Warner Bros, 1976
Starring Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Busey, and Paul Mazurky
Directed by Frank Pierson
Music and Lyrics by various
Disney is far from the first studio to remake its musical hits. Warner Bros has done A Star Is Born four times, three times as a musical. We already covered the most recent version back in April, but how does this vehicle for country star Kristofferson and beloved pop singer Streisand compare to the ones that came before and after? Let's head to a rock concert in California that's off to a rough start to find out...
The Story: John Norman Howard (Kristofferson) is a popular rock star, but his self-destructive lifestyle is making it harder to produce hits. His manager Brian (Mazurky) takes him to a bar after her walks out of a concert. This is where he first meets Esther Hoffman (Streisand), a struggling singer. He's taken with her spunk and lovely voice, especially after she helps him escape some of his more overzealous fans. She's not amused when he courts her with pepperoni pizza for breakfast and forgets her at one of his concerts, but she does let him take her to his mansion after he runs into her at a radio station. After they make love, he hears her playing a tune on the piano and, to her surprise, is able to match lyrics to her music.
He takes her to one of his concerts and gets her onstage. The audience doesn't take to her at first, but her passionate singing wins them over. She marries John and he builds them a little house in the desert. Shortly after, she becomes a huge star, even winning a Grammy for Best Female Performance, but John's career isn't going as well, and he shows up drunk and screaming at the paparazzi. They return to their desert home in the hope of rekindling their marriage. An accident ends John's attempt at a comeback in his career and with his wife...but neither his fans nor Esther will ever forget him.
The Song and Dance: The music and some lovely desert visas are the thing here. Kristofferson wasn't bad as the fading country-rock star, and Mazurky was also good as his devoted manager. The cinematography is gorgeous and definitely deserved its Oscar nomination, especially at the concerts and when Esther and Johnny are frolicking at their home in the desert.
Favorite Number: "Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born)" was the big hit here, and Streisand milks it for all it's worth throughout the film. My favorite run-through is her first recording of it after the successful concert. She also throws herself into Rupert Holmes' "Queen Bee" at the bar and the lovely "Lost Inside of You." Kristofferson gets a nice "Watch Closely Now."
What I Don't Like: This was notoriously a bit of a vanity project for Streisand, but her performance isn't her best. She mostly wavers between shrill and hammy, especially in the end, when she rushes to her husband's side after the accident. She and Kristofferson have minimal chemistry; their lovemaking scenes are more dull than romantic, and they're not at all believable as a couple who are passionately in love with each other.
The Big Finale: Unless you're a huge fan of Streisand or Kristofferson, you can easily skip this one. There's far better retellings of this story out there.
Home Media: Despite poor reviews, this was one of Streisand's biggest hits and remains one of her most popular, not to mention it's the third version of an oft-told story. It can easily be found in all major formats, including many streaming companies.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Animation Celebration Saturday - The Lion King (2019)
Disney, 2019
Voices of Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Beyonce Knowels-Carter
Directed by Jon Favearu
Music by Elton John and others; Lyrics by Tim Rice and others
Frankly, of the films Disney had announced that they were going to remake, this was the one I was the least excited about. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Aladdin are all well-known fairy tales that were told before and will likely be told again. Pete's Dragon and The Jungle Book were a bit dated and had room for improvement and experimenting. The Lion King, on the other hand, as I mentioned in my review of the original film, remains a favorite of critics and audiences alike. How could Disney improve one of their most beloved films? Well...let's just return to the Pride Lands, this time in CGI, and find out...
The Story: Simba (JD McCrary) is the prince of Pride Rock in the African savannas. He wishes he could grow up faster and be just as respected as his father, King Mufasa (Jones). His uncle Scar (Ejiofor) tells encourages him to go to the elephant graveyards beyond the Pride Lands, as only the bravest lions go there. Scar wanted him there so the ravenous hyenas, lead by Shenzi (Florence Kasumba), would kill him and his best friend Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph), but Mufasa saves them. He's not as lucky when Scar lures him and Simba into a wildebeast stampede created by the hyenas. Scar lets Mufasa die and tells Simba he did it, forcing him to flee.
Simba is found by Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogan), a meerkat and warthog respectively whose motto is "Hakuna Matata" or no worries. They take Simba to the jungle, where he and their friends raise the cub on a vegetarian diet to adulthood. Meanwhile, Scar has let the hyenas strip Pride Rock bare. The lions and other animals are starving, and Scar is trying to force Queen Sarabi (Alfre Woodward) to become his mate. The older Nala (Knowels-Carter) flees to get help. Simba refuses to go with her at first...until Rafiki (John Kani) reminds him that his father is watching over him from the stars and will always be there for him, and that he shouldn't be afraid of his past.
The Animation: The animals themselves look gorgeous. They closely resemble their real-life counterparts; it feels like you could reach out and stroke the lions' fur, or feel the sharp tip on Pumbaa's tusks. The backgrounds are rich in golds and yellows in the Pride Lands, deepening to greens and golds in the jungle.
The realistic animation is a double-edged sword. For one thing, it feels like gold, green, sienna, gray, and brown are the only colors in Africa, with the occasional blue of Rafiki's face coloring or Zazu's feathers. The glowing colors were one of the best things about the original. The realism also severely limits the animals' facial expressions. One of the delights of the original Lion King is how Disney managed to make the animals expressive and still look like lions, hyenas, and meerkats. Here, the animals never really smile, laugh, or do much of anything. (Although they do manage to get a few funny looks out of Timon and Pumbaa, especially when Nala is about to come after them.)
The Song and Dance: One of the things I did enjoy about this one, for the most part, was the cast. Matthew Broderick had always been a little bland as the adult Simba. Donald Glover gives him far more personality, and McCrory is adorable as his younger self. A few people had reservations about the goofball Regan as sweet Pumbaa, but he gives him the right good-natured sell and works well with Eichner. Jones is just as good in his second outing as Mufasa, and Woodard is an elegant Sarabi.
What I liked best about this one was the improved villains. In the original, the hyenas are a bit creepy, but are mainly played for comic relief. Here, they're downright terrifying, especially in the elephant graveyard. Kasamba's Shenzi is a tough hyena queen who may bow to Scar, but sure as heck won't to anyone else. Ejiofor is less smarmy and more menacing as the brother who wants to rule and is willing to kill to get a mate and the throne.
Favorite Number: "The Circle of Life" is just as awe-inspiring here as it was in the original, with the sun shining down over the waves of animals and Rafiki drawing the powder along Simba's too-cute kittenish face. "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is less cartoony but cuter, showing off the baby animals of the savanna as Simba wishes he'd just grow up faster. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is built into a number for Timon, Pumbaa, and the animals of the jungle, and it's hilarious...until Nala jumps in and breaks up the party. Rogen and Eichner also have fun with "Hakuna Matata," which is expanded a little to show off more of Simba growing into adulthood. Beyonce had a hand in one of the two new songs, "Spirit," a rousing chant for Simba as he returns to Pride Rock.
What I Don't Like: Even more than Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and the others...we didn't need this. Other than the change of mediums, darker villains, and two new songs (one over the credits), Disney didn't really bring anything new to the table. "Be Prepared" is shortened and is basically repeating the lyrics over and over; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" doesn't feel nearly as romantic performed in the daytime. They've done this particular franchise to death already with two direct-to-home-media sequels, two TV shows, and a Broadway show.
Speaking of the Broadway show, like Beauty and the Beast, I wish the film had retained some of the songs from the stage version. "He Lives In You" is included on the soundtrack, but not in the film proper. "Endless Night" might have been a nice way to deepen the adult Simba and find out more about how he feels when Rafiki reminds him of who he is.
And as it is almost a shot-for-shot remake, it retains some of the more violent moments from the original, including the stampede and the attack of the hyenas in the elephant graveyard. You may want to try your younger children on The Lion Guard or, if you can find it, Timon & Pumbaa before coming to any of the movies.
The Big Finale: How could Disney improve on one of their biggest films? They couldn't. Unless you or your children are huge Lion King fans, fans of the cast, or are really bored this summer and want to see something for the family, I'd save the money and just rent the original again.
Home Media: The soundtrack is easy to find in all formats, including streaming and vinyl.
CD
Vinyl Records
Amazon Music
Voices of Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Beyonce Knowels-Carter
Directed by Jon Favearu
Music by Elton John and others; Lyrics by Tim Rice and others
Frankly, of the films Disney had announced that they were going to remake, this was the one I was the least excited about. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Aladdin are all well-known fairy tales that were told before and will likely be told again. Pete's Dragon and The Jungle Book were a bit dated and had room for improvement and experimenting. The Lion King, on the other hand, as I mentioned in my review of the original film, remains a favorite of critics and audiences alike. How could Disney improve one of their most beloved films? Well...let's just return to the Pride Lands, this time in CGI, and find out...
The Story: Simba (JD McCrary) is the prince of Pride Rock in the African savannas. He wishes he could grow up faster and be just as respected as his father, King Mufasa (Jones). His uncle Scar (Ejiofor) tells encourages him to go to the elephant graveyards beyond the Pride Lands, as only the bravest lions go there. Scar wanted him there so the ravenous hyenas, lead by Shenzi (Florence Kasumba), would kill him and his best friend Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph), but Mufasa saves them. He's not as lucky when Scar lures him and Simba into a wildebeast stampede created by the hyenas. Scar lets Mufasa die and tells Simba he did it, forcing him to flee.
