hicks	...	Mr. Roberts, Movie Backer
Ben Welden	...	Agent with Michael at Anniversary Party
Willie Fung	...	Willie, Michael's Valet
Paul Stanton	...	Filson (Credits) / Himself, an Actor
Mary Forbes	...	Mrs. Gaynes in the Show
Joseph Crehan	...	Bill, Mr. Thomas' Attorney
Irving Bacon	...	Bakery Clerk
Marjorie Beebe	...	Telephone Operator in Silent Film
Frederick Burton	...	Mr. Thomas of Famous Players
Lee Duncan	...	Himself - Rin Tin Tin's Owner
Rin Tin Tin Jr.	...	Rin-Tin-Tin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eddie Dunn	...	(scenes deleted)
Herbert Ashley	...	Gus, Diner Proprietor (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Actor in 'Common Clay' (uncredited)
Bonnie Bannon	...	Pretty girl (uncredited)
Lynn Bari	...	Actress in 'The Man Who Came Back' (uncredited)
John Butler	...	Telegraph Operator (uncredited)
Georgia Caine	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Cooke	...	First Cab Driver (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	...	Burglar (uncredited)
Dorothy Dearing	...	Girl with Michael at Anniversary Party (uncredited)
Edward Earle	...	Actor (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Well-Wisher (uncredited)
Arno Frey	...	Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Prop Boy (uncredited)
Fay Helm	...	Nurse (uncredited)
J. Anthony Hughes	...	Motorcycle Policeman (uncredited)
John Ince	...	Actor as Court Officer (uncredited)
Mark Jones	...	Keystone Kop (uncredited)
Paul McVey	...	Stage Manager Announcing Understudy Will Perform (uncredited)
Dave Morris	...	Stooge (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Criterion Theater Manager (uncredited)
Alex Pollard	...	Nicky's Butler (uncredited)
Victor Potel	...	Slim, a Counterman (uncredited)
Arthur Rankin	...	Assistant Cameraman (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	First Row Extra in Theater Audience (uncredited)
Marshall Ruth	...	Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (uncredited)
Francis Sayles	...	Second Cab Driver (uncredited)
Mack Sennett	...	Himself (uncredited)
Iva Stewart	...	Girl with Michael at Anniversary Party (uncredited)
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones	...	Train Porter (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Studio Guide (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Assistant Stage Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Irving Cummings
Malcolm St. Clair		(silent film sequences)
Buster Keaton		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Lou Breslow		(idea)
Hilary Lynn		(story) &
Brown Holmes		(story)
Ernest Pascal		(screenplay)
James Edward Grant		(dialogue contibutor) uncredited
Malcolm St. Clair		silent film sequences (uncredited)

Produced by
Harry Joe Brown	....	associate producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
David Buttolph		(uncredited)
Cyril J. Mockridge		(uncredited)
David Raksin		(uncredited)
Rudy Schrager		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Allen M. Davey
Ernest Palmer

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Wiard Ihnen		(as Wiard B. Ihnen)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Herschel McCoy		(as Herschel)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ad Schaumer	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Gordon Carveth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Teddy Mangean	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Sinclair	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Marcus Turk	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Bobby Heath	....	composer: song "My Pony Boy"
Louis Silvers	....	musical director

Other crew
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor director
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor director
Mack Sennett	....	supervisor: silent film sequences (as Mr. Mack Sennett)

Thanks
Chester Conklin	....	thanks
Al Jolson	....	appreciation for his appearance (as Mr. Al Jolson)
Buster Keaton	....	thanks
Hank Mann	....	thanks
'Snub' Pollard	....	thanks (as Snub Pollard)
Jed Prouty	....	thanks
Ben Turpin	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Television (2007) (USA) (TV)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #5436)

Filming Locations:

Muroc Dry Lake, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Many film historians believe this movie was based off the real life story of Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand. Darryl F. Zanuck actually hired Mack Sennett to serve as a technical advisor for this film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Kol Nidrei

Excellent half a film

In the earliest years of silent cinema, former prop boy Mike (Don Ameche) "discovers" a charming Broadway understudy, Molly (Alice Faye), and impulsively hires her to a personal contract to star in pictures. With Mike as director, Molly is set to appear in a film with Buster Keaton as her boyfriend -- but things get out of hand, the first day on the set.

By accident, Buster flings a custard pie into Molly's lovely face, thus throwing off the rhythm of their primly choreographed love scene. Soon Molly, Buster, and the "villain" of their scene (George Givot) are covered in custard, and the laughing and applauding onlookers convince Mike he's discovered a new screen genre. He milks it for all it's worth, launching a series of slapstick comedies -- with pies, bathing beauties, and Keystone-style Kops -- all featuring Molly, who becomes a big star.

If "Hollywood Cavalcade" had continued in this same vein, it would probably have become a classic. Instead, about halfway through, Mike makes the decision to turn Molly into a dramatic actress, starring in serious photoplays and leaving her slapstick days behind.

The film's second half turns maudlin when Molly, whose love for Mike seems unrequited, marries her new costar Nicky (Alan Curtis). Having lost his biggest star, Mike slides into despair, his films regularly losing money. Then Nicky is killed in a traffic accident and Molly teams up with Mike again. They make a hit picture, and discover that they've loved each other all along.

"Hollywood Cavalcade" marked two firsts for Alice Faye: her first Technicolor film, and also the first in which she sings not a single note. But her performance was generally lauded by the film critics.