The MGM story by JD Eames. Large format. H/C. 416 pp.

Wow! Movie buffs would have to be really platsak to let this treasure escape their sweaty hands. This is a veritable encyclopaedia of all 1 774 films the illustrious movie studio ever made since 1924, from classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Dr Zhivago to all-time favourite musicals like Singin in the Rain and High Society.

This revised edition of 1990 includes all the films produced and distributed by MGM from the early days of silent films, through the golden age of the 1930s and 1940s up to the blockbusters of the 80s and 90s like A Fish called Wanda. Year by year every film is appraised alongside a still from the movie. The author has drawn on his 38 years with MGM to amass the history, the legends and the inside stories. 

A titbit from the book: Greta Garbo was discovered by the studio in 1926 in Sweden. Already by the next year she had become a star and theatre owners and their patrons demanded to see more movies of her. The star also became an astute business lady and demanded that her initial salary of $600 a week be upped to $5 000. Louis B Mayer was not amused ... but soon realized he met his match.

This book is still in excellent condition, complete with a dustjacket (slighty folded at the edges) and printed on high-quality glossy paper. With an index. Extra-large format: 33 (H) x 24,5 (W) cm. Published in 1990 by Pyramid Books.