The Silver Anniversary: An MGM Vignette

In 1949, the movie industry was in turmoil, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was no exception to the rule. Like every other studio, it was hit by the arrival of television, the blacklis, the antitrust law, and dwindling cinema attendance. Also MGM had battling executives in the form of Louis B Mayer and Dore Schary. It was against this backdrop that MGM was celebrating their silver anniversary as a movie studio. And despite the troubles, the company put on a brave face and celebrated throughout the year. Before the MGM logo appeared on each of the year's films, there was a notation on the screen saying "A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Silver Anniversary Picture" appearing as though it was an engraved invitation on a silver platter, accompanied with a dramatic fanfare. The films made during the year were a highly intriguing group of films with superior musicals (On the Town,Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Neptune's Daughter, The Barkleys of Broadway, That Midnight Kiss, In the Good Old Summertime), fine family films (Little Women, Challenge to Lassie, The Secret Garden), three fine comedies (Adam's Rib, The Yellow Cab Man, Key to the City), a wonderful sports film (The Stratton Story), tense suspence films (Black Hand, Scene of the Crime, Border Incident, Tension, Side Street, Conspirator), and searing dramas (Edward, My Son, That Forsythe Woman, The Great Sinner, Caught, Border Incident, Malaya, Battleground, The Doctor and the Girl, East Side West Side, Any Number Can Play, Intruder in the Dust, Madame Bovary). But the centerpiece of the celebration occured in April of 1949. On that day in April, 58 of the 80 MGM contract stars gathered for a banquet followed by them all assembling for a stunning group photograph. Never again, before or since, had there been gathered in one room such a stunning array of star power. 64 years later, the sweet memories of the fantastic films and of the day when the stars congregated endure as a fantastic legacy.