Stanley Marcus (image courtesy of M3 Films).
Former Lakewood resident Stanley Marcus, the fashion magnate and half of Neiman Marcus, will be featured in an upcoming documentary short that is set to premier at the La Jolla International Film Festival next week.
The movie is called “Mr. Stanley: The Merchant Prince” and is nominated for Best Documentary. Dallas-based filmmakers Mike Mullins and Miles Hargrove of M3 Films capture the life of the retail pioneer who helped transform Dallas into the metropolis it is today. His keen sense of fashion coupled with his philanthropy and racially progressive hiring practices separated him from other retailers of his era.
The filmed mined data and images from the Marcus archives in SMU’s DeGolyer Library and footage from the UNT Libraries’ Special Collections.
Marcus’ 1938 estate on Nonesuch in Lakewood was given historic designation in 2010, when it was listed for sale for $5.4 million and purchased by Mark and Patricia Lovvorn, who reversed plans for destruction after significant public outcry.
“There have been films made about fashion greats such as Valentino, Dior, Lagerfeld, Diana Vreeland and Bill Cunningham, but none that features a larger than life retailer who was called Dallas’ most internationally famous citizen,” said director Mike Mullins via media release. “I have had the good fortune of knowing the Marcus family for many years and his is a story that demands telling – not only on the page but on the screen. We are thrilled that the short film has been recognized in this way.”
