Merton Gill is longing to become a cowboy actor and leaves his hometown to try his luck in Hollywood, but there his acting ability is regarded as non-existent. Actress Flips gives him a ...
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Title: Make Me a Star (1932)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Joan Blondell | ... | 'Flips' Montague | |
| Stuart Erwin | ... | Merton Gill | |
| Zasu Pitts | ... | Mrs. Scudder (as ZaSu Pitts) | |
| Ben Turpin | ... | Ben Turpin | |
| Charles Sellon | ... | Mr. Gashwiler | |
| Florence Roberts | ... | Mrs. Gashwiler | |
| Helen Jerome Eddy | ... | Tessie Kearns | |
| Arthur Hoyt | ... | Hardy Powell | |
 |
George Templeton | ... | Buck Benson (as Dink Templeton) |
| Ruth Donnelly | ... | The Countess | |
| Sam Hardy | ... | Jeff Baird | |
| Oscar Apfel | ... | Henshaw | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
Merton Gill is longing to become a cowboy actor and leaves his hometown to try his luck in Hollywood, but there his acting ability is regarded as non-existent. Actress Flips gives him a chance in a bit part, but he fails in that; however, the way he fails makes her think that he could be a good comedian. She persuades the studio to put him in a western parody, not telling him what they're really planning, because they know that he does not like comedies. Rather than ending tragic-comically, the movie becomes a brilliant coda to art and its servants, the artists, in this case the magniloquent Joan Blondell and Stuart Erwin. Written by Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de>
Plot Keywords:
fictional movie studio | song | actor shares first and last name with character | actor shares last name with character | actress shares last name with character |Taglines:
Help Yourself To Box-Office Happiness! (original trade-paper ad) See more »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1 July 1932 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Gates of Hollywood See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The play, "Merton of the Movies" upon which this film is based, opened on Broadway at the Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St., on November 13, 1922 and ran for 392 performances until October 20, 1923. See more »Goofs
When Flips takes Merton to breakfast, the waitress sets a glass of orange juice down on his left, but in the next shot it is on his right. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Once again TCM comes to the rescue of a forgotten gem. I agree with the posters here who comment on the interesting mix of pathos and comedy in this film. The film is truly touching in a way that could not come across today. Why is that? I think that nowadays it is an either-or : either you are a comedy or you are going for pathos. The trick of balancing both seems to be lost.
There is additional pleasure in seeing Paramount stars of the times in walk-ons in the scenes on the lot or at the disastrous/successful preview. Look quickly and you can see Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert, Tallulah Bankhead among others.
Joan Blondell is excellent in her specialty, playing the tough cookie with a huge sentimental streak. I found the sweetness of the comedy in the scenes back home in Simsbury absolutely refreshing. Not a touch of cynicism even though these characters are so clearly the objects of humor.
Catch this when you can. I just checked the Turner schedule for the next three months and it doesn't seem to be on.