Tag: Going Hollywood

The Synopsis

Sylvia Bruce teaches French at Briarcroft School, but dreams of another life. Listening to crooner Bill Williams on the radio [Our Big Love Scene], she decides to pack a bag and set off to find life, love and music. 

In New York, Bill Williams has to record a song [Beautiful Girl] before leaving for Hollywood. He will be travelling with his French co-star, Lili Yvonne. Sylvia sneaks into Bill’s room to thank him for the way his music has changed her life. 

Bill wants to board his train without anyone knocking, so he can avoid the big send-off arranged by his publicist, Jack Thompson. But at Grand Central Station, he is besieged by reporters and fans. Bill makes a run for it [Just an Echo in the Valley], with the crowd in pursuit [Going Hollywood].

On the train, Bill finds Bert Conroy, the director of the film, Ernest Pratt Baker, who is financing it, and Sylvia, who shocks Bill by telling him she loves him. 

Later, Bill is surprised again when he finds that Lili has hired Sylvia to be her maid. This is short-lived, because Bill tells the jealous Lili that Sylvia loves him, leading Lili to slap Sylvia. 

Later, in Hollywood, on the first day of filming, Bert already thinks both the picture and Lili are “a bust”.  Sylvia meets Jill Barker, who is trying to break into movies. Sylvia becomes Jill’s roommate at Ailoha Bungalow Court., where she dreams about Bill [We’ll Make Hay While the Sun Shines]. 

Later, on the set, Sylvia turns up as an extra in blackface. Bill apologizes for the way Lili treated her on the train. Lili finds them together and slaps Sylvia again. 

Ernest gets Sylvia and Jill jobs in the chorus. On location, Lili performs her number [Cinderella’s Fella], which Bert thinks is terrible. Lili quits, but Bill persuades her to change her mind. 

During a break [medley], Sylvia impersonates Lili Cinderella’s Fella]. Lili slaps Sylvia for the third time, but this time Sylia hits back. Ernest asserts himself and gives the lead in the picture to Sylvia. Bill invites Sylvia to dinner [After Sundown]. Bill tells Sylvia he is through with Lili. but is irritated when Sylvia will not go back to his apartment with him. He drops her off, but forgets his hat. Sylvia takes the hat to him, but finds he is with Lili. 

Next day, Ernest warns Bert that Lili is trying to get Bill to walk off the picture. Bill does not understand why Sylvia is avoiding him. She tells him he is a fake, like everything else in Hollywood. Bill goes on a bender with Lili, ending up in Mexico, and the studio decides to replace him. Sylvia and Jill track him down, and Sylvia reminds him that he said he loved her. She asks Bill to come back with her, but Lili restrains him [Temptation]. 

Back at the studio, they are about to start filming with a replacement when Bill arrives [Our Big Love Scene]. Sylvia and Bill kiss.