It's 1920. The president of Universal Pictures hires Indiana Jones, who's 21 years old, to travel to Hollywood to bring an out-of-control director back to the bottom line. If the director refuses, Indy is to shut the picture down.
Indy takes the unusual job because he needs money for tuition for the University of Chicago, where he plans to pursue his dream of becoming an archaeologist.
Soon after arriving at the studio, he meets Irving Thalberg as well as other studio executives who will oversee the young industry's rapid changes. They discuss the out-of-control director, Erich Von Stroheim, who ordered, among other outrageous items, a real battleship.
Indy is amazed by his first visit to the set, a huge stage where eight silent, short-feature movies are being made simultaneously, side by side. Thalberg tells Indy the future, however, is in full-length, quality films.
Indy then meets Von Stroheim, holding court over his film. Dressed in an immaculate white uniform, Von Stroheim wears a monocle and holds a long Russian cigarette.
Von Stroheim receives the ultimatum. He is told he must finish in 10 days or the picture will be shut down. He then takes the entire cast and crew to Mexico in the middle of the night to finish the film his way!
A story editor named Claire wins Indy's affection as he continues to learn the crazy ways of Hollywood.
Indy meets a young John Ford who eventually offers Indy a role in a full-length film, a western. Indy discovers it's not as easy as it looks, but when he leaves at filming's end, he leaves with fond memories of his Hollywood experiences.