Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

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Lzcutter
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Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by Lzcutter »

This is really good news for fans of Warner Brothers restorations and lovers of the master of malaprops, Sam Goldwyn's films:

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and The Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. Family Trust have entered into an agreement whereby Warner will license the North American distribution rights to some 70 titles from the Samuel Goldwyn Films library. The deal was announced today by Jeff Baker, Warner Executive Vice President and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog, and Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., founder of The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and the son of pioneer motion picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn.

The agreement represents nearly every film produced by the legendary producer, Samuel Goldwyn, including some that have never before been available to the home entertainment market. Titles could be released on Blu-ray Disc™, DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD as early as the 4th quarter of this year. Specific announcements to follow.

“The acquisition of the stellar Samuel Goldwyn library reaffirms WBHEG’s commitment to the classics and ownership through physical and digital distribution to consumers,” said Baker. “Our library, already boasting such crown jewels as [bThe Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane[/b] and Casablanca to name just a few, will be strengthened even further with Goldwyn’s fine titles from American film history.”

The Samuel Goldwyn Films library includes nearly four decades of classic films, all personally produced by Goldwyn for his Samuel Goldwyn Productions between 1925 and 1955. Top titles to be added to the WBHEG library, already the largest in the world, include The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946’s Oscar®-winning Best Picture, which increases the number of WBHEG library’s Best Picture Oscar® winners to 22, the most of any other single studio. Other highlights include William Wyler’s 1939 drama, Wuthering Heights starring Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven, The Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper, Guys and Dolls starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine, and Hans Christian Andersen starring Danny Kaye. Additionally, eight Gary Cooper films are included in the Goldwyn library, which also boasts films from some of the most acclaimed directors in screen history including Wyler, Howard Hawks and John Ford.

According to Sam Goldwyn Jr., “I could not be more pleased to have our library in such esteemed and capable hands. Warner Bros. has had an exceptional reputation going back to the days of my father. The idea that our treasured titles such as Wuthering Heights, The Best Years of Our Lives, and dozens of others will be handled with such passion and care could not make me happier.”

The agreement, covering U.S. and Canada, includes all home video, electronic sell-through, and transactional VOD rights.

SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS LIBRARY:
THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO
ARROWSMITH
THE AWAKENING*
BALL OF FIRE
BARBARY COAST
BELOVED ENEMY
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
THE BISHOP’S WIFE
BULLDOG DRUMMOND
COME AND GET IT
CONDEMNED
THE COWBOY AND THE LADY
CYNARA
CYTHEREA*
DARK ANGEL*
DEAD END
THE DEVIL DANCER*
THE DEVIL TO PAY!
DODSWORTH
EDGE OF DOOM
ENCHANTMENT
THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES
GUYS AND DOLLS
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
HIS SUPREME MOMENT*
IN HOLLYWOOD WITH POTASH & PERLMUTTER*
I WANT YOU
THE KID FROM BROOKLYN
THE KID FROM SPAIN
KID MILLIONS
THE LITTLE FOXES
THE MAGIC FLAME*
THE MASQUERADER
MY FOOLISH HEART
NANA
THE NIGHT OF LOVE*
ONE HEAVENLY NIGHT
OUR VERY OWN
PALMY DAYS
PARTNERS AGAIN, WITH POTASH & PERLMUTTER*
POTASH AND PERLMUTTER*
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE
RAFFLES
RAFFLES (1930)
THE REAL GLORY
THE RESCUE*
ROMAN SCANDALS
ROSEANNA MCCOY
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
SECRETS
A SONG IS BORN
SPLENDOR
STELLA DALLAS
STELLA DALLAS (1925)*
STRIKE ME PINK
TARNISH*
THESE THREE
THEY GOT ME COVERED
THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC
A THIEF IN PARADISE*
THIS IS HEAVEN*
TWO LOVERS
THE UNHOLY GARDEN
UP IN ARMS
WE LIVE AGAIN
THE WEDDING NIGHT
THE WESTERNER
WHOOPEE!
THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH*
WOMAN CHASES MAN
WONDER MAN
WUTHERING HEIGHTS

*silent film

The reason The Winning of Barbara Worth and any other silent film starring Gary Cooper in the Goldwyn library survives is because of Frances Goldwyn, Sam's (senior) wife.

Many years ago she thought there was little to no value in the silent films in the Goldwyn film library with the exception of the silents starring Gary Cooper.

She had those saved because she believed Cooper and his star power would having lasting value.

Looks like on that one she was right.

Too bad she didn't feel the same about the rest of her husband's silent library.

According to a couple of historians/archivists that I know, some of the silents on the list are considered lost films. They say it looks like lawyers provided a list of all the films that were licensed by WBHV but not all the films on the list may exist.

Still, it's good news.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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moira finnie
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Re: Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by moira finnie »

Gee, just a chance to see even part of the presumed lost silent version of Dark Angel (1925) would be a joy. I guess Frances Goldwyn wasn't a Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky fan either! Do you think that this means these films will be available through the Warner Archive eventually?

I would love to see The Best Years of Our Lives finally get the "Casablance-like" Blu-Ray treatment with oodles of extras that it deserves, but I won't hold my breath.
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Re: Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by feaito »

Great news Lynn. Wasn't "The Magic Flame" presumed to be lost?
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Ann Harding
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Re: Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by Ann Harding »

Of course. Most of its silent library is lost. But lawyers always cover everything -extant or not. Just in case.
feaito

Re: Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by feaito »

Good piece of infor Christine, thanks....just in case it appears some lost print in South America, for instance... :wink:
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Warner Bros licenses Goldwyn Library

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Wow, what a great list of films here ... thanks for sharing it Lzcutter! :)
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