Product Details

• Actors: Louis B. Mayer
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• DVD Release Date: July 26, 2005
• Run Time: 50 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009IXRLC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,070 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 07/26/2005

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "L. B." himself was the best actor on the MGM lot--if only this had shown us more of it !!!, February 21, 2009

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Biography - Louis B. Mayer (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)

The A&E Biography on the life and times of Louis B. Mayer gives us lots to know about this man. If only they hadn't rushed through it all and included so much more! No, this isn't the perfect biography of Louis B. Mayer; it couldn't have been at only 50 minutes. However, it does give you a basic understanding of what Mayer was about and what him tick; and we do get the highlights of his career and personal life. This DVD is more for the casual movie going fan who wants a brief introduction to the man who created so much of that Hollywood glamour, magic and even the Oscars. The narration is well done. In addition, we get interviews with Mayer biographers and Mayer's grandson himself appears in this video.

We learn that life for L.B. Mayer wasn't easy--and it certainly wasn't anything like "The Dream Factory" of MGM Studios. Louis B. Mayer was born in Russia, changed his name when he went with his family to Canada and then moved to the USA to pursue his dream of striking it big in the new world. Mayer wasn't always lucky in the beginning; but when he secured the distributions rights to The Birth Of A Nation in some parts of the country things began to take off for him. Mayer also married and he went to California to head Metro Studios which subsequently merged with Goldwyn Studios to become a large subsidiary of Loews.

One thing I do like about this mini documentary is that we get a very good sense of how Mayer related to the stars at MGM--he could take regular people practically off the street and sell them as stars--he was THAT good at selling! He became very powerful by exploiting the emotional vulnerabilities of his stars and he often had his men cover up extramarital affairs and other "indecent" scandals to make MGM retain a fantasy world type of aura that the public found enchanting. He had the ear of Herbert Hoover to make things go his way politically and that was incredible power in addition to his salary which made him the highest paid executive in America at the time. However, things still weren't completely perfect: Mayer had troubles with Irving Thalberg at MGM and he didn't get along well with Loews's successor Nicholas Schenck. Of course, after World War II things changed and Mayer was eventually pushed out by younger men including Dore Schary. The documentary then explores Mayer's life after MGM Studios.

In the end, Louis B. Mayer may have been ruthless at times; but he did make significant contributions to the film industry as he pushed his stars, directors and indeed all of the MGM crew to make the best "wholesome" pictures possible. After all, that's what the public primarily wanted before the end of World War II. The documentary also shows us many clips of some of the best MGM films ever made starting with the chariot race scene in the 1924-1925 production of Ben-Hur.

I wish that there had been extras on this DVD; and the all-too-short 50 minute time span leaves too much of his life glossed over or simplified to the point of being misrepresented. That's a disappointment.

If you are just getting into this topic and you like this documentary I would suggest other documentaries and books about film moguls and the Hollywood "studio system" in general. Unfortunately, however, diehard fans of Hollywood history will be dissatisfied.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject but nearly unwatchable Biography episode, July 21, 2010

By 

John S. Harris "The Voice of Reason" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biography - Louis B. Mayer (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)

This episode, or at least the version that made it to the DVD, feels rushed and uncomfortable to view. The rapid-fire narration and interview clips sound anything but natural. There is a lot of ground to cover in the life and career of a studio mogul, that's for sure, but it is a poor reflection on the Biography series that this episode feels like it runs at 80 miles per hour with no moment to catch a breath.

The woman who narrates the documentary is miscast. Her delivery lacks a storyteller's warmth. She is better suited to read off the disclaimers at the end of TV spots for pharmaceutical products.

Many of the interview subjects, including Mayer's relatives, sound rushed and pre-rehearsed. Most sound as if they are reading off cue cards.

I'm very disappointed in this Biography entry. The subject matter is interesting but the delivery of the product is unpleasant to sit through.

3.0 out of 5 stars A pretty bland production ..., December 21, 2011

By 

Martin A. Robinson "Marty Robinson" (Hagerstown, MD) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Biography - Louis B. Mayer (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)

I just purchased this DVD and it arrived in the mail today. I was anxious to view it this evening ... what a disappointment! The earlier review by "John S. Harris" hits the nail on the head. This production simply does not rate with other A&E biographies ... not even close. I'm surprised there were only two MGM stars featured to give their recollections (Kathryn Grayson and Mickey Rooney). Surely there is a plethora of archival footage of TOP stars speaking of Mayer as a man, a studio chief, a tyrant, a father figure, etc. I've seen interviews of Judy Garland, Ann Miller, Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds, to name just a few, who have painted very colorful portraits of Mayer.

One narrator even called Jeanette MacDonald "Jeanette Donald" ... very sloppy. This seemed like the result of a good college project, but not worth of the A&E brand.

Thankfully my copy only cost a few bucks ... had I paid more I would have given only 2 stars.

Overall verbal rating = "blech"!