Blu-ray Review The Great Ziegfeld Blu-ray Review (2 Viewers)

[Matt Hough]

The dazzle is great, but the character depth is missing in this lengthy biopic, The Great Ziegfeld.



The Great Ziegfeld (1936)



Released: 23 Sep 1936
Rated: Passed
Runtime: 176 min




Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Genre: Drama, Musical



Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer
Writer(s): William Anthony McGuire



Plot: The ups and downs of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., famed producer of extravagant stage revues, are portrayed.



IMDB rating: 6.6
MetaScore: 69





Disc Information



Studio: MGM
Distributed By: Warner Archive
Video Resolution: 1080P/AVC



Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HDMA



Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: Not Rated...

Continue reading...

 

[Mark Mayes]

It looks great, but is one exteremly flawed film. Your astute judgment about repeat visits is something I absolutely agree with. I don't agree about Rainer. I think that her Anna was a brilliant portrayal of a self-dramatizing diva who never emotionally matured. Her beginning scenes of being wooed by Ziegfeld are unique and she's a character with an edgy hysteria that sets the film apart for her performance. The real Anna Held.was not known to be a terrific singer, it was all about the visuals. I don't know that she was a huge diva. But someday lemme tell you about working an instore for JLO... Suffice: Luise underplayed the trope.

 

[David Weicker]

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree about its re-watchability and about Luise Rainer's performance.

I've watched and enjoyed the film numerous times. And I'm always captivated by her whenever she is onscreen.

As with all the other MGM musicals released, I've created a custom cover with matching spines, utilizing an poster (although, lately, WAC has been using original artwork, I often try to find a different original poster).
Here is my Great Ziegfeld cover, along with my MGM Musical's Collection.

 

[Mark Mayes]

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree about its re-watchability and about Luise Rainer's performance.

I've watched and enjoyed the film numerous times. And I'm always captivated by her whenever she is onscreen.

As with all the other MGM musicals released, I've created a custom cover with matching spines, utilizing an poster (although, lately, WAC has been using original artwork, I often try to find a different original poster).
Here is my Great Ziegfeld cover, along with my MGM Musical's Collection.

View attachment 207336

View attachment 207337

Fantastic!!!! High Society!?!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I’m with you Matt. For as long as this film is, I always thought this movie lacked depth. Unlike some other musicals, it’s not a movie that I need to rewatch every few years. Frankly, if it wasn’t for Powell and Loy, I might never have to watch it again. With that said, the audio and video presentations of this Blu-ray far exceeds my previous viewings of this movie.

 

[RichMurphy]

Like "Around the World in 80 Days" which is being discussed on another thread, I don't look to movies like this for characterization or plot. I enjoy this film for its spectacle. The "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" is an over-the-top sequence which reminds me of the Radio City Music Hall spectaculars, where they throw everything but the kitchen sink at the audience. I actually prefer the less-famous Rooftop Garden sequence which opens act two. Those production numbers are cleverly staged and designed.

And while I think the talents of Powell and Loy are pretty much wasted here, I really like Luise Rainer's spot-on performance as a neurotic diva. (In fact, I often wonder if the one neurotic diva I know studied Rainer's performance. LOL)

 

[Robert Crawford]

Like "Around the World in 80 Days" which is being discussed on another thread, I don't look to movies like this for characterization or plot. I enjoy this film for its spectacle. The "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" is an over-the-top sequence which reminds me of the Radio City Music Hall spectaculars, where they throw everything but the kitchen sink at the audience. I actually prefer the less-famous Rooftop Garden sequence which opens act two. Those production numbers are cleverly staged and designed.

And while I think the talents of Powell and Loy are pretty much wasted here, I really like Luise Rainer's spot-on performance as a neurotic diva. (In fact, I often wonder if the one neurotic diva I know studied Rainer's performance. LOL)

I didn't think it had to be said, but each of us are different in regard to what we expect from any movie. If a movie works better for you than it does for me due to said expectations, then that's the process of film appreciation.

 

[SFMike]

As with all the other MGM musicals released, I've created a custom cover with matching spines, utilizing an poster (although, lately, WAC has been using original artwork, I often try to find a different original poster).

David, are these creations of yours downloadable?

 

[SFMike]

"Around the World in 80 Days" is one of those films that are kind of worthless unless you see them on the TODD-AO big screen otherwise it's kind of pointless, like the wonderful Cinerama films, although I enjoy them in their "Smilebox" Blu-ray representations.

 

[bujaki]

It looks great, but is one exteremly flawed film. Your astute judgment about repeat visits is something I absolutely agree with. I don't agree about Rainer. I think that her Anna was a brilliant portrayal of a self-dramatizing diva who never emotionally matured. Her beginning scenes of being wooed by Ziegfeld are unique and she's a character with an edgy hysteria that sets the film apart for her performance. The real Anna Held.was not known to be a terrific singer, it was all about the visuals. I don't know that she was a huge diva. But someday lemme tell you about working an instore for JLO... Suffice: Luise underplayed the trope.

Rainer's telephone scene is an anthology piece. Liza did a similar scene in The Sterile Cuckoo. Both ladies were excellent in channeling the edgy hysteria of the characters.

 

[David Weicker]

As with all the other MGM musicals released, I've created a custom cover with matching spines, utilizing an poster (although, lately, WAC has been using original artwork, I often try to find a different original poster).

David, are these creations of yours downloadable?

Yes,
Send me a PM

 

[Robert Harris]

Rainer's telephone scene is an anthology piece. Liza did a similar scene in The Sterile Cuckoo. Both ladies were excellent in channeling the edgy hysteria of the characters.

Sterile Cuckoo is an extraordinary performance.