Customer Reviews

MGM: When the Lion Roars

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I purchased this book after seeing the FANTASTIC documentary of the same name on telivision. This book has some of the most fabulous photos I have ever seen from the Golden age of Hollywood and I highly recommend it (and the documentary, also, which is often featured on TNT) to anyone who has any interest in that era. The book is intersting reading, also, but nothing compares to those photos.

This book is absolutely packed with "more stars than there are in the heavens," and the resquisite tidbits on the Hollywood of the '30's, '40's, and '50's. It is an incredible, engrossing, and exhilirating ride through the golden years at MGM, told with affectionate and interesting text and glowing behind-the-scenes photos. Stars and directors share memories and experiences of their years being heralded by the roar of Leo the Lion. The book hails MGM's (and probably Hollywood's) greatest works, such as 'Gone With the Wind', 'The Wizard of Oz', 'Meet Me In St. Louis', 'Annie Get Your Gun', 'Singin' In The Rain' and 'Gigi' among them. There are special dedications to several stars such as Fred Astaire: "Astaire's Women", Gene Kelly: "The Genius Of Gene Kelly", and Judy Garland: "The Biggest Thing To Happen To The MGM Musical". You won't be able to skim through this one. If the text doesn't hook you, the vibrant photos will. It's a walk back through three magical decades sprinkled with nostalgia and wonderful memories. "What a glorious feelin'"... to go "off to see the wizard" again, and also revisit all the beauty and grandeur of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and what it will always stand for: Art for art's sake... and the greatest entertainment that will EVER be.

I picked this up several years ago when it was first published and boy am I glad I did! Anyone who knows the history of the golden age of Hollywood is well aware that MGM waqs the top studio with the most glamorous, mythical stars like Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, and others. It offers rare and beautiful photos from the silent era and its beginnings all the way to 1959. Includes gossipy tidbits and much more! I hope they bring this book back on the market!

If you're a fan of old movies and especially MGM movies, oh boy! Are you in for a treat! This is a marvelous book jam packed with so much information, pictures, drawings, trivia, and behind-the-scenes gossip, that it'll take you days to get through it all. Fortunately it's one of those sorts of books you can dip in and out of but I'll warn you now, once you dip in, it'll be hard to get out! Highly recommended for any movie fan.