The fun thing about this for me is the total vulgarity of the whole enterprise. Somehow it's absolutely right for the 'Ziegfeld Story' to be told by people whose idea of 'class' is girls dancing the minuet to Dvorak's "Humoresque". I suspect that this skewers the ethos of both Ziegfeld and MGM as thoroughly as any auteur could do! It's a long three hours' worth, but there are so many interesting things to watch. William Powell is an impeccable and charismatic anchorman; he's so skillful to watch, always fresh and inventive. Frank Morgan is also excellent.
Luise Rainer is just plain INTERESTING. The 'received wisdom' is that she got the Oscar for the famous 'telephone conversation', but I don't think that's fair. She works her butt off, working to steal every scene with the subtlety of Mae West; her technique is really superb, and somehow the epitome of Viennese style. And she gets her chops around pages of heinous dialogue that would have given Katherine Hepburn pause. She's also an outstanding beauty. Was Garbo robbed? Well yes, of course. But it's not like "Sweet Leilani" beating "They Can't Take That Away From Me".
Ray Bolger is excellent, and Fanny Brice damn near steals the movie. (I'm interested by comments here about the cutting of the "my man" number. One of the early MGM soundies featured a full performance; maybe it was felt that the number had been thrashed already. Anyway, I wouldn't want to be without the burlesque chorus number that we get instead.) But what really amazes me about this movie is the technical aspect. The lighting cameramen really had their work cut out for them getting light into those huge sets. They nearly manage it (though notice how a shadow from the apparatus inside Ray Bolger's follow-spot obscures his feet during his solo tap number).
And a final, adoring word for the chorus dancers. It's amazing to see what's demanded of Hollywood dancers by 1936 (particularly if you've just watched "Broadway Melody of 1929"). Those girls on the mammoth staircase wearing the black art deco 'bird' costumes: they've got no sightlines at all. And the girls doing high kicks on the fast-moving trucks during the "You" number: that is so DANGEROUS.
Luise Rainer is just plain INTERESTING. The 'received wisdom' is that she got the Oscar for the famous 'telephone conversation', but I don't think that's fair. She works her butt off, working to steal every scene with the subtlety of Mae West; her technique is really superb, and somehow the epitome of Viennese style. And she gets her chops around pages of heinous dialogue that would have given Katherine Hepburn pause. She's also an outstanding beauty. Was Garbo robbed? Well yes, of course. But it's not like "Sweet Leilani" beating "They Can't Take That Away From Me".
Ray Bolger is excellent, and Fanny Brice damn near steals the movie. (I'm interested by comments here about the cutting of the "my man" number. One of the early MGM soundies featured a full performance; maybe it was felt that the number had been thrashed already. Anyway, I wouldn't want to be without the burlesque chorus number that we get instead.) But what really amazes me about this movie is the technical aspect. The lighting cameramen really had their work cut out for them getting light into those huge sets. They nearly manage it (though notice how a shadow from the apparatus inside Ray Bolger's follow-spot obscures his feet during his solo tap number).
And a final, adoring word for the chorus dancers. It's amazing to see what's demanded of Hollywood dancers by 1936 (particularly if you've just watched "Broadway Melody of 1929"). Those girls on the mammoth staircase wearing the black art deco 'bird' costumes: they've got no sightlines at all. And the girls doing high kicks on the fast-moving trucks during the "You" number: that is so DANGEROUS.