Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)

45% of users liked it
(47 ratings)

Hollywood Cavalcade was a fictionalized history of silent films and the growth of the movie industry. Don Ameche portrays a character based on equal portions of Mack Sennett and D. W. Griffith, while Alice Faye's silent star is an amalgam of Mabel Normand and Gloria Swanson. Ameche breaks into… More Hollywood Cavalcade was a fictionalized history of silent films and the growth of the movie industry. Don Ameche portrays a character based on equal portions of Mack Sennett and D. W. Griffith, while Alice Faye's silent star is an amalgam of Mabel Normand and Gloria Swanson. Ameche breaks into pictures with slapstick comedies, initiating the first "pie throwing" scene, with Buster Keaton the thrower and Alice Faye the throw-ee. Thanks to Ameche, Faye becomes a major comedy star, appearing in wild Keystone Kops chase comedies. But success goes to Ameche's head, and soon he's staging elaborate Intolerance-like historical spectacles. As Ameche's artistic aspirations climb, his relationship with the faithful Alice deteriorates. She finds solace with her young leading man (Alan Curtis) and becomes a top dramatic star. Having made and lost several fortunes, Ameche talks Alice into appearing in his "comeback" picture, but shortly before filming ends, she and her husband are in a serious auto accident. The husband is killed, and as Faye recuperates, Ameche agonizes over how he'll save his uncompleted masterpiece. He witnesses the premiere of Al Jolson's part-talking The Jazz Singer and decides to risk everything by scrapping his film and remaking it as a talkie. Faye, who's never really stopped loving Ameche, agrees to star in this new project. On a level of accuracy, Hollywood Cavalcade is for the birds, but it scores on its energetic performances and nostalgic appeal. As a bonus, several past movie greats appear in cameos: Al Jolson, Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin, Jimmy Finlayson, Hank Mann and even Rin Tin Tin Jr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Irving Cummings, 'Snub' Pollard
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 13, 1939 Wide
On DVD: Oct 7, 2008

Critic Reviews

David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
This is a generous tip of the hat to the dawn of cinema, which should appeal to any movie lover.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Como curiosidade sobre os bastidores da jovem Hollywood, o filme funciona muito bem. Pena que a história de amor entre Ameche e Faye atrapalhe um pouco.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Hoary old chestnut in dazzling Technicolor is a thinly veiled account of Mack Sennett"s rise and fall. He was involved in the production in a minor capacity. Alice doesn't even sing.

Cast

            Alice Faye as Molly Adair

            Don Ameche as Michael Linnett Connors

            J. Edward Bromberg as Dave Spingold

            Alan Curtis as Nicky Hayden

            Stuart Erwin as Pete Tinney

            Jed Prouty as Chief of Police

            Buster Keaton as Himself

            Donald Meek as Lyle P. Stout

            George Givot as Claude

            Hank Mann as Keystone Cop

            Eddie Collins as Keystone Cop

            Chester Conklin as Sheriff in Western

            James Finlayson as Keystone Cop

            Chick Chandler as Chick Assistant Director

            Robert Lowery as Henry Potter

            Russell Hicks as Roberts

            Ben Welden as Agent

            Willie Fung as Willie

            Paul Stanton as Filson

            Mary Forbes as Mrs. Gaynes

            Irving Bacon as Bakery Clerk

            Ben Turpin as Bartender in Western

            Marjorie Beebe as Telephone Operator

            Frederick Burton as Thomas of Famous Players

            Lee Duncan as Himself

            Rin Tin Tin Jr. as Rin Tin Tin

            Lynn Bari
            
            Charles "Heinie" Conklin as Keystone Cop

            Al Jolson as Himself

            Harry "Snub" Pollard as Keystone Cop

            Victor Potel
            
            Fred 'Snowflake' Toones as Porter

            Mack Sennett as Himself

            Malcolm St. Clair
            
See full cast