Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Acquires Rights To 70 Films From The Samuel Goldwyn Library (1 Viewer)

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ACQUIRES RIGHTS

TO 70 FILMS FROM THE SAMUEL GOLDWYN LIBRARY


Agreement Covers Nearly Every Film in the Goldwyn Library

Including The Best Years of Our Lives, Wuthering Heights,
The Pride of the Yankees, Guys and Dolls, Hans Christian Andersen,
The Bishop’s Wife

Burbank, Calif. (March 30, 2012) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) and The Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. Family Trust have entered into an agreement whereby Warner will license the North American distribution rights to some 70 titles from the Samuel Goldwyn Films library. The deal was announced today by Jeff Baker, Warner Executive Vice President and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog, and Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., founder of The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and the son of pioneer motion picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn.
The agreement represents nearly every film produced by the legendary producer, Samuel Goldwyn, including some that have never before been available to the home entertainment market. Titles could be released on Blu-ray Disc™, DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD as early as the 4thquarter of this year. Specific announcements to follow.

“The acquisition of the stellar Samuel Goldwyn library reaffirms WBHEG’s commitment to the classics and ownership through physical and digital distribution to consumers,” said Baker. “Our library, already boasting such crown jewels as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane andCasablanca to name just a few, will be strengthened even further with Goldwyn’s fine titles from American film history.”

The Samuel Goldwyn Films library includes nearly four decades of classic films, all personally produced by Goldwyn for his Samuel Goldwyn Productions between 1925 and 1955. Top titles to be added to the WBHEG library, already the largest in the world, include The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946’s Oscar®-winning Best Picture, which increases the number of WBHEG library’s Best Picture Oscar® winners to 22, the most of any other single studio. Other highlights include William Wyler’s 1939 drama, Wuthering Heights starring Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven, The Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper, Guys and Dolls starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine, andHans Christian Andersen starring Danny Kaye. Additionally, eight Gary Cooper films are included in the Goldwyn library, which also boasts films from some of the most acclaimed directors in screen history including Wyler, Howard Hawks and John Ford.

According to Sam Goldwyn Jr., “I could not be more pleased to have our library in such esteemed and capable hands. Warner Bros. has had an exceptional reputation going back to the days of my father. The idea that our treasured titles such as Wuthering Heights, The Best Years of Our Lives, and dozens of others will be handled with such passion and care could not make me happier.”

The agreement, covering U.S. and Canada, includes all home video, electronic sell-through, and transactional VOD rights.

SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS LIBRARY:
THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO
ARROWSMITH
THE AWAKENING*
BALL OF FIRE
BARBARY COAST
BELOVED ENEMY
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
THE BISHOP’S WIFE
BULLDOG DRUMMOND
COME AND GET IT
CONDEMNED
THE COWBOY AND THE LADY
CYNARA
CYTHEREA*
DARK ANGEL*
DEAD END
THE DEVIL DANCER*
THE DEVIL TO PAY!
DODSWORTH
EDGE OF DOOM
ENCHANTMENT
THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES
GUYS AND DOLLS
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
HIS SUPREME MOMENT*
IN HOLLYWOOD WITH POTASH & PERLMUTTER*
I WANT YOU
THE KID FROM BROOKLYN
THE KID FROM SPAIN
KID MILLIONS
THE LITTLE FOXES
THE MAGIC FLAME*
THE MASQUERADER
MY FOOLISH HEART
NANA
THE NIGHT OF LOVE*
ONE HEAVENLY NIGHT
OUR VERY OWN
PALMY DAYS
PARTNERS AGAIN, WITH POTASH & PERLMUTTER*
POTASH AND PERLMUTTER*
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE
RAFFLES
RAFFLES (1930)
THE REAL GLORY
THE RESCUE*
ROMAN SCANDALS
ROSEANNA MCCOY
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
SECRETS
A SONG IS BORN
SPLENDOR
STELLA DALLAS
STELLA DALLAS (1925)*
STRIKE ME PINK
TARNISH*
THESE THREE
THEY GOT ME COVERED
THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC
A THIEF IN PARADISE*
THIS IS HEAVEN*
TWO LOVERS
THE UNHOLY GARDEN
UP IN ARMS
WE LIVE AGAIN
THE WEDDING NIGHT
THE WESTERNER
WHOOPEE!
THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH*
WOMAN CHASES MAN
WONDER MAN
WUTHERING HEIGHTS

*silent film

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group:
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHEG oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHEG distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.

ABOUT SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops, produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. The company is dedicated to working with both world renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This is best exemplified by the Academy Award® nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and SUPER SIZE ME, AMAZING GRACE and Julie Delpy's hit comedy 2 DAYS IN PARIS. Past Goldwyn titles include PRICELESS, a romantic comedy starring Audrey Tautou, Academy Award® winner Claude Lelouch's ROMAN DE GARE, the critically hailed ELEGY starring Academy Award® nominee Penélope Cruz, HARRY BROWN starring Michael Caine and, on the faith side, the box office smashes FIREPROOF, FACING THE GIANTS and AMAZING GRACE. MAO’S LAST DANCER, directed by Academy Award nominee Bruce Beresford was one of the top grossing independent films of 2010. In addition to THE DOUBLE HOUR, a revered thriller that was one of the top foreign language grossers of 2011, SGF released THE WHISTLEBLOWER, a powerful, ripped from the headlines thriller starring Academy Award® winner Rachel Weisz that premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival. Upcoming releases include THE ISLAND PRESIDENT (March 28th), winner of this year’s Audience Award at Toronto about former President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced – the literal survival of his country and everyone in it, ROBOT & FRANK starring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon which recently premiered at Sundance to rave reviews and DIANA VREELAND THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL, an acclaimed documentary about the late fashion icon which premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

According to Sam Goldwyn Jr., “I could not be more pleased to have our library in such esteemed and capable hands. Warner Bros. has had an exceptional reputation going back to the days of my father. The idea that our treasured titles such as Wuthering Heights, The Best Years of Our Lives, and dozens of others will be handled with such passion and care could not make me happier.”