Simba is found by Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogan), a meerkat and warthog respectively whose motto is "Hakuna Matata" or no worries. They take Simba to the jungle, where he and their friends raise the cub on a vegetarian diet to adulthood. Meanwhile, Scar has let the hyenas strip Pride Rock bare. The lions and other animals are starving, and Scar is trying to force Queen Sarabi (Alfre Woodward) to become his mate. The older Nala (Knowels-Carter) flees to get help. Simba refuses to go with her at first...until Rafiki (John Kani) reminds him that his father is watching over him from the stars and will always be there for him, and that he shouldn't be afraid of his past.
The Animation: The animals themselves look gorgeous. They closely resemble their real-life counterparts; it feels like you could reach out and stroke the lions' fur, or feel the sharp tip on Pumbaa's tusks. The backgrounds are rich in golds and yellows in the Pride Lands, deepening to greens and golds in the jungle.
The realistic animation is a double-edged sword. For one thing, it feels like gold, green, sienna, gray, and brown are the only colors in Africa, with the occasional blue of Rafiki's face coloring or Zazu's feathers. The glowing colors were one of the best things about the original. The realism also severely limits the animals' facial expressions. One of the delights of the original Lion King is how Disney managed to make the animals expressive and still look like lions, hyenas, and meerkats. Here, the animals never really smile, laugh, or do much of anything. (Although they do manage to get a few funny looks out of Timon and Pumbaa, especially when Nala is about to come after them.)
The Song and Dance: One of the things I did enjoy about this one, for the most part, was the cast. Matthew Broderick had always been a little bland as the adult Simba. Donald Glover gives him far more personality, and McCrory is adorable as his younger self. A few people had reservations about the goofball Regan as sweet Pumbaa, but he gives him the right good-natured sell and works well with Eichner. Jones is just as good in his second outing as Mufasa, and Woodard is an elegant Sarabi.
What I liked best about this one was the improved villains. In the original, the hyenas are a bit creepy, but are mainly played for comic relief. Here, they're downright terrifying, especially in the elephant graveyard. Kasamba's Shenzi is a tough hyena queen who may bow to Scar, but sure as heck won't to anyone else. Ejiofor is less smarmy and more menacing as the brother who wants to rule and is willing to kill to get a mate and the throne.
Favorite Number: "The Circle of Life" is just as awe-inspiring here as it was in the original, with the sun shining down over the waves of animals and Rafiki drawing the powder along Simba's too-cute kittenish face. "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is less cartoony but cuter, showing off the baby animals of the savanna as Simba wishes he'd just grow up faster. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is built into a number for Timon, Pumbaa, and the animals of the jungle, and it's hilarious...until Nala jumps in and breaks up the party. Rogen and Eichner also have fun with "Hakuna Matata," which is expanded a little to show off more of Simba growing into adulthood. Beyonce had a hand in one of the two new songs, "Spirit," a rousing chant for Simba as he returns to Pride Rock.
What I Don't Like: Even more than Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and the others...we didn't need this. Other than the change of mediums, darker villains, and two new songs (one over the credits), Disney didn't really bring anything new to the table. "Be Prepared" is shortened and is basically repeating the lyrics over and over; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" doesn't feel nearly as romantic performed in the daytime. They've done this particular franchise to death already with two direct-to-home-media sequels, two TV shows, and a Broadway show.
Speaking of the Broadway show, like Beauty and the Beast, I wish the film had retained some of the songs from the stage version. "He Lives In You" is included on the soundtrack, but not in the film proper. "Endless Night" might have been a nice way to deepen the adult Simba and find out more about how he feels when Rafiki reminds him of who he is.
And as it is almost a shot-for-shot remake, it retains some of the more violent moments from the original, including the stampede and the attack of the hyenas in the elephant graveyard. You may want to try your younger children on The Lion Guard or, if you can find it, Timon & Pumbaa before coming to any of the movies.
The Big Finale: How could Disney improve on one of their biggest films? They couldn't. Unless you or your children are huge Lion King fans, fans of the cast, or are really bored this summer and want to see something for the family, I'd save the money and just rent the original again.
Home Media: The soundtrack is easy to find in all formats, including streaming and vinyl.
CD
Vinyl Records
Amazon Music
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
20th Century Fox, 2001
Starring Ewan MacGregor, Nicole Kidman, John Leguziamo, and Jim Broadbent
Directed by Baz Lutherman
Music and lyrics by many, many authors
We head around the world and back in time, from late 30's Hawaii to Paris in 1899, for our next film. I'm doing this one in honor of the stage version opening at the Al Hirscheld Theater in New York tomorrow. This colorful tragedy has become one of the most popular of recent musicals; while it wasn't a huge hit in 2001, it did well enough to pick up a cult following of musical enthusiasts and lovers of spectacle. How does this wild phantasmagoria look today? Let's head to a small apartment in the bohemian Monmartre district of Paris to find out...
The Story: Christian (MacGregor), a struggling writer, narrates the tragic tale of his love for a courtesan, Satine (Kidman). Shortly after moving to Paris, he falls in with his unconventional neighbors, including artist and performer Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (Leguziamo). They want him to sell their big show, Spectacular Spectacular, to Zidler (Broadbent), the owner of the wildly popular Moulin Rouge nightclub. They arrange for him to join Satine in her room at the top of a giant elephant-shaped building and sell her on the show. Christian ends up falling for her instead. Trouble is, she's already promised to a wealthy and jealous Duke (Richard Roxborough), who is also supposed to be meeting with her. When he shows up, Christian, Satine, and the other bohemians claim they were practicing lines for Spectacular Spectacular, making up its plot on the spot.
They do manage to convince the Duke to back the show, but the Duke insists on having Satine exclusively. She agrees, but Christian continues to press his suit during rehearsals. They finally fall in love on top of the elephant after he convinces her that love is freedom. They see each other on the pretense of rehearsing their lines. It's getting more and more obvious to the Duke, who orders Christian killed, and Zidler, who has learned disquieting news about Satine. "The Show Must Go On," even when both lovers are broken-hearted and a hitman is skulking around backstage. Christian thinks it's all over, but love will find away, even if only for a few minutes.
The Song and Dance: "Spectacular Spectacular" is an accurate description of the film and the show within it. Lutherman specializes in crazily-edited spectacle and colorful lunacy, and you can see that here in spades. Every number in the film swirls and twirls around the screen, dancing as much as the actual performers. The Moulin Rouge is nearly a character in its own right, as colorful and outrageous as the characters who parade across it. Kidman was Oscar-nominated for her turn here as the dying courtesan; the colorful costumes and glittering sets won. MacGregor was also excellent as the love-besotted writer; he and Kidman revealed gorgeous voices to boot. Other stand-outs include Roxborough as the insanely jealous aristocrat and Leguziamo as the diminuative (real-life) artist.
Favorite Number: Three medleys bracket Christian's first encounter with Satine and them falling for each other. "Lady Marmalade" and "Sparkling Diamonds" introduces us to the decadent world of Moulin Rouge, with quick cuts that show off the rainbow debauchery going on. Satine's introduction on a swing to "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" may be this film's most iconic moment, along with the fantasy dance in the elephant to Elton John's "Your Song." "The Elephant Love Medley" incorporates no less than 12 songs as Christian finally convinces Satine that love means a lot more than a financial transaction. "El Tango Del Roxanne" turns "Roxanne" by The Police into a tempestuous Spanish-inflected routine for the narcoleptic Argentinian (Jacek Korman), Christian, and the Moulin Rouge dancers as they reveal just how jealous the young writer has become of Satine's being owned by the Duke.
What I Don't Like: Hoo boy. This one defines "over the top." It's just about the campiest musical in existence. Everything is bombastic, loud, crazy, and flashy. If you're looking for something lower-key, quieter, or with a stronger story, this isn't your show. The in-your-face editing occasionally makes it hard to see what's going on in any given number; that works for "Lady Marmalade" at the Moulin Rouge, where the party is supposed to be wild, but not so much with less loony moments like "El Tango Del Roxanne." It's also not for anyone who isn't a fan of musicals in general. There's a ton of music in this movie, almost all of it performed either on stage or to move the plot along.
The Big Finale: I've loved this film since I saw it with my sister when it came out in June 2001, but it's not for everyone. If you like your musicals big, bigger, and biggest or are a fan of the cast or Lutherman's campy style, you'll want to climb on that elephant and check it out.
Home Media: Surprisingly, despite the film's rabid fan base, both the solo DVD and Blu-Ray are currently out of print. You may be better off looking for this one on streaming platforms or paired with other movies, including another campy Lutherman romance featuring Leguziamo, Romeo + Juliet, and the Cinderella tale Ever After.
DVD
DVD - Romantic Tales Collection
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring Ewan MacGregor, Nicole Kidman, John Leguziamo, and Jim Broadbent
Directed by Baz Lutherman
Music and lyrics by many, many authors
We head around the world and back in time, from late 30's Hawaii to Paris in 1899, for our next film. I'm doing this one in honor of the stage version opening at the Al Hirscheld Theater in New York tomorrow. This colorful tragedy has become one of the most popular of recent musicals; while it wasn't a huge hit in 2001, it did well enough to pick up a cult following of musical enthusiasts and lovers of spectacle. How does this wild phantasmagoria look today? Let's head to a small apartment in the bohemian Monmartre district of Paris to find out...
