Monday, April 25, 2005
Show People (1928)
Marion Davies as Peggy Pepper
William Haines as Billy Boone
Colonel Pepper brings his daughter, Peggy, to Hollywood from Georgia to be an actress. There she meets Billy who gets her work at Comet Studio doing comedies with him. But Peggy is discovered by High Art Studio and she leaves Billy and Comet to work there. For her new image, she is now Patricia Pepoire and ignores Billy when he sees her on location. When she is not longer wanted by the little people who do not understand "ART", she plans to marry Andre to get a fake title. Billy will not let her go without a fight.
*
Marion Davies and Williams Haines were two of the few Hollywood actors of the 1920's who didn't get caught up in themselves so what two better actors could have starred in this film, throwing a huge razzberry at those who did! Since this movie was made in 1928 at the end of the silent era, it is superior in every way. The action and editing is fast paced, along with a highly enjoyable plot. Poor Peggy Pepper comes to Hollywood from Georgia and befriends Billy Boone, a Mack Sennett-type comedy actor.
He gets Peggy into the movies, but not the movies she expected. When "High Arts" studio beckons, Peggy moves on from comedy to drama ("real art"). She is brainwashed by her new drama friends that she is now better than those silly one-reeler comedians and she starts to act accordingly, even changing her name to Patricia Pepoire. She soon snubs her old pal Billy (the one who got her into the movies to begin with!) and is even downright NASTY to him in a few scenes! You start to hate her, but she gets her wake up call and of course all ends well. Marion and William sure do make a gorgeous pair -- William Haines never looked better and Marion was flawlessly beautiful. The exaggerated-on-purpose acting works well in this film; you can just FEEL the sarcasm emanating! Another wonderful addition to this film is all the star-spotting you'll be doing!
Charlie Chaplin even did a cameo!
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