The Candid Camera Story (Very Candid) of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures 1937 Convention

An MGM Short Subject.

A large group of very special businessmen arrive in Los Angeles and are given extra special treatment by the Hollywood hierarchy of MGM Studios.

This little film was made as a souvenir record of the 1937 MGM Convention, attended by the sales force, distributors, theater managers & various high muckety-mucks from the New York City office of Loew's Inc. - MGM's parent company. Never meant to be seen by the public - hence the unedited profanity - it was rushed through production so as to be ready to be shown at the Convention's opening night banquet.

Basically, it is an exercise in quiet tedium. The inebriated Conventioneers, looking distressingly like a crime family and acting silly with the pretty girls supplied by the Studio, are seen passing time on the Westward heading train. We are then treated to a rather glutinous welcoming speech by Louis B. Mayer, after which comes seemingly endless footage of the relentlessly cheerful hordes disembarking their buses at the Studio. Oscar material, this isn't.

Because of the film's extremely rapid gestation, there is no time for some of the expected niceties. Especially missed is any identification given to individuals in the crowd of sullen stars who eventually show-up, leaving the viewer to quickly ID them as they parade past the camera (`Isn't that Charles Boyer dressed as Napoleon?' `Look! There's little Freddie Bartholomew!' `That has to be Oliver Hardy!')

The film's humorous opening credits claim Leo (the Lion) as the entire creative & production crew.

This rare film follows the journey of Metro Goldwyn Mayer executives and buyers from New York to Los Angeles. It is a fascinating look at the film world because it was made for their eyes only. This film was seen at a grand luncheon that was attended by actors and executives. The big thrill is that the visitors got to see this film which details their trip to Los Angeles, the big welcome and their entrance into the luncheon at the luncheon. The film was developed immediately and rushed onto a projector. The conclusion of this 16 minute film gives the visitors their itinerary of events. A rare classic that was never meant to be seen. Lucky television viewers can see it on Turner Classic Movies.

I have not seen this movie, but I was surfing the IMDb and came across this entry. Anybody in the know about this particular event will find great irony in the title, in that this short subject didn't begin to cover the debauchery that occurred at this convention. The July 2003 issue of Vanity Fair magazine has a *truly* candid (and sordid) account of the chaos that took place at this party, including the rape of one woman who was forced to remain mum about it for over 60 years after Hal Roach covered up the incident at the behest of powerful MGM head Louis B. Mayer. A subject for further research (and a potentially powerful film) if ever there was one.