Pre-Intermediate Reading Exercise

Patricia Denning stars in a sad movie about ambition and heartbreak.

When Cecilia leaves college in Texas, she has everything: a wonderful boyfriend, Carl, an interesting job and an expensive house in a pretty town. Her life is perfect. Even her black Labrador dog, Perky, is a star: he wins the local dog competition and Hollywood wants to put him in a movie.

Cecilia goes to Hollywood with him and leaves her boyfriend alone back home. When the studio fires Perky, Cecilia decides to stay in Hollywood and tries to get other movie roles for her beautiful dog.

Carl gives Cecilia an ultimatum: come home and stop behaving crazily, or stay there forever. Cecilia decides to stay in Hollywood and wants to become an actress herself. She sends Perky back to Texas and starts an acting course. After six months, Cecilia realizes she can't act and she misses home, but it's too late. Carl has found another girlfriend. Cecilia tries to win him back, and also discovers a lot about herself on her long journey.

This is a very sad movie, which makes you think about what we want from life. Patricia Denning is very convincing as Cecilia, but the star of the movie is gorgeous Perky, the black Labrador who steals our hearts. Black Hollywood is in cinemas from next week.