The Great Ziegfeld (1936) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

 

The Great Ziegfeld (1936) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch 

American Film, Musical, Drama

Venice Film festival, 1936-  Winner: Mussolini Cup - Best Foreign Film
Academy Awards, 1937- 3 wins including: Best Picture, 4 nominations including: Best Director

When we look back at the Golden Age of Hollywood, few films capture the pure, unadulterated scale of show business quite like the 1936 masterpiece, The Great Ziegfeld. This isn't just a movie; it is a sprawling, glittering monument to the man who practically invented modern American showmanship. Clocking in at nearly three hours, the film serves as a grand biographical tribute to Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., the legendary Broadway impresario who gave the world the iconic Ziegfeld Follies. More on Wikipedia or Mubi 

The Extravagant Legacy of The Great Ziegfeld 

William Powell steps into the patent leather shoes of Flo Ziegfeld with a charismatic grace that anchors the entire spectacle. Powell portrays Ziegfeld not just as a producer, but as a romantic visionary obsessed with beauty and grandeur, a man who viewed the world as a stage waiting for more glitter. Opposite him, Luise Rainer delivers a heartbreaking, Oscar-winning performance as Anna Held, Ziegfeld’s first wife. Her famous telephone scene, where she chokes back tears to congratulate Flo on his new marriage, remains one of the most poignant moments in cinema history.

But the real star of the film might just be the production value itself. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer spared absolutely no expense, and it shows in every frame. The musical numbers are dizzying in their complexity and scale. The famous "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" sequence is a masterclass in set design, featuring a massive, revolving spiral staircase packed with beautiful costumes and performers. It set a benchmark for what a Hollywood musical could be, blending the intimacy of human drama with the overwhelming awe of a live Broadway spectacular.

Winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, the film solidified its place in history by capturing the spirit of an era that was already beginning to fade. It romanticized the theater, celebrated the hustle of showbiz, and proved that sometimes, bigger really is better. Decades later, The Great Ziegfeld still stands as a dazzling reminder of a time when Hollywood dared to dream on a truly monumental scale.

Every classic movie carries its own mix of genius and flaws, and The Great Ziegfeld is no exception. It is a fascinating creature of its time—a massive gamble by MGM that paid off beautifully at the box office but leaves a more complicated impression on modern audiences.

The Good: Where the Film Shines

The absolute pinnacle of this movie rests on its sheer, unapologetic spectacle and a few timeless performances.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer threw everything they had into the production, and the musical numbers are nothing short of breathtaking. The "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" sequence is a legendary piece of cinema history. The massive, revolving set, the intricate costumes, and the fluid camera work created a visual feast that still commands respect for the craftsmanship of the era.

William Powell brings an effortless charm and a sophisticated warmth to the role of Florenz Ziegfeld, making a deeply flawed promoter incredibly likable. Meanwhile, Luise Rainer provides the emotional heartbeat of the first half of the film. Her legendary telephone scene—where she tearfully pretends to be happy for her ex-husband—is a masterclass in acting that earned her an Academy Award.

The Bad: Where It Drags and Fails

Despite its historical triumphs, the film suffers significantly from its bloated runtime and a heavily sanitized narrative.

At nearly three hours long, the pacing can feel exhausting. The movie tries to cover decades of a complex life, and the middle section gets bogged down in repetitive financial crises and marital dramas that stall the energy built up by the grand musical numbers.

As a biography, it chooses myth over reality. The real Florenz Ziegfeld was a notorious womanizer with a devastating gambling addiction and a ruthless streak. The film glazes over his worst traits, transforming a highly controversial and often difficult man into a tragic, misunderstood romantic hero. By erasing the grit and the darker corners of the Broadway world, the story loses the sharp edge that would have made it a truly great psychological portrait.