Its summer time (IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME made in 1949) and that means a song in some people’s hearts so why not enjoy a Hollywood musical. Take a spin through the 1937 Raoul Walsh directed GOING HOLLYWOOD. The one and only Bing Crosby and Marion Davies are featured along with Canadian Born Fifi D”Orsey ( Born Yvonne Lussier in Montreal Quebec) and Ned Sparks ( Born Ned Sparkman Guelph Ontario.)
D’ Orsey has a wonderful musical number that Sparks interrupts is one of the pictures best comic moments.
Bing Crosby makes this picture go with his crooning and his presence. Crosby was the top selling male singer in the world then and continued even as rising star Frank Sinatra was beginning to make a dint. Crosby was the ‘Gold standard” in radio play, record and sheet music sales plus lifestyle with his clothes and cars.
The clip shows the wonderful use of crowds and control that Raoul Walsh used in this song sequence of Bing’s character leaving for Hollywood. This played a part in the action sequences Walsh was to direct later in his career.
Marion Davies who was William Randolph Hearst’s mistress was cast in an attempt to team here with the huge presence that was Crosby and others in the picture. Davis does a credible job in GOING HOLLYWOOD yet she appears out of her element in the dance sequences. She tried hard and no doubt has the best teachers that money could buy to help.
GOING HOLLYWOOD (1937) may seem to be a spectacular musical in the MGM vein was strong attempt at the formula by Warner Brothers. The picture lacked the MGM people behind the cameras and on set yet still worth a look only because it contains Crosby singing his heart out with ease.
STARDUST AND SHADOWS 
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