The bank, the studio, the mogul and the lawyers

LAST weekend Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the troubled studio which once made “Gone with the Wind”, released its latest film. The tawdry epic, starring Madonna, has received some of the worst reviews in living memory, but its title, “Body of Evidence”, seems peculiarly apt. The studio's owner, Crédit Lyonnais, is ensnared in a growing web of lawsuits over its financial dealings with the film industry. Whether Crédit Lyonnais wins, loses or settles, the cases seem bound to provide much-needed insights into the management and prospects of France's controversial state-owned bank.