Now Showing: Tinseltown

Tinseltown

Genre: Drama/Historical

Director: Sam Mendes

Writer: Andrew Doster

Producer: Dwight Gallo

Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Kyle Chandler, Gary Oldman, Kathryn Newton, Madison Iseman, Lucy Boynton, Kaya Scodelario, Brendan Fraser, Olivia DeJonge, Kiernan Shipka, Jack Whitehall, Sarah Bolger, Lizzy Caplan (cameo)

Plot: August 1920. Simon Garrett (Timothee Chalamet) is at the cinema with his girlfriend Caroline (Olivia DeJonge) to see the movie "The Flapper" starring Olive Thomas (Kiernan Shipka). After the film, the two walk home discussing the film. Simon tells Caroline that he has received a job offer as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times but does not know whether to accept. Caroline encourages him to accept because it is his dream to be a journalist for a major newspaper. She also adds that Los Angeles is only a couple of hours away from where they live and they will be able to keep their relationship intact. After saying goodbye to Caroline he goes home to his apartment, he goes to the room which is filled with posters and articles about the world of Hollywood.

September 4, 1920. Olive Thomas is in a Paris restaurant with her husband Jack Pickford (Jack Whitehall) for a romantic trip. After dinner, the two spend an evening partying in the famous Montparnasse district of Paris. The two return to the hotel around three o'clock rather drunk. Olive collapses exhausted on the bed while Jack heads to the bathroom where he takes his syphilis medication before passing out. He suddenly wakes up from the sound of Olive screaming from the bathroom. Jack finds her in tears as she holds the empty drug bottle in her hand, realizing that Olive has poisoned herself with his medicine. Jack phones a doctor and then tries to make her vomit in all ways hoping that this will counteract the effects of her poisoning. Meanwhile, Olive is desperate and begs God not to let her die but her condition seems to get worse. Olive is taken to the hospital where the medical situation is very serious.

Simon arrives at the Los Angeles Times office and meets his boss, Harry Chandler (Gary Oldman). Harry compliments the boy for the references and the attitude he had during the interview and tells him that he will immediately start working because another reporter suffered a serious injury that day. News begins to arrive that day of a prominent Hollywood figure who has suffered a serious accident in Paris - who is eventually revealed to be Olive Thomas. Simon is sorry about this and tries to get more information. Harry calls him into his office and pressures Simon to inflate the news that will arrive because the other newspapers will do it too. Simon tries to object but reluctantly gives in to the will of his boss.

The next morning the various newspapers begin to go out, all with the news regarding Olive Thomas on the front page with some claiming the incident to be an attempted suicide. The news begins to create disbelief in public opinion for the attempted suicide of a 20-year-old star who apparently had everything: beauty, wealth, fame and love. Simon arrives at work greeted by his boss who encourages him to push even more on the news in future articles. Simon starts making phone calls right away to try to find out useful information. Simon tells his boss that he has heard of rumors that began to circulate that Olive was trying to get a large batch of heroin for her husband and that she, failing to do so, had taken her own life.

With the scandal of Olive Thomas’ death still in the news after a week, Jack’s sister, famed movie star Mary Pickford (Lucy Boynton) decides to immediately call a sudden press conference with reporters to tell her family’s side of the story in hope to end the rumor mongering. The news comes to the Los Angeles Times when Simon is leaving the metropolis to join Caroline for the weekend. Chandler orders Simon to attend the press conference. Simon calls his girlfriend explaining the situation and they have an argument, at the end of which she hangs up. Reporters gather at the Beverly Hills Hotel for the press conference. Mary Pickford begins to speak, defining the news as totally false and she lashes out at the journalists present. The reporters begin to ask questions as Simon realizes the actress's pain and realizes that maybe he too has gone too far with the news. A reporter asks if the news is true that during the night the name of Olive Thomas was found in a notebook of a man arrested for heroin trafficking. Mary is surprised by the question and decides to end the press conference early. Back at the office, Chandler stops Simon on his way out and asks him if he wants to handle the exclusive interview Mary Pickford has agreed to give to the paper.

Simon arrives at a gigantic estate and is greeted by the actress' staff. After a while, Mary shows up apologizing for her delay and tells him that her husband Douglas Fairbanks is away on a film shoot so she has to supervise all the renovations that are taking place on the estate. The two settle in the study and start talking. She tells him about Olive Thomas and Jack Pickford's relationship and insists they were a loving couple who were trying to overcome their issues with drugs and alcohol on their trip to France. She also states that she cannot believe that Olive decided to commit suicide and that it has to have been a tragic accident. She mentions that Jack has been in despair since Olive's death and tried to throw himself out of a window but was blocked just in time. After the interview, he goes to the office and starts writing the article.

The next day Simon arrives at work and finds Harry visibly angry, holding a copy of the newspaper in his hand. He initially praises the boy for how he wrote the first part of the article and then scolds him harshly for the part of the article in which he criticizes the world of journalism by admitting that all journalists have gone too far with the news of Olive Thomas’ death. Simon tries to state his reasons but is stopped by his boss who silences him by threatening to switch him to writing ads and obituaries. In the evening Simon goes to visit Caroline. She has prepared a special dinner and at one point he takes her hand, gets on his knees and proposes to her. Caroline accepts his marriage proposal and they embrace.

