This movie purports to tell the story of Jack Warner, whose name was emblazoned across hundreds of movies in the studio era as "Executive In Charge Of Production." It's written and directed by Gregory Orr, the son of Warner's step-daughter, and that is its weakness: it's full of family legend, with the facts of secondary interest.
Even then, those facts are poorly presented, with focus shifting from the premiere of THE JAZZ SINGER to discussion of whether Joan Blondell should wear a brassiere in 1933 without hesitation. Wrong dates abound, and other studios' are ignored in efforts to bolster Warners' excellence; Warners' CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY was not the first anti-fascist picture produced in Hollywood. The first Mrs. Warner is almost unmentioned, and the stress with Jack Warner Jr. Is laid at the younger man's feet.
There's a worthwhile story to be told about Jack Warner, covering not only his family, but the the management of the studio and stresses of the business aspects of it. Unfortunately, this is not it.
Even then, those facts are poorly presented, with focus shifting from the premiere of THE JAZZ SINGER to discussion of whether Joan Blondell should wear a brassiere in 1933 without hesitation. Wrong dates abound, and other studios' are ignored in efforts to bolster Warners' excellence; Warners' CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY was not the first anti-fascist picture produced in Hollywood. The first Mrs. Warner is almost unmentioned, and the stress with Jack Warner Jr. Is laid at the younger man's feet.
There's a worthwhile story to be told about Jack Warner, covering not only his family, but the the management of the studio and stresses of the business aspects of it. Unfortunately, this is not it.