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Peter Bart: Paramount Yearns For “Seamless Transition” But Past Studio Takeovers Have Been Costly And Chaotic

History may not automatically repeat itself when Paramount is sold, but the “seamless transition” already sounds problematic, Peter Bart writes.

History may not automatically repeat itself in the deal now unfolding behind the filigreed Paramount gates, but the “seamless transition” already sounds problematic: It involves hyperactive entities like Skydance, Sony and Apollo, plus potential regulatory mandates. This was dramatically discovered by Charles Bluhdorn, an Austrian-born financial manipulator who had collected a drab array of corporate assets ranging from automobile parts to zinc mines before becoming enamored of Paramount. Acting on impulse, he committed to lavish deals for Paint Your Wagon(Clint Eastwood), Darling Lili(Julie Andrews) and On a Clear Day(Barbra Streisand), among others; all portended enormous losses.

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