The Story: Christian (MacGregor), a struggling writer, narrates the tragic tale of his love for a courtesan, Satine (Kidman). Shortly after moving to Paris, he falls in with his unconventional neighbors, including artist and performer Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (Leguziamo). They want him to sell their big show, Spectacular Spectacular, to Zidler (Broadbent), the owner of the wildly popular Moulin Rouge nightclub. They arrange for him to join Satine in her room at the top of a giant elephant-shaped building and sell her on the show. Christian ends up falling for her instead. Trouble is, she's already promised to a wealthy and jealous Duke (Richard Roxborough), who is also supposed to be meeting with her. When he shows up, Christian, Satine, and the other bohemians claim they were practicing lines for Spectacular Spectacular, making up its plot on the spot.
They do manage to convince the Duke to back the show, but the Duke insists on having Satine exclusively. She agrees, but Christian continues to press his suit during rehearsals. They finally fall in love on top of the elephant after he convinces her that love is freedom. They see each other on the pretense of rehearsing their lines. It's getting more and more obvious to the Duke, who orders Christian killed, and Zidler, who has learned disquieting news about Satine. "The Show Must Go On," even when both lovers are broken-hearted and a hitman is skulking around backstage. Christian thinks it's all over, but love will find away, even if only for a few minutes.
The Song and Dance: "Spectacular Spectacular" is an accurate description of the film and the show within it. Lutherman specializes in crazily-edited spectacle and colorful lunacy, and you can see that here in spades. Every number in the film swirls and twirls around the screen, dancing as much as the actual performers. The Moulin Rouge is nearly a character in its own right, as colorful and outrageous as the characters who parade across it. Kidman was Oscar-nominated for her turn here as the dying courtesan; the colorful costumes and glittering sets won. MacGregor was also excellent as the love-besotted writer; he and Kidman revealed gorgeous voices to boot. Other stand-outs include Roxborough as the insanely jealous aristocrat and Leguziamo as the diminuative (real-life) artist.
Favorite Number: Three medleys bracket Christian's first encounter with Satine and them falling for each other. "Lady Marmalade" and "Sparkling Diamonds" introduces us to the decadent world of Moulin Rouge, with quick cuts that show off the rainbow debauchery going on. Satine's introduction on a swing to "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" may be this film's most iconic moment, along with the fantasy dance in the elephant to Elton John's "Your Song." "The Elephant Love Medley" incorporates no less than 12 songs as Christian finally convinces Satine that love means a lot more than a financial transaction. "El Tango Del Roxanne" turns "Roxanne" by The Police into a tempestuous Spanish-inflected routine for the narcoleptic Argentinian (Jacek Korman), Christian, and the Moulin Rouge dancers as they reveal just how jealous the young writer has become of Satine's being owned by the Duke.
What I Don't Like: Hoo boy. This one defines "over the top." It's just about the campiest musical in existence. Everything is bombastic, loud, crazy, and flashy. If you're looking for something lower-key, quieter, or with a stronger story, this isn't your show. The in-your-face editing occasionally makes it hard to see what's going on in any given number; that works for "Lady Marmalade" at the Moulin Rouge, where the party is supposed to be wild, but not so much with less loony moments like "El Tango Del Roxanne." It's also not for anyone who isn't a fan of musicals in general. There's a ton of music in this movie, almost all of it performed either on stage or to move the plot along.
The Big Finale: I've loved this film since I saw it with my sister when it came out in June 2001, but it's not for everyone. If you like your musicals big, bigger, and biggest or are a fan of the cast or Lutherman's campy style, you'll want to climb on that elephant and check it out.
Home Media: Surprisingly, despite the film's rabid fan base, both the solo DVD and Blu-Ray are currently out of print. You may be better off looking for this one on streaming platforms or paired with other movies, including another campy Lutherman romance featuring Leguziamo, Romeo + Juliet, and the Cinderella tale Ever After.
DVD
DVD - Romantic Tales Collection
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Waikiki Wedding
Paramount, 1937
Starring Bing Crosby, Shirley Ross, Martha Raye, and Bob Ross
Directed by Frank Tuttle
Music by Ralph Rainger; Lyrics by Leo Robin and Jimmy Lowell
We leave one enchanted isle for another, as we head across the Pacific from Africa and a deserted tropical island to one that's very much inhabited - Hawaii. Today, this exotic romantic comedy is best known for introducing the standard "Blue Hawaii" and the Oscar-winning ballad "Sweet Lelani." How well does the tale of a young woman who learns about the charms of the Hawaiian Islands from a laid-back publicity agent go over today? Let's get off right at Hawaii, where a native show is just beginning, and find out...
The Story: Tony Marvin (Crosby) is a publicity agent for the Imperial Pineapple Company in Honolulu. He's more comfortable among the natives and with his pig-loving friend Shad (Bob Ross) on his boat than dealing with the stuffy heads of the pineapple business. Tony's latest brainstorm was holding a contest to anoint a "Pineapple Girl" who'll come to Hawaii for three weeks and write glowing accounts of the islands. The winner, Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), isn't exactly glowing. Her first week was mostly spent being shuttled around to various locations for publicity stunts. She and her best friend Myrtle (Raye) are dying for a little island romance.
To keep the girls from leaving, Tony, Shad, and the natives concoct a plot that involves waylaying Martha and Georgia at the docks and giving them a black pearl, claiming it must be returned to the native village or the volcano will go off. Kimo, a young native (Anthony Quinn), takes the group to the village in his boat to return the pearl. Meanwhile, Tony writes press releases praising Hawaii with Georgia's name on them, but he's having second thoughts when he sees how much Georgia is now enjoying her experiences and how well Myrtle is getting along with Shad and his pig Walford. And then, her fiancee Dr. Victor Quimby (Leif Erickson) calls and demands for her to be sent home...
The Song and Dance: This may be one of Bing's more unusual movies. For one of his films, there's a decent cast and some great numbers, including two excellent native dances. Speaking of the natives, they're treated surprisingly well for this time. Tony defends them, respects them, and brings them in on his plot from the start. They have a couple of nice comic bits that don't talk down to them. Some of the movie was even filmed in the real Hawaii for even more authenticity. Raye and Bob Ross are funny (if a bit over-the-top) as the second couple, and Leif Erickson comes off much better here as the stick-in-the-mud fiancee than he did as one of the romantic leads in The Big Broadcast of 1938.
Favorite Number: Bing and Ross introduce "Blue Hawaii" in a lovely sequence on the boat to the native village and have fun with the natives in "A Little Hula Heaven." Raye gets to lay into "Okolehao," on a native liqueur. Bing sings "Sweet Lelani" to a native girl in a very sweet sequence. The two native dance routines, including the fairly authentic-looking marriage ceremony in the opening, have some really excellent choreography.
Trivia: This is not the last time Hawaii or the song "Blue Hawaii" would figure into a Paramount musical. Elvis Prestley would do a tropical-set movie called "Blue Hawaii" in 1961 and would make the song an even bigger hit.
What I Don't Like: The story, while original, is pretty flimsy. Georgia comes off as a bit ungrateful in the beginning, complaining over winning a vacation most people would throw a year's worth of pay towards. Bing is a little too laid-back to suggest a decent publicity agent, and their desperation to keep the girls there can get pretty silly.
The Big Finale: One of Bing's better musicals of the 1930's, this is a fun flick with a game cast and some nice tropical-flavored tunes.
Home Media: Another Bing vehicle that can only be found on the Universal Vault collection or as part of a DVD set.
DVD - Universal Vault
DVD - Bing Crosby: Screen Legends Collection
Starring Bing Crosby, Shirley Ross, Martha Raye, and Bob Ross
Directed by Frank Tuttle
Music by Ralph Rainger; Lyrics by Leo Robin and Jimmy Lowell
We leave one enchanted isle for another, as we head across the Pacific from Africa and a deserted tropical island to one that's very much inhabited - Hawaii. Today, this exotic romantic comedy is best known for introducing the standard "Blue Hawaii" and the Oscar-winning ballad "Sweet Lelani." How well does the tale of a young woman who learns about the charms of the Hawaiian Islands from a laid-back publicity agent go over today? Let's get off right at Hawaii, where a native show is just beginning, and find out...
The Story: Tony Marvin (Crosby) is a publicity agent for the Imperial Pineapple Company in Honolulu. He's more comfortable among the natives and with his pig-loving friend Shad (Bob Ross) on his boat than dealing with the stuffy heads of the pineapple business. Tony's latest brainstorm was holding a contest to anoint a "Pineapple Girl" who'll come to Hawaii for three weeks and write glowing accounts of the islands. The winner, Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), isn't exactly glowing. Her first week was mostly spent being shuttled around to various locations for publicity stunts. She and her best friend Myrtle (Raye) are dying for a little island romance.
To keep the girls from leaving, Tony, Shad, and the natives concoct a plot that involves waylaying Martha and Georgia at the docks and giving them a black pearl, claiming it must be returned to the native village or the volcano will go off. Kimo, a young native (Anthony Quinn), takes the group to the village in his boat to return the pearl. Meanwhile, Tony writes press releases praising Hawaii with Georgia's name on them, but he's having second thoughts when he sees how much Georgia is now enjoying her experiences and how well Myrtle is getting along with Shad and his pig Walford. And then, her fiancee Dr. Victor Quimby (Leif Erickson) calls and demands for her to be sent home...
The Song and Dance: This may be one of Bing's more unusual movies. For one of his films, there's a decent cast and some great numbers, including two excellent native dances. Speaking of the natives, they're treated surprisingly well for this time. Tony defends them, respects them, and brings them in on his plot from the start. They have a couple of nice comic bits that don't talk down to them. Some of the movie was even filmed in the real Hawaii for even more authenticity. Raye and Bob Ross are funny (if a bit over-the-top) as the second couple, and Leif Erickson comes off much better here as the stick-in-the-mud fiancee than he did as one of the romantic leads in The Big Broadcast of 1938.
