King Vidor is arguably the greatest living American filmmaker. In Hollywood, the name Vidor is synonymous with integrity, and among studio heads it also means independence. In many instances, Vidor was forced to go out on a limb - careerwise and economically - or out of the system entirely, to produce socially meaningful works of film art (Hallelujah and Our Daily Bread are the best examples). During his association with MGM in the 1920s, he directed a number of famous prestige pictures and epics (The Big Parade, The Crowd, La Boheme), which are widely shown classics today, and also a series of delightful comedies with Marion Davies, who proves herself a superb comedienne in films like Show People and The Patsy. In Show People, she portrays a star-struck country girl who arrives in Hollywood with great fanfare, Southern Colonel father and all, only to find herself battling cream pies as an extra. The behind-the-scenes glimpses of Hollywood are fascinating, and well integrated into some first-rate slapstick and satire.