Customer Reviews

MGM: When the Lion Roars

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Back when TNT aired this series in the early 90's, it was one of the best documentary series that was produced. However, almost immediately after its broadcast, Robin Astaire (Fred's wife) forbade the usage of any of his clips on ANY documentary, suggesting that his image in such capacity will ruin his integrity- or a facsimile there of. So, when issued on Laserdisc in the 90's, all the Astaire sequences were either cut or replaced- i.e., the clip from Ziegfeld Follies, the Babbit and the Bromide number with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly was replaced with Judy Garland's The Great Lady Has An interview. The version released on the DVD, unfortunately, is still that one. While TCM aired the series right before the DVD release, it was indeed the original version with Fred Astaire intact- you can either keep both, or just keep the TCM recording, since it would be more complete... such a pity for a great documentary.

I am thrilled to learn MGM: When the Lion Roars is finally available on DVD! I've been patiently waiting to add it to my collection for years. This documentary originally aired on TNT in the early 90's when I was a teenager, and it is undoubtedly the reason I am an avid fan of classic cinema today. It is one of the single best documentaries I have seen about the studio system and the origins of the entertainment industry as a whole. Not only does it provide a glimpse into the by-gone era of Hollywood's Golden Age, but it reveals the stories behind some of the greatest films ever made. Bottom line: it is a must-see for fans of classic films.

Fantastic Documentary about the MGM studio. Its great films. Its great stars and the people who made them. Out for the first time on DVD. Patrick Stewart is superb as host and narrator. Extremly enjoyable to watch over and over. Anyone who loves the great films and its great stars will love it! MGM the greatest move studio of all time. After viewing it, you to will know why.
Bill Slaughter
Anaheim , CA USA

This documentary was made back in 1992, and does a very good job of detailing the history of MGM. Part one starts in 1924 with the opening of the studio in 1924 and and ends with the death of wonder boy Irving G. Thalberg in 1936. Part two concentrates on what are considered "the golden years" from 1936 to 1946. Part three is about the decline of the studio after 1946. Patrick Stewart narrates, and there are some particularly interesting although not surprising revelations, such as Helen Hayes describing studio head Louis B. as a gentle yet evil person.

I guess I enjoyed part one the most because I really disagree about 1936-1946 being MGM's peak years. I think they were at their best from 1924 up to shortly after the death of Irving Thalberg. His foresight and creativity are what fueled the silent film and early sound projects that really put the studio on the map. At any rate, if you enjoyed the much shorter "Universal Horror" documentary on the Carl Laemmle years of Universal Studios, you'll enjoy this one too. Highly recommended.

There has never been a more fascinating TV program for movie lovers than MGM: When The Lion Roars (despite that title). One thing that has always puzzled me though: In the second part Jackie Cooper is talking about his short subject "The Christmas Party" (1930). I saw Clark Gable and a lot of other MGM stars in there but suddenly out of the blue a very young Bette davis shows up. I always thought that Davis NEVER worked in the early days at Metro, only Warners and Universal.

This program is well worth watching for the often hilarious comments made by Cooper and by the glorious Freddie Bartholomew. I had NEVER seen the latter ever give an interview and once you get over the shock of seeing him as an old man, you'll really appreciate his wit. I also loved Luise Rainer, William Tuttle, and Maureen O'Sullivan. Thank God that Ted Turner did this before most of these folks (like Freddie and Sam Marx died). And Rainer is still going strong at 99. Her comments about L.B Mayer are priceless as are Cooper's about Wally Beery.

This documenatry is wonderful.

I first discovered "MGM: When the Lion Roars" on PBS about 5 years ago. Even then I only saw part of the documentary- and out of order, the last section first. I didn't know how much detail of the MGM history it actually covered until I saw the complete, 3-part documentary on Turner Classic Movies 18 months ago. When I finally digested even part one, I was flabbergasted. The documentary, lovingly narrated by Patrick Stewart, starts at the beginning (to coin a phrase from one of MGM's great fantasy films). We see the formation of Metro, Goldwyn, and Louis B. Mayer's "Mayer," starting from 1924 and the silent film "He Who Gets Slapped." We see the union of the brilliant young Irving Thalberg and Mayer as they concoct a bona-fide production factory- replete with school, hospital, police force, fire department, and commissary. The New York stockholders (headed by Marcus Lowe, later by Nicholas Schenck) are the magnates who actually oversee MGM, as well as the theaters who distribute the films made by MGM. And part 1 introduces MGM's first stars: Garbo, Gilbert, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Helen Hayes, the Barrymores, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Norma Shearer Thalberg, and the studio logo- the MGM lion. Remembrances by many of MGM's staff- including Samuel Marx, King Vidor, William Tuttle, and Margaret Booth- give a no-holes-barred outline of just how the studio made (and in some instances broke) their stars.