Favorite Number: Bing and Ross introduce "Blue Hawaii" in a lovely sequence on the boat to the native village and have fun with the natives in "A Little Hula Heaven." Raye gets to lay into "Okolehao," on a native liqueur. Bing sings "Sweet Lelani" to a native girl in a very sweet sequence. The two native dance routines, including the fairly authentic-looking marriage ceremony in the opening, have some really excellent choreography.
Trivia: This is not the last time Hawaii or the song "Blue Hawaii" would figure into a Paramount musical. Elvis Prestley would do a tropical-set movie called "Blue Hawaii" in 1961 and would make the song an even bigger hit.
What I Don't Like: The story, while original, is pretty flimsy. Georgia comes off as a bit ungrateful in the beginning, complaining over winning a vacation most people would throw a year's worth of pay towards. Bing is a little too laid-back to suggest a decent publicity agent, and their desperation to keep the girls there can get pretty silly.
The Big Finale: One of Bing's better musicals of the 1930's, this is a fun flick with a game cast and some nice tropical-flavored tunes.
Home Media: Another Bing vehicle that can only be found on the Universal Vault collection or as part of a DVD set.
DVD - Universal Vault
DVD - Bing Crosby: Screen Legends Collection
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Animation Celebration Saturday - The Lion King (1994)
Disney, 1994
Voices of Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and James Earl Jones
Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice
With the CGI remake having been released into theaters yesterday, I thought this was the perfect time to revisit the original. Disney didn't expect much of it when it was in production; they were as surprised as anyone when it became the biggest hit of 1994 and a touchstone with many children who grew up in the mid-late 90's. How does this movie roar nowadays? Let's join a crowd of animals as they make their way across the African savanna to witness the birth of a ruler and find out...
The Story: Young Simba (Johnathan Taylor Thomas) is indeed the prince of Pride Rock, a pride of lions who rule over the African savannas. He's thrilled and a little cocky about it, despite his love and admiration of his father Mufasa (Jones). Mufasa's brother Scar (Jeremy Irons) does not admire his brother. He was next in line to be king before Simba was born. He first tries to get Simba and his friend Nala (Niketa Calame) lost in the shadowy Elephant Graveyards, where they're attacked by the hyenas who think of him as their meal ticket. Mufasa manages to save them then, even forgiving his son. Simba's not so lucky when he's lured into the canyons. Scar lets Mufasa be trampled by a stampede of wildebeasts, but convinces Simba it was his fault.
The horrified lion cub flees into the jungle, where he befriends Timon (Lane) and Pumbaa (Sabella), a wisecracking meerkat and good-natured (if smelly) warthog. They convince Simba to forget his troubles and more-or-less raise him to adulthood. A now-grown Nala (Moira Kelly) comes around to hunt, but the older Simba (Broderick) fights her off before realizing who she is. They fall in love, but he's afraid to come back and is worried that everyone will think he killed his father. It takes the wise council of baboon Rafiki (Robert Guillame) to make Simba realize that, as Rafiki puts it, "oh, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it...or learn from it."
The Animation: Disney put a lot of work into making these cartoony animals look as realistic as they could and still be expressive. It mostly works, especially with the background animals, like those wildebeasts in the stampede or the animals in the opening sequence. There's some magnificiently lush backgrounds as well, from the "Circle of Life" opening to the dark and dusty elephant graveyards, to the rich rosy-gold flames in the finale.
The Song and Dance: For the most part, this still holds up pretty well. The story was Disney's first stab at something original and not based after a fairy tale or children's book, and as such, is fun and really quite touching, even mature in parts. Jones made such a majestic and warm Mufasa, he was one of the few voices from the animated film retained for the CGI version. Irons is an appropriately smarmy villain; the hyenas are really kind of creepy, especially in the elephant graveyard and towards the end, when they realize Scar hasn't quite delivered on his promises. Lane and Sabella were so well-received as Timon and Pumbaa, they got a spin-off TV cartoon based around them.
Favorite Number: It's hard to top "The Circle of Life," with the kneeling animals gathering around the rock and the light shining on Rafiki revealing the new king. It's probably one of the ten best opening numbers in film musicals. Timon and Pumbaa may not have been happy with Simba and Nala falling in love during the hit ballad "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," but the sequence is appropriately romantic, with the lions playing against the backdrop of the moonlit savanna. Timon and Pumbaa get to have more fun explaining their "trouble-free philosophy," "Hakuna Matata," to the young Simba. Simba also gets to have fun with the more cartoony "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."
Trivia: This one wasn't in development as long as some of Disney's other movies of the 90's, having only been conceived around 1988.
It was the biggest hit film - live-action or animated - of 1994. The Broadway stage show, done with African-style puppets and dance, was an equally huge hit in 1997 and at press time is still running at the Minskoff Theater. Timon and Pumbaa's TV show, The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, was also popular, running three years. A show for younger children, The Lion Guard, debuted on Disney Junior in 2016. There were two direct-to-video sequels, The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1 1/2, that I will likely review somewhere down the line as well.
A theatrical re-release and the 2003 Platinum Edition DVD added an additional song for Zazu (Rowan Atikson), "The Morning Report."
What I Don't Like: Not all the animals are portrayed accurately, especially the hyenas. Some of the sequences may be a little too scary for younger kids, and others may get restless with the savanna politics with Mufasa and Scar. Honestly, the opening is so strong, it can be hard for some of the other numbers to live up to it. Jeremy Irons isn't that great of a singer, and I always found his villain song, "Be Prepared," to be more than a little awkward.
The Big Finale: I like this a lot, but don't worship it the way a lot of people who grew up in the mid-late 90's do. I suspect a lot of it has to do with nostalgia. I was a teenager in '94, and it didn't connect with me the way the earlier Beauty and the Beast or later Hunchback of Notre Dame did. That said, it's still an excellent movie, one of Disney's better ones of their 90's "Renaissance." If you have older kids who love animals and can handle the darker sequences, they'll probably go wild over this one.
Home Media: Disney re-released this one on most major formats about two years ago. I have the original 2-disc Platinium Edition, but it's so hard to navigate (it took me 10 minutes to find the original theatrical edition, rather than the Special Edition), I'd go for the newer Signature Edition or the Blu-Ray.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (buy only)
Voices of Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and James Earl Jones
Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice
With the CGI remake having been released into theaters yesterday, I thought this was the perfect time to revisit the original. Disney didn't expect much of it when it was in production; they were as surprised as anyone when it became the biggest hit of 1994 and a touchstone with many children who grew up in the mid-late 90's. How does this movie roar nowadays? Let's join a crowd of animals as they make their way across the African savanna to witness the birth of a ruler and find out...
The Story: Young Simba (Johnathan Taylor Thomas) is indeed the prince of Pride Rock, a pride of lions who rule over the African savannas. He's thrilled and a little cocky about it, despite his love and admiration of his father Mufasa (Jones). Mufasa's brother Scar (Jeremy Irons) does not admire his brother. He was next in line to be king before Simba was born. He first tries to get Simba and his friend Nala (Niketa Calame) lost in the shadowy Elephant Graveyards, where they're attacked by the hyenas who think of him as their meal ticket. Mufasa manages to save them then, even forgiving his son. Simba's not so lucky when he's lured into the canyons. Scar lets Mufasa be trampled by a stampede of wildebeasts, but convinces Simba it was his fault.
The horrified lion cub flees into the jungle, where he befriends Timon (Lane) and Pumbaa (Sabella), a wisecracking meerkat and good-natured (if smelly) warthog. They convince Simba to forget his troubles and more-or-less raise him to adulthood. A now-grown Nala (Moira Kelly) comes around to hunt, but the older Simba (Broderick) fights her off before realizing who she is. They fall in love, but he's afraid to come back and is worried that everyone will think he killed his father. It takes the wise council of baboon Rafiki (Robert Guillame) to make Simba realize that, as Rafiki puts it, "oh, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it...or learn from it."
The Animation: Disney put a lot of work into making these cartoony animals look as realistic as they could and still be expressive. It mostly works, especially with the background animals, like those wildebeasts in the stampede or the animals in the opening sequence. There's some magnificiently lush backgrounds as well, from the "Circle of Life" opening to the dark and dusty elephant graveyards, to the rich rosy-gold flames in the finale.
The Song and Dance: For the most part, this still holds up pretty well. The story was Disney's first stab at something original and not based after a fairy tale or children's book, and as such, is fun and really quite touching, even mature in parts. Jones made such a majestic and warm Mufasa, he was one of the few voices from the animated film retained for the CGI version. Irons is an appropriately smarmy villain; the hyenas are really kind of creepy, especially in the elephant graveyard and towards the end, when they realize Scar hasn't quite delivered on his promises. Lane and Sabella were so well-received as Timon and Pumbaa, they got a spin-off TV cartoon based around them.
Favorite Number: It's hard to top "The Circle of Life," with the kneeling animals gathering around the rock and the light shining on Rafiki revealing the new king. It's probably one of the ten best opening numbers in film musicals. Timon and Pumbaa may not have been happy with Simba and Nala falling in love during the hit ballad "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," but the sequence is appropriately romantic, with the lions playing against the backdrop of the moonlit savanna. Timon and Pumbaa get to have more fun explaining their "trouble-free philosophy," "Hakuna Matata," to the young Simba. Simba also gets to have fun with the more cartoony "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."
Trivia: This one wasn't in development as long as some of Disney's other movies of the 90's, having only been conceived around 1988.
