An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social... Read allAn intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Photos
- Self - Harry Warner's granddaughter, also narrator
- (as Cass Warner Sperling)
- Self
- (voice)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (as Harry Warner)
- Self
- (as Sam Goldwyn Jr.)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the film clip from Casablanca a line is spoken which isn't in the film. The clip is from the end of Casablanca, at the airport, Richard Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) tells Major Heinrich Strasser (Conrad Veidt), "Alright Major, you asked for it" before he shoots him. The actual movie simply has Major Strasser pulling his gun and Rick shooting him.
- GoofsCass Warner Sperling's commentary states that the 1927 film "The Jazz Singer," starring Al Jolson, grossed more than any movie made to that time and remained the all-time box-office champ until the release of "Gone With the Wind." It was actually Jolson's next film, "The Singing Fool," that set the box-office record that lasted until "Gone With the Wind."
- Quotes
Self - Harry Warner's granddaughter, also narrator: The truth is, they were a phenomenal team that built an empire on a dream and revolutionized Hollywood while making the most classic, relevant movies of their time.
- ConnectionsFeatures The Great Train Robbery (1903)
- SoundtracksMe, Myself & I
Written by David Campbell (as David Campbell)
Performed by Ernest S. Llab and Bettie Ross
By Arrangement with DRC Music
*** (out of 4)
Pretty good documentary takes a look at the four Warner brothers (Harry, Albert, Jack, Sam) who would end up building one of the greatest and most loved studios in the history of cinema. Although it would seem the family had a lot of great fortune, they were haunted by several early deaths and many ending up turning their backs on one another. If you're looking for a documentary about all the great films released by the studio then you're going to be disappointed because this documentary actually takes a look at the family and not so much the movies. There's several stuff dealing with the movies that gets talked about including the brothers desire to make "real" dramas and how they fought the code and other studios to make a warning about Germany (CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY). I think fans of the history behind this studio will enjoy this doc the most as we get to see a lot of great photos of the boys as well as some video footage. There's quite a bit of talk from the relatives of the Warner's and we have a relative directing the film but don't let that worry you because there's quite a bit of brutal honesty here. Dennis Hopper, Debbie Reynolds, Norman Lear, George Segal, Angie Dickinson, Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. and Tab Hunter are just a few of the people who are interviewed. Some of the best stuff happens early on when we learn how the brothers ended up getting into the movie business and why they eventually moved out West.
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 14, 2010
Details
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1