There are many meta Hollywood films, but this is one of the finest.
It charts the rise and fall of producer Jonathon Shields as seen through the eyes of three former friends/colleagues who he has gathered together to see if they will help him make his comeback film. The film is split into three acts, each a telling of the story of why that person will never work with Shields again.
Barry Sullivan plays director Fred Amiel who started in the film making business with Jonathon and together they made B-movie pics for a studio. When Fred tires of the corny titles they are expected to direct he gets Jonathon to pitch his idea to the studio. Jonathon sells the story, but freezes Fred out of the deal.
Lana Turner plays Georgia Larrison, the drunken slut daughter of a famous dead producer. He takes her under his wing and turns her into a star, only to spurn her for a trampy extra on the night of her big premiere.
Dick Powell plays writer James Lee Bartlow, who Jonathon convinces to come to Hollywood to write screenplays for him. Dick is easily distracted when writing, especially by his beloved Southern belle wife, Rosemary. Shields takes Bartlow away on a fishing trip in order to get him to write free of distraction. He gets the Latin Lothario star Victor Ribera to keep her occupied so she wont bother them with constant calls. Tragedy strikes as Victor and Rosemary are killed in a plane crash with the press and James convinced they were having an affair only to find out the truth much later.
It is a brilliant warts and all telling of behind the scenes of old Hollywood. The way it is executed is very clever. The cast is superb. Kirk Douglas plays the charming cad so well that it's almost hard to loathe him...almost!
Vincente Minnelli's direction hones down the melodrama very well and it is a great example of storytelling. Ending on the repeated theme of eavesdropping on the telephone is an amusing cliff-hanger.
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