History Film / WhatPriceHollywood

With the help of [[TheAlcoholic constant drunk]] and Hollywood director, Max Carey (LowellSherman), Mary shoots to super stardom, but at the cost of her marriage to Lonnie Borden (NeilHamilton) and the sanity of the man who discovered her.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] drama was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to the 1937 film, ''Film/{{A Star Is Born|1937}}'' (Cukor also directed [[Film/AStarIsBorn1954 the 1954 remake]]), sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] drama was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to the 1937 film, ''Film/{{A Star Is Born|1937}}'' (Cukor also directed [[Film/AStarIsBorn1954 the famous remake]]), sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] drama was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to the 1937 film, ''Film/AStarIsBorn'' (Cukor also directed the famous remake), sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

* PlayingHardToGet: Finding out that Lonnie doesn't like blondes actress and is an overall snob, Mary ignores his earnest pursuit of her. He gets so angry because she stood him up that he ''breaks down her [[SoftGlass window]]'', gets ''into'' her house, takes her to his house while she’s still in her negligée, and ''[[ForceFeeding forces her to eat]]'' the meal he prepared. We’re supposed to take this as romantic.

''What Price Hollywood'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), who rises to fame and discovers all the pitfalls of a glamourous Hollywood lifestyle.

* DullSurprise: For Mary’s first acting job, she is incredibly stiff and unnatural. In the small scene she has, she sees a dead guy, and invokes this trope.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to the 1937 film, ''Film/AStarIsBorn'' (Cukor also directed the famous remake), sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

* TheAlcoholic: Even for an early 30s film, Max’s alcoholism isn’t played for laughs. Instead, it’s treated as his downfall.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/what_price_hollywood.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"I'm in pictures. I'm in pictures!"]]

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), who rises to fame and discovers all the pitfalls of a glamourous Hollywood lifestyle.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor, ''Film/AStarIsBorn'' (Cukor directed the famous remake), sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to a more famous film (Cukor directed the famous remake), ''Film/AStarIsBorn'', sharing many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

* ThirdWheel: Max becomes this much to Mary and Lonnie’s annoyance. In one instance, he comes to their house flat-out drunk and says he’ll burn their house down if they don’t let him in. They let him in, and he goes into their bedroom, spewing drunken nonsense, completely unaware of how he’s driving a serious wedge between Mary and Lonnie.

* ThirdWheel: Max becomes this much to Mary and Lonnie’s annoyance. In one instance, he comes to their house flat-out drunk and says he’ll burn their house down if they don’t let him in. They let him in, and he goes into their bedroom, completely unaware of how he’s driving a serious wedge between Mary and Lonnie.

* ShoutOut: The film begins with Mary looking at a fan magazine with a picture of Creator/GretaGarbo and Creator/ClarkGable. She imitates Garbo’s accent and presses her face against Cable’s picture.

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), who rises to fame and discovers all the pitfalls of the glamourous Hollywood lifestyle.

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), who rises to fame, and discovers all the pitfalls of the glamourous Hollywood lifestyle.

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), her eventual rise to fame, and the pitfalls of that glamourous Hollywood lifestyle she fought to have.

With the help of [[TheAlcoholic constant drunk]] and Hollywood director, Max Carey (LowellSherman), Mary shoots up to super stardom, but at the cost of her marriage to Lonnie Borden (NeilHamilton) and the sanity of the man who discovered her.

This [[ThePreCodeEra pre-code]] was directed by Creator/GeorgeCukor, and is a precursor to a more famous film (Cukor directed the famous remake), ''Film/AStarIsBorn'', and shares many of its themes, albeit a different plot.

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), her eventual rise as a movie star, and the pitfalls of that glamourous Hollywood lifestyle she fought to have.

* PlayingHardToGet: Finding out that Lonnie does like Hollywood blondes, Mary ignores his earnest pursuit of her. He gets so angry for her doing this and having stood him up that he ''breaks down her [[SoftGlass window]]'', gets ''into'' her house, takes her to his house while she’s still in her negligée, and ''[[ForceFeeding forces her to eat]]'' the meal he prepared. We’re supposed to take this as romantic.

* FourthDateMarriage: After what seems as mere hours, Mary and Lonnie decide to get married. Doesn’t go down too well.

''What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) is the story of aspiring actress, Mary Evans (Creator/ConstanceBennett), and rise as a glamourous star. It shows the pitfalls of that glamourous Hollywood lifestyle she fought to have.

With the help of [[The Alcoholic constant drunk]] and Hollywood director, Max Carey (LowellSherman), Mary shoots up to super stardom, but at the cost of her marriage to Lonnie Borden (NeilHamilton) and the sanity of the man who discovered her.

* ShoutOut: The film begins with Mary looking at a fan magazine with a picture of Creator/GretaGarbo and Creator/ClarkCable. She imitates Garbo’s accent and presses her face against Cable’s picture.

* GlamourousSingleMother: Mary has a son soon after Lonnie leaves them, and manages to find time for work and raising a kid.

* VisualPun: Mary’s name is turned into dirt since [[spoiler: she’s being implicated in Carey’s suicide]]. Cue footage of SpinningNewspapers and some dirt being thrown on top of it.