The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

VHS COVER/SLIDE

MPAA Certifcate Number: 2000

Length of film:  176 Minutes  (Extended Roadshow: 185 Minutes)

Rated: Not Rated   

Genre: Biography, Drama, Musical

Director:  Robert Z. Leonard

Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan, Fanny Brice, Virginia Bruce

IMDB Rank: 6.7/10

Part 1 Time: 83 Minutes  (Extended Roadshow: 87 Minutes )

Part 2 Time:  94 Minutes (Extended Roadshow: 98 Minutes)

Where does the first part end? The end of the song “A pretty girl is like a melody,” is preformed.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: All performers sing in unison.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “You got to go straight,” show girls sing on a Broadway show

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr (William Powell) has just released the Ziegfeld Follies his magnum opus. Will his success continue with the onset of World War I?

Which part is better? The first part of the film documents Florenz’s rise as an impresario. First working in carnivals then to Broadway. He is clever, flamboyant, and calculating. In part two, Florenz is faced with hardships. Part one is better has we are able to see Florenz’s rise to frame and his ability to outsmart his competitors.

Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Leading Actress (Luise Rainer), Best Dance Direction, Best Director (Nominated), Best Writing-Original Story (Nominated), Best Art Direction (Nominated), Best Film Editing (Nominated)