On Monday, both got their wish as John Kluge's Metromedia International Group Inc. announced the $573 million sale of its entertainment group and giant film library to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., controlled by Kirk Kerkorian. The deal brings to MGM films ranging from "Silence of the Lambs" and "Dances with Wolves" to "Dumb and Dumber."

The addition of Metromedia's 2,200 titles to MGM's 1,600 gives MGM the largest modern film library in the world, and it could help boost the struggling studio's stature on Wall Street.

"From Kerkorian and MGM's point of view, this is the last great free-standing library available out there," said Arthur Rockwell, an entertainment analyst with Yaeger Capital Markets. "And a major studio can do a lot more with it than a free-standing company."

The deal means that Metromedia has now abandoned its expensive plans to combine three small movie studios into something bigger and will focus on its main business modernizing communications systems in developing nations.

"It's a good deal for Metromedia because it gives them the financial ability to pursue what they view as ... a marvelous growth opportunity in Eastern Europe and China," said David Londoner, a media analyst at Schroeder Wertheim & Co. "It's a good deal for MGM because it enhances the library and gives them perhaps greater ability to do financing."

Last year, Kerkorian led an investment group that bought MGM for $1.3 billion dollars. While the studio has had a few recent hits, such as "GoldenEye," "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage," it has struggled to compete with Hollywood's better-financed giants.

But analysts says the Metromedia deal could give MGM more clout to raise money -- possibly through an initial public stock offering.