Simon arrives to cover Olive Thomas’ funeral early and sits down in the church with his notepad out. Actress Lillian Gish (Sarah Bolger), dressed in an elegant black dress and white gloves sits next to him. The ceremony is a simple one and the church was silent with the silence broken only by the solemn voice of the priest. At the end of the ceremony Simon as soon as he sees the coffin being taken away with people, including fellow journalists, who went out of their way to approach and take pictures, he quickly walks away with his eyes down, accidentally hitting a girl with the shoulder who is walking away. Simon does not recognize that that girl is the actress Alma Rubens (Kaya Scodelario). After apologizing, Simon walks into a bar across the street from the church before returning to the office.

A few days later Simon receives a letter from Mary Pickford thanking him for attending the funeral and inviting him to attend an auction of Olive's assets. Weeks go by, Chandler and Simon's relationship has cracked after the argument over the article and he has often been put to writing articles on topics of little interest. Simon also quarrels with Caroline, who encourages him to fight for his goals, as well as obviously for the distance that leads them to see each other little.

On the day of the auction Simon is undecided whether to attend but in the end he decides to go. Simon is at the back of the room leaning against the wall watching in an increasingly disgusted way the myriad of Hollywood stars who have rushed to buy precious things belonging to Olive. The star of the evening was undoubtedly Mabel Normand (Kathryn Newton) who after showing up wearing an expensive mink fur bought a 20-piece toilet set, a 14 karat gold cigarette case, and three pieces of jewelry, including a sapphire pin. At the end of the evening Simon meets Lillian Gish and Mabel Normand, who treats him with disinteress. Mabel is picked up by her driver, Joe Kelly (Brendan Fraser). Simon has another quick encounter with Alma Rubens while she waits for her ride outside. After chatting for a few minutes, Alma invites Simon to a party at the Arbuckle house. Simon politely declines the invitation.

Harry feels that Simon has been doing a good enough job hobnobbing with the cinema crowd to send Simon to report a puff piece on the premiere of a new film, Jenny Be Good, as a favor to the studio. Simon arrives late with the event already well underway. He rushes toward the red carpet, but is stopped by security. He tries to explain that he is a member of the press, but they don't believe him due to his tardiness. Mabel Normand walks by and, recognizing Simon from Oliver Thomas' auction, tells security to let him through. Simon thanks Mabel and asks her if she is in Jenny Be Good. Mabel laughs, insisting it isn't really her style of project. She's there to support the director, who she happens to be dating these days, and offers to introduce Simon to him. She walks him down the carpet to where the director, William Desmond Taylor (Kyle Chandler), is charming several reporters with stories from the production. Mabel comes up to his side, gives him a kiss on the cheek for the cameras and tells him she'd like him to meet a friend of hers. Mabel walks Taylor over to a waiting Simon. Taylor gives Simon a firm handshake and quietly asks if Simon is sleeping with Mabel. Simon insists he is not. Taylor gives Simon a slap on the back and says he was just joshing him. While the three chat, the film's star, Mary Miles Minter (Madison Iseman), walks down the red carpet in an elegant gown. She glares at the trio, in between smiling for the camera, as she passes by. Taylor is called over to take some pictures with Minter for the papers. After Taylor leaves, Simon asks Mabel why Minter looked so angry at them. Mabel tells Simon that Minter used to date Taylor before she got together with him and Minter is simply jealous. Simon furiously takes down notes in a small notebook. As everyone is ushered into the theater to watch the film, Simon finds Minter smoking a cigarette in the lobby instead. Simon sits down next to her and asks why she isn't watching her work on the big screen. Minter says she doesn't like watching her own work, and this particular film really isn't her best work. Simon asks why, and she says that she was going through a breakup at the time after finding her man sleeping with another actress. Simon asks if she is talking about Taylor and Mabel. Minter catches herself and pleads with Simon to not print that in his article as airing dirty laundry like that would not help her career at the moment. At the end of the evening Mabel invites Simon to a party at Taylor's mansion. Simon is about to decline, but Mabel begins listing some of the stars who will be there. He changes his mind and accepts when hears that Alma Rubens will be there. Mabel notices this and pats him on the shoulder with a mischievous smile.

Simon arrives at the party and begins looking for Alma. Simon feels out of place in that place and remains aloof until he is approached by the actress, who makes him sit on a loveseat while she drunkenly sits on his lap. She whispers in his ear that she finds him very cute. At that point she gestures to a man who brings her a compact with pills inside. She takes one and offers one to Simon. He tries to refuse but she silences him with her finger and puts it in his mouth. Simon's head starts spinning. Shortly after, the two kiss wildly. The next morning Simon is near the stairs sleeping until cold water hits his face, awakening him. Mabel jokes that it was a great night for everyone. Simon is still confused but notices the time and remembers the date he had with Caroline. He then runs off as Mabel yells at him laughing to wipe the lipstick marks off his face.

Willam Desmond Taylor sits in his office on the studio backlot working on pre-production for his next film. There’s a knock at his door. He opens it to find Theda Bara (Lizzy Caplan). She asks for a few minutes of his time. Taylor looks at his watch and begrudgingly agrees to meet with her. She tries to persuade him to cast her in his next film. He says there are no roles available. Theda starts undressing in a desperate attempt to convince him. Taylor scoffs at this and orders her to put her clothes back on. He tells her that her career is done - she’s too old to play the types of roles that made her famous years ago and her last few projects bombed - so he wouldn’t cast her even if he did have a role for her. Theda begins crying as she puts her clothes back on.

A few days have passed. Simon is in a hotel while he is writing an article with a cigarette in his mouth. In the bathroom Alma is taking a shower humming. Suddenly he hears a knock on the door and realizes that it is Caroline. Simon freezes and panics. He closes the bathroom door, begging Alma not to make a noise. Simon opens the door and lets Caroline. He quickly hides Alma's garment under the bed without Caroline noticing. She hands him a present, a new tie. He thanks her and kisses her on the cheek. But she withdraws when she notices the presence of a woman's perfume. At that moment Alma opens the bathroom door dressed only in a towel and greets Caroline by saying that he has heard a lot about her. Caroline slaps Simon on the cheek and leaves without saying a word. Simon watches Caroline walk away holding his tie tightly in his hands and he is comforted by Alma later.

It is the dawn of February 1, 1922, William Desmond Taylor is in his bungalow leaning over his desk reading over the script for his new film until he hears someone knock on the door. Taylor opens the door with a smile - but his smile quickly turns to concern. A single gunshot rings out and Taylor collapses. The body is found the next morning by his housekeeper lying face down in a pool of blood.

At the paper, the office is a buzz with the news of William Desmond Taylor’s murder. Simon is barely inside when Chandler yells for him to come into his office. Chandler tells Simon that he wants him to investigate the murder for the paper. Simon is confused since he's never done any crime stories before. Chandler tells Simon that he chose him because he has a better chance of getting the Hollywood types to talk to him than one of the crime reporters. Chandler tosses Simon a copy of the initial police report from the crime scene and tells him to get to work. Simon goes over the police report, but doesn't really understand much of it until he sees some familiar names listed as known associates of the deceased: Mary Miles Minter and Mabel Normand.

Simon tries to get a hold of Mabel first, but she is unreachable at the time. Simon then tracks down Minter. She is clearly upset about the murder. Simon asks her if she knows anything. Minter starts crying, insisting that if she knew anything about the murder she would have told the police when they spent hours questioning her. Simon tells her that the police report mentions finding several love letters from her in Taylor's house. Minter says that in the end her love affair with Taylor was one-sided. She loved him immensely, but he never felt the same way about her and she has slowly come to accept that and move on. Simon thanks Minter for speaking with him, and apologizes for upsetting her.

Simon keeps looking over the report, discovering that Mabel claims to have left Taylor's house just 15 minutes prior to the official time of death the coroner gave and that she owns a gun that matches the bullet found in Taylor's body. Simon attends the funeral for William Desmond Taylor. He sees Mabel Dormand there crying inconsolably with her driver/bodyguard Joe Kelly standing at her side. After the funeral, Simon tries to talk to Mabel about what the police report said, but Kelly shoves him away. Simon pleads with Mabel just to talk to him for a few minutes. She nods at Kelly and he gets out of the way. Simon asks her about the timing and her gun. Mabel tells Simon that she and Taylor had a bit of a volatile relationship, but she isn't the one who killed him. She then informs Simon that she reported her gun missing a few days before the murder, which was enough to get the police to leave her alone. Simon asks if the gun was actually stolen or if she just had it reported as stolen. Mabel glares at Simon in anger before Kelly leads her away from the funeral.

Simon brings everything he's uncovered to Chandler at the newspaper. Chandler looks it over and says there are a lot of assumptions and circumstantial evidence in Simon's write-up. Simon says that he thinks Mabel and/or her driver were involved somehow, but the police don't seem interested in investigating her. Chandler says that Simon overdid it and that they can only publish the official facts of the story. Simon asks for permission to keep digging, but Chandler tells him to drop it.

Alma and Simon are walking around Los Angeles together and stop in front of a jeweler's window where he sees the same ring he had given to Caroline. Alma notices this and suggests he crawl back to Caroline if he misses her so much. He's a little hesitant but she spurs him by saying he's a good guy who has to fight for what he really wants. He thanks her and hustles off to find Caroline. When he finds her, Caroline is taking care of the flowers in the garden absorbed in her thoughts until suddenly a hand offers her a flower. She looks up and realizes it's Simon. He sits down next to her with a humble air, apologizing for his behavior and asking her for a last chance because he still feels love for her.

Almost two years later Simon is on the sofa with his daughter playing with a puppet. Suddenly Caroline catches the boy's attention by giving him the newspaper where he reads the news of Kelly's arrest a couple of years later for killing Mabel's latest boyfriend, Courtland Dines, with Mabel's alleged stolen gun. Simon reads the news with a mocking grimace on his face.