It was the biggest hit film - live-action or animated - of 1994. The Broadway stage show, done with African-style puppets and dance, was an equally huge hit in 1997 and at press time is still running at the Minskoff Theater. Timon and Pumbaa's TV show, The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, was also popular, running three years. A show for younger children, The Lion Guard, debuted on Disney Junior in 2016. There were two direct-to-video sequels, The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1 1/2, that I will likely review somewhere down the line as well.
A theatrical re-release and the 2003 Platinum Edition DVD added an additional song for Zazu (Rowan Atikson), "The Morning Report."
What I Don't Like: Not all the animals are portrayed accurately, especially the hyenas. Some of the sequences may be a little too scary for younger kids, and others may get restless with the savanna politics with Mufasa and Scar. Honestly, the opening is so strong, it can be hard for some of the other numbers to live up to it. Jeremy Irons isn't that great of a singer, and I always found his villain song, "Be Prepared," to be more than a little awkward.
The Big Finale: I like this a lot, but don't worship it the way a lot of people who grew up in the mid-late 90's do. I suspect a lot of it has to do with nostalgia. I was a teenager in '94, and it didn't connect with me the way the earlier Beauty and the Beast or later Hunchback of Notre Dame did. That said, it's still an excellent movie, one of Disney's better ones of their 90's "Renaissance." If you have older kids who love animals and can handle the darker sequences, they'll probably go wild over this one.
Home Media: Disney re-released this one on most major formats about two years ago. I have the original 2-disc Platinium Edition, but it's so hard to navigate (it took me 10 minutes to find the original theatrical edition, rather than the Special Edition), I'd go for the newer Signature Edition or the Blu-Ray.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (buy only)
Thursday, July 18, 2019
We're Not Dressing
Paramount, 1934
Starring Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, Ethel Merman, and Leon Errol
Directed by Norman Taurog
Music by Harry Revel and others; Lyrics by Mack Gordon and others
We head from Puerto Rico to the Pacific for our next musical cruise. Crosby headlines a cast of comics, kooks, and playboys who discover that paradise isn't what it looks like in the travel posters when they end up marooned on a tropical isle. How does this Gilligan's Island-esque tale of love between the classes look today? Let's take a trip on a yacht this time and find out...
The Story: Socialite Doris Worthington (Lombard) is bored with the long yacht trip and her two pampered suitors, Prince Alexander (Jay Henry) and Prince Michael (Ray Milland). She passes the time sparring with singing sailor Stephan Jones (Crosby). Her best friend Edith (Merman) is more interested in pursuing her drunk Uncle Hubert (Errol). Hubert attempts to drive the ship while soused in a fog, running into a reef. Stephan rescues Doris while the others make for the lifeboats, but the princes take credit for getting her ashore.
Stephan tries to get the group to help him find food and build a shelter, but they refuse to do anything resembling work...at least until they smell Stephan's meal of mussels and coconuts. Even then, Doris would rather snitch his food than get his own. He does finally get them all working on a shelter, but Doris is still angry. She figures she has a way to get back at him when she encounters scientists Grace (Gracie Allen) and George Martin (George Burns). They give her tools and clothes, which she floats to Stephan. He's elated...and she begins to wonder if the joke is so funny when she sees how dedicated he is to helping the others.
The Song and Dance: Crosby may not be the first person you think of when you think "poor sailor with building skills," but he does fairly well as the sailor who is a lot more savvy than meets the eye. George Burns and Gracie Allen, favorites of radio and (later) TV, have more to do with the plot than you think as the zany wife who creates weird inventions and her slightly exasperated interpreter. Merman has a couple of good sequences with rubber-legged Errol, including two fun duets. And yes, that is later Oscar-winner Ray Milland as one of Lombard's royal suitors.
Favorite Number: Crosby kicks things off on the deck insisting "I Positively Refuse to Sing," which turns into a medley of popular songs of the era (including "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" and "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"). As mentioned, Merman and Errol make the most of their two goofy duets, "It's an Old Spanish Custom" on the yacht and the brief "Let's Be Domestic" while helping to build a shelter on the island. Crosby serenades Lombard with "Once In a Blue Moon" and a bear with "May I?"
Crosby also gets the movie's best - and most pointed - song. He's working on a shelter of his own while performing "Love Thy Neighbor." It may sound like one of Bing's usual ballads, but in this context, it becomes a commentary on the refusal of the rich to help their fellow man, including a still-haughty Lombard.
Trivia: This was based after the 1902 J.M Barrie play The Admirable Crichton. Doris even refers to it at one point, when Crosby is paying more attention to trying to figure out how to get their camp site water than to her.
What I Don't Like: The story is thin and really kind of strange. Burns and Allen are even less believable as scientists than Crosby is as a sailor. Merman has even less to do beyond her two songs. Lombard manages the appropriate spoiled attitude for the occasion, but otherwise comes off as disappointingly bland.
There's a rather odd sequence when an angry Stephan literally drags Doris across the island after he's discovered her deception with the tools, ties her to the beams of the house they built, and chews her out. While Doris shouldn't have made fun of him, this sequence can come off as uncomfortably abusive nowadays.
The Big Finale: Fun time-waster if you love Crosby or the cast, or run into it on TCM.
Home Media: Currently only available via the Universal Vault made to order collection and two Bing Crosby and Carole Lombard sets. (My copy comes from the Bing set.)
DVD - Universal Vault
DVD - The Bing Crosby Collection
DVD - Carole Lombard: The Glamour Collection
Starring Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, Ethel Merman, and Leon Errol
Directed by Norman Taurog
Music by Harry Revel and others; Lyrics by Mack Gordon and others
We head from Puerto Rico to the Pacific for our next musical cruise. Crosby headlines a cast of comics, kooks, and playboys who discover that paradise isn't what it looks like in the travel posters when they end up marooned on a tropical isle. How does this Gilligan's Island-esque tale of love between the classes look today? Let's take a trip on a yacht this time and find out...
The Story: Socialite Doris Worthington (Lombard) is bored with the long yacht trip and her two pampered suitors, Prince Alexander (Jay Henry) and Prince Michael (Ray Milland). She passes the time sparring with singing sailor Stephan Jones (Crosby). Her best friend Edith (Merman) is more interested in pursuing her drunk Uncle Hubert (Errol). Hubert attempts to drive the ship while soused in a fog, running into a reef. Stephan rescues Doris while the others make for the lifeboats, but the princes take credit for getting her ashore.
Stephan tries to get the group to help him find food and build a shelter, but they refuse to do anything resembling work...at least until they smell Stephan's meal of mussels and coconuts. Even then, Doris would rather snitch his food than get his own. He does finally get them all working on a shelter, but Doris is still angry. She figures she has a way to get back at him when she encounters scientists Grace (Gracie Allen) and George Martin (George Burns). They give her tools and clothes, which she floats to Stephan. He's elated...and she begins to wonder if the joke is so funny when she sees how dedicated he is to helping the others.
The Song and Dance: Crosby may not be the first person you think of when you think "poor sailor with building skills," but he does fairly well as the sailor who is a lot more savvy than meets the eye. George Burns and Gracie Allen, favorites of radio and (later) TV, have more to do with the plot than you think as the zany wife who creates weird inventions and her slightly exasperated interpreter. Merman has a couple of good sequences with rubber-legged Errol, including two fun duets. And yes, that is later Oscar-winner Ray Milland as one of Lombard's royal suitors.
Favorite Number: Crosby kicks things off on the deck insisting "I Positively Refuse to Sing," which turns into a medley of popular songs of the era (including "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" and "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"). As mentioned, Merman and Errol make the most of their two goofy duets, "It's an Old Spanish Custom" on the yacht and the brief "Let's Be Domestic" while helping to build a shelter on the island. Crosby serenades Lombard with "Once In a Blue Moon" and a bear with "May I?"
Crosby also gets the movie's best - and most pointed - song. He's working on a shelter of his own while performing "Love Thy Neighbor." It may sound like one of Bing's usual ballads, but in this context, it becomes a commentary on the refusal of the rich to help their fellow man, including a still-haughty Lombard.
Trivia: This was based after the 1902 J.M Barrie play The Admirable Crichton. Doris even refers to it at one point, when Crosby is paying more attention to trying to figure out how to get their camp site water than to her.
What I Don't Like: The story is thin and really kind of strange. Burns and Allen are even less believable as scientists than Crosby is as a sailor. Merman has even less to do beyond her two songs. Lombard manages the appropriate spoiled attitude for the occasion, but otherwise comes off as disappointingly bland.
There's a rather odd sequence when an angry Stephan literally drags Doris across the island after he's discovered her deception with the tools, ties her to the beams of the house they built, and chews her out. While Doris shouldn't have made fun of him, this sequence can come off as uncomfortably abusive nowadays.
The Big Finale: Fun time-waster if you love Crosby or the cast, or run into it on TCM.
Home Media: Currently only available via the Universal Vault made to order collection and two Bing Crosby and Carole Lombard sets. (My copy comes from the Bing set.)
DVD - Universal Vault
DVD - The Bing Crosby Collection
DVD - Carole Lombard: The Glamour Collection
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Ship Ahoy
MGM, 1942
Starring Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton, Bert Lahr, and Virginia O'Brien
Directed by Edward Buzzell
Music by Burton Lane and others; Lyrics by E.Y Harburg and others
I had so much fun with the travel films last week, I'm going to continue the theme for my weekday entries. This is best-known today as the second movie to feature Frank Sinatra (as a singer with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra), but it has other things to recommend it as well, including several nifty dances by Powell and comedy bits from O'Brian, Skelton, and Lahr. How does an unusual spy story tie in with this cast of comics and the ship-board setting? Let's head to the docks in New York to find out...
