The Goldwyn Follies

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The Goldwyn Follies

Released Jan 28, 1938

1h 55m

Musical

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

33%

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6 Reviews

25%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Distressed when his last few films fail, movie producer Oliver Merlin (Adolphe Menjou) decides to trust the commonsense opinion of young Hazel Dawes (Andrea Leeds). When Hazel's advice on his next film makes it a success, Oliver forbids her to be on the lot or around actors, to keep her judgment pure. Certain that Oliver's next film needs a new face and voice, Hazel believes she has found a star in Danny Beecher (Kenny Baker), a short-order cook, but Danny proves to be a problem for Oliver.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

Folly all right.

Dec 26, 2023

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Variety Staff

Variety

[The Goldwyn Follies,] in the brilliant hues of Technicolor, turns out to be a lavish production in which certain individual performances and ensembles erase the memory of some dull moments.

Mar 26, 2009

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Don Druker

Chicago Reader

Unevenly directed by George Marshall, but featuring terrific Gershwin songs like “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” “Love Walked In,” and Kurt Weill’s “Spring Again.

Jan 1, 2000

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Stuart Legg

The Spectator

All this might have been excellent fun. and incidentally good satire, if only the scenes of the play itself had been anything but even more ineffectual than the play within the play.

Apr 30, 2020

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

The season's biggest, most gorgeous technicolor musical.

Jul 22, 2019

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A musical pretense that's meant to satisfy the average joes.

Rated: C-

Feb 20, 2006

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Steve D

Menjou and Leeds Deserve far better material.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

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Susan J

Music by Gershwin, superb singing, acting was wonderful... from a time when movies were pure entertainment. Favorite part the movie? The classic songs, of course.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/23/23

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Audience Member

The greatest 01 hour: and 55 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

The best musical movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

Breathtaking Technicolor can't overcome this virtually plotless musical with extremely annoying turns from The Ritz Brothers and opera diva Helen Jepson; only redeeming factor is the Gershwin score (George's last) that includes "Love Is Here to Stay" and "Love Walked In" (which is sung @800 times by Kenny Baker).

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

good but like the 'ziegfeld follies"

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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George Marshall

Director

Adolphe Menjou

Oliver Merlin

Andrea Leeds

Hazel Dawes

The Ritz Brothers

The Ritz Brothers

Kenny Baker

Danny Beecher

Vera Zorina

Olga Samara

Whoopee!

100%

67%

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80%

73%

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Synopsis

Distressed when his last few films fail, movie producer Oliver Merlin (Adolphe Menjou) decides to trust the commonsense opinion of young Hazel Dawes (Andrea Leeds). When Hazel's advice on his next film makes it a success, Oliver forbids her to be on the lot or around actors, to keep her judgment pure. Certain that Oliver's next film needs a new face and voice, Hazel believes she has found a star in Danny Beecher (Kenny Baker), a short-order cook, but Danny proves to be a problem for Oliver.

Director: George Marshall
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter: Ben Hecht
Production Co: The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 28, 1938, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 8, 2020
Runtime: 1h 55m

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