Hollywood Spectator (1936)

Hollywood Spectator Page Thirteen There is a nice romance between Margaret and War¬ ren Hull, one of our most agreeable young leading men; as well as a whole lot of gangster deviltry by Lyle Talbot and henchmen, several spirited court scenes, and a big punch to wind things up. If the comedy by Eddie Acuff had been left out and the audience been permitted to keep in the mood created by the premise of the story, the picture would give general satisfaction. A Metro Masterpiece THE GREAT ZIEGFELD, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Produced by Hunt Stromberg; directed by Robert Z. Leonard; icreen play by William Anthony McGuire; dance* and ensembles staged by Sey¬ mour Felix; special music and lyrics by Walter Donaldson and Har¬ old Adamson; Harriet Hoctor Ballet Music by Con Conrad; lyrics by Herb Magidson; musical direction by Arthur Lange; arrange¬ ments by Frank Skinner; art direction by Cedric Gibbons; associ¬ ates, Merrill Pye, John Harkrider and Edwin B. Willis; gowns and fashion parades by Adrian; photographed by Oliver T. Marsh, George Folsey, Karl Freund, Ray June and Merritt B. Gerstad; recording director, Douglas Shearer; film editor, William S. Gray; produced by Hunt Stromberg. Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Lu ise Rainer, Frank Morgan, Fannie Brice, Virginia Bruce, Reginald Owen, Ray Bolger, Ernest Cossart, Joseph Cawthorn, Nat Pendleton, Harriet Hoctor, Jean Chatburn, Paul Irving, Herman Bing, Charles Judels, Marcelle Corday, Raymond Walburn, A. A. Trimble, Buddy Doyle. Reviewed by ALLAN HERSHOLT Again Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adds an important chapter to the history of motion pictures, this time with an offering which, to my knowledge, marks the highest spot the cinema has reached in entertainment, an offering which gives the screen new dignity as an art and which is of much value to Hollywood as a subject for study. Ziegfeld presents an extraordinary exhibition of mo¬ tion picture mechanics. And it is a film with a soul, a living thing, with all of the wonderful opportunities for poignant humanness taken advantage of. Into each scene has been put pictorial quality in perfect harmony with its mood, outstanding examples being those which oc¬ cur in Ziegfeld’s death-room. In that final sequence of the film is a shot that stands out more vividly in my mind than any other. It is a simple one, showing us merely a semidark room in which Ziegfeld, his back to the camera, sits facing a window through which is seen an electric sign that reads “Ziegfeld Theatre.” The shot tells us that he, his money, his youth, his health gone, never will arise from the chair. Watching it, my eyes filled with tears and a lump came to my throat. Apparently the director realized the importance of cam¬ era and lighting to the creation of drama in that shot and in many others as well. Long have I felt that close-ups are detrimental to a picture unless inserted only when there are demands for them. Why? Many scenes on the screen can be present¬ ed perfectly only if they include all of the composition necessary to them. For example, when a character’s po¬ sition in relation to another character is important to a scene, some of its strength is lost when the other char¬ acter is eliminated to allow the first to be shown in a closeup. Some of the most dramatic scenes in Ziegfeld are presented in medium and long shots. This is logical treatment, and rare, too, unfortunately. Ziegfeld gives us close-ups only when they are essential. To all associated with this remarkable production be¬ longs warm praise. Its director, the veteran Robert Z. Leonard, has accomplished a truly great, beautiful, un¬ forgettable job, surely his finest achievement. At no time has he permitted conventionalities to take part. William Powell’s Ziegfeld comes as his most brilliant portrayal, as one of the very greatest the screen has of¬ fered in the past decade. It is a performance from which many of our most successful stars may learn something of the art of acting. And Luise Rainer! What a treat viewing her characterization is! As Anna Held, she runs the gamut of human emotions. Her spontaneity, her moods, changing like the chameleon changes colors, her dramatic feeling and expression, her moments of joy, romance and insouciance, her nuances of pathos mark her as a great actress, second to none. Myrna Loy is utterly convincing and charming as Billie Burke. Frank Morgan, playing Ziegfeld’s friend and rival showman, contributes his customary perform¬ ance, which, of course, means he is splendid. Fannie Brice, appearing briefly as herself, supplies very amusing humor. Ray Bolger’s eccentric dancing stands out emi¬ nently and he discloses fine talent for farcical comedy. Jean Chatburn, a pretty newcomer, shines in a small, unimportant role. The renowned Harriet Hoctor danc¬ es beautifully in a ballet number, but is given no oppor¬ tunity to display histrionic ability. Such always-capable players as Virginia Bruce, Regi¬ nald Owen, Ernest Cossart, Nat Penddleton, Joseph Cawthorn, Herman Bing, Charles Judels and Raymond Walburn offer characterizations of genuine sincerity and conviction. A. A. Trimble plays Will Rogers and bears amazing resemblance in appearance and manner to the beloved humorist. Buddy Doyle’s Eddie Cantor is good. The William Anthony McGuire screen play is a quite extraordinary accomplishment, one of the most intelli¬ gently executed jobs since pictures began to speak. The dances and ensembles, the staging of them credited to Seymour Felix, are gorgeous, unique creations, presented with camera-employment of rare intelligence. Five of the screen’s finest cameramen, Oliver Marsh, George Folsey, Karl Freund, Ray June and Merritt Gerstad, worked on the film, Marsh photographing the story and the others musical numbers. Each has done superbly. The chief art director, Cedric Gibbons, and his clever associates, Merrill Pye, John Harkrider and Edwin Willis, cannot be commended too highly for their set¬ tings, which are responsible to a considerable degree for the tremendous success of the production. Altogether excellent are the ballet music and lyrics by Con Conrad and Herb Magidson and the Walter Donaldson-Harold Adamson special music and lyrics. Ar¬ thur Lange’s musical direction and the arrangements by Frank Skinner stand out as the most impressive in many months. One person who has contributed largely to the success of Ziegfeld is William Gray, film editor. His is an uncommonly smooth, intelligent job of cutting. The gowns and fashion parades, credited to Adrian, are strikingly effective. Ziegfeld, without question, is the outstanding motion picture to come from its producer, Hunt Stromberg, whose record includes numerous magnificent screen crea