Word: rainer
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...George Kraska) is based upon an episode in the life of Franz von Reznicek, who was the Peter Arno of Austria 40 years ago. Made in Europe in 1934, the film was bought by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and reproduced completely year and a half ago as Escapade, with Luise Rainer in the lead. So good was MGM's job that Actress Rainer was catapulted to Hollywood stardom. Meanwhile the original cinema was winning acclaim in Europe. Last week, with Escapade well out of the way, MGM allowed the original Masquerade in Vienna to appear...
Married. Clifford Odets, 30, proletarian playwright (Waiting for Lefty) and film scenarist (The General Died at Dawn); and Luise Rainer, 25, Viennese cinemactress (Escapade, The Great Ziegfeld); in Brentwood, Calif...
William Powell plays expertly the vibrant and extravagant Ziegfeld, but Louise Rainer walks off with the show, heavy and expensive as it is. As Anna Held her charm and appeal make Myrna Loy and the most glamorous chorus M.G.M. could collect seem drab. The beautiful, tempestuous little French singer is alternately sunny and gay and llystericat but her line as she watches her beloved husband, Ziegfeld, kiss a drunken chorine, is a real heart breaker--"You might at least have closed the door." Loy is competent as Billie Burke and Frank Morgan is at top form in playing Ziegfeld...
...picture starts off its hero (William Powell) as a barker at the Chicago World's Fair. He makes a fortune out of Sandow, the strong man, loses it at Monte Carlo, recoups in London by a contract with Anna Held (Luise Rainer) whom he steals from under the nose of his arch rival (Frank Morgan). He gives her a dozen orchids every day, makes her famed for her milk baths, eventually marries her. At this point, The Great Ziegfeld soars from the prose of fictionized biography into the poetry of revue. For 20 minutes, a huge revolving staircase exhibits...
...well with he small role of Billie Burke; Frank Morgan is superb as Billings, Ziggle's rival and boon companion; Ray Bolger has a small spot which he fills deliciously with his incomparably madcap dancing; Harriet Hoctor does a very charmingly graceful ballet and as we said before Luise Rainer seizes the dramatic honors with a magnificent portrayal of Anna Held...