Goin' to Town

{{Infobox film

| name = Goin' To Town

| image = Goin' to Town poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical poster

| director = Alexander Hall

| producer = William LeBaron

| screenplay = Mae West

| story = Marion Morgan
George B. Dowell

| starring = Mae West
Paul Cavanagh
Gilbert Emery
Marjorie Gateson
Tito Coral
Ivan Lebedeff

| music = Sammy Fain

| cinematography = Karl Struss

| editing = LeRoy Stone

| distributor = Paramount Pictures

| released = {{Film date|1935|04|25}}

| runtime = 74 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Goin' To Town is a 1935 musical comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and written by Mae West. The film stars Mae West, Paul Cavanagh, Gilbert Emery, Marjorie Gateson, Tito Coral, and Ivan Lebedeff. The film was released on April 25, 1935, by Paramount Pictures.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/76578/goin-to-town |title=Goin' to Town (1935) - Overview |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=2015-07-21}}{{cite web |last=Senwald |first=Andre |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F07EEDA1139E33ABC4952DFB366838E629EDE |title=Movie Review - - The Paramount Presents Mae West in 'Goin' to Town' - 'Bride of Frankenstein,' at the Roxy. |work=The New York Times |date=1935-05-11 |access-date=2015-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307080949/https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F07EEDA1139E33ABC4952DFB366838E629EDE |archive-date=2016-03-07 }}

Production

In the film, star Mae West used her own voice, prompting Mordant Hall to state the following in his review: "The highlight of the picture is Miss West singing high opera (really!)."{{fact|date=March 2025}}

West was already the highest paid actress in Hollywood when Goin' To Town was released, and her bold, controversial performances and bawdy, irreverent humor had made her a popular figure in Hollywood's pre-Code era. In Goin' To Town, she brings all of these qualities to the role of Cleo Borden, delivering a memorable and entertaining performance that has helped to make the film a classic of its time.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

The film was a box office success upon its release and received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its humor and West's performance. In the years since its release, Goin' To Town has continued to be remembered and enjoyed by audiences, and it remains a popular choice for fans of classic Hollywood cinema. The original title of the film was "Now I'm A Lady", but the Hays office mandated the title change just before the film was released. Miss West's pet monkey, "Boogie", makes a cameo in the film. A musical number, "Love is Love in any Woman's Heart", was cut from the film at the star's request, as she felt it was not in line with her character. The song is still used over the closing titles.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

Plot

Cleo Borden (West) is a saloon singer out west whose cattle rustling boyfriend (Fred Kohler) dies right before their wedding day (in which they signed a paper agreeing to marry) and leaves her a fortune. She sets her sights on a handsome Brit in Carrington (Paul Cavanaugh), employed surveying the oil wells on her property and spends the rest of the picture trying to win him over, having placed a bet on it. He considers her "Crude oil", which leads to West stating her desire to "become a lady if it kills me!" Part of her quest includes throwing an opera and singing the lead in a scene from Samson and Delilah.

It also takes her to Buenos Aires, where she meets Ivan Valadov, a Russian millionaire with a mistress in Mrs. Crane Brittony. Brittony and Borden make a bet over which of their horses will win a race, which Borden wins. Later, Fletcher Colton (the niece of Brittony) offers her a title, and thus a place in society, in a loveless marriage in Southampton. Carrington returns to see her, now with a new title: the Earl of Stratton. Brittany schemes to embarrass Borden, and end her nephew's marriage to Borden, but in so doing causes his death, as Colton shoots himself in a scuffle with paid sneak Valadov. Initially, it looks like Borden will be blamed, but she is exonerated, and left free to marry Carrington. The film's happy ending ends with a briefcase listing "Lord and Lady Stratton".