A lot of the veterans interviewed seem almost hypnotic in their praise of the factory and the tyrannical Mayer- which is curious because there are a few pointed recollections by actors (including double-Oscar winner Luise Rainier and swimming star Esther Williams) who did not particularly care for the bullying, manipulative showman- a man not above fainting on cue to get what he wanted, or reminding his contractors that they were his property to do with as he liked. Part 1 ends with the untimely death of 37-year-old Thalberg, and part 2 dives into the 1940's and the war years when Mayer decrees wholesome, pious, family-oriented film only. The child stars are introduced: Jackie Cooper, Mickey Rooney, June Preisser, Freddie Bartholomew, and most of all, Judy Garland (given a particularly long testimony by Rooney, who then curiously denies that MGM held and responsiblity- even in part- for her substance addiction). A sobering begins to creep into the dream factory as stars- particularly the females- are unceremoniously dropped (or at least not picked up) as they begin to age. The new contractors- Lamarr, Allyson, Van Johnson, Greer Garson, James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Tracy & Hepburn- are introduced. A lot of MGM's male stars enlist and fight in the war, which annoys Mayer (of course) to no end. Producer Dore Schary (Mayer's political and spiritual opposite) is brought into the fold as "a new Thalberg," thought to improve movie quality while paring the ascending film costs and tolerate the emergence of the new medium of television.

Finally, MGM's legendary musicals make up a significant part of Act 3. One of the most pointed revelations is the contrast in musical film styles between sophisticated Arthur Freed and schmaltzy, sentimental Joe Pasternak (and they're absolutely right). The 1950's arrive and Mayer's 20-year feud with boss Schenck reaches an unimaginable climax when an "office coup" of sorts terminates Mayer from his own studio- replaced by Schary, who puts an end to all the sweetness and virtuosity and concentrates on gritty message dramas. Many wonderful, stupendous film clips are shown- but amazingly, none of dancer Fred Astaire in the DVD release. (Despite having made some of the greatest musical films from 1948 to 1957- it appears that his widow holds the release rights to all his images, decreeing license fees for the use of his image. Consequently she had all his footage removed from this documentary, which is unforgivable.) The studio shifts management several times in the next dozen or so years, until the factory is more or less liquidated in 1974 and turned over to the MGM Grand Hotel project of Kirk Kerkorian. A particularly sad image is seeing the MGM sign removed from the executive office building in 1986. But what a time it once was.

This documentary about the history of Hollywood's premiere dream factory--MGM--is good for someone wanting to learn what all the fuss was about when MGM ruled the dream factories. Yet, I was greatly dissapointed in what the documentary didn't include--and that's at least a few frames of the golden silent gods and goddesses who put MGM on the map during the Roaring Twenties. I wanted to see something about Mae Murray, voted the number one female movie star in the world, for several years. There was nothing about Barbara LaMarr--The Woman Who Was Too Beautiful--another world famous star. William Haines was also a Number One Box Office Star for several years. None of them received even a frame of footage. The documentary also included several worn-out sequences that we've all seen over and over again--Judy Garland singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from Wizard of Oz...Judy singing "Dear Mr. Gable".

Then there were other worn-out sequences--from "Gigi," "An American in Paris," etc. This documentary is entertaining in many ways but it could have been more fascinating, again, if we were given fresh, never-before--seen footage of other MGM greats who put this fabulous studio on the map during its early history.

I just wanted to point out, that the DVD is NOT RC1, but in fact RC0, which thankfully means, it can be viewed on any player.

For the first time viewer who enjoys anything historical, "When the Lion Roars" is a superb documentary about the growth of Hollywood as an entertainment capital, through the eyes of its largest movie maker, Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Actor, Patrick Stewart hosts and narrates the rise of the MGM lion in one lavish costume after another with an overly lavish set that is supposed to project the glittering image of the movies as a growth industry. His commanding baritone does the rest.

MGM becomes a reality in 1924 after a merger with Loew, a theater owner, and the hire of a genius who would be dubbed the Boy Wonder--Irving Thalberg--a sickly fellow who suffers his first heart attack at 26. This was the age of the silent film and the story dutifully records the demise of stars whose voices did not meet audience expectations, and measures the rise of new ones under films that debuted at the rate of one per week with Thalberg as producer who was known for his ability to select topics and genre that would become box office successes.

Like the baseball player who could be traded, the stars of the day were under contract to Louis B. Mayer making appearances where required and receiving weekly paychecks. Patrick Stewart takes us through many stars, their temperment and pecadillos that were a rage on screen and off. By the second disk in this set, the glory of MGM starts to go downhill with the advent of television, the death of its foremost producer, divestiture of movie theaters by consent decree, corporate in-fighting and a more finicky post-war audience. This was the most difficult one to watch because it goes into detail about the end of an era.

As noted in earlier reviews, clips of Fred Astaire were deleted, but so were nude and sexually provocative scenes that led to the Legion of Decency. (I'm a very visual person)! And I felt that too much time was spent on Judy Garland. Nevertheless, it was interesting to learn how one actress detested the love scenes with her leading man, and was rumored to chew on a piece of garlic before every one of them. Interviews with actors and actresses are excellent.

This is a worthwhile experience to learn about the studio that had more stars than where in the heavens. It is also entertaining and informative. It is about a studio that made movies for profit but also as Ars Gratia, Artis--art for art's sake.

You should at least see it before it's gone with the wind.

I was lucky enough to see this documentary when it first aired on TNT in the early '90s. I never bought the VHS set, but after reading a wonderful new biography about Irving Thalberg decided to get When the Lion Roars on DVD. However, I was disappointed to find out that some footage was cut from the second part. The first part ends with the death of Irving Thalberg in 1936, and originally the second part starts "the day after" Thalberg's funeral. But the DVD's second part starts with The Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland. This wouldn't be so bad, except that Jean Harlow's death has been eliminated. I'm sure that other parts were cut as well, it's just I don't remember them like I remember Harlow's demise. Jean was a huge star and she is still a fan favorite almost 80 years after her death. Shame on Time Warner for snipping away this documentary's tribute to Jean!