The Goldwyn Follies

The Goldwyn Follies
One of theatrical release posters
Directed byGeorge Marshall
Written byBen Hecht
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyGregg Toland
Edited bySherman Todd
Music byGeorge Gershwin Vernon Duke
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • February 4, 1938 (1938-02-04)
Running time
122 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million

The Goldwyn Follies is a 1938 Technicolor film written by Ben Hecht, Sid Kuller, Sam Perrin and Arthur Phillips, with music by George Gershwin, Vernon Duke and Ray Golden, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Sid Kuller. The film was the first Technicolor feature produced by Samuel Goldwyn.

The film, which features Adolphe Menjou, Vera Zorina, Edgar Bergen (with Charlie McCarthy), Andrea Leeds, Kenny Baker, Ella Logan, Helen Jepson, Bobby Clark and the Ritz Brothers, depicts a movie producer who chooses a simple girl to be "Miss Humanity" and to critically evaluate his films from the point of view of the ordinary person. The style of the film is very similar to that of other musicals of its era, including the Gold Diggers series. George Gershwin had not completed the score before his death July in 1937; Vernon Duke finished the songs with Ira Gershwin and wrote the ballet music.

The Goldwyn Follies was released in February 1938. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Score as orchestrated by Edward B. Powell under the musical direction of Alfred Newman, as well as for Best Interior Decoration.