Movie Movie
Encyclopedia
Movie Movie is a 1978 musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen
. Movie Movie consists of two short films, both starring the husband-and-wife team of George C. Scott
and Trish Van Devere
, with a fake movie trailer sandwiched in between them. The film was entered into the 29th Berlin International Film Festival
.
tells us that we are about to see an old-style double feature
. In the old days, he explains, movies were in black-and-white, except sometimes "when they sang it came out in color."
The first feature, Dynamite Hands, is a throwback to boxing-ring morality plays such as Body and Soul
. It's about a young man named Joey Popchik from a poor family, who dreams of one day becoming a lawyer
. His sister is losing her eyesight, so he becomes a boxer
to raise the money to have her cured. Along the way, he gets seduced by fame and fortune, and runs afoul of a crooked boxing manager. In the end, his sister is cured and Joey, so that "poetic justice could be served," races through law school to become the prosecutor who puts the villain behind bars, spouting corny courtroom aphorisms such as "a man can move mountains with his bare heart."
The trailer is for a flying-ace movie set in World War I
.
The second feature, Baxter's Beauties of 1933, is a throwback to musical
extravaganzas such as 42nd Street
. Legendary theatrical producer Spats Baxter learns he's dying. To support the daughter he's never known after he's gone he plans to create one last Broadway
smash. A young ingenue with dreams of performing on Broadway arrives to audition. Baxter's accountant is at heart a genius songwriter. Baxter's star is a spoiled actress who almost destroys the entire production with her drunkenness
and reckless spending of the show's money. In the end the ingenue must go on in her place, becomes a star, and learns that Baxter is her long-lost father. As the curtain falls, a dying Baxter tells her, "One minute you're standing in the wings, the next minute you're wearing 'em."
Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen ; is an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, both of which he co-directed with Gene Kelly. His other noteworthy films include Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Face, Indiscreet, Damn...
. Movie Movie consists of two short films, both starring the husband-and-wife team of George C. Scott
George C. Scott
George Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
and Trish Van Devere
Trish Van Devere
Trish Van Devere is an American actress.-Early life:Van Devere was born as Patricia Louise Dressel in Tenafly, New Jersey. She was married to the actor George C...
, with a fake movie trailer sandwiched in between them. The film was entered into the 29th Berlin International Film Festival
29th Berlin International Film Festival
The 29th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 20 to March 3, 1979.-Jury:* Julie Christie* Romain Gary* Ingrid Caven* Georg Alexander* Liliana Cavani* Jörn Donner* Paul Bartel* Pál Gábor-Films in competition:...
.
Plot summary
At the start of the film, George BurnsGeorge Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
tells us that we are about to see an old-style double feature
Double feature
The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.The double feature, also known as...
. In the old days, he explains, movies were in black-and-white, except sometimes "when they sang it came out in color."
The first feature, Dynamite Hands, is a throwback to boxing-ring morality plays such as Body and Soul
Body and Soul (1947 film)
Body and Soul is a 1947 film noir which tells the story of a boxer who becomes involved with crooked promoters. It stars John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere and William Conrad....
. It's about a young man named Joey Popchik from a poor family, who dreams of one day becoming a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. His sister is losing her eyesight, so he becomes a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
to raise the money to have her cured. Along the way, he gets seduced by fame and fortune, and runs afoul of a crooked boxing manager. In the end, his sister is cured and Joey, so that "poetic justice could be served," races through law school to become the prosecutor who puts the villain behind bars, spouting corny courtroom aphorisms such as "a man can move mountains with his bare heart."
The trailer is for a flying-ace movie set in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The second feature, Baxter's Beauties of 1933, is a throwback to musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
extravaganzas such as 42nd Street
42nd Street (film)
-Cast:*Warner Baxter as Julian Marsh, director*Bebe Daniels as Dorothy Brock, star*George Brent as Pat Denning, Dorothy's old vaudeville partner*Ruby Keeler as Peggy Sawyer, the newcomer*Guy Kibbee as Abner Dillon, the show's backer...
. Legendary theatrical producer Spats Baxter learns he's dying. To support the daughter he's never known after he's gone he plans to create one last Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
smash. A young ingenue with dreams of performing on Broadway arrives to audition. Baxter's accountant is at heart a genius songwriter. Baxter's star is a spoiled actress who almost destroys the entire production with her drunkenness
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and reckless spending of the show's money. In the end the ingenue must go on in her place, becomes a star, and learns that Baxter is her long-lost father. As the curtain falls, a dying Baxter tells her, "One minute you're standing in the wings, the next minute you're wearing 'em."
Cast
- George C. ScottGeorge C. ScottGeorge Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
- Gloves Malloy / Spats Baxter - Trish Van DevereTrish Van DevereTrish Van Devere is an American actress.-Early life:Van Devere was born as Patricia Louise Dressel in Tenafly, New Jersey. She was married to the actor George C...
- Betsy McGuire / Isobel Stuart - Red Buttons - Peanuts / Jinks Murphy
- Eli WallachEli WallachEli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
- Vince Marlow / Pop - Harry HamlinHarry HamlinHarry Robinson Hamlin is an American film and television actor, known for his role as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film Clash of the Titans, and as Michael Kuzak in the legal drama series L.A...
- Joey Popchik - Ann ReinkingAnn ReinkingAnn Reinking is an American actress, dancer, and choreographer. She has worked extensively in musical theatre, both as a dancer and choreographer, as well as appearing in film.-Biography:...
- Troubles Moran - Jocelyn BrandoJocelyn BrandoJocelyn Brando was an American film, stage and television actress.Her film debut came in the war movie China Venture with Edmond O'Brien and Barry Sullivan. Her best-known movie role was as detective Glenn Ford's doomed wife in the gangster film noir The Big Heat...
- Mama Popchik / Mrs. Updike - Michael KiddMichael KiddMichael Kidd was an American film and stage choreographer.-Life and career:Born Milton Greenwald in New York City on the Lower East Side, the son of Abraham Greenwald, an immigrant barber, and his wife Lillian, Michael Kidd moved to Brooklyn with his family and attended New Utrecht High School there...
- Pop Popchik - Kathleen BellerKathleen BellerKathleen Beller is an actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Promises in the Dark...
- Angie Popchik - Barry BostwickBarry BostwickBarry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City...
- Johnny Danko / Dick Cummings - Art CarneyArt CarneyArthur William Matthew “Art” Carney was an American actor in film, stage, television and radio. He is best known for playing Ed Norton, opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in the situation comedy The Honeymooners....
- Doctor Blaine / Doctor Bowers - Clay Hodges - Sailor Lawson
- George P. WilburGeorge P. Wilbur-Biography:Wilbur played Michael Myers in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, the fourth and sixth films of the Halloween film series. He was the first actor to portray Michael Myers more than once during the film series...
- Tony Norton - Peter Stader - Barney Keegle (as Peter T. Stader)
- Jimmy Lennon Sr. - The Announcer (as James Lennon)
- Barbara HarrisBarbara HarrisBarbara Harris may refer to:*Barbara Clementine Harris, first woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion*Barbara Harris , American actress*Barbara Eve Harris, Canadian actress*Barbara Harris , lead singer of the R&B group The Toys...
-Trixie Lane - Charles LaneCharles LaneCharles Lane may refer to:*Charles Lane , U.S. character actor *Charles Lane , Washington Post reporter*Charles Lane , African-American actor/filmmaker...
-The Judge-Mr.Pennington