Glorifying the American Girl
MGM made three feature films based on the legendary showman Florenz Ziegfeld, infusing the productions with glitz, glamour, and stars. “Ziegfeld Girl,” released five years after the Academy Award-winning “The Great Ziegfeld,” focuses on three young women who dream of becoming a showgirl in one of Ziegfeld’s stage extravaganzas but follow different paths once their goal is achieved.<br /><br />Susan Gallagher (Judy Garland) must leave her family vaudeville act since Ziegfeld wants only her, not the entire act. This saddens her dad, Pop Gallagher (Charles Winninger), but he encourages her to take the job anyway.<br /><br />Sheila Ryan (Lana Turner) drops her faithful boyfriend Gilbert Young (James Stewart), who turns to bootlegging to compete with Sheila’s new beau, the wealthy Geoffrey Collis (Ian Hunter). Sheila enjoys the material favors bestowed on her by affluent stage-door Johnnys. Meanwhile, Susan falls in love with Sheila’s brother, Jerry (Jackie Cooper).<br /><br />Sandra Kolter (Hedy Lamarr) becomes so dazzled by the show biz milieu that she ignores her poor violinist husband (Philip Dorn) as she achieves greater financial success and fame.<br /><br />The supporting cast includes Tony Martin, Edward Everett Horton, Eve Arden, Dan Dailey, and Mae Busch. Martin introduces the lovely “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” which he sings as beauty after beauty descend staircases, wearing enormous, fanciful headgear and elaborate designed-by-Adrian gowns accessorized with all manner of froufrou.<br /><br />Martin and Stewart have nowhere near the screen time as the three female leads but manage to add their good looks to a production whose visual splendor is a major appeal. Winninger and Al Shean recreate the number “Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean” that the original Gallagher performed with Shean in the “Ziegfeld Follies of 1922.”<br /><br />Of the three girls’ interwoven tales, Lana Turner’s storyline dominates. The studio was promoting her career and wanted “Ziegfeld Girl” to showcase her dramatic skills, since the role of Sheila required a good deal of emotion. Hedy Lamarr is breathtaking and doesn’t need to do much more than look beautiful whenever the camera is on her. Judy Garland gets to perform the lovely “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” and serve as the centerpiece for a huge production number, “Minnie From Trinidad.”<br /><br />Robert Z. Leonard doesn’t have the flair or ease with musical movies of fellow MGM director Vincente Minnelli. The staging of the musical numbers is credited to Busby Berkeley, who uses inventive camera angles, a constantly moving camera, artfully choreographed dancers, and little stories within the numbers to create memorable set pieces befitting the grand style of Ziegfeld. The finale combines new material and clips of musical numbers from “The Great Ziegfeld.”<br /><br />Despite its myriad musical treats and beautiful girls, “Ziegfeld Girl” is far too talky. Some of the dialogue scenes could have been trimmed or completely eliminated. This makes for parts that drag and kill narrative momentum as they frequently enter the realm of melodrama.<br /><br />Garland is a delight as the show biz veteran and has an excellent rapport with Winninger, playing her father. There’s far less chemistry between Garland and Cooper, a relationship that is never developed adequately.<br /><br />Turner, unfortunately, couldn’t handle the heavier dramatic scenes and appears out of her depth. Often, it looks as if she’s spoofing a melodramatic moment with her lack of subtlety and finesse. The ability to convey honest emotion — essential in a movie — is sorely lacking. Scaling back her role would have showcased her better and tightened the film’s pace.<br /><br />The plot of “Ziegfeld Girl” deals with the effect of fame on the lives and loves of young women who achieve initial success in show business. It’s an all-star production only MGM could have mounted and is worth seeing for the elaborately staged musical numbers and Garland’s amazing talent.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated Warner Archive Blu-ray release include:<br />Introduction by Garland Biographer John Fricke<br />MGM Promo Short, We Must Have Music<br />Our Gang Short, Melodies Old and New<br />Audio Only Outtake 1: Too Beautiful to Last - Tony Martin<br />Audio Only Outtake 2: We Must Have Music Finale - Tony Martin & Judy Garland<br />Theatrical Trailer<br /><br />Ziegfeld selected girls from obscurity, taught them how to walk and smile while balancing enormous headdresses and luxurious gowns, and gave them a shot at instant stardom. The dazzle of the spotlight was illuminating for some but blinding for others. “Ziegfeld Girl” focuses on a trio of these girls against the background of MGM’s opulent production design, luxurious costumes, and exceptional musical talent.
The movie title "Ziegfeld Girl," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.6 from 424 reviewers. 
It features elements such as [], and it is priced at $17.99.

This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Blu-ray and Movies. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Package Dimensions": "6.65 x 5.31 x 0.47 inches; 5.92 Ounces", "Director": "Pandro S. Berman", "Release date": "June 7, 2022", "Actors": "Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr, Judy Garland, James Stewart", "Studio": "Warner", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner--three of the most glamorous leading ladies of the Golden Age of Hollywood--star with Jimmy Stewart as young women each chosen for a life of fame on stage as a Ziegfeld Girl. Susan Gallagher (Academy Award winner Garland--The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born) leaves her vaudevillian father to climb the ladder of stardom; Sheila Regan (Turner--The Postman Always Rings Twice) drops her loyal beau, Gilbert Young (Academy Award winner Stewart-- The Philadelphia Story) for socialite Geoffrey Collins (Ian Hunter--Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), and Young resorts to bootlegging to earn the money to win Regan back; and the exotic Sandra Kolter (Lamarr--Tortilla Flat, Samson and Delilah) nearly destroys her marriage with her struggling violinist husband (Philip Dorn--I Remember Mama). Now, as part of the most glamorous show ever staged, these ladies have attained their dreams ..