Yeah Buster, that’s probably what you should’ve done at the MGM studios…
As much as I love to vilify MGM, I can’t help but wonder what alternative BK would have been left with had he tried to remain an independent after the stock market crash and the through the Depression. He might have gotten the financial backing to continue making films, but not the ability to distribute them. If he hadn’t made “The Cameraman” - would he have gotten the job back the second time? These are some of those “we’ll never know” things we can mull over and chew on ad nauseum, aren’t they?.
But it’s still OK to hate on old Looey B. Just sayin’.
Yeah, he didn’t have much of choice honestly. MGM pretty much stuck their claim on him even when he tried to go to other studios. Still, they did treat him like a second rate actor when he was supposed to be their star. I think they could’ve gave him some creative control and better parts. And technically, he was never really an independent. He didn’t even own rights to the production company. Had he been a bit smarter on the business side of things, he probably would’ve fared better.
