Virginia Weidler, who usually gives decent performances in her pictures, seems to be at her least convincing in this narcissistic MGM romp. She plays a teen who disrupts the lives of movie stars with her best friend (Jean Porter) for just one more autograph, please! Clark Gable does not appear in this confection, because he's off at war. But countless other MGM contract players have been drafted into service, such as Lana Turner, Greer Garson, and Walter Pidgeon.
Miss Weidler can be forgiven for being at that awkward stage of life known as adolescence, though someone has tried to glamorize her a bit too much in order to be taken seriously as an average American girl in this picture. But what is most distressing is that she has received direction that allows her to run the gamut from silly to sillier. And to say she is over-acting on occasion is putting it mildly. Secondary star Porter is not much better, and at times her Texas accent seems to rub off on Weidler, who hails from Eagle Rock, California.
Several noteworthy character actors are present, but their talents are largely wasted. Agnes Moorehead as an out-dated governess has probably her most thankless role ever, and is permitted to shriek like Fanny Amberson in one of her other pictures. Edward Arnold, as Pop, tries valiantly but seems almost grandfatherly.
There are several subplots, some more entertaining than others. But this writer was distracted by the fact that some of the stories were recycled from other MGM films, as were some of the sets. The kitchen and the dining room seem to have been left over from The Affairs of Martha, an earlier Weidler production.
Speaking of Weidler, how come her character doesn't recognize the fact that the actors playing her family are also under contract to MGM? And how come Weidler's character doesn't realize that Weidler herself is an MGM actress? I guess that would mean she would have to ask herself for her own autograph, and then there wouldn't be much need to haunt hotels and cruise the streets until Mr. Gable returns to town.
Miss Weidler can be forgiven for being at that awkward stage of life known as adolescence, though someone has tried to glamorize her a bit too much in order to be taken seriously as an average American girl in this picture. But what is most distressing is that she has received direction that allows her to run the gamut from silly to sillier. And to say she is over-acting on occasion is putting it mildly. Secondary star Porter is not much better, and at times her Texas accent seems to rub off on Weidler, who hails from Eagle Rock, California.
Several noteworthy character actors are present, but their talents are largely wasted. Agnes Moorehead as an out-dated governess has probably her most thankless role ever, and is permitted to shriek like Fanny Amberson in one of her other pictures. Edward Arnold, as Pop, tries valiantly but seems almost grandfatherly.
There are several subplots, some more entertaining than others. But this writer was distracted by the fact that some of the stories were recycled from other MGM films, as were some of the sets. The kitchen and the dining room seem to have been left over from The Affairs of Martha, an earlier Weidler production.
Speaking of Weidler, how come her character doesn't recognize the fact that the actors playing her family are also under contract to MGM? And how come Weidler's character doesn't realize that Weidler herself is an MGM actress? I guess that would mean she would have to ask herself for her own autograph, and then there wouldn't be much need to haunt hotels and cruise the streets until Mr. Gable returns to town.