Fade Out: The Calamitous Final Days of MGM

Here's a book for the film history shelves that belongs alongside Indecent Exposure , David McClintick's damning examination of Tinseltown politics and corruption. Readers may find this highly detailed expose difficult to digest, however, a result of the author's decision to tell his story in a disjointed and unchronological fashion. Written by one of the most qualified insiders to aim a pen at major league moviemakers, Bart ( Destinies ), a former reporter for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal and current editor of Variety , paid ample dues behind the closed doors of Hollywood studios as production chief at Lorimar, Paramount and, apparently much to his dismay, at MGM during its dying days. Zeroing in on the last 20 years of the once magnificent studio, which brought us such screen gems as Meet Me in St. Louis and Dr. Zhivago , the author paints a picture of monumental corporate chaos and incompetence as a result of poor top management appointments made by MGM owner Kirk Kerkorian. Photos not seen by PW . (June)