Waitress Mary (Constance Bennett) is determined to break into the pictures. She waits on famed drunken director Max Carey (Lowell Sherman), weasels her way into an audition, and impresses a producer. The studio promotes her as their next big star. As her star rises, Max’ fades.Sound familiar? That’s because major beats of this film were lifted for A Star is Born (1937), also produced by David O. Selznick, whom the original writers threatened to sue. Director George Cukor refused the 1937 version because of how similar the story was. He changed his tune in 1954. The only real difference here is that our Star doesn’t marry our charming drunk, who is a director rather than a performer. Other than that, we are talking about only a slight reimagining.
Star Mary’s love interest is played by Neil Hamilton. If the name is not familiar, people my age will immediately recognize his voice as the young, dashing Commissioner Gordon. He is smitten by Mary but struggles with her Hollywood friends and lifestyle. Their first date does not age well. Louise Beavers plays Mary’s maid, the only role legally allowed a chubby black woman back then. Surprisingly, this is the eighth film I’ve seen her in with a ninth coming soon. She was also in What Price Innocence? Were the rules of grammar different in the 1930’s?I went into What Price Hollywood? with low expectations. It’s the lesser known version of a story I already knew. But as much as I liked Fredric March in his version, it's Constance Bennett who really shines here. But that's not to take anything away from Lowell Sherman. He was charming and charismatic as the tragic Max Carey. Lowell will tragically die less than two years later, his films mostly forgotten. It is unavoidable to compare the two films, and this one is wittier, snappier, and all around superior. I found the characters smart and likable, and that's a good thing. AMRU 3.5.
Mary: Why do you drink all the time? Can't you cut the heavy swilling?
Max: What, and be bored all the time?
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