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DOUBLE FEATURE- Robert Florey directs- "Hollywood Boulevard" (1936), starring John Halliday, Marsha Hunt, and Robert Cummings, and "The Preview Murder Mystery" starring Reginald Denny, Francis Drake, and Gail Patrick (1936)
Hollywood Boulevard 1936 - 70 min. Hollywood Boulevard is a trenchant look at the underside of Tinseltown. Though the nominal hero is a disillusioned screenwriter played by Robert Cummings (whose dialogue anticipates the lines spoken by William Holden in 1950's Sunset Boulevard), the focus of the story is John Halliday as a washed-up film star. Desperately, Halliday accepts the offer from a sleazy "tell all" magazine to write his memoirs. The actor's estranged family is devastated by the resultant scandal, and out love for his daughter (Marsha Hunt), Halliday tries to break his contract. But the publisher (C. Henry Gordon) threatens to ruin Halliday's comeback attempt if he refuses to write the rest of his memoirs. In a scuffle, the publisher kills Halliday, and the blame falls on the actor's daughter. But wise guy screenwriter Cummings gets to he truth of the mystery. A slick B-plus crime melodrama, Hollywood Boulevard has the added bonus of several well-known silent film personalities (Charles Ray, Francis X. Bushman, Maurice Costello, Mae Marsh etc.) in cameo roles, as well as a guest appearance by Gary Cooper. — Hal Erickson
The Preview Murder Mystery 1936 - 60 min.
It's a black night in Hollywood when matinee idol Neil DuBeck (Rod LaRoque) is murdered at the preview of his latest film. Director E. Gordon Smith (Ian Keith), who has long harbored a deep hatred for DuBeck, is the main suspect — until he too is killed, along with a movie-studio watchman (Spencer Charters). Closing down the studio and refusing to let anyone leave, police lieutenant McKane (Thomas Jackson) sifts through the clues, but it's up to actors Johnny Morgan (Reginald Denny) and Peggy Madison (Frances Drake) to solve the mystery, applying a few tricks they've learned at the movies. Director Robert Florey enlivens Preview Murder Mystery with scores of delightful inside jokes, ranging from an elaborate takeoff of Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to a "television camera" which looks like a reconverted movie projector. A host of silent screen favorites (Jack Mulhall, Bryant Washburn, Chester Conklin, Wilfrid Lucas et. al.) show up in nostalgic bit parts. — Hal Erickson |
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Cast
| John Halliday | - John Blakeford | | Marsha Hunt | - Patricia Blakeford | | Robert Cummings | - Jay Wallace | | C. Henry Gordon | - Jordan Winslow | | Frieda Inescort | - Alice Winslow | | Esther Ralston | - Flora Moore | | Esther Dale | - Martha | | Betty Compson | - Betty | | Albert Conti | - Dr. Sanford | | Richard Powell | - Moran | | Rita La Roy | - Nella | | Bryant Washburn | - Robert Martin | | William Desmond | - Guest | | Jack Mulhall | - Man at Bar | | Frank Mayo | - Himself | | Roy D'Arcy | - Sheik | | Creighton Hale | - Man at Bar | | Pat O'Malley | - Himself | | Mabel Forrest | - Mother | | Bert Roach | - Scenario Writer | | Francis X. Bushman | - Director - Desert Scene | | Maurice Costello | - Director | | Mae Marsh | - Carlotta Blakeford | | Charles Ray | - Assistant Director | | Herbert Rawlinson | - Manager of Grauman's | | Jane Novak | - Mrs. Steinman | | Harry Myers | - Himself | | Jack Mower | - Himself | | Kitty McHugh | - Secretary | | Gertrude Simpson | - Gossipy Woman | | Monte Vandergrift | | | Eleanore Whitney | - Herself | | Thomas E. Jackson | - Detective | | Oscar Apfel | - Dr. Inslow | | Phil Tead | | | Tom Kennedy | - Bouncer | | Ruth Clifford | | | Gary Cooper | - Guest | | Edward Cecil | | | Irving Bacon | - Gus the Bartender | | Purnell Pratt | - Mr. Steinman | | Frances Morris | - Bit part | | Eddie Dunn | | | Lois Kent | - Little Girl | | Gregory Gaye | - Russian Writer |
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