We want to introduce you to this figure of Mervyn LeRoy. The beginning of his life was difficult. He survived the tragedy when he was 6 years old. The great earthquake robbed his family of everything they owned. To earn money, he sold newspapers. When it turned out that he had artistic talents, he participated in various competitions and reviews. He managed to get into vaudeville. Then, thanks to the help of his related Jesse L. Lasky, he got to Hollywood. He performed various jobs, e.g. he was an assistant in the costume department, in a film laboratory, then as an assistant director. He finally became a screenwriter and part-time actor. After some time he started working as a director, his first film was No Way Out (1927) with Mary Astor. He was nicknamed the “Warner Bros. Boy Wonder.” His next projects areNumbered man, I’m a fugitive or Mister Roberts.
He was the pioneer of the gangster movie. He made the sound film Little Caesar in 1931 and started the fashion for films about the kings of the underworld. There is also a Polish thread in his biography. In 1943 he directed Madame Curie, and in 1951 the most famous version of Quo Vadis by Peter Ustinov as Nero in the world .
His most famous achievement and the reason why we are writing about him is the Wizard of Oz fromAugust 12, 1939. At this time, the war begins in Europe, and the Americans are flocking to the cinemas. This fantasy-adventure musical about the path of little Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her inhuman friends to the famous wizard has garnered a rain of awards and nominations, and is ranked high in various rankings of the 100 best films of all time. It was also the most expensive production of the time, costing over $ 3 million. The magic emanating from each scene, timeless music, great costumes for the Scarecrow, the Tin Man (the first contender for this role gave up due to a strong allergic reaction to silver paint) or the Cowardly Lion, Margaret Hamilton as an evil witch, not to mention the wonderful (and poorly Paid) 17-year-old Judy playing a 12-year-old … The reasons for success could be listed for a long time. The movie had a lot of problems.
He was an admirer of beautiful actresses. He was associated with Lana Turner, Ginger Rogers, Ava Gardner and Anita Colby.
He said that
good stories make good movies.
He was undoubtedly right, we all love interesting stories. The timelessness of the movie The Wizard of Oz results not only from its attractive form, but also from its important content. Each of us can identify with the characters from this film because there is a wide range of characters. And besides, the story is captivating …
