Product Details

• Actors: Constance Bennett, Lowell Sherman, Neil Hamilton, Gregory Ratoff, Brooks Benedict
• Directors: George Cukor
• Writers: Adela Rogers St. Johns, Allen Rivkin, Ben Markson, Gene Fowler, Jane Murfin
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Turner Home Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: January 23, 1991
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303867898
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,097 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars AN EXCELLENT LOOK AT OLD HOLLYWOOD., September 24, 2002

By	"scotsladdie" (GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

An ambitious waitress (Constance Bennett) - who works at the famed Brown Derby restaurant - has aspirations to become an actress, and makes it to the top. Bennett gives an excellent performance as Mary Evans, making her turn from ingenue to hardened star fully believable: she considered this to be her finest performance. As the egotistical, rather decadent film director, Lowell Sherman is fine. This was George Cukor's first big success as well as the first talking picture which took a jaundiced look at Hollywood. As a footnote, this story, which was written by the once-popular Hollywood columnist Adela Rogers St. John was the basis for the three later versions of A STAR IS BORN. It was supposedly based upon the real life of silent star Colleen Moore and her alcoholic producer husband, John McCormick.

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding motion picture that inspired three remakes--so far, May 19, 2009

By	Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

What Price Hollywood? has lots of wonderful acting and great drama to keep you interested the entire way through the picture! I certainly wasn't bored. Constance Bennett turns in an excellent performance as a young woman hungry for stardom; and Neil Hamilton along with Lowell Sherman do equally fine jobs of acting, too. The plot moves along at a very good pace; and the cinematography impresses me. The choreography shines as well. I also like the way they used movies in a movie to tell the story what can really go on in Hollywood when the fans aren't looking.

When the picture starts we quickly meet Hollywood director Maximillan 'Max' Carey (Lowell Sherman) who arrives at the famed Brown Derby Hollywood restaurant for dinner. His waitress that evening is Mary Evans (Constance Bennett); and he takes a liking to her--and she does to him, hoping that he'll give her a break into pictures despite the fact that he's rather drunk that evening. Together they go to a premiere of Carey's films; and when Mary hams it up at the radio announcer's microphone everyone across the country wants to know who this mystery woman is.

It isn't long before they find out, either. At first Mary has some trouble figuring out how to act the right way for a scene in one of Max's pictures; but she practices over and over again to get it right. Soon she becomes a huge Hollywood star, much to the delight of studio bigwig Julius Saxe (Gregory Ratoff). At about the same time, Mary meets the very wealthy Lonny Borden (Neil Hamilton) and after they get to know each other they marry with a huge staged church wedding so that Julius Saxe can use their wedding for publicity purposes! This is only the beginning of the price Mary will have to pay for being in pictures.

Tensions heat up between Lonny and Mary; they don't always see eye to eye and Lonny doesn't like that Mary helps Max when he's down and out--and as time passes Max is down and out more and more of the time. Max develops quite a problem with alcoholism; and he can't stop himself even when Mary tries her best to help him. Eventually Lonny leaves Mary after he comes to the conclusion that she's too involved with Max's personal problems; Lonny even divorces Mary not knowing she's expecting their first born child.

Of course, from here the plot can go anywhere. Will Mary be able to get Max rehabilitated and ready to be a masterful Hollywood director once again? Will Julius Saxe take Max back at the studio and let him direct pictures there? And what about Mary and Lonny's child, Jackie (Jackie Paige)--will his birth bring Lonny back to Mary after all? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch and find out!

What Price Hollywood? is such a good picture that it inspired three remakes all of which were entitled A Star Is Born. This is probably the best version of this tale next to Judy Garland's 1954 musical version. The acting is very convincing and there's never a dull moment. This was also one of the very first films to ever tackle head on the not-so-glamorous problems that occur behind the scenes in Hollywood; we learn that fame comes at a price. I highly recommend this film for fans of the actors in this movie; and people who enjoy classic movies will definitely want this in their collections.