‘The Great Ziegfeld’ Blu-Ray Review – William Powell’s Epic Best Picture Winner Gets A 5-Star Release

This 1936 Best Picture Oscar® winner is every bit extravagant as its subject: theatrical empresario Florence Ziegfeld, Jr. Said Newsweek, “it carries on his tradition of superlatives: the most expensive actors, the best dancers, the most beautiful girls…” William Powell gives one of his most acclaimed performances as the legendary Ziegfeld. Joining him are other stars from the MGM constellation: Myrna Loy (Powell’s partner in The Thin Man series), Luise Rainer (the portrayal of actress Anna Held that won her the first of two consecutive Oscars®), The Wizard of Oz’s Frank Morgan and Ray Bolger, and, in a rare screen appearance, the legendary Ziegfeld star Fannie Brice. Of course, it wouldn’t be Ziegfeld without a parade of tunes (more than 20!), Showgirls (more than 300!) and dazzling set pieces. Most spectacular of all is the massive “wedding cake” sequence said to Irving Berlin’s “A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody”. No applause was added to the soundtrack of this scene. Live audiences, provided plenty… and still do. Meticulously remastered and presented in its “Roadshow version”, with original Overture, Entr’acte and Exit music, this new Blu-ray release from Warner Archive aptly can be described by paraphrasing one of the many original songs written for the film-It Never Looked So Beautiful Before!

For thoughts on The Great Ziegfeld, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/eDsAEdjuLRw?si=9A_sWK8VTmuYfGl0&t=53]

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents The Great Ziegfeld for the first time on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K restoration of the best preservation elements. Classic film fans are truly in for a treat as they offer up this film with a virtually flawless transfer. This disc has absolutely no signs of digital anomalies such as sharpening or compression artifacts, always running at a high bit rate. Print damage has been eradicated from this sterling picture. This black-and-white feature has the perfect amount of natural film grain throughout that provides a magical amount of detail to the image. This is especially welcome when the spectacle on screen is so lavish. The picture has an amazing amount of depth to it including in the darker portions of the theatre where there is no evidence of any black crush. Warner Archive has knocked it out of the park with another Best Picture winner. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures this mammoth story without a hiccup. Music is a formidable driving force of the film from a narrative standpoint, and this track delivers these tunes to your living room with perfect fidelity. The track balances the soaring vocals with the accompanying orchestra with tremendous clarity. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear even with the occasionally rapid-fire delivery. There are numerous moments of hustle and bustle when you might expect sounds to swirl together into a sonic soup, but this track keeps each element distinct. Warner Archive has provided a great audio presentation that does not exhibit any signs of age-related wear and tear. The disc also comes with optional English SDH subtitles.

Special Features

• Premiere Newsreel: A four-minute archival piece that features many people at the premiere discussing their excitement for the picture. 

• Ziegfeld On Film: A nearly 14-minute archival featurette is provided in which film historians, performers, and Ziegfeld family members discuss the real-life figure, the process of adapting his life to film, the accuracy of the picture, and more. 

• Toy Town Hall: A nearly seven-minute Merrie Melodies animated short is provided in HD in which a young boy has his toys come alive in his bedroom to put on a show. 

• Leo Is On The Air Radio Promotional Program: A nearly 15-minute radio program is provided here that promotes The Great Ziegfeld with some musical excerpts, clips, and more. 

• Original Theatrical Trailer: The three-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

The Great Ziegfeld is a grandiose biographical drama that finesses the truth a bit, but it spiritually captures the subject in an honest manner. William Powell was born to play this role, and he commands the screen during every era of his life alongside a bevy of talented women. It is always a treat to see him with Myrna Loy, but Luise Rainer is also quite a force. The film occasionally struggles to justify its length with the narrative itself, but you forget those concerns any time one of the big numbers arrives and whisks you away with movie magic. If you love old-school glitz and glamour, this delivers it in spades. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a stellar array of supplemental features. This is recommended for anyone who has a soft spot for show business. Recommended 

The Great Ziegfeld can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.