The Story: Tallulah Winters (Powell) is a dancer with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (themselves). She's convinced to transport a top secret magnetic mine to Puerto Rico by government officials. Turns out that the "officials" are really Nazi spies who stole the mine and are trying to get it out of the US under the nose of the real government agent Art Higgins (Stuart Crawford). They got the idea from the adventure novels written by Merton Kibble (Skelton). He and his buddy Skip Owens (Lahr) are also on-board. Merton's looking for a way to reinvigorate his writing...but he never expected inspiration to come from being caught up in Tallulah's wild plot.
The Song and Dance: Well, it's definitely one of the more original musicals I've seen. There just aren't that many musical spy stories out there. Energetic Powell and sarcastic O'Brian have a lot of fun with the loopy plot. Skelton and Lahr also have some nice bits, especially towards the end, when they're dodging the Nazis. You don't often see a dancer tapping out Morse code, either. I give MGM credit for trying for something at least somewhat unique, even when the story gets more than a little strange.
Favorite Number: Sinatra gets to lay into "The Last Call for Love" in the beginning, joined by the Pied Pipers and Dorsey and his orchestra. Legendary drummer Buddy Rich provides the beat for Powell's "Hawaiian War Chant" tropical-themed routine. Rich also gets in on "I'll Take Tallulah" as Powell is swung across the screen. She also does a nice Spanish-tinged "Cape Dance." The most famous number from this is the glittery "On Moonlight Bay," where yes, Tallulah does tap the location of the Nazis on the ship in More Code for Art, Skip, and Merton.
Trivia: This was Sinatra's second movie. He'd make movies mostly with MGM through the 40's.
What I Don't Like: The plot may be original, but it's also convoluted and kind of thin. It's hard to believe that the otherwise-sensible Tallulah would be naive enough to believe the spies' rather flimsy story. Those who are here for Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey will be disappointed; they have a few numbers in the beginning and the end, but otherwise have very little to do. Lahr's mugging is a little more annoying here, especially given he spends a lot of the film's running time chasing women half his age (including O'Brian).
The Big Finale: If you love Skelton, Powell, tap dancing, or big band music, this is worth checking out at least once if you can find it.
Home Media: Currently only available via the Warner Archives in a remastered edition. (My copy was dubbed off TCM by a friend.)
DVD
Starring Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton, Bert Lahr, and Virginia O'Brien
Directed by Edward Buzzell
Music by Burton Lane and others; Lyrics by E.Y Harburg and others
I had so much fun with the travel films last week, I'm going to continue the theme for my weekday entries. This is best-known today as the second movie to feature Frank Sinatra (as a singer with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra), but it has other things to recommend it as well, including several nifty dances by Powell and comedy bits from O'Brian, Skelton, and Lahr. How does an unusual spy story tie in with this cast of comics and the ship-board setting? Let's head to the docks in New York to find out...
The Story: Tallulah Winters (Powell) is a dancer with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (themselves). She's convinced to transport a top secret magnetic mine to Puerto Rico by government officials. Turns out that the "officials" are really Nazi spies who stole the mine and are trying to get it out of the US under the nose of the real government agent Art Higgins (Stuart Crawford). They got the idea from the adventure novels written by Merton Kibble (Skelton). He and his buddy Skip Owens (Lahr) are also on-board. Merton's looking for a way to reinvigorate his writing...but he never expected inspiration to come from being caught up in Tallulah's wild plot.
The Song and Dance: Well, it's definitely one of the more original musicals I've seen. There just aren't that many musical spy stories out there. Energetic Powell and sarcastic O'Brian have a lot of fun with the loopy plot. Skelton and Lahr also have some nice bits, especially towards the end, when they're dodging the Nazis. You don't often see a dancer tapping out Morse code, either. I give MGM credit for trying for something at least somewhat unique, even when the story gets more than a little strange.
Favorite Number: Sinatra gets to lay into "The Last Call for Love" in the beginning, joined by the Pied Pipers and Dorsey and his orchestra. Legendary drummer Buddy Rich provides the beat for Powell's "Hawaiian War Chant" tropical-themed routine. Rich also gets in on "I'll Take Tallulah" as Powell is swung across the screen. She also does a nice Spanish-tinged "Cape Dance." The most famous number from this is the glittery "On Moonlight Bay," where yes, Tallulah does tap the location of the Nazis on the ship in More Code for Art, Skip, and Merton.
Trivia: This was Sinatra's second movie. He'd make movies mostly with MGM through the 40's.
What I Don't Like: The plot may be original, but it's also convoluted and kind of thin. It's hard to believe that the otherwise-sensible Tallulah would be naive enough to believe the spies' rather flimsy story. Those who are here for Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey will be disappointed; they have a few numbers in the beginning and the end, but otherwise have very little to do. Lahr's mugging is a little more annoying here, especially given he spends a lot of the film's running time chasing women half his age (including O'Brian).
The Big Finale: If you love Skelton, Powell, tap dancing, or big band music, this is worth checking out at least once if you can find it.
Home Media: Currently only available via the Warner Archives in a remastered edition. (My copy was dubbed off TCM by a friend.)
DVD
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Musicals On TV - Anything Goes (1954)
NBC, 1954
Starring Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, Bert Lahr, and Sheree North
Directed by Sid Smith
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
We debark from the romantic Grecian isles to take a cruise to London in the 1920's. This is an early live TV version of the Cole Porter show, which had been a big hit with Merman in 1934 on Broadway. The Colgate Comedy Hour did this as a "special" in 1954, the only pairing of Merman and Sinatra. How does this tale of mistaken identity on the high seas look today? Let's head to the docks, where the ship is about to set sail, and find out...
The Story: In the 1920's, stage star Reno Sweeney (Merman) takes a cruise to London to marry her stuffy aristocratic fiancee, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Arthur Gould Porter). She's followed by her ex-boyfriend Harry Dane (Sinatra), who badly wants her back. Meanwhile, Moonface Martin (Lahr), the fifth most wanted hood in America, and his bubbly blond girlfriend Bonnie (North) are also on the boat, avoiding the police and trying to move up to the fourth most wanted. Moonface is disguised as a missionary after he got the real one (Nestor Palva) arrested. Harry ends up with the ID of the number one most wanted gangster in America and seeks help from Moonface to avoid the cops, while trying to make his case with a reluctant Reno.
The Song and Dance: I suspect this is the closest most people would get to see a live version of this onstage until the rise of YouTube. Despite being streamlined, the story is still closer to the Broadway show than either of the film versions. Lahr revels in the intimacy of the small screen, mugging and joking and having a ball. The glittery costumes for the most part nicely reflect the glamour of sea travel during the Roaring 20's, with North and most of the women wriggling in beads and sequins and Merman resplendent in several furs.
Not to mention, there's the simple history involved in seeing a big TV musical from the 1950's, since many live productions from the time recorded on kinetoscopes have been lost.
Favorite Number: The show kicks off nicely with Merman performing the title song to explain the lunacy of the era. She and Bert Lahr have a lot of fun with "Friendship," and her "You're the Top" with Sinatra isn't bad, either. Sinatra's best solo is "All Through the Night" when he's in the brig; Merman's best solo moment is the rousing "Blow, Gabriel Blow" (which becomes a plot point when she uses it to point out Sinatra hiding among the guests).
Trivia: Merman was Reno Sweeney in the original Broadway production in 1934, with stage comedians William Gaxton and Victor Moore as her co-stars. The show would be revived off-Broadway in 1962, and successfully on Broadway twice, in 1987 with Patti LuPone as Reno, and in 2011 with Sutton Foster in the role.
Every version of Anything Goes since the original has added songs from his lesser-known shows of the 20's and 30's. This one includes "You Do Something to Me" from Fifty Million Frenchmen, "Just One of Those Things" from Jubilee, and "Friendship" from DuBarry Was a Lady.
Speaking of DuBarry, Merman and Lahr first performed together in the original 1939 Broadway cast of that show.
What I Don't Like: There's a reason this would be the only time Merman and Sinatra appeared together. They have no chemistry whatsoever, making Billy and Reno's constantly being pulled apart and thrown together even less believable. Their singing and performance styles are totally different; it's not as obvious in the comic "You're the Top," but their attempts at ballads in a reprise of "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "You Do Something To Me" have all the heat of two dead fish. The condensed show combines Reno with the ingenue role...which doesn't really work with Reno's character or Merman's tough personality. Lahr's attempts to bump up his notoriety are more interesting than Reno and Harry's romance.
And why was this set in the 20's? Every version of this since then has been set in the 30's, when the show and songs were written and first debuted.
The Big Finale: An interesting curiosity if you love Merman, Sinatra, Porter, or 50's musicals. Everyone else is better off listening to Merman and Sinatra's solo recordings of these songs.
Home Media: Out of print but not that hard to find on DVD; it can also be found on streaming.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Starring Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, Bert Lahr, and Sheree North
Directed by Sid Smith
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
We debark from the romantic Grecian isles to take a cruise to London in the 1920's. This is an early live TV version of the Cole Porter show, which had been a big hit with Merman in 1934 on Broadway. The Colgate Comedy Hour did this as a "special" in 1954, the only pairing of Merman and Sinatra. How does this tale of mistaken identity on the high seas look today? Let's head to the docks, where the ship is about to set sail, and find out...
