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The Great Ziegfeld (1936) 6.9
This biography follows the ups and downs of Florenz Ziegfeld, famed producer of extravagant stage revues. Director:Robert Z. LeonardWriter:William Anthony McGuire (screenplay) |
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Title: The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| William Powell | ... | ||
| Myrna Loy | ... | ||
| Luise Rainer | ... | ||
| Frank Morgan | ... |
Jack Billings
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| Fanny Brice | ... |
Fannie Brice
(as Fannie Brice)
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| Virginia Bruce | ... |
Audrey Dane
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| Reginald Owen | ... |
Sampston
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| Ray Bolger | ... |
Ray Bolger
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Ernest Cossart | ... |
Sidney
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Joseph Cawthorn | ... |
Dr. Ziegfeld
(as Joseph Cawthorne)
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| Nat Pendleton | ... | ||
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Harriet Hoctor | ... |
Herself
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Jean Chatburn | ... |
Mary Lou
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Paul Irving | ... |
Erlanger
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Herman Bing | ... |
Costumer
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
At the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, sideshow barker Flo Ziegfeld turns the tables on his more successful neighbor Billings, and steals his girlfriend to boot. This pattern is repeated throughout their lives, as Ziegfeld makes and loses many fortunes putting on ever bigger, more spectacular shows (sections of which appear in the film). French revue star Anna Held becomes his first wife, but it's not easy being married to the man who "glorified the American girl." Late in life, now married to Billie Burke, he seems to be all washed up, but... Written by &view=simple&sort=alpha">Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
The Last Word In Entertainment! See more »Parents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
8 April 1936 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
El gran Ziegfeld See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USACompany Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (roadshow)Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
Edit
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.: Did you mean they're telling me that they sent the costumes for this show COD?
Sampson: No, sir, not this show. They want some money on the last show.
See more »
(1889) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played during the Chicago World's Fair
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The sequence "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" was filmed in two lengthy takes after several weeks of rehearsals and filming (a definite cut is made when moving to a close-up on the singer dressed as Pagliacci, presumably to effect a change of camera position, necessary to start the inexorable move up the huge staircase). It features 180 performers and cost $220,000; 4,300 yards of rayon silk were used for the curtains in the scene. See more »Goofs
At the Chicago World's Fair, as the Great Sandow (Nat Pendleton) lowers the barbell with the ladies inside, it lowers at a controlled rate, rather than as if a man was actually handling it. See more »Quotes
Sampson: They want the cash.Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.: Did you mean they're telling me that they sent the costumes for this show COD?
Sampson: No, sir, not this show. They want some money on the last show.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The opening credits display the title of the film and the names of the stars in marquee lights, as they would be on Broadway. See more »Connections
Featured in Broadway: The American Musical: Give My Regards to Broadway: 1893-1927 (2004) See more »Soundtracks
The Washington Post(1889) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played during the Chicago World's Fair
See more »
Like some huge, lumbering, Paleozoic beast with a heart, nothing like this film has existed in a long time. And I doubt that there will be anything like it again. "The Great Ziegfeld" is a grandiose, three hour, B&W cinematic opus that chronicles the true story (more or less) of the professional life of legendary producer/showman "Flo" Ziegfeld, played convincingly by William Powell. It is an interesting, lovable film because it is so historically ... quaint.
Structurally, the narrative takes a chronological approach. However, except for the film's starting year of 1893 and the ending soon after the 1929 stock market crash, no dates are given, a shortsighted flaw in the screenplay. But during this roughly forty-year period we see Ziggy's ambition unfurl into a successful career of producing some of the most extravagant musical shows in history. And throughout, the theme remains the same: to "glorify the American girl", that is to say to glorify the early twentieth century stereotyped image of the American girl.
Despite his success as a showman, Ziggy was constantly plagued with financial problems, and embroiled in relations with women, the two most important being: the humorously indecisive Anna Held, and the lovely Billie Burke.
More interesting to me than the biography is the lavish, grandiose production numbers. In the most grandiose of all, Dennis Morgan sings "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody", as the camera ascends a slowly revolving spiral staircase adorned with "Ziegfeld girls" in outlandish costumes. The set, resembling a wedding cake, is about as tall as it is wide, with the stage curtain rising to what seems like stratospheric heights.
The film's strengths are its humorous script, the dazzling sets, the glamorous costumes, the music, a cameo appearance by Fanny Brice, and a great tap dance routine by Ray Bolger. My main complaint is the film's length. Also, I find it curious that this big budget beast with its theme of wealth and beauty came out right in the middle of the Great Depression. MGM must have been on a colossal ego trip.
Overall, "The Great Ziegfeld" is fun, and definitely worth watching, especially as a time capsule to an entertainment era that is gone forever.