What Price Hollywood?

Directed by George Cukor, What Price Hollywood? follows Constance Bennett’s Mary Evans as she becomes a movie star after after meeting (and charming) an alcoholic director (Lowell Sherman’s Max Carey) – with the narrative detailing Mary’s subsequent efforts at balancing her exceedingly busy career with the demands of her new husband (Neil Hamilton’s Lonny Borden). It’s a familiar setup that’s employed to erratic yet mostly watchable effect by Cukor, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the movie’s mild success is due in large part to Bennett’s endlessly affable turn as the sympathetic central character – with the actress’ top-notch work certainly matched by a first-class roster of periphery players. And although Cukor has peppered the proceedings with several engrossing sequences, including (and especially) a fun interlude wherein Mary attempts to perfect her one line of dialogue before shooting her first movie, What Price Hollywood? admittedly does suffer from a hit-and-miss midsection that’s at its worst when focused on the domestic exploits of Bennett and Hamilton’s respective characters – with the lack of chemistry between the performers only exacerbating a mostly unconvincing, uninteresting pairing. (This is despite a truly bizarre first-date scene, which finds Lonny physically carrying Mary to his house against her will.) There’s little doubt, ultimately, that What Price Hollywood?‘s most engaging, entertaining moments involve Mary and Max’s compelling dynamic, with the tragic trajectory of their relationship ensuring that the picture finally does conclude on a memorable, absorbing note.

**1/2 out of ****