Young and Beautiful (1934)
Directed by Joseph Santley and released on September 1, 1934, Young and Beautiful is a sparkling pre-Code musical comedy produced by independent studio titan Nat Levine for Mascot Pictures. Starring silent-screen top box-office draw William Haines in his final feature film role, alongside Judith Allen, Joseph Cawthorn, and John Dutton, this 68-minute Poverty Row musical is celebrated among film historians as a meta-Hollywood spectacle built specifically to feature the actual 1934 WAMPAS Baby Stars.
Plot Overview
Robert Clay (William Haines) is a fast-talking, hyper-ambitious Hollywood publicity director working for Superba Pictures. Determined to engineer the ultimate promotional campaign for the studio’s upcoming musical slate, Clay conceives a massive nationwide talent search to crown the most promising young starlets in cinema, pitching them as the “WAMPAS Baby Stars.”
Among the aspiring contract players is June Dale (Judith Allen), a talented actress who happens to be Clay’s sweet natured fiancee. Clay arranges for June to be selected as one of the lead honorees, expecting her rising stardom to cement their personal and professional future. However, as the publicity machine kicks into overdrive, June finds herself overwhelmed by the artificiality, demanding schedule, and cynical studio politics of the film industry. Tensions flare when Clay prioritizes sensational press coverage over their personal relationship, forcing both the press agent and his starlet to choose between the glitz of Tinseltown fame and genuine romance.
Cast
- William Haines as Robert Clay
- Judith Allen as June Dale
- Joseph Cawthorn as Herman P. Preston
- John Dutton as Gordon
- Vince Barnett as Vince
- Warren Hymer as Champions’ Manager
- The 1934 WAMPAS Baby Stars (including Lucille Ball, Lu Ann Meredith, Judith Arlen, Jean Gale, and Katherine Williams) as Themselves
Production Notes & Trivia
- William Haines’ Screen Swan Song: Silent-era superstar William Haines—who was MGM’s top box-office actor in the late 1920s—makes his final film appearance here. Refusing to live in the closet or agree to a studio-arranged lavender marriage, Haines was released from MGM by Louis B. Mayer, making this Mascot independent release his cinematic exit before he transitioned into becoming one of Hollywood’s premier interior designers.
- The Final WAMPAS Showcase: The Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) selected 13 promising young actresses annually from 1922 to 1934. Young and Beautiful served as a direct promotional vehicle for the final 1934 class, offering early screen exposure to an uncredited young Lucille Ball before her rise to television immortality.
- Mascot’s Musical Ambition: Known primarily for ultra-cheap action serials and Westerns starring Gene Autry, Nat Levine’s Mascot Pictures invested heavily in elaborate musical choreography, art deco set designs, and big-band orchestration to emulate major studio A-musicals like Warner Bros.’ 42nd Street.
