NOTICE : All prices, availability, and specifications are subject to verification by Amazon.com.
Privacy
Policy
Copyright © 2008 Dominant Systems Corporation
info@jazzdigger.com
Last Modified : 12-28-2008
|
MGM - When the Lion Roars (3 VHS Gift Set)
|
JazzDigger Home > G - Jazz Artists > Judy Garland > Item 109
 |
MGM - When the Lion Roars (3 VHS Gift Set)
|
|
|
Sales Rank: 22405
Price:$20.00
|
|
|
| |
|
Listener Reviews & Comments
This review is from: When the Lion Roars: Part Two - The Lion Reigns Supreme (VHS Tape)
Part 2 of the Ted Turner documentary on the history of MGM studios spans the years 1936 to 1946. This decade begins with the recovery from the death of head of production Irving Thalberg and ends with the studio at it's peak after World War 2. The previous era had established the MGM style as one of artifice and glamour, exemplified by costume designer Adrian and art director Cedric Gibbons. However with the passing of Thalberg, changes were necessary for the studio to survive. These would include the letting go of it's established and aging female stars like Garbo, Crawford and Shearer, and replacing them with names like Lana Turner, Greer Garson, Hedy Lamarr, and a reborn and more shrewd Katharine Hepburn. It is said that the death of Jean Harlow symbolises the end of the Thalberg era, and the treatment of Luise Rainer who would win two Oscars for Best Actress then want out of her contract, typifies Mayer's ecomonic management. Rainer provides us with her impression of Mayer when he told her "We made ya, and now we're gonna kill ya!". Mayer turned away from Thalberg's "prestige" literary titles and established family pictures featuring child stars like Mickey Rooney, Freddie Bartholomew and Jackie Coogan. Of the three interviewed Rooney whispers embarassing mush, Batholomew is the most amusing, and Coogan tells of his observation of the way fellow child star Judy Garland was manipulated because of how valuable a property she was thought to be. Even with America's isolationist policy before it's involvement in the war, MGM made contributions to allied propaganda with titles like Mrs Miniver and Bataan; lost Carole Lombard in a war bond selling tour accident; and saw the enlistment of a devastated husband Clark Gable, as well as James Stewart, Robert Taylor and Robert Montgomery. To replace their male stars, poor substitutes Van Johnson, Peter Lawford, Robert Walker and Robert Young were brought in, though we aren't told what Spencer Tracy got up to. The coverage of The Wizard of Oz is mostly on the munchkins and the special effects team, and there is surprisingly little coverage of Gone with the Wind, though perhaps the story behind what would be the greatest box office hit of all time has been covered elsewhere.
Comment | Permalink |
function showYesNoCommunityResponse(uId,result,value) {
var msgLayer = getElement("thanks" + uId);
if ( result == "SUCCESS" ) {
msgLayer.innerHTML = "Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided to other Amazon.com readers and reviewers. Your vote will be counted and will appear on the product page within 24 hours.";
} else {
showVoteErrorResponse(msgLayer,result,value);
}
}
(Report this)
|
|
Back To Top
|
MGM - When the Lion Roars (3 VHS Gift Set)
Price:$20.00
|
|
|
See all 18 customer reviews...
