This is a superb book. Anyone remotely interested in what went into making those classic films of Hollywood's Golden era will love it. Although the title is a little bit of an anomaly as Culver City, the location of the MGM studios, wasn't in Hollywood something that irked Culver City's mayor when MGM was at the height of its powers!
This book doesn't go into how individual films were made at MGM or about the actors that starred in them. Its really about the studio itself and all the parts that made up MGM studios at Culver City, easily the biggest studio of its day. The size of the studio was vast and everything was made in-house - sets, costumes, even film stock! Unfortunately big parts of the studio lots were sold off for real estate in the 70's and the current studio (now owned by Sony) has altered and demolished many of the original buildings, even putting up facades in their place. Its great that a book like this documents the place where so many great films (and stars) were made. The photos are superb throughout, bound in a hardback coffee table style it lends itself to the aerial photos of the site.
The book provides a great insight into the rise and fall of MGM, where films were made with factory efficiency but were created by many skillful craftsmen and women of all trades and disciplines.
Highly recommended for lovers of movie-making history!