The Story: In the 1920's, stage star Reno Sweeney (Merman) takes a cruise to London to marry her stuffy aristocratic fiancee, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Arthur Gould Porter). She's followed by her ex-boyfriend Harry Dane (Sinatra), who badly wants her back. Meanwhile, Moonface Martin (Lahr), the fifth most wanted hood in America, and his bubbly blond girlfriend Bonnie (North) are also on the boat, avoiding the police and trying to move up to the fourth most wanted. Moonface is disguised as a missionary after he got the real one (Nestor Palva) arrested. Harry ends up with the ID of the number one most wanted gangster in America and seeks help from Moonface to avoid the cops, while trying to make his case with a reluctant Reno.
The Song and Dance: I suspect this is the closest most people would get to see a live version of this onstage until the rise of YouTube. Despite being streamlined, the story is still closer to the Broadway show than either of the film versions. Lahr revels in the intimacy of the small screen, mugging and joking and having a ball. The glittery costumes for the most part nicely reflect the glamour of sea travel during the Roaring 20's, with North and most of the women wriggling in beads and sequins and Merman resplendent in several furs.
Not to mention, there's the simple history involved in seeing a big TV musical from the 1950's, since many live productions from the time recorded on kinetoscopes have been lost.
Favorite Number: The show kicks off nicely with Merman performing the title song to explain the lunacy of the era. She and Bert Lahr have a lot of fun with "Friendship," and her "You're the Top" with Sinatra isn't bad, either. Sinatra's best solo is "All Through the Night" when he's in the brig; Merman's best solo moment is the rousing "Blow, Gabriel Blow" (which becomes a plot point when she uses it to point out Sinatra hiding among the guests).
Trivia: Merman was Reno Sweeney in the original Broadway production in 1934, with stage comedians William Gaxton and Victor Moore as her co-stars. The show would be revived off-Broadway in 1962, and successfully on Broadway twice, in 1987 with Patti LuPone as Reno, and in 2011 with Sutton Foster in the role.
Every version of Anything Goes since the original has added songs from his lesser-known shows of the 20's and 30's. This one includes "You Do Something to Me" from Fifty Million Frenchmen, "Just One of Those Things" from Jubilee, and "Friendship" from DuBarry Was a Lady.
Speaking of DuBarry, Merman and Lahr first performed together in the original 1939 Broadway cast of that show.
What I Don't Like: There's a reason this would be the only time Merman and Sinatra appeared together. They have no chemistry whatsoever, making Billy and Reno's constantly being pulled apart and thrown together even less believable. Their singing and performance styles are totally different; it's not as obvious in the comic "You're the Top," but their attempts at ballads in a reprise of "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "You Do Something To Me" have all the heat of two dead fish. The condensed show combines Reno with the ingenue role...which doesn't really work with Reno's character or Merman's tough personality. Lahr's attempts to bump up his notoriety are more interesting than Reno and Harry's romance.
And why was this set in the 20's? Every version of this since then has been set in the 30's, when the show and songs were written and first debuted.
The Big Finale: An interesting curiosity if you love Merman, Sinatra, Porter, or 50's musicals. Everyone else is better off listening to Merman and Sinatra's solo recordings of these songs.
Home Media: Out of print but not that hard to find on DVD; it can also be found on streaming.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Universal, 2018
Starring Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Pierce Brosonan, and James Irvine
Directed by Ol Parker
Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus
Universal had been trying to get a sequel to Mamma Mia! off the ground ever since the first movie was a huge hit in 2008. When they did finally got a sequel off the ground, it was mostly without a busy Meryl Streep, who for many people was the first film. How does this second round of ABBA tunes and mother-daughter bonding work without her? For an answer, we return to the Greek island of Kalakori and Donna's villa, where her daughter Sophie (Seyfried), is working on achieving her mother's dream...
The Story: Sophie has been restoring her mother's villa as a hotel ever since she'd passed away the year before. She's in a panic over the grand opening party, especially because the only one of her fathers who can come is Sam (Brosonan). Her mother's two best friends, Tanya (Christine Baranski), and Rosie (Julie Walters), do make it. Rose's still upset that she broke up with Bill; Tanya's more than happy to flirt with Fernando (Andy Garcia), the hotel manager. Sophie's also having problems with her husband Skye (Dominic Cooper), who stayed in New York for his job and because he's tired of her obsession with her mother.
From Sam, Tanya, Rosie, and the citizens of the island, she learned how her mother had originally come to have her. Having just graduated Oxford in 1979, Donna (James), Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn), and Rosie (Alexa Davies) are looking forward to a summer traveling around Europe. Donna meets Harry (Hugh Skinner) in Paris and sleeps with him, but leaves soon after. She catches a ride to Greece with Bill (Josh Dylan). Soon after arriving in Greece, she discovers the farmhouse and is delighted by its unfinished charms. She discovers a horse in the basement that's spooked by a storm. Sam (Irvine) comes in to help. She's as much in love with him as the island, but her love fizzles quickly when she discovers that he has a fiancee back home. She finally opts to stay when the mother of the owner of the bar where she and the girls sang (Maria Vacratsis) agrees to let her live at the farmhouse for free for saving her horse.
Meanwhile, another storm has destroyed Sophie's outdoor grand opening party and delayed the arrival of the press. She and Sam are devastated...until the ferries arrive, and Sophie begins to understand how important her mother's dream and her kindness were to many people, not just her.
The Song and Dance: I was impressed by the story this time around. It's touching and thoughtful and maybe even a tad bit darker than the first film, while not sacrificing that fizzy fun that made the original such a huge favorite. James was excellent as the young Donna, bubbling with life and love (and possessing a lovely singing voice, to boot). In fact, the casting of the young actors, men and women, was absolutely spot-on. They really did look like they could have been the actors 20 years ago. The filming in Croatia was equally gorgeous, with some wonderful vistas of the Adriatic Sea.
Favorite Number: The past sequence starts strong with "When I Kissed the Teacher," Donna and her friends' big song that turns their Oxford graduation into a wacky disco concert. Seyfried and Cooper have a nice split-screen "One of Us" about their broken relationship. Donna goes off with Bill in "Why Did It Have to Be Me?"...but Harry's wondering how he got left behind. "I Have a Dream" reveals Donna's desire to restore the farmhouse and how much she now loves the island life, even during a storm. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" packs a wallop as she and Sam break up; "Mamma Mia!" is Tanya and Rosie's attempt to cheer her up, but it's so infectious, turns into a number for half the island. "Dancing Queen" is almost as epic as the previous film as the elder Bill and Harry finally arrive at the island. Cher and Andy Garcia get in on the action with a fun "Fernando" towards the end.
Trivia: Look for cameos by songwriters and original ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus as a professor in "When I Kissed the Teacher" and Benny Andersson as the pianist in the Parisian restaurant in "Waterloo."
What I Don't Like: They couldn't have brought Cher and Streep in a tad earlier? Like, before the last ten minutes of the film? Streep's energy and enthusiasm from the original film is definitely missed, and not just by the characters. Actually, the obsession with her and how wonderful she was can get a little annoying in the present sequences. Though the story isn't as fluffy as the first movie, it's still fairly light-hearted, especially for something that heavily discusses birth and death. And yes, this still isn't for people who don't love ABBA or the pop music of the late 70's.
The Big Finale: To my surprise, I enjoyed this far more than the first one. Streep's missed, but the rest of the cast is game, the numbers are just as much fun, and the plot is touching, sweet, and makes a lot more sense (and actually has a resolution). If you loved the first film or are a fan of ABBA or the cast, by all means, check this one out, too.
Home Media: This was just as big of a hit as the original, and is just as easy to find in all formats, including streaming and 4K.
DVD
Blu Ray - Mamma Mia! 2 Movie Collection
Blu Ray
4K
Amazon Prime
Starring Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Pierce Brosonan, and James Irvine
Directed by Ol Parker
Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus
Universal had been trying to get a sequel to Mamma Mia! off the ground ever since the first movie was a huge hit in 2008. When they did finally got a sequel off the ground, it was mostly without a busy Meryl Streep, who for many people was the first film. How does this second round of ABBA tunes and mother-daughter bonding work without her? For an answer, we return to the Greek island of Kalakori and Donna's villa, where her daughter Sophie (Seyfried), is working on achieving her mother's dream...
The Story: Sophie has been restoring her mother's villa as a hotel ever since she'd passed away the year before. She's in a panic over the grand opening party, especially because the only one of her fathers who can come is Sam (Brosonan). Her mother's two best friends, Tanya (Christine Baranski), and Rosie (Julie Walters), do make it. Rose's still upset that she broke up with Bill; Tanya's more than happy to flirt with Fernando (Andy Garcia), the hotel manager. Sophie's also having problems with her husband Skye (Dominic Cooper), who stayed in New York for his job and because he's tired of her obsession with her mother.
From Sam, Tanya, Rosie, and the citizens of the island, she learned how her mother had originally come to have her. Having just graduated Oxford in 1979, Donna (James), Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn), and Rosie (Alexa Davies) are looking forward to a summer traveling around Europe. Donna meets Harry (Hugh Skinner) in Paris and sleeps with him, but leaves soon after. She catches a ride to Greece with Bill (Josh Dylan). Soon after arriving in Greece, she discovers the farmhouse and is delighted by its unfinished charms. She discovers a horse in the basement that's spooked by a storm. Sam (Irvine) comes in to help. She's as much in love with him as the island, but her love fizzles quickly when she discovers that he has a fiancee back home. She finally opts to stay when the mother of the owner of the bar where she and the girls sang (Maria Vacratsis) agrees to let her live at the farmhouse for free for saving her horse.
