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The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Writer: William Anthony McGuire (screenplay)
Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan
Genre: Fictionalized Biography, Drama, Musical
The Great Ziegfeld stars William Powell as the great stage promoter and producer Florenz Ziegfeld. Luise Rainer as the French stage actress and his 1st wife, Anna Held whom he brought to America and made a big star out of...Myrna Loy as Billie Burke the actress, best known for playing Glinda the good witch in The Wizard of Oz. Billie was Ziegfeld's second wife and worked as a script consultant on this film...Also staring is his rival and friend Jack Billings played by Frank Morgan, who's best known as the Wizard in the The Wizard of Oz. Fanny Brice and Ray Bolger appear as themselves, having been an early talent discoveries by Ziegfeld. Ray Bolger was of course the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. (That's three The Wizard of Oz connections!)
At three hours long this lush MGM production is more of a love letter to Ziegfeld, than a factual biopic. It's a fictionalized and idolized view of one of the greats in the early days of Broadway. Such sorted details as Zig's infidelity is left out of the story.
The film is known for its exuberant musical numbers that cost millions by today's standards. Flo as his friends called him put on spectacular stage revues with elaborate costumes and filled with beautiful girls. Giving us the term 'Ziegfeld Girl'.
The movie does provide entertainment and William Powell does a stand up job here. He's likable and makes us care about him. He makes a good Ziegfeld.
The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Dance Direction and Luise Rainer picked up a Best Actress Oscar for her performance. Luise would be the first actress to win back to back Best Actress Oscars when she won the next year as well for The Good Earth.
I wasn't overly fawn of Myrna Loy performance, which is somewhat bland, but she has a smaller role and it doesn't take away from the movie. Reportedly Billie Burke wanted to play herself but was deemed not to be a big enough star to play herself! Frank Morgan deserves a shout out as a very likable and colorful rival and friend of Ziggy.
The biggest star of the film is the musical numbers, they have to be seen to be believed. Inspired by the great Busby Berkeley, the production numbers are vast, and sometimes a bit long, but still worth the price of admission.
Everything you could want to know about Flo Ziegfeld, just don't take it as gospel.
The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Writer: William Anthony McGuire (screenplay)
Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan
Genre: Fictionalized Biography, Drama, Musical
The life and times of Broadway's colorful producer of extravagant stage show revues, Florenz Ziegfeld.
The Great Ziegfeld stars William Powell as the great stage promoter and producer Florenz Ziegfeld. Luise Rainer as the French stage actress and his 1st wife, Anna Held whom he brought to America and made a big star out of...Myrna Loy as Billie Burke the actress, best known for playing Glinda the good witch in The Wizard of Oz. Billie was Ziegfeld's second wife and worked as a script consultant on this film...Also staring is his rival and friend Jack Billings played by Frank Morgan, who's best known as the Wizard in the The Wizard of Oz. Fanny Brice and Ray Bolger appear as themselves, having been an early talent discoveries by Ziegfeld. Ray Bolger was of course the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. (That's three The Wizard of Oz connections!)
At three hours long this lush MGM production is more of a love letter to Ziegfeld, than a factual biopic. It's a fictionalized and idolized view of one of the greats in the early days of Broadway. Such sorted details as Zig's infidelity is left out of the story.
The film is known for its exuberant musical numbers that cost millions by today's standards. Flo as his friends called him put on spectacular stage revues with elaborate costumes and filled with beautiful girls. Giving us the term 'Ziegfeld Girl'.
The movie does provide entertainment and William Powell does a stand up job here. He's likable and makes us care about him. He makes a good Ziegfeld.
The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Dance Direction and Luise Rainer picked up a Best Actress Oscar for her performance. Luise would be the first actress to win back to back Best Actress Oscars when she won the next year as well for The Good Earth.
I wasn't overly fawn of Myrna Loy performance, which is somewhat bland, but she has a smaller role and it doesn't take away from the movie. Reportedly Billie Burke wanted to play herself but was deemed not to be a big enough star to play herself! Frank Morgan deserves a shout out as a very likable and colorful rival and friend of Ziggy.
Trivia: Pat Nixon (then Patricia Ryan), the future wife of Richard Nixon and the First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974, makes an uncredited appearance as a Ziegfeld girl.