Movie Movie (1978)

Three movie genres of the 1930s, boxing films, World War I aviation dramas, and backstage Broadway musicals, are satirized using the same cast.

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller

Stars:

George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Red Buttons

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George C. Scott	...	Gloves Malloy (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Spats Baxter (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Trish Van Devere	...	Betsy McGuire (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Isobel Stuart (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Red Buttons	...	Peanuts (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Jinks Murphy (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Eli Wallach	...	Vince Marlowe (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Pop (Segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Harry Hamlin	...	Joey Popchik (segment "Dynamite Hands")
Ann Reinking	...	Troubles Moran (segment "Dynamite Hands")
Jocelyn Brando	...	Mama Popchik (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Mrs. Updike (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Michael Kidd	...	'Pop' Popchik (segment "Dynamite Hands")
Kathleen Beller	...	Angie Popchik (segment "Dynamite Hands")
Barry Bostwick	...	Johnny Danko (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Dick Cummings (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Art Carney	...	Dr. Blaine (segment "Dynamite Hands") / Dr. Bowers (segment Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
Clay Hodges	...	Sailor Lawson (segment "Dynamite Hands")
George P. Wilbur	...	Tony Norton (segment "Dynamite Hands")
Peter Stader	...	Barney Keegle (segment "Dynamite Hands") (as Peter T. Stader)
Jimmy Lennon Sr.	...	The Announcer (segment "Dynamite Hands") (as James Lennon)

Storyline

Three movie genres of the 1930s are satirized in this spoof of the traditional double feature. In "Dynamite Hands", a delivery boy turns prizefighter in order to raise enough money for his kid sister's eye operation. Later, however, he turns his back on his father-figure manager and librarian girlfriend when he is distracted by a flashy gangster and sexy night club diva. Intermission has a coming-attractions trailer for "Zero Hour", a World War I aviation drama. In the second feature, "Baxter's Beauties of 1933" a Broadway impresario hears he has only a month to live and is determined to mount one more hit on the boards. When his drunken diva of a star cannot go on opening night, he finds that the ingénue he chooses to replace her is his long-estranged daughter, whom he has not seen since she was a girl. All three stories feature the same cast in repertoire.

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Plot Keywords:

backstage | spoof | double feature | boxing | nightclub | 

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Taglines:

A Unique Comic Toast to Hollywood In Its Heyday

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 January 1979 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Double Feature

Filming Locations:

56th Street and Park Avenue. Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie went into production under the title "Double Feature".

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Quotes

Joey Popchik: Can I walk you home?
Betsy McGuire: New York's a free country.

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Crazy Credits

The cast list in the closing credits is divided into two sections with headings Dynamite Hands and Baxter's Beauties of 1933.

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Alternate Versions

In the theatrical and pay-tv release, the first half of "Movie, Movie" is in black and white, while both halves are often shown in color in commercial TV.

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Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: Ice Castles/Same Time, Next Year/Caravans/American Graffiti/Movie Movie/Beyond and Back/The Late Great Planet Earth (1979)

User Reviews

why are this film's votes so low?

A quick glance at the user comments will tell you that this film is worth seeing. I'm neither a musical fanatic nor a boxing enthusiast, but the numbers, performances and nuances were entrancing.

Somehow, Donen found the perfect blend for the self-reflexive genre picture, a combination that is exceedingly difficult for modern filmmakers to get a handle on. The viewer is watching a spoof yet all of the elements are still real. We feel for the pitifully archetypal characters because it seems that they realize their fate as symbols. George C. Scott's glances of reaction, just askew of breaking the third wall, depict someone who is aware of his limited fate, but still experiences with all of his emotions every situation as if he doesn't know it's coming. In this way, the actors, as in the Brechtian mode of theater, are somewhat like audience members themselves. They know the story and the ending, but they can't help suspending their disbelief, just for fun.

The musical numbers work in the same way. They are spoofs, fulfilling specific purposes and making all the proper illusions, yet are thoroughly enjoyable as musical numbers.

"Movie Movie" isn't necessarily a great movie, but it gives the illusion of greatness in its sincerity. In a medium where the audience often feels that they are the butt of a joke only the director knows the setup to, "Movie Movie" puts across the feeling that the director genuinely enjoys movies and expects everyone involved to derive the same pleasure from them.