This short begins at Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam). The electricity generated here by the Colorado River is sent to Hollywood, where movie studios need it to make movies. After a tour of the MGM studios' power plants, we see short advertisements for upcoming MGM releases.
Production
Breathtaking Boulder Dam footage that cost more than the studio plugs
Acting
Ray Bolger's 30-second appearance steals the whole thing
Editing
Jarring cut from hydroelectric majesty to movie trailers
Director
Herman Hoffman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was part of MGM's 'Romance of Celluloid' series, essentially fancy industrial films disguised as studio publicity — big tech cos still do this today.
Hoover Dam was only three years old when filmed; 'Boulder Dam' was its original name, changed in 1947 after partisan battles.
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