While the attempts to recreate the mood of a classic film noir is admirable, the results aren't quite as successful. This seems to be trying to recreate the Hollywood magic of "The Bad and the Beautiful" with several stars from that film and a few other contract players from MGM in guest-starring cameos, as well as some other veterans as well. This reminds me of "Death at Love House" (made after this) with its focus on the studio era of movie making, but that's a mystery horror film while this is strictly a noir rip-off that overloaded with ridiculously trite dialog just seems juvenile and silly.
New York TV talk show producer Don Murray (one of the last Hollywood golden age contract players) who's obsessed with trying to find out the mystery of what happened to Carolyn Parker, a film noir vixen who disappeared after only eight movies, and that puts him in danger and leads to the murder of a few people he talk to.
In her one scene, Yvonne DeCarlo looks like she's going to a costume party dressed as Bette Davis in "Madam Sin", and Walter Pidgeon gets some really eye rolling dialog as a has-been director. Van Johnson get some better material as Parker's one-time co-star and forner lover. Ralph Meeker, Cameron Mitchell and Huntz Hall are equally ill-served by the script. Gloria Grahame, the girl with the cotton stuffed cheeks and odd sounding voice, is seen mainly in film clips as Parker, and when she does show up, it's a complete let down and a total waste of the previous 70 minutes. Ultimately, this was an attempt to cash in on the nostalgia craze of the 70's and ends up being a big Edsel. It's not even amusing as camp.
New York TV talk show producer Don Murray (one of the last Hollywood golden age contract players) who's obsessed with trying to find out the mystery of what happened to Carolyn Parker, a film noir vixen who disappeared after only eight movies, and that puts him in danger and leads to the murder of a few people he talk to.
In her one scene, Yvonne DeCarlo looks like she's going to a costume party dressed as Bette Davis in "Madam Sin", and Walter Pidgeon gets some really eye rolling dialog as a has-been director. Van Johnson get some better material as Parker's one-time co-star and forner lover. Ralph Meeker, Cameron Mitchell and Huntz Hall are equally ill-served by the script. Gloria Grahame, the girl with the cotton stuffed cheeks and odd sounding voice, is seen mainly in film clips as Parker, and when she does show up, it's a complete let down and a total waste of the previous 70 minutes. Ultimately, this was an attempt to cash in on the nostalgia craze of the 70's and ends up being a big Edsel. It's not even amusing as camp.