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starring: Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Judy Garlanddirected by: Robert Lewis, Eugene Loring, Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth, Vincente Minnelli
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 0027616017338
Format: NTSC
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Release Date: April 01, 1992
Running Time: 110 minutes
Sales Rank: 20255
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: April 08, 1946
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
This 1946 film celebrates the life, career, and showmanship of the late Florenz Ziegfeld, perhaps the most famous and influential Broadway producer in the early decades of the 20th century. The film, ostensibly directed by Vincente Minnelli, takes an unusual form. We open in Heaven, at the home of the late Ziegfeld (played by William Powell, who also played him in The Great Ziegfeld), who thinks back on his life and wonders what kind of show he would put on with the talent of today (meaning 1946). What follows is an elaborately staged revue, similar to the blend of cheesecake, music, and comedy that made up the Ziegfeld Follies--but with the stars of that moment (plus actual Ziegfeld veteran Fanny Brice). The most welcome presence is Fred Astaire, who appears in three numbers--including the only dance number ever filmed that paired Astaire with Gene Kelly at the height of their powers. The contrast is fascinating. Otherwise, you get a number of musical scenes, the best of which features Lena Horne (singing 'Love'), the worst Judy Garland (in 'An Interview'). And there's plenty of other stuff: everything from an Esther Williams water ballet to an excerpt of La Traviata to a variety of broadly acted vaudeville skits featuring actors Keenan Wynn, Edward Arnold, Fanny Brice, and Hume Cronyn. --Marshall Fine
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Big names,big revue Hollywood style!
Ziegfeld Follies was a movie fraught with so many delays,shooting schedule work arounds,cancellations,scene deletions,etc.,that this picture is one of very few to finally be released so long after its' original production had stopped.A few pre-release screenings were done in 1944 and 1945 but the film got such a tepid response it was returned to have more work done on it.The studio got the jitters and finally shelved it.
Fred Astaire personally wrote the production chief Arthur Freed wondering ... Read More
Rating:  - Ziegfeld Follies
If Florenz Ziegfeld had made movies, he could not have made a better job than this fabulous M.G.M. musical. Great stars, fantastic production numbers make this a classic. You might have guessed, I loved every magical second. Pete Johnson
Rating:  - Ziegfeld Follies
I am a huge musical fan and some of my favorite stars ever are in this movie, but it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. Ziegfeld Follies is just a conglomeration of musical numbers, comedies and anything else they wanted to put in. I did like Judy Garland's number (I give her 5 stars) and Cyd Charisse's ballet. That was the best part of the whole movie. But if you want to see the stars at their best - just rent one of their movies. They shine far better!
Rating:  - Ziegfeld Follies - a big disappointment
While I love musicals, old time Broadway Shows and movies like That's Entertainment I, II, III all of which are a joy to watch and have them in my collection this one was a big disappointment for me.
This is a very poorly directed and the most boring movie I have ever seen.
Rating: - Glorious Technicolor Musical Numbers and Comedy Skits
Director Vincente Minnelli (one of the most artistic directors of the 40's/50's/60's) pulls out all the stops with an all star cast in this sparkling package of glamour and fun. Fans of classic musicals, comedy, and vaudeville will eat this up.
Every sequence is not great, but the ones that are truly shine. And thanks to DVD you can hit the Skip/Next button on your remote if Red Skelton isn't your cup of tea. This film is a wide spectrum, from the sublime and gorgeous to the weird and garish. ... Read More
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