The Brothers Warner (2007)

An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.

Director:

Cass Warner

Writer:

Cass Warner

Stars:

Dennis Hopper, Sherry Lansing, Debbie Reynolds

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Hopper	...	Himself - Actor
Sherry Lansing	...	Herself - Former President, Paramount Pictures
Debbie Reynolds	...	Herself - Actor
Haskell Wexler	...	Himself - Filmmaker
Norman Lear	...	Himself - Producer
George Segal	...	Himself - Actor
Angie Dickinson	...	Herself - Actor
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.	...	Himself - Film Producer
Tab Hunter	...	Himself - Actor
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Himself - Actor
Frank Pierson	...	Himself
Robert Greenwald	...	Himself - Filmmaker
Betty Warner Sheinbaum	...	Herself - Harry's daughter, Mother of Cass
Michael Birdwell	...	Himself - Historian (as Dr. Michael Birdwell)
Steven J. Ross	...	Himself - USC Film Professor / USC History Professor

Storyline

Intimate portraits of brothers Albert Warner, Harry M. Warner, Jack L. Warner, and Sam Warner, the siblings who were close knit at the time of Warner Bros. Studios founding, but who later became estranged. This film, written and directed by Harry's granddaughter Cass, traces them from their humble, immigrant beginnings, to their breakthrough achievements, and their continuing imprint on American culture. This historic view of a family, and Hollywood's golden years offers invaluable and rare still photographs, classic film footage, and private access to relatives, friends, employees, and historians.

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Plot Keywords:

immigrant | warner bros. studios | film studio | film history | brother brother relationship | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Sisters Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Black and White (film clips and archive photographs) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven J. Ross is credited two different ways on screen, first as "USC Film Professor," and second as "USC History Professor."

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Goofs

Cass Warner Sperling's commentary states that the 1927 film "The Jazz Singer," starring Al Jolson, grossed more than any movie made to that time and remained the all-time box-office champ until the release of "Gone With the Wind." It was actually Jolson's next film, "The Singing Fool," that set the box-office record that lasted until "Gone With the Wind."

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Connections

Features John Doe, Dynamite (1941)

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Soundtracks

"The Stars and Stripes Forever"
(uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played before Harry Warner addresses the American Legion

User Reviews

A fascinating look at four founders of the film industry

Cass Warner, producer of this film, is actually the granddaughter of Harry Warner, one of the four original Warner Brothers. This documentary is not a retread of "You Must Remember This", the documentary which focused on the studio. This is the story of the four Warner Brothers themselves, starting back in the 19th century and their ventures into the entertainment industry that predate the forming of Warner Brothers the company by twenty years. It goes forward past the time that they exited the running of Warner Brothers the company and talks about the lives of the brothers themselves. Although Ms. Warner is a descendant, she doesn't get overly sentimental about her subject nor does she try to smooth over the real problems that the brothers had in their own private lives and with each other. The book by the same name has much more detail, of course, but this is still a very fascinating documentary for those interested in film history.