Movie Movie is a 1978 satire of three 1930s movie genres. It was directed by Stanley Donen, and stars the husband-and-wife team George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere. It also features Barry Bostwick, Red Buttons, Art Carney, Eli Wallach, Harry Hamlin, Barbara Harris, Ann Reinking, and Rebecca York. Many cast members appear in multiple segments.
George Burns introduces the film, telling viewers that they are about to see an old-style Double Feature. In the old days, he explains, movies were in black-and-white except sometimes "when they sang it came out in color."
The first feature is Dynamite Hands, which satirizes boxing films. A delivery boy (Hamlin) turns prizefighter to raise money for his kid sister's eye operation. Distracted by a flashy gangster (Wallach) and a sexy nightclub diva (Reinking), he turns his back on his father-figure manager (Scott) and librarian girlfriend (Devere).
A coming-attractions trailer for Zero Hour satirizes World War I aviation dramas during the intermission between the two main features.
The second feature is Baxter's Beauties of 1933, which satirizes backstage Broadway musicals. A legendary theatrical producer (Scott) learns from his doctor (Carney) that he has only a month to live. To support the daughter he's never known, he is determined to mount one last Broadway hit. His accountant (Bostwick) turns out to be a genius songwriter. His star (Devere) is a spoiled diva who nearly destroys the entire production with her drunkenness and reckless spending of the show's money, and is unable to go on opening night. A recently hired ingénue (York) go on instead, and turns out to be his long-estranged daughter. The show is a hit, and as the curtain falls, a dying Baxter tells her "One minute you're standing in the wings. The next minute you're wearing 'em."
This film provides examples of:
- Affectionate Parody: It's a loving valentine to cheesy B-list films, complete with lines so cornball they'd make Captain America blush.
- Annual Title: Baxter's Beauties of 1933, of course, as a nod to films of the era like Gold Diggers of 1933 (and ...of 1935 and ...of 1937).
- Deliberately Monochrome: Everything was shot with color film, but Dynamite Hands was printed in black-and-white for its cinematic release.
- "Double, Double" Title: Movie Movie, of course.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: In Dynamite Hands, Joey quits boxing, races through law school, becomes a prosecutor, and puts the villain behind bars.
- Final Speech: Scott gets two, first as Gloves Malloy (in Dynamite Hands), and then as Spats Baxter (in Baxter's Beauties of 1933).
- History Repeats: Played for humor. Dynamite Hands opens in the office of Dr. Blaine (Carney), who informs Mama Popchik that her daughter needs expensive eye surgery. Baxter's Beauties of 1933 opens in the office of Dr. Bowers (also Carney), who informs Spats Baxter that he has only a month to live.
- The Ingenue: Kitty, in Baxter's Beauties of 1933.
- Made of Iron: In his final match, ordered to take a dive in the 5th round by Vince, Joey lets his opponent use him as a punching bag for 4 rounds. Just before the 5th round, he learns that Vince's threat has been nullified, so he comes out swinging and quickly knocks out his opponent.
- Making the Masterpiece: The premise of Baxter's Beauties of 1933.
- Ms. Red Ink: Isobel, in Baxter's Beauties of 1933, who nearly destroys the Show Within a Show.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: All of Joey's matches go this way, including his final match (once he learns that Vince no longer has any leverage over him).
- The Prima Donna: Isobel, in Baxter's Beauties of 1933.
- Pushed in Front of the Audience: A Wardrobe Malfunction prevents one of the male dancers from going onstage, so Baxter is forced to go on in his place.
- Real Trailer, Fake Movie: The entire premise of the Zero Hour trailer.
- Shaped Like Itself: Several in the coming-attractions trailer for Zero Hour, including:Colonel: [to pilot] If you won't go up, then by God, sir... you'll stay down.
- Stylistic Suck: Part of the deliberately corny parody, including this example from the Zero Hour trailer:Announcer: Fight with them! Laugh with them! Love with them! And even die with them the death of heroes who will live forever!
- Troubled Production: In universe, the Show Within a Show in Baxter's Beauties of 1933 is this, mainly because Isobel blew through its funds with her lavish lifestyle.
