"Crashing Hollywood" from 1938 is the story of a screenwriter (Lee Tracy) who meets the right -- or maybe it is the wrong - people on a train en route to Hollywood.The people he meets are Herman and Goldie Tibbets (Paul Guilfoyle and Lee Patrick). Herman, recently released from prison, is interested in becoming a duck farmer, while Goldie thinks one more robbery isn't a bad idea. When they meet Michael Winslow (Tracy) they are under the impression that he has $50,000 in a briefcase when they overhear him trying to insure it.Determined to get it away from him, they befriend him. Michael, meanwhile, is trying to make time with an actress (Joan Woodbury) whom he literally fell into earlier. Winslow shows Herman and Goldie that the $50,000 is his script. When Herman looks it over, he tells him that a lot of details are wrong - it concerns an actual bank robbery, and Winslow takes him on as a collaborator. He's unaware that Herman is giving him the names of a real crook and the actual true details of the robbery.When the real crook (Bradley Page) sees the film starring a lookalike (Bradley Page) -- he heads out to Hollywood before there are any other films featuring him, "The Hawk."Amusing film with a nice turn by Page as an arrogant actor and and a tough guy. Lee Tracy is his usual fast-talking, energetic self, and Lee Patrick is funny as Goldie, as is Guilfoyle.This is a B picture. Many of these actors went on to careers in television. Page quit films in 1943.This is a fast, fun movie.

Crashing Hollywood (1938) ** 1/2 (out of 4) A former gangster (Paul Guilfoyle) gets out of prison and takes his wife on a train to California where he plans on going straight by starting a duck farm. On the train he meets a screenwriter (Lee Tracy) and the two team up to make realistic crime pictures. All goes well until a real gangster shows up wondering how the writers is getting all the details right. This film isn't nearly as funny as it should have been but it is mildly entertaining on a second film of a double feature type of way. For the most part this is just a one-joke film as our main guys make a blockbuster movie but soon the main gangster is showing up to get revenge. This leads to some rather routine gags including the gangster being mistaken for the actor playing him as well as the actor getting beaten up because people thinks he's the gangster. These scenes here are actually pretty funny but they only come up during the final fifteen-minutes. These final scenes contain the most laughs as the police are running around the studio trying to capture the real bad guys. Tracy is pretty good in his role but you have to like his style of comedy or else you'll probably find him annoying. Guilfoyle is also pretty good but he's a character actor I've always enjoyed. It's Richard Lane who steals the film as the loud mouth, fast talking producer who's always trying to sign someone to a contract. Lane would become famous for playing Inspector Farraday in the Boston Blackie movies and his comic timing here is just as good. Fans of those Boston Blackie movies will certainly get a kick out of seeing Lane here.

This is another enjoyable role for that great actor Lee Tracy.He paid so heavily for his transgressions that he has virtually been eradicated from the map.However the real point of interest for this film is that it includes a tour of the RKO lot.In the film it is supposed to be "Wonder Pictures" but it is easily recognisable as the RKO studios.Some of the action takes place outside the very recognisable entrance which i recall is on Gower Street.The climax of the film is shot on Stage 9 and also featured are ares around the internal courtyard.Many of the signs for the various departments are visible.When i visited the studio in 1983 for the taping of an episode of "Cheers" it looked very much the same.In fact that programme may even have been made on the same sound stage as this.So if you are interested in the history of RKO this is an added attraction for this film.

If, like myself, you might be drawn to this picture because of your admiration of the unique talent of Lee Tracy.....forget it. Cast as a "good Joe" rather than the snarly, hyperactive conniver he excels at playing, Tracy is stuck with a role that virtually anyone could have played with as much, or as little, distinction. The story is ludicrous, the attempts at humor enfeebled, and the reliance on confusion of look-alikes reduces the plot - such as it is - to a level that might be appreciated by children, as long as they aren't too mature. Lee Tracy fans, stay away! There are many classic performances by him elsewhere. For Tom Kennedy fans, it might be worth a look.