Film producer Samuel Goldwyn was one of Hollywood’s first moguls. This Polish immigrant became a cinema legend, thanks to his role in the creation of the renowned Metro Goldwyn Meyer. A twentieth-century epic that describes the behind-the-scenes story of the birth of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Driven by a strong ambition, Sam Goldwyn made a name for himself among the major figures of the film industry, working with the greatest directors (William Wyler, Robert Ford, King Vidor, Howard Hawks, etc.) and actors ((Gary Cooper, Vilma Banky, Ronald Coleman, etc.). He also suffered many failures but always managed to rise, at the cost of sacrificing a family life entirely devoted to his professional rise. His 26-year career supported many cultural films and permitted the birth of the largest production companies still today – he participated to the creation of Paramount and the Associated Artists.

Born Schmuel Gelbfisz in 1879 in Warsaw, Poland. A devoted film producer with his own ideas, Samuel preferred to work on his own terms, which included the practice of hiring the finest writers, directors, actors, and cinematographers. Orphaned as a child, Samuel trained as a glovemaker in Hamburg, Germany, and then traveled to England, where he was known as Samuel Goldfish. In 1898, he emigrated to Gloversville, New York, USA, and returned to the glove industry, sweeping floors in a factory. Working his way up, and with a talent for sales and marketing, Samuel became a successful glove salesman for the Elite Glove Company.

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