MGM Movies: A reference book

This is an excellent reference book for your coffee table that gives the description of 1,738 movies produced by MGM studios from 1924-1981. These movies signify the success of American cinema and in many ways MGM stands out as the leader of the studio-pack. MGM became a wonderland and the wizards were Marcus Loew, studio head Louis B. Mayer, production chief Irving Thalberg, and president of the studio Nicholas Schenk. MGM was formed by the mergers of Loew's Inc., Goldwyn studios, and Louis B. Mayer productions. MGM also absorbed William Randolph Hearst's Cosmo productions. When the studio was formed, it had the best stars on its payroll that included; Norma Shearer, Marion Davies, Buster Keaton, Ramon Navarro and others. The legend of Mayer as a ruthless egomaniac, and Thalberg as a young genius raised MGM to the pinnacles of success in American movie industry. "He who got slapped" was the first movie of the studio produced in Oct 1924. Greta Garbo was discovered by the studio in 1926 in Sweden. By 1927, she had become a star and theater owners and their patrons demanded to see more movies of Grabo. By this time she had grown into a business suave lady and demanded $5,000 a week salary from her initial salary of $600 a week. Louis B. Mayer soon realized that threats don't work and at last he met his match. Loretta Young started her movie career with MGM at the age of 15 in "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" opposite Lon Chaney. By 1929 MGM's profit zoomed to $12,107,026, a steady growth in revenue from 1927 indicated MGM was moving in the right direction. The "Trial of Mary Dugan" starring Norma Shearer is the first all dialogue picture MGM produced in 1929. In the same year when "Anna Christie" was released there was a buzz in the media that said "Garbo Talks" in the movies. Thousands of billboards went up across the country and the movie became a tremendous box office hit. The 1930 movie "The Divorcee" starring Norma Shearer reaped a fortune from public and won acclaim from movie critics. This highly controversial movie of that time won an academy award in best actress category for Norma Shearer. The 1930 movie "Minn and Bill," starring Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler was also a big box office success and Marie Dressler winning the best actress academy award. In 1932 MGM shook the industry by casting five top stars on its roaster in a single picture "The Grand Hotel." This was a huge box office success and won the best academy award in the best picture category. Making this movie was a shrewd and risk taking approach on the part of the studio during the height of great depression when every other studios were making losses on their investments. Jean Harlow made a string of very successful movies during 1932-35. "The Great Ziegfeld," an outstanding musical produced in 1936 was a staggering opulence. MGM paid $2 million for three hours of filming topping the cost of "Mutiny on the Bounty" and "Ben-hur." "The Great Ziegfeld" was an outstanding success at the box office and won an academy award in the best movie category for MGM.

At the end, the book gives a list of musicals made by the studio and it is interesting to note that MGM is one the studios that made some of the best musicals. "The wizard of oz,' "Meet me in St Louis,' "The Great Ziegfeld," "The Barkley's of Broadway," Broadway Melodies of 1940," "Ziegfeld Follies, "Seven Brides for seven brothers, "Kiss me Kate," "Viva Las Vegas," "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Idiot's Delight," "A Date with Judy," "American Paris," "High Society," "Gigi," "Show Boat," "Good bye Mr Chips," Annie Got your Gun'" etc., were produced by MGM.

You can find all the facts and figures about the movies in chronological order including significant amount of information for each movie that shares some rare photographs, the work of actors, directors, and writers. The author of this fascinating book has done a monumental work of accumulating and archiving the materials.

Reference: The MGM Story by John Douglas Eames