A little known fact is that the movie of "Hollywood Story" wasn't even a commercial for Chevrolet at all. The story was written by Billy Wilder and Mel Stuart, two people who were both known for their creative genius and ability to connect with audiences. They were looking for a story to make into a motion picture, but when they came across a play about a group of young African American men in Mississippi, they immediately knew that this story would be perfect.
Wilder and Stuart wrote the story from their point of view, and when it became clear that they would not get funding, they went and found the right producer. Their choice was John Houseman, who had created some of the most popular comedies ever made. Houseman hired a team of executives to help him make the film. When it finally came time to cast their movie, Wilder and Stuart were both unavailable, but Houseman managed to land the part of the father and the mother. Once he cast his leading man, Mel Gibson, Houseman was able to get financing for the entire production, which allowed him to hire the best crew in town, and to make sure that everyone was working together in harmony.
It is amazing that this movie is so popular today, because it really isn't all that great. Some of the scenes are just flat-out hilarious, but many of them just aren't that well written. There are some really bad performances as well, but it is mainly due to the fact that the movie was made in the middle of the seventies, and was released during the tumultuous period of civil rights. The cast, including some of the biggest stars in Hollywood at the time, was great, but it just doesn't match up to today's movies. There are a lot of great movies out there that people should watch, but this one isn't one of them.
