Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

gltroup Watched a pretty good HD version of this. I am no expert, just like to watch old films. But I wouldn't call it film noir. It is quite an enjoyable mystery and it's interesting to see 50s LA and Hollywood. I'm not familiar with silent era actors who appeared in this movie but was pleasantly surprised when Joel McCrae appeared. Recommend it for sure and hope it gets more exposure.

jotix100 "Hollywood Story" directed by William Castle takes a fond look at the not too distant past as movies were evolving from silent to talkies. Written by Frederick Kohner and Frederick Brady, the film centers around a famous unsolved murder of a producer Franklin Ferrara, found dead in the bungalow that served as his office in 1929.Larry O'Brian, a successful producer comes to Hollywood hoping to start a few projects. He is shown around the old vacant studio owned by Ferrara as a possible venue where to shoot a film. He hears the story about the murder in the place where it happened and gets intrigued to make a film that might shed some insight in what really happened. As he works in the production, figures from the past start to emerge. The situation gets complicated as the film is being put together, but O'Brian manages to get to the bottom of the mystery, solving the crime by examining the evidence with a careful eye.Richard Conte, usually seen as a heavy, appears as Larry O'Brian the man who stumbles on a puzzle some twenty years after the actual murder occurred. The supporting cast includes reliable figures of that era: Fred Ward, Jim Backus, Richard Egan, Julie Adams, Henry Hull, and Paul Cavanagh among them. There are also some silent stars in cameo roles like Francis Bushman, Betty Blythe, Helen Gibson, and William Farnum in a well deserved tribute to them. Joel McCrea appears briefly in a film being shot at a studio.The Los Angeles of the early 1950s is given a wonderful look by cinematographer Carl Guthrie who follows the action in different parts of the city that are long gone. The music score is credited to Frank Skinner. William Castle shows he was one of the best among directors.

marymal This film truly is a Hollywood story, employing real actors from the silent period and filmed on real locations throughout Hollywood and Los Angeles. There are views of buildings up and down Hollywood Blvd., including Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Roosevelt Hotel, Charlie Chaplin Studios on La Brea Ave., the Sunset Strip, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood Christmas Parade. It appears that more silent film stars shot cameos than actually made it into the film, but it still salutes and highlights the early days of Hollywood. Art direction is top notch, the acting is fine, and the story is really entertaining. The mystery is well thought out and keeps you guessing until the end. This is much more serious and top notch than the typical William Castle film.

bsnmsn Saw this movie as a kid, watching " The Late Show, " which was always a great old b/w movie. Years later, read about the murder of William Desmond Taylor and thought this hit awfully close to home. Taylor was a director of some note in early Hollywood, but also known to be quite the ladies' man. He was murdered in his apartment and the case was never officially solved. After his murder, the career of Mary Miles Minter, a well known Hollywood starlet was pretty much in ruins, due to several pieces of her personal belongings found at the scene of the crime, which is interesting, as studio bigwigs were called to the apartment before the police were called. Also interesting was the rumor that his now missing valet / butler / chauffeur was in reality his brother. The deceased Tayor was not who he appeared to be - he had long before abandoned a wife and child and re-invented himself. Years later, the famed Hollywood director King Vidor became interested in the mystery and worked on it for some years. His efforts were detailed in a book called " A Cast Of Killers, " well worth the read.