ZIEGFELD, THE MAN AND HIS WOMEN

US, 1978, 150 minutes, Colour.
Paul Shenar, Samantha Eggar, Barbara Perkins, Valerie Perrine, Pamela Peadon, David Opatashu, Nehemiah Persoff.
Directed by Buzz Kulik.

Ziegfeld, the Man and His Women is a popular telemovie highlighting the life and career of the famous Broadway entrepreneur. Soon after his death in 1932, Ziegfeld was the subject of a big-budget MGM biography, The Great Ziegfeld (played by William Powell) which won the Oscar for Best Film of 1936. His wife Anna Held was portrayed by Luise Rainer (who won an Oscar for her performance) and Billie Burke was portrayed by Myrna Loy. There were lavish production numbers illustrating Ziegfeld, his shows, the glamour of his girls. Subsequent films from MGM included Ziegfeld Girl, about three girls who were hopeful of getting on the stage in the Follies, and in 1946 Ziegfeld Follies, a collection of musical and comedy acts paying tribute to Ziegfeld shows.

Paul Shenar, who portrayed Orson Welles in The Night That Panicked America, is Ziegfeld. Samantha Eggar is Billie Burke and Barbara Parkins has an opportunity to sing and dance. as Anna Held. Various show business personalities get a brief look-in - Will Rogers, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor and Marilyn Miller. The film is quite lavish, has a structure in which the various women including his mother and daughter comment on how they perceived Ziegfeld.

1. An entertaining telemovie? For the home audience? Portrait of a popular American entrepreneur? His life? His shows?

2. The popularity of Ziegfeld and his shows? The film tradition about him and his shows?

3. The structure of the film and the focus on the various women? The effect of the biography? The different angles for Ziegfeld? The truth about him?

4. His mother's comments; the early years in Chicago, the great fire and its effect on the family and on him (a great show and spectacle)? His place in the family? Growing up? His father as an entrepreneur? His suggestions about the strong man and the public admiring him, fighting the lion, the drugging of the lion - and the failure at the box office? His father disowning him? His mother's praise of him?

5. Early years and the visit to London, the theatre in London, seeing Anna, fascinated by her, her routines? The glamour and the songs and dances? Ziegfeld's interest, taking her to America, business deals? Her becoming his mistress? Her success on the New York stage? her feeling that she was kept, his proposal of marriage? Her pregnancy, his demand for an abortion? His infidelities and her disappointment in him?

6. Lilian: Lilian's cynical comments about him, an affair, the clash with Anna? Her wanting him to make her a star, the, rehearsals and her inability to sing and dance? His not allowing any criticism? His staging a show round her and the lavish costumes and choreography with the bubbles? The standing ovation? The relationship, his infatuation with her? fame, liaisons, headlines? Men killing themselves over her? The callousness of her rejection of him? Her humiliating him at the party? her final comments?

7. Billie Burke: the attractive English star, stage, attracted towards Ziegfeld at the Party, dancing together, the proposal of marriage, the warnings that people gave her? Her agent and his disagreement, Ziegfeld settling down? Billie Burke's career on stage and screen? her suspicions of infidelity? His telling her the truth about his love for her? The daughter? her staying with him and helping him in California?

8. Marilyn Miller as a ballet star, her training, suspicions on an affair, their being untrue? Her disdain of Ziegfeld? His building her place in the snow? Harsh treatment of her? Her marriage, the news of her husband's accident and his insisting that she go on stage? The power of the sequence when she has to perform even though grieving? Her callous reaction when Ziegfeld brought his daughter to visit her?

9. His daughter, her birth, his delight in her, growing up, going to see Marilyn Miller, deciding not to be a star? Growing up, companionship for her father, the fishing expedition? Her love for her father? (And the fact that she acted as adviser to the film?)

10. Ziegfeld as a character, his origins, drive for exploitation, drives, a genius entrepreneur, tough, insecure, attracted to women, in love, hurting others, savage towards then, his love for his daughter, the building up of the stars, the impact of the crash of '29, the building up of his career, backing Showboat and the success of it? The visit to Hollywood and his death?

11. A film about vaudeville, burlesque, the musical comedy of the New York stage with Showboat and the response to 'Old Man River'? His contribution? The Ziegfeld Girls? The Ziegfeld style?

12. The glimpses of some of his stars: Will Rogers and his lassoing, homespun humour, Bert Williams and Ziegfeld's demand of respect for the black star, W.C. Fields, Fanny Brice and her singing, Eddie Cantor and his songs, work with Marilyn Miller?

15. An entertaining drama? Character study? Piece of Americana?