Hollywood Goes to Town (1938) User Reviews

Lavish preparations for the Hollywood premiere of "Marie Antoinette"...

[Doylenf · 7/10 · 25 February 2011]

Short documentary features the preparations under way for the premiere at Hollywood's Carthay Circle theater for the premiere of MARIE ANTOINETTE starring Tyrone Power and Norma Shearer.

The preparations include plastic statues, foliage, trees, etc. to resemble a stately French garden. After the preparations are completed by workmen at a very fast pace and stands are put up for adoring fans, we see the arrival of Hollywood's finest stars eager to attend the premiere.

Included are the film's top players, Tyrone Power and Norma Shearer. Others in attendance include Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Paul Muni, Anita Louise, Robert Young, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Fanny Brice and a host of others.

Although it gets off to a sluggish start with narration and no background music, as soon as the stars arrive the soundtrack picks up music and the pace increases.

Interesting for film buffs only.

The Premiere of "Marie Antoinette"

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 20 August 2012]

Hard-working Americans like to go places and see things, reports MGM narrator Frank Whitbeck. Different parts of the country demonstrate their desire to go out during different types of events. New Orleans citizens go to the Mardi Gras. In Indianapolis, they watch the death-defying 500 auto race. New York City goes daffy with the New Year's Eve celebration. The Northwest enjoys rodeos. Atlantic City goes girl crazy for Miss America. And, Hollywood people "blow off steam" by attending world premieres...

The MGM crew prepares the Carthay Circle theater for the premiere of "Marie Antoinette" (1938). Norman Shearer and Tyrone Power are top-billed. They both appear, along with many other celebrities. Judy Garland and Freddie Bartholomew are the first shown signing the guest book, which must be worth a small fortune. There are also fireworks, set pieces and a live orchestra. Fanny Brice and Pete Smith perform a skit. An estimated 40,000 fans watch the people who watch the movie. An engaging short.

***** Hollywood Goes to Town (7/38) Herman Hoffman ~ Norma Shearer, Frank Whitbeck, Fanny Brice, Pete Smith

MGM Pumps Its Latest Epic

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 30 January 2002]

An MGM MINIATURE Short Subject.

HOLLYWOOD GOES TO TOWN when the film capital's celebrities come out for the premiere of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's MARIE ANTOINETTE (1938).

This purely self-promoting little film gives an interesting look at the lavish last minute preparations outside Hollywood's splendid Cathay Circle theater, as well as the arrival of numerous tinsel town stars.

Great Stars

[Michael_Elliott · 13 May 2009]

Hollywood Goes to Town (1938)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Highly entertaining short is part documentary and part promo piece for MGM's big-budgeted MARIE ANTOINETTE. The film starts off showing us how Hollywood puts on a premiere, which includes them cutting the bushes, building grand stands and of course getting the red carpet laid down. We see how all of this goes down in one day and then we see the Hollywood stars show up. Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Freddie Bartholomew, Una Merkel, John Barrymore, Robert Young, Pete Smith, Jimmy Stewart, Jeanette MacDonald, Helen Hayes, Louis B. Mayer, Hedy Lamarr, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Paul Muni, Charles Boyer, Jack Benny, Claudette Colbert, Simone Simon, Robert Montgomery, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Taylor and Carole Lombard are the stars who show up in this one 9-minute film. As you can see, this is a film buffs dream as we get to see a lot of major stars within one small film. If you're a fan of classic film then this here is a must see just for nostalgia sake.

A big Hollywood premiere in the 1930s

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 29 March 2021]

This is a gorgeous mini-documentary about the premiere of "Marie Antoinette" in 1938. All the great stars were present. Norma Shearer was accompanied by Tyrone Power who never looked more glorious.

The film premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre, with grounds around it a replica of a French garden. Fanny Brice, Judy Garland, Don Wilson, Freddie Bartholomew, John Barrymore, Elaine Barrie, Spencer Tracy and dozens of others attend.

Grandstands were set up for the fans. It looked like an exciting evening; we don't see anything like that nowadays.