Alice in Movieland (1940)

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Ed Sullivan (story)
Owen Crump (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 November 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Academy Awards Ceremony | Imitation | Coconut Grove | Film Extra | Tap Dance

Cast

Joan Leslie	...	Alice Purdee
Nana Bryant	...	Agatha Winters
Clara Blandick	...	Grandmother
Clarence Muse	...	Train Porter

Also Known As:

Broadway Brevities: Alice in Movieland (USA) (series title)

Runtime:

22 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6627) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Photos hanging on the wall of the studio include Bette Davis, Ida Lupino and Ann Sheridan.

Soundtrack:

Will My Dream Come True

Good old Hollywood "schmaltz"

I liked this short even though some may find it a bit too sappy and old fashioned. However, I like it because it's a wonderful eye into the idea of Hollywood from 1940--not the real city, but the way it was viewed by the wide-eyed public and how Hollywood packaged itself. Joan Leslie stars as "Alice Purdee"--a country girl who wins a local contest whose reward is a Hollywood screen test. In so many ways, this short is like a condensed version of A STAR IS BORN minus the Norman Main character. I find the whole thing very charming, as would anyone who is a fan of Hollywood's Golden Age. My bet is that newer, younger audiences will probably find it all a bit silly and over-done, but considering what the film was intended to portray, the "schmaltziness" is actually a big plus--it helps you to understand the dreams of thousands, if not millions of girls across the nation.