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Goldwyn

By: A. Scott Berg
Narrated by: Roddy McDowall
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Publisher's summary

In this adventure, which would have played well in one of his own films, Schmuel Goldfisz left the Warsaw ghetto in 1895. He walked 300 miles to the Oder River, where he paid someone to row him across, smuggling him out of the Russian empire into Germany, past border patrols to another long walk to Hamburg. The gleam in his eye was America, "a far-away country, a vision of paradise."

Schmuel Goldfisz became Samuel Goldwyn, one of the producers who created the Hollywood film industry. His pictures, notably Stella Dallas, Wuthering Heights, and The Best Years of Our Lives, were famous for "the Goldwyn Touch". And Goldwyn himself was one of the most colorful of the vivid personalities of his time. The Saturday Evening Post called him "the central figure of the great comic legend". Americans still indulge in "Goldwynisms" when they order somebody to "include me out" or "stop biting the hand of the goose that laid the golden eggs." Goldwyn's son calls this book "the biography my father would have wanted"—a very special look at Hollywood and one of its leading figures.

©1998 A. Scott Berg (P)2009 Phoenix
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Critic reviews

"A. Scott Berg's big, rich, graceful biography of Sam Goldwyn brings the 'movie book' to a new rarified plateau.... The book proves worthy of what would be, in context, the highest praise of all: It has the Goldwyn Touch." (The Washington Post Book World)

What listeners say about Goldwyn

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very honest story. Wonderful narration.

I fully enjoyed this story and the wonderful narration of Roddy McDowall. It is an honest story of Hollywood’s beginnings and its most influential and successful independent producer.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting read

Short, interesting story of Samuel Goldwyn. Great way to spend a flight. or a couple of rainy day hours too.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, terrible performance

Would you try another book from A. Scott Berg and/or Roddy McDowall?

Yes, love his books.

What didn’t you like about Roddy McDowall’s performance?

What was with the voice of Samuel Goldwyn, why was it so ridiculously high? Did he actually talk like that?? Sounded completely ridiculous and ruined the book.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great short bio

Loved it, wish it were more in depth but thankful for this books research as it brought us the book Kate Remembered.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting story; annoying narration

There is a lot of good info here not only about Sam Goldwyn himself, but also the early days of film. All tied up nicely in a 3 hour package.
Roddy McDowall's naration, on the other hand, didn't do it for me. Whenever he was quoteing Goldwyn, he would do it with an old lady type voice that made it almost unbareable. It took me about half an hour to get to where I could just ignore it and enjoy the story.
If you a fan of old movies, then I do recommend this one; just be sure to listen to the sample before you buy it.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Great story, way too abridged for price!

Great author. Impression of Goldwyn’s voice detracted for me. Mostly disappointed with cost for 3 hours only!!! Total waste of a credit

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great story, great narrator BUT...

Great book. Roddy McDowell gives a fine reading BUT Audible needs to let people know when a book is abridged. I am tired of wasting my money on a 2 hour distillation of a great book. It's downright theft

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

The worst audiobook I've ever heard

Amazon/Audible, please give me my money back!

My friend strongly recommended this book (he read the print version). So I bought this from the Audible.com app. Unfortunately, on the little screen, I didn't see that it was ABRIDGED.

Abridging any book is dangerous. Done by an incompetent it's fatal. THIS BOOK IS INCOHERENT.

And what is up with the guy reading --- IN FALSETTO?

Can you think of any other way to ruin it?

Just give me my money back, please.

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2 people found this helpful