The Warner Brothers: from left, Harry, Jack, Sam and Albert

Friz Freleng on Harry Warner believing they made Mickey Mouse

Michael Curtiz given a silver anniversary lunch by Warner Brothers in July 1951. Pictured: Harry Warner, Curtiz, and Jack Marner.

Jack Warner and Harry Warner at the KFWB station microphone during the first broadcast circa 1925-26. The sign reads, “Silence during broadcasting will be appreciated.” #WB

Harry Warner was born on this day in 1881 #WarnerBros #botd

Produced, written, directed and narrated by Harry Warner’s granddaughter, Cass Warner Sperling, THE BROTHERS WARNER (2007, TCM, Plex) is better as family history than as film history. Early on, Sperling describes childhood memories of her grandfather and taking his hand as he lay on his deathbed. She felt some promise was exchanged at the moment, and though the story may seem self-serving, she certainly delivers with this film. Its most important accomplishment is the picture of a man who, though often in the shadow of his more colorful younger brother Jack, was a noted philanthropist, an innovator in the film industry and one of the first in that industry to tackle social problem pictures and take a stand against Nazi Germany. At times her claims may seem to be imposing contemporary viewpoints on the past. Was Harry really opposed to the blacklist? In her interpretation he was, though his statements about freedom of expression could just as easily be the same American exceptionalism that allows room for only those expressions of which conservatives approve. When it comes to the history of Warner Bros., however, the film is a bit slipshod. She never mentions the date on which the studio was incorporated, focuses her account of the early talkie period solely on the studio’s social problem pictures and gives short shrift to the stars who helped build the studio. James Cagney is the only star mentioned in conjunction with the gangster cycle. Errol Flynn is only briefly featured in a clip from THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) that depicts Robin as a social justice warrior. And she doesn’t mention a Bette Davis film until a montage of great Warner’s pictures at the end. The worst error, however, is referring to CAMELOT (1967) as the last film produced by Jack L. Warner, when he did two films afterwards. Oh, well. They don’t pay me to fact-check the documentaries.

The brothers set up a tent in their yard and invited neighbors and community members to witness the moving images emanating from Sam’s projector. The attraction was a hit. Now the brothers needed a more per­manent venue. Knowing that a carnival was coming to the town of Niles, northwest of Youngstown, Ohio, they found a vacant store there and set up shop, hoping to take advantage of the influx of people attracted by the carnival.