TCM's new series MOGULS AND MOVIE STARS

[Le Chiffre]

TCM has a new documentary series called MOGULS AND MOVIE STARS about the history of Hollywood. Episode four, entitled WARRIORS AND PEACEMAKERS, chronicles the 1940's, and includes a discussion on Orson Welles, including a bit ( 5 seconds or so) of color footage from one of the KANE premieres. The whole series is entertaining and worth checking out.

[Roger Ryan]

The series takes on too much, in my opinion, by trying to pack in as many of the titular "movie stars" as possible, but it is still quite enjoyable. Welles actually fared pretty well with several minutes devoted to his now-familiar "story arc" of boy wonder from radio and theater arrives in Hollywood and incurs wrath of Hearst and studio heads with masterpiece before "working his way down ever since". For comparison, Buster Keaton's entire impact on film was wrapped up in about 90 seconds!

[Le Chiffre]

Yes, considering how much ground they have to cover (10 years every hour), a lot of important people and events inevitably get glossed over too quickly. Given that WWII and HUAC both happened during this decade, the several minutes devoted to Welles and KANE might seem to some almost too generous. But I'm not complaining.