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Thank Goodness. Well Said.

Couldn't think of a better studio to have acquired these titles.

Thank goodness Warners is getting these titles! Cannot wait for many of them.
If you haven't seen The Best Years of Our Lives, do so. This film resonates through the decades and gains power with each new generation. Possibly William Wyler's best movie (and that is saying something!)

Just curious as to how many new John Ford will beout on dvd and / or blu ray ?

Hopefully many of these will make it onto BR.

Sign me up for Guys and Dolls, Wuthering Heights and The Best Years of Our Lives on BD. couldn't be happier with this outcome.

such a great list of titles, and some of Gary Cooper's best showcases, i was looking for one Goldwwyn title then realized it's not the complete libary, would have been nice to have Brannagh's Henry V in there. I am waiting to see what comes out of this!

Originally Posted by rsmithjr /t/319692/warner-brothers-home-entertainment-acquires-rights-to-70-films-from-the-samuel-goldwyn-library#post_3911983
Thank goodness Warners is getting these titles! Cannot wait for many of them.
If you haven't seen The Best Years of Our Lives, do so. This film resonates through the decades and gains power with each new generation. Possibly William Wyler's best movie (and that is saying something!)

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But let's wait for the Blu. I will be looking forward to this and Guys and Dolls in Blu-ray. Hans Christian Anderson would also make a wonderful Blu-ray.

I hope "Wuthering Heights", "The Bishop's Wife" and "The Little Foxes" end up on Blu...and not in the Warner Archive.

I can see some of the lesser titles going to the Archive, but not the heavy hitters, particularly the ones that have already been available on DVD. They'd be welcome on Blu.

I saw Hans Christian Andersen on MGM-HD some while ago, and it looked wonderful. But there are at least a dozen titles here that would make exquisite Blu-rays. I just hope Warners goes that route.

Conspicuous by its absence on this list is Goldwyn's final film PORGY AND BESS.

Guys and Dolls would have to top my list. I hope they have the materials required to do a proper restoration. Somebody told me the negative is no good, but I'm not sure where they posted that--in this forum or elsewhere.
I recall in the mid-70s some of these Goldwyn films were released to syndication. Our local station would play them--in primetime!-- and they'd make a big event of it. They had an umbrella title for the "series," something like "Samuel Goldwyn Presents." There was a lot of prestige surrounding the airing of these films then. They'd claim that the films had not been seen in 20 years at that time. I believe all the ones I saw were the color films. I recall that was the first time I'd ever seen Hans Christian Anderson. I think they also ran Whoopee. Princess and the Pirate didn't seem to be a part of that package--it aired repeatedly on another local station.
Hope they put them all out on blu...!

Give me Blu-ray editions of
BALL OF FIRE
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
THE BISHOP’S WIFE
GUYS AND DOLLS
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE KID FROM BROOKLYN
THE LITTLE FOXES
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
A SONG IS BORN
THEY GOT ME COVERED
UP IN ARMS
WONDER MAN
WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Originally Posted by John Skoda /t/319692/warner-brothers-home-entertainment-acquires-rights-to-70-films-from-the-samuel-goldwyn-library#post_3912055
Conspicuous by its absence on this list is Goldwyn's final film PORGY AND BESS.

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Somehow I have a strong feeling WB will release this film now that the rights issues have cleared up and the film made the LIbrary of Congress list this year.

The press release says 70 films, but there seem to be 73 films listed above

Originally Posted by Ethan Riley /t/319692/warner-brothers-home-entertainment-acquires-rights-to-70-films-from-the-samuel-goldwyn-library#post_3912059
Guys and Dolls would have to top my list. I hope they have the materials required to do a proper restoration. Somebody told me the negative is no good, but I'm not sure where they posted that--in this forum or elsewhere.

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Hopefully they get the framing right when it does happen.

Good news to see possible future releases of some elusive Ronald Colman titles, Eddie Cantor's films, and more silents.
It will be even better news if they aren't dumped in the archives.

Pride of the Yankees is now at the top of my want list
Sent from my man cave, with hopes to see Babel Ruth in high definition

There are the makings of a great Danny Kaye set there....!+++ If they were packaged all as a set, some would buy both the more famous titles, like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and the more obscure ones that are almost as good, like Up in Arms and Wonder Man.
I think Warner now owns all 8 of Danny Kaye's first films, and I think all were in Technicolor. If given Warner's wonderful Ultra Resolution process to perfectly align all three strip of the Technicolor negative each of these would be a knock out.
1954 Knock on Wood
Jerry Morgan/Papa Morgan/Clarence
1952 Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
1951 On the Riviera
Jack Martin / Henri Duran
1949 The Inspector General
Georgi
1948 A Song Is Born
Professor Hobart Frisbee
1947 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty
1946 The Kid from Brooklyn
Burleigh Sullivan
1945 Wonder Man
Edwin Dingle / Buzzy Bellew
1944 Up in Arms
Danny Weems

At long last: My Foolish Heart. Yes, I know that now it's a period piece and that getting pregnant is no longer a disaster for an unmarried woman but I like this movie . . . and I just l-u-r-v-e that song!
I'm also interested in A Song Is Born which was released on DVD a few years ago but is now OOP and goes for rip-off prices by the few sellers who have a copy.