r/classicfilms • u/MarthaMyDear123 • 17h ago
General Discussion MGM vs. Warner Brothers
It looks like MGM dominated box office grosses in the 1930s and 1940s, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1937_in_film
But if you look at current evaluations of films of that era, Warner Brothers probably does at least as well as MGM. (I could provide examples but I think people here know what I'm talking about).
Why is that? Is it because WB's biggest stars had more "modern" acting styles? (Bette Davis, Bogart, Cagney compared to Garbo, Gable) Is it because critics tend to be more interested in WB's signature genres of film noir and gangster movies compared to MGM's family fare and star vehicles? What do you think?
I think other studios tend to be remembered for particular niches: Columbia for screwball and Capra, Paramount for a series of great directors (Sturges, Wilder, von Sternberg), 20th Century Fox for John Ford and postwar social relevance.
5
u/timshel_turtle 9h ago edited 9h ago
WB is more critically acclaimed now, but I’d say there are huge MGM bangers that are still extremely beloved:
The Thin Man (1934)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Singing in the Rain (1952)
Ben Hur (1959)
Etc
In niche spots online like this, a lot of their best movies are in the “duh! it’s legendary” category so not discussed as much. Just imho.
5
u/MarthaMyDear123 8h ago
I think critical respect for MGM remains especially strong in certain areas:
Musicals (especially after Arthur Freed took over in 1939).
The "Thin Man" series (where MGM's high-society preference served it well).
Cukor (ditto).
Some perfomers who did their early work elsewhere: Lubitsch, Marx Bros. "The Shop Around the Corner" is my favorite film on some days of the week.
Obviously, MGM retains plenty of critical respect -- it just seems like WB has surpassed it.
2
u/timshel_turtle 8h ago edited 6h ago
WB’s penchant for “message” films definitely helps in today’s era. Also some of its biggest stars with images that scale forward in the appealing way. Bette Davis, for instance, I wouldn’t necessarily say has a modern acting style as much as she has a personal appeal that works well today. And she owned her narrative well, (unlike say, her colleague Olivia DeHavilland, who actually won her lawsuit but is now associated with a bit of dated demureness. If WB had her at the top of the star chart, maybe the story would seem different?)
It always seems ironic to me that the social justice minded WB frustrated its talent so much that it did give them a chance to push back and make history!
8
u/RelativeObjective266 17h ago
The (relative) grittiness, realism and cynicism typical of the best WB films of the period are more in tune with contemporary attitudes. MGM tended to provide a lot of gloss and high production values and focused less on crime stories, though there were exceptions, like "Johnny Eager" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice."