Another David L. Wolper Special. It’s loaded with movie clips but it’s more than that. Even though the show is almost fifty years old, movie lovers can still enjoy it. I still wonder why Fonda kept saying Ronald “Ree-gan.”
It starts on October 6,1927 with the premiere of “The Jazz Singer.” Then it’s a clip from the first all talking movie, “Lights Of New York”, a gangster film from 1928. Now it’s clips of the extravagance of Busby Berkeley and his lavish production numbers.
The show gets into the gangster films of the early 30’s and the rise of Decency leagues who are horrified at the sex and violence on the screen. Now the movies get wholesome with Shirley Temple and the Andy Hardy films.
Breaking away from movie clips we see the stars at the track, out on the town, at movie premieres and shots of the famous nightclubs in Hollywood. Now it’s on to stars in uniform for WWII including Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper. Of course there are clips of Bob Hope and his USO shows.
Now the biggest threat the movies have ever had…..TV. Attendance drops in half and many theaters go dark. The show closes with clips from the new stars of the 50’s Marlon Bramdo and Marilyn Monroe. It’s all familiar stuff but still fun.
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