This short was made at a weird time in MGM and U.S. history - 1942. That was the first full year of WWII and also a year in which many old familiar faces were tossed out of MGM. The short shows a variety of musical excerpts, some with still familiar faces Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in rehearsals for a number in Babes on Broadway with Busby Berkeley directing, and a musical excerpt from The Chocolate Soldier in which it is obvious MGM is trying to make a film star of opera singer Rise Stevens by building her up, which, in retrospect, did not work out.
The short then talks about all of the films in production as page after page is shown with the film's name, the stars, and who is in charge of the musical score, thus showing off MGM's composition talent, and MGM had plenty in 1942.
Next the narrator says no other studio has so much talent in one place at one time and all of the big MGM stars of the day are shown. The problem is, studio head L.B. Mayer is about to toss a bunch of these stars - Lew Ayres, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, and Greta Garbo, for example. Clark Gable is shown, but with the death of Carole Lombard, he went to go fight the war to forget even though he was past 40, and maybe that had already happened by the time this short was made. James Stewart is done with MGM, although his wartime service is what severed his service there. Robert Montgomery will not make another film for MGM until 1945, with his career also interrupted by WWII service. Unfortunately, by that time, Montgomery will have developed a case of stage fright and wind up directing more than acting in his next film for MGM - "They Were Expendable". His post-war acting career will not be what it was pre-war, but he does branch out into directing.
The finale is a rousing patriotic song, and doesn't give a hint that MGM's finest days are actually behind it for all kinds of reasons - L.B. Mayer cleaning house of his most talented stars, the war interrupting careers and contracts, and probably even the lingering effects of the death of Irving Thalberg six years before. Still it is entertaining as a fond farewell to pre-war America and MGM's past glories.
One final head scratcher, the short clearly mentions Wallace Beery as upcoming star of "Doan of the USA", which was apparently never made. I wonder what happened? Was the project canceled or was it renamed? At any rate, I found it entertaining and nostalgic. Enjoy.
The short then talks about all of the films in production as page after page is shown with the film's name, the stars, and who is in charge of the musical score, thus showing off MGM's composition talent, and MGM had plenty in 1942.
Next the narrator says no other studio has so much talent in one place at one time and all of the big MGM stars of the day are shown. The problem is, studio head L.B. Mayer is about to toss a bunch of these stars - Lew Ayres, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, and Greta Garbo, for example. Clark Gable is shown, but with the death of Carole Lombard, he went to go fight the war to forget even though he was past 40, and maybe that had already happened by the time this short was made. James Stewart is done with MGM, although his wartime service is what severed his service there. Robert Montgomery will not make another film for MGM until 1945, with his career also interrupted by WWII service. Unfortunately, by that time, Montgomery will have developed a case of stage fright and wind up directing more than acting in his next film for MGM - "They Were Expendable". His post-war acting career will not be what it was pre-war, but he does branch out into directing.
The finale is a rousing patriotic song, and doesn't give a hint that MGM's finest days are actually behind it for all kinds of reasons - L.B. Mayer cleaning house of his most talented stars, the war interrupting careers and contracts, and probably even the lingering effects of the death of Irving Thalberg six years before. Still it is entertaining as a fond farewell to pre-war America and MGM's past glories.
One final head scratcher, the short clearly mentions Wallace Beery as upcoming star of "Doan of the USA", which was apparently never made. I wonder what happened? Was the project canceled or was it renamed? At any rate, I found it entertaining and nostalgic. Enjoy.
