Small town delivery boy Merton Gill dreams of being a motion picture star, much like his hero, Western star Buck Benson. Although he is taken seriously by Tessie Kearns, a spinster whose screenplays are continually rejected by Hollywood studios, he is the laughingstock of the rest of the town of Simsbury. Merton works in the grocery store of his hard-hearted adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gashwiler, but when Mr. Gashwiler catches him using their horse to take Western-style photographs, he fires him. That night, Merton prays to God to make him a star, and the next day, he travels to Hollywood. After a long journey, his first stop is at Majestic Productions, producers of Buck Benson Westerns. The studio guard refuses to let him on the lot, however, advising him that only those working for the studio are allowed in, and directs him to the casting office. Merton eagerly approaches the secretary of the casting office, known as The Countess, a cynical woman who has seen all types, but before he can utter a word, he is told, “nothing today.” After actress “Flips” Montague goes into the casting director’s office, The Countess takes Merton’s photographs in to show them. Unknown to him, however, they are laughing at his obvious naiveté and poor acting skills, and when The Countess and Flips emerge, they only listen to him for their own amusement. Merton proudly reveals his fervent desire to be an actor, and brags about his training through the National Correspondence Academy of Acting, but when he still receives a rejection from The Countess, he vows to sit in the office every day until his “big chance” comes. After two months of unemployment, Merton is destitute, but still takes his place every morning on the bench in the casting office. One day, he pleads with The Countess to give him “extra” work, and unknown to him, Flips overhears his request and convinces a casting director to hire him as an extra for a Western. Merton is elated when he is called to work, but blows his lines and is fired from the job the same day. When he realizes that he will not be allowed back into the studio if he is not working, Merton decides to sleep there. Some days pass, and The Countess is surprised not to see Merton in the office. One day, Flips finds him scrounging in the trash for food and, taking pity on him, takes him to lunch, where she advises him to give up acting. Merton refuses, however, stating that even the attempt to make people happy like Buck Benson does is worth the sacrifice to him. Out of pity, Flips gives him money for a shave and laundry, and assures him she will get him back on the lot. She proposes to her friend, Jeff Baird, who produces comedies, that they produce a burlesque on Westerns starring Merton, who is so serious that he does not even realize he is funny. Five minutes with Merton convinces Jeff that Flips is right, and they hire him for a Western, but refrain from telling him that it will actually be a comedy, which Merton thinks is the lowest form of entertainment. Merton approaches his performance with grave seriousness, unaware that the entire cast and crew are laughing at him. Finally, the night of the preview arrives, but Flips has second thoughts about attending with Merton, who has fallen in love with her, because she is embarrassed that she has lied to him about the film and knows he will be humiliated by the audience reaction. When Flips pretends to be ill, Merton attends the premiere alone and is mortified when the audience laughs uproariously at the falsetto voice that was dubbed over his own, and the various comic antics therein. Feeling betrayed, Merton leaves before the film is over and returns to his boardinghouse, where his fellow boarders congratulate him on his success. Merton is unable to accept the compliments, however, and the next morning, he overhears a conversation between a director and Buck Benson, in which the director hails Merton as a comic genius. This is too much for Merton, who makes a reservation for a train home. Before going to the station, he stops at Flips’s home to give her a watch he had previously bought for her. Flips urges him to give her what’s coming to her, but he pretends to be nonchalant, until he works himself into tears. Flips takes him in her arms and consoles him, and tells him he is “darn near perfect.” More on Wikipedia or Mubi
Watch Make Me a Star (1932)
