Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

TheLittleSongbird 'Going Hollywood's' biggest attraction was Bing Crosby, who had one of the most beautiful and distinctive male (and in general) singing voices on film, as well as being a master of how to use it.Crosby is certainly the best thing about 'Going Hollywood'. He seems relaxed, has a lot of charm and looks and sounds wonderful, his beautiful smooth voice used with impeccable phrasing and control as always. Great songs also helps, something that 'Going Hollywood' certainly has, the standouts being the title song, "Temptation" and "Beautiful Girl".Of the production numbers, choreographically the best is the train station sequence which is so lively and entertaining. Although Raoul Walsh did seem a bit of an odd choice at first as director, often going for the tougher and darker edge to his films, but he does direct with a light touch without being too lightweight. Really enjoyed Patsy Kelly, who brings plenty of sass and allure. While going on a little too long, the Three Radio Rogues are also entertaining, and while overlong and overblown parts of the dream sequence are quite sweet.However, was very much mixed on Marion Davies. She is attractive and does bring some charm and fun, but at other points she does look stiff and limitations in her singing and dancing show. Stuart Erwin has an appealing earnestness but has little to do, while Ned Sparks does smarmy well but the character is written with so little variation that it feels one-dimensional. Worst of all is Fifi D'Orsay, her character being an annoying cartoonish caricature made even more insufferable by that D'Orsay overacts to such a wild degree.While some of the dream sequence was quite nice, the dancing scarecrows part does feel really bizarre and also jars. The bit with the blackface is neither cute or funny and even those who hardly ever scream racism will find it in bad taste. The script has some wit, but is also shallow and flaccid. The story while at first lively in pace constantly feels too convenient and too neatly wrapped up, while also dragging towards the end, having a premise and romance that rarely rings true and being paper thin. Characterisation is even thinner, development practically forgotten about.All in all, many charms but also some big caveats. 5/10 Bethany Cox

MartinHafer 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.

bkoganbing One of the other reviewers said that this film was essentially about stalking. I had never thought of it in those terms, but it's true.Marion Davies is a love starved French teacher at a girl's boarding school who's spare hours are taken up with the radio crooning of Bing Crosby. She follows the object of her affection out to Hollywood and in Hollywood cliché style gets her big break in the movies.First if you're willing to accept the beautiful Marion Davies with this crowd of old spinsters at the boarding school then the rest of the plot simply follows. Second for Bing Crosby fans one has to remember that this is NOT a Crosby picture. He's the leading man in a Marion Davies film. Everyone is familiar with William Randolph Hearst and the Svengali like influence he had on her career. Marion's making a musical so you go out and buy the hottest singer currently as her leading man. And that, boys and girls, is the story of Bing's first film away from Paramount.You also hire a topflight director in Raoul Walsh to keep things at a brisk pace. And you give Marion a good supporting cast that includes Fifi D'Orsay, Ned Sparks, Stu Erwin, and Patsy Kelly. Mix 'em together and you got Going Hollywood.It's not a bad mix. Crosby had a lot of songs in this film. The big hit was Temptation, but there were other good ones from Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. One thing however, since this was not Paramount and MGM was known for the great production numbers in their films, Bing got some great numbers. I'm surprised frankly that Hearst allowed Crosby a huge number like the title tune, set in Grand Central Station, without Davies in it. Davies does join him in a dream sequence where she sings a couple of lines of We'll Make Hay While The Sun Shines with Marion and Bing dressed as a pair of Grand Wood rustics. Another big production number that Paramount would never spend the money for.Davies had good if limited talents. Hearst however could only see her as a pure heroine. Since he discovered her in the Ziegfeld Follies, Davies's dancing should be no surprise. It's at least as good as Ruby Keeler's. She had a good gift for mimicry, her imitation of Fifi D'Orsay is a key point in the plot. One thing that would be considered in god-awful taste now is her donning black-face to get on Bing's movie set and imitating the dialect. It's funny though. Think about pictures like Play Misty For Me and The Fan made two generations later. Stalking was looked on entirely differently back in those more innocent days.

Ron Oliver When she discovers that the crooner she adores is GOING HOLLYWOOD, a liberated school teacher dogs his steps all the way to the Studio sound stages.Marion Davies tries her hardest to entertain in this tinsel town spoof, but neither the script (based on a story by the celebrated Frances Marion) nor the direction give her much leeway. Raoul Walsh seems a curious choice to direct this kind of film, but he must have had William Randolph Hearst's approval or he never would have been given the assignment. The trouble is that Marion has little chance to be anything other than sweet & pleasant - when finally given the opportunity to do a wicked spoof of co-star Fifi D'Orsay, she's terrific. Unfortunately, moments like that come all too rarely.Leading man Bing Crosby comes off rather better, showing the casual charm that would make him a huge star. And he gets to sing some fine tunes by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed, including the classic ‘Temptation' and the fun ‘We'll Make Hay While The Sun Shines.' Although his character is a bit of a cad, Bing never fails to deliver the goods to the audience.A troika of character performers add sparkle to the proceedings: earnest Stuart Erwin as a film producer; caustic Ned Sparks as a dictatorial director; and tomboy Patsy Kelly as a plain-talking gal trying to break into the movies.Movie mavens will spot Clara Blandick & Nora Cecil as two of the ossified instructors at the girls' school, and Sterling Holloway as a recording mike technician - all uncredited.Oddly, this film about the Hollywood movie business takes time out to poke fun at contemporary radio stars. Mimic singers & impressionists, The Radio Rogues will provide a smile to viewers with very long memories.***********************Time has not dealt kindly with Marion Davies. Almost forgotten today, when remembered at all it is usually as a sort of footnote to history or object of scandal. Her life certainly was colorful, and as chatelaine of America's most amazing private estate she did circulate amidst powerful circles. But to remember her as only the bimbo blonde mistress of the country's mightiest media baron is patently unfair.While much of the blame can go to Orson Welles' spoof of Davies in CITIZEN KANE (which he was to admit he regretted towards the end of his life) it must be stated emphatically that Marion was not a no-talent actress with few friends & even fewer brains, whose career was destroyed by her stammer, leaving her to spend lonely years in great, hulking empty castles.In reality, Davies was a bright, vivacious lady who charmed & captivated such diverse guests as George Bernard Shaw & Winston Churchill throughout her 33-year liaison with Hearst. Adored by her friends and a fierce cadre of fans, Davies was renowned for her tireless generosity and charitable good works. Her speech impediment never affected her screen acting and her undeniable talent was evident to any who were willing to assess her performances honesty and look past the scandal.Davies had to have been embarrassed by the Hearst empire's relentless pushing of her career. She knew this left her open to ridicule & mockery, doubtless contributing to her scarcely concealed alcoholism. But she eventually relinquished her film pursuits in order to care for the aging Hearst, and after his death in 1951 she showed herself to be an astute businesswoman during the remaining ten years of her life.It is only now, with the passage of much time & the restoration of her old movies, that it is becoming easier to acknowledge the contributions & cinematic expertise of Miss Marion Davies.