The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

The Great Ziegfeld is a film that you may or may not want to watch. Working against it is its length: it weighs in at just over three hours. I’m of the opinion that any film over ninety minutes has to justify its length, especially as it approaches two hours. Does this film justify its length? I don’t think so. There’s a five-minute overture at the beginning, several long musical numbers (including a forty-five minute one that includes an intermission) and another four minutes of music at the end. Cutting all of this out you might be left with around two hours of narrative. Any reasons to watch it? William Powell, of course.