Not much in this story, but it is a portal into 1980, featuring some great actors in their twilight years, in minor roles. As a story, fairly flat, however the topic about the Hollywood scene, has potential to be a good film if remade.
3 Reviews
Martha Raye shines with pre-"Sex and City" Cattrall in this all-star TV flick
danny5211 January 2005
They say that the best comics sometimes make the best dramatic actors. Some of Chaplin's best moments on screen were poignant, not slapstick. The same can be said for Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason and in this film, the wonderful Martha Raye. Playing the role of once-great big band singer/movie star Georgia O'Hanlon, Raye breaks your heart as she gets ripped off and verbally abused by the likes of Bobby Sherman as a bratty pop star and Robert Vaughn as an evil manager. A 23-year-old Kim Cattrall (looking light years away from sexy Samantha from "Sex and the City") plays a new Tinseltown gossip columnist who is trying to help O'Hanlon expose the crooks. The producers apparently decided to drag whoever was working on the lot to pop up in cameo roles--Jim and Hennie Backus, Betty White, Rip Taylor, Jack Carter, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows--as well as an all-star cast in bit parts, including Dick Sargent, Lyle Waggoner, and Richard Deacon. Joe Penny plays Cattrall's love interest and legendary 1930s movie star Sylvia Sidney is wonderful as a washed up Hedda Hopper-type gossip columnist from the early days of Hollywood. Raye even gets to sing, "Angel Eyes," and clips from "Never Say Die," a movie she made with Bob Hope in 1939 are playing on a TV in O'Hanlon's dressing room. Martha Raye should have received an Emmy nomination for her performance in the most-challenging role she was ever given.
Take it from the big mouth. She'll break your heart.
mark.waltz28 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The legendary Martha Raye must have jumped with excitement at reading the script and discovering her part of a legendary singer down on her luck who is being ripped off by her manager (Robert Vaughn) and in debt for supposed back taxes. She has been reduced to touring for peanuts and appearing on variety shows, abused by the star (Bobby Sherman) while trying to find some confidence via the bottle which results in some public scenes.
For budding journalist Kim Cattrall, the last thing she wants is a job as a gossip columnist, especially after winning a Pulitzer prize over the likes of Woodward and Bernstein. But when she discovers what's going on with Raye, she realizes that she can do some good, tackling a very powerful man and making a lot of people mad. Among them are the columnist she replaced (Sylvia Sidney) and brash agent Bobby Vinton.
There are some cameos by stars playing themselves including Betty White and Allen Ludden, Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen, Jack Carter, and Jim and Henny Backus, not to mention an eye rolling Rip Taylor. Lyle Waggner plays an egotistical TV star Cattrall interviews, hysterically vain. But it's Raye that all eyes will be on. It's a shame that this didn't get any Emmy nominations, but to my knowledge, this was made for syndication not for network.
The script really strikes a nerve on the ruthlessness of Hollywood behind the scenes which is possibly why it didn't get more attention. Raye manages to get through her performance without any clowning whatsoever, and that shows how talented this funny lady really was and how genuinely good she could have been with the right script. Sidney too is super, especially in a scene where she tells off Cattrall who shows great potential in one of her earliest roles. A real heartbreaker of a forgotten TV film that probably was never heard of in the first place.
For budding journalist Kim Cattrall, the last thing she wants is a job as a gossip columnist, especially after winning a Pulitzer prize over the likes of Woodward and Bernstein. But when she discovers what's going on with Raye, she realizes that she can do some good, tackling a very powerful man and making a lot of people mad. Among them are the columnist she replaced (Sylvia Sidney) and brash agent Bobby Vinton.
There are some cameos by stars playing themselves including Betty White and Allen Ludden, Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen, Jack Carter, and Jim and Henny Backus, not to mention an eye rolling Rip Taylor. Lyle Waggner plays an egotistical TV star Cattrall interviews, hysterically vain. But it's Raye that all eyes will be on. It's a shame that this didn't get any Emmy nominations, but to my knowledge, this was made for syndication not for network.
The script really strikes a nerve on the ruthlessness of Hollywood behind the scenes which is possibly why it didn't get more attention. Raye manages to get through her performance without any clowning whatsoever, and that shows how talented this funny lady really was and how genuinely good she could have been with the right script. Sidney too is super, especially in a scene where she tells off Cattrall who shows great potential in one of her earliest roles. A real heartbreaker of a forgotten TV film that probably was never heard of in the first place.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
