*Insert lion's roar here* There's no such thing as being too big to fail. MGM was always one of the biggest and most successful studios in Hollywood, but when they fell, they fell hard. Not that it was a surprise to anyone in the post-Production Code, post block-book era, seeing as MGM's fortunes had been … Continue reading Sold: The 1970 MGM Auction
The Rest of the Movie
Happy Silent Movie Day! Anyone who's ever watched a documentary about film history, especially of MGM, has probably seen a shot of John Gilbert lunching with a group of his fellow stars. That clip comes from 1928's Show People, a fantastic Marion Davies vehicle that's beloved by film buffs and geek bait for historians. Peggy Pepper … Continue reading The Rest of the Movie
Come On In, the Water’s Fine
Swimmers, take your marks... Esther Williams never set out to be a movie star. She was a champion swimmer who dreamed of competing in the Olympics. When the 1940 games were cancelled, she got a job working as a floor model at I. Magnin's Los Angeles store, and then landed a gig with Billy Rose's … Continue reading Come On In, the Water’s Fine
That’s the Broadway Melody
Broadway, street of a million sighs... Ah yes, The Broadway Melody. One of the movies that started it all. For MGM, it was their first all-talking, all-singing, all dancing movie that broke all the ground and made everyone sit up and take notice. So much so that it won a Best Picture Oscar in 1929. But … Continue reading That’s the Broadway Melody
The Magic Never Ends
Eighty years ago today (can you believe it?), The Wizard of Oz premiered in theaters. The focal point of the movie is of course, a certain pair of ruby red slippers. The number of slippers made for the film is unknown, and at least five pairs still exist. Discovered in one of MGM's storehouses by costumer Kent … Continue reading The Magic Never Ends
Janet and Meg
Time to talk about Ms. Leigh... One of my favorite movies is 1949's Little Women. I can't remember the first time I saw it. Maybe it was elementary school? I don't know. Anyway, it's a sweet version of Louisa May Alcott's story and one I always like to revisit. Our lady of the weekend, Janet Leigh, plays … Continue reading Janet and Meg
Adjustments, All Sorts
Well, hello, Ms. Bacall... When life is in turmoil, people need release wherever they can find it, and the 1957 film, Designing Woman was one such break for Lauren Bacall. She called it "a nice, light comedy," and though she didn't think so initially, it was just what she needed during one of the toughest times … Continue reading Adjustments, All Sorts
Dinner Is Served
The Barrymores have returned, y'all. MGM had a thing for ensemble films in the early thirties. Why have one box office draw when more just makes everything better? John and Lionel Barrymore got to be in on a few of these extravaganzas, and one of the most well-known is 1933's Dinner At Eight. Like their earlier hit, Grand … Continue reading Dinner Is Served
Try To Remember
Filmmakers have always seemed to love using amnesia as a plot device. There's nothing like a fish being in water and out of it at the same time. One example of this is the 1943 film, Random Harvest, starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. It's a movie that genteely declares itself a "prestige picture," with an important … Continue reading Try To Remember
Once More With Feeling
Fred and Ginger's RKO partnership ended after The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle in 1939. It wasn't that they hated each other, or had creative differences, or anything like that--they simply wanted to part ways. RKO's money problems were a determining factor as well. Ten years later, however, the two were reunited at MGM for a … Continue reading Once More With Feeling
Then Comes Baby
We're back at the Banks house, and the stork is circling the area. A year after MGM released Father of the Bride, Father's Little Dividend came along. While not as strong as the first film, it's another sweet family story, and united a cast and crew that had become a family away from the cameras. Stanley Banks … Continue reading Then Comes Baby
All About Ann Rutherford
OK, all--confession time: up until Ruth and Kristina announced this blogathon, I had no idea that Ann Rutherford was Canadian. I've watched her films for years, so I don't know how I missed that important detail, but it's true. Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia a hundred years ago as of November 2, 2017, … Continue reading All About Ann Rutherford
Louis and Oscar
Out and about with one of our closest neighbors... 🙂 Of all the studio moguls except for the Warner Brothers, Louis Burt Mayer gets the most attention, and rightly so. He presided over Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which not only bore his name, but boasted it had more stars than there are in the heavens and made "art … Continue reading Louis and Oscar
La Vie Gershwin
Curtain... Confession time: I have a teeny bit of dance training. For two years I studied tap, ballet, and jazz with the late, great Betty Gentry. I also got a crash course in hip-hop and swing dancing before my tour with the Continental Singers. Four to six hours of just choreography a day, in addition … Continue reading La Vie Gershwin
Taking Up Room 