A movie studio is losing money so they send stuffy accountant Leslie Howard out to Hollywood to find out why. There he meets an assortment of wacky characters and becomes involved in their stories. Great cast helps this satirical comedy rise above a script that tries a little too hard. Many of the characters have silly names like Fowler Pettypacker and Atterbury Dodd, so it's that kind of movie.
Leslie Howard is great at playing the straight man to all those around him screwballing it up. Joan Blondell is fun as the former child star and now stand-in (hence the title) for fading movie star Marla Shelton. Humphrey Bogart is the producer in love with Shelton. Bogie is very good in one of the movie's more serious parts. No doubt he was happy to be taking a break from playing gangsters at the time. Alan Mowbray hams it up as a director with an indiscernible accent. Jack Carson is amusing as a loudmouth press agent. It's basically the standard Jack Carson role. My favorite performances are that of Tully Marshall as the wheelchair-bound grouse heading the studio and Marianne Edwards as Elvira, a little girl that was obviously a parody of Shirley Temple. Definitely worth a look if you're a fan of any of the actors involved or if you like movies that satirize filmmaking.
Leslie Howard is great at playing the straight man to all those around him screwballing it up. Joan Blondell is fun as the former child star and now stand-in (hence the title) for fading movie star Marla Shelton. Humphrey Bogart is the producer in love with Shelton. Bogie is very good in one of the movie's more serious parts. No doubt he was happy to be taking a break from playing gangsters at the time. Alan Mowbray hams it up as a director with an indiscernible accent. Jack Carson is amusing as a loudmouth press agent. It's basically the standard Jack Carson role. My favorite performances are that of Tully Marshall as the wheelchair-bound grouse heading the studio and Marianne Edwards as Elvira, a little girl that was obviously a parody of Shirley Temple. Definitely worth a look if you're a fan of any of the actors involved or if you like movies that satirize filmmaking.