Meanwhile, another storm has destroyed Sophie's outdoor grand opening party and delayed the arrival of the press. She and Sam are devastated...until the ferries arrive, and Sophie begins to understand how important her mother's dream and her kindness were to many people, not just her.
The Song and Dance: I was impressed by the story this time around. It's touching and thoughtful and maybe even a tad bit darker than the first film, while not sacrificing that fizzy fun that made the original such a huge favorite. James was excellent as the young Donna, bubbling with life and love (and possessing a lovely singing voice, to boot). In fact, the casting of the young actors, men and women, was absolutely spot-on. They really did look like they could have been the actors 20 years ago. The filming in Croatia was equally gorgeous, with some wonderful vistas of the Adriatic Sea.
Favorite Number: The past sequence starts strong with "When I Kissed the Teacher," Donna and her friends' big song that turns their Oxford graduation into a wacky disco concert. Seyfried and Cooper have a nice split-screen "One of Us" about their broken relationship. Donna goes off with Bill in "Why Did It Have to Be Me?"...but Harry's wondering how he got left behind. "I Have a Dream" reveals Donna's desire to restore the farmhouse and how much she now loves the island life, even during a storm. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" packs a wallop as she and Sam break up; "Mamma Mia!" is Tanya and Rosie's attempt to cheer her up, but it's so infectious, turns into a number for half the island. "Dancing Queen" is almost as epic as the previous film as the elder Bill and Harry finally arrive at the island. Cher and Andy Garcia get in on the action with a fun "Fernando" towards the end.
Trivia: Look for cameos by songwriters and original ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus as a professor in "When I Kissed the Teacher" and Benny Andersson as the pianist in the Parisian restaurant in "Waterloo."
What I Don't Like: They couldn't have brought Cher and Streep in a tad earlier? Like, before the last ten minutes of the film? Streep's energy and enthusiasm from the original film is definitely missed, and not just by the characters. Actually, the obsession with her and how wonderful she was can get a little annoying in the present sequences. Though the story isn't as fluffy as the first movie, it's still fairly light-hearted, especially for something that heavily discusses birth and death. And yes, this still isn't for people who don't love ABBA or the pop music of the late 70's.
The Big Finale: To my surprise, I enjoyed this far more than the first one. Streep's missed, but the rest of the cast is game, the numbers are just as much fun, and the plot is touching, sweet, and makes a lot more sense (and actually has a resolution). If you loved the first film or are a fan of ABBA or the cast, by all means, check this one out, too.
Home Media: This was just as big of a hit as the original, and is just as easy to find in all formats, including streaming and 4K.
DVD
Blu Ray - Mamma Mia! 2 Movie Collection
Blu Ray
4K
Amazon Prime
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Mamma Mia!: The Movie
Universal, 2008
Starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Christine Baranski
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus
With the summer season upon us here in the US, this is the perfect time to get away from it all, taking a romantic cruise or a trip to an exotic isle. We start with this major hit from June 2008. The frothy story of a young woman, her mother, and the three men she invited to her wedding is really just an excuse for a series of great musical numbers set to the music of 70's pop group ABBA. Is it as fizzy as the champagne at the wedding, or does it hit a few sour notes? Let's head to the Greek island of Kalokari and find out...
The Story: Sophie (Seyfried) is a 20-year-old woman who has just invited three men to her wedding at her mother Donna's (Streep) villa hotel. She's hoping one of these men will be her father and walk her down the aisle. They're about as different as they can get; Sam (Brosnan) is an architect who is looking to make changes in his life, Bill (Stellan Skarsgard), a travel writer and sailor, and Harry (Colin Firth), an uptight banker. Donna, a former rock singer, has invited her own best friends and backing singers, rich divorcee Tanya (Baranski) and live-for-the-moment author Rosie (Julie Walters). She wishes someone would take over running the villa from her, or at least help her pick up a few extra dollars to keep it going. The last thing she's expecting is to see three men whom she hadn't spoken to since the late 70's. Now, while the entire island gets hyped up for the wedding, Donna has to figure out which man she wants for her daughter's father...and which she truly loves.
The Song and Dance: This may be the ultimate party musical. Most folks aren't the greatest singers or dancers, but everyone's having such a great time, you just kind of get swept along. Streep gets to show off her comic side (and a nice voice, too) as the confused Donna; Seyfried so impressed people with her lovely voice, this movie lead to her getting the role of Cosette in Les Miserables. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, beautifully displaying the Mediterranean and Greek isles in all their glittering turquoise glory. There's a lot of fun choreography in the chorus numbers, notably "Dancing Queen," "Does Your Mother Know?" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."
If nothing else, it's rare that you see a close mother-daughter relationship portrayed in a musical. Not only Donna, but her friends are supportive of and very loving to Sophie, standing by her decisions even when they're not thrilled with her bringing her fathers to the island.
Favorite Number: Seyfried kicks things off well with a sweet "I Have a Dream" and an adorable "Honey, Honey" with her bridesmaids as she reads off her mother's diaries and her relationship with the three men. "Money, Money, Money" and "Mamma Mia!" are great numbers for Streep (the latter ending hilariously with her literally falling right into her ex-lovers), and she gets a killer "The Winner Takes It All" late in the film. Baranski joins the younger guys to ask them "Does Your Mother Know?" on the beach. "Dancing Queen" starts with Rosie and Tanya trying to cheer up Donna. It works so well, every woman on the entire island ends up dancing and singing along with them. Their energy and enthusiasm is so infectious and joyful, you really can't blame them.
Trivia: Mamma Mia! started out on England's West End, where it was a smash, playing for 13 years. It was even more popular in the US, playing at the Winter Garden and Broadhurst Theaters in New York for 14 years. The movie version did go over well in the US, but it wound up being the biggest hit of 2008 in England and in much of Europe, where ABBA still has many long-time fans.
What I Don't Like: Did I mention the fluffy story? Yeah, it's barely of consequence. They don't even resolve the major plot point - Sophie's search for her father. While the ladies' singing ranges from gorgeous to passable, the men don't go over quite as well. Pierce Brosonan can barely carry a tune, and he has three major ballads and a duet. His "S.O.S" is painful. And obviously, this isn't for anyone who doesn't like ABBA, the rock/pop of the late 70's, or are looking for a meatier or more dramatic story. Not to mention, it goes on for at least 20 minutes too long. Some of those later numbers (including Brosonan's) could have been trimmed or eliminated.
The Big Finale: It's not a great musical, but it is a fun one, with energetic numbers performed by a cast who are thoroughly enjoying themselves. This would be a blast for girls' night in, sleepovers, or other all-female events.
Home Media: As one of the most popular musicals of the last decade or so, this is easily found in all formats, including packaged with its sequel.
DVD
DVD - Mamma Mia! 2-Movie Collection
Blu-Ray
4K
Amazon Prime
But wait, there's more! Check in on Thursday for the review of the sequel, Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again!
Starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Christine Baranski
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus
With the summer season upon us here in the US, this is the perfect time to get away from it all, taking a romantic cruise or a trip to an exotic isle. We start with this major hit from June 2008. The frothy story of a young woman, her mother, and the three men she invited to her wedding is really just an excuse for a series of great musical numbers set to the music of 70's pop group ABBA. Is it as fizzy as the champagne at the wedding, or does it hit a few sour notes? Let's head to the Greek island of Kalokari and find out...
The Story: Sophie (Seyfried) is a 20-year-old woman who has just invited three men to her wedding at her mother Donna's (Streep) villa hotel. She's hoping one of these men will be her father and walk her down the aisle. They're about as different as they can get; Sam (Brosnan) is an architect who is looking to make changes in his life, Bill (Stellan Skarsgard), a travel writer and sailor, and Harry (Colin Firth), an uptight banker. Donna, a former rock singer, has invited her own best friends and backing singers, rich divorcee Tanya (Baranski) and live-for-the-moment author Rosie (Julie Walters). She wishes someone would take over running the villa from her, or at least help her pick up a few extra dollars to keep it going. The last thing she's expecting is to see three men whom she hadn't spoken to since the late 70's. Now, while the entire island gets hyped up for the wedding, Donna has to figure out which man she wants for her daughter's father...and which she truly loves.
The Song and Dance: This may be the ultimate party musical. Most folks aren't the greatest singers or dancers, but everyone's having such a great time, you just kind of get swept along. Streep gets to show off her comic side (and a nice voice, too) as the confused Donna; Seyfried so impressed people with her lovely voice, this movie lead to her getting the role of Cosette in Les Miserables. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, beautifully displaying the Mediterranean and Greek isles in all their glittering turquoise glory. There's a lot of fun choreography in the chorus numbers, notably "Dancing Queen," "Does Your Mother Know?" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."
If nothing else, it's rare that you see a close mother-daughter relationship portrayed in a musical. Not only Donna, but her friends are supportive of and very loving to Sophie, standing by her decisions even when they're not thrilled with her bringing her fathers to the island.
Favorite Number: Seyfried kicks things off well with a sweet "I Have a Dream" and an adorable "Honey, Honey" with her bridesmaids as she reads off her mother's diaries and her relationship with the three men. "Money, Money, Money" and "Mamma Mia!" are great numbers for Streep (the latter ending hilariously with her literally falling right into her ex-lovers), and she gets a killer "The Winner Takes It All" late in the film. Baranski joins the younger guys to ask them "Does Your Mother Know?" on the beach. "Dancing Queen" starts with Rosie and Tanya trying to cheer up Donna. It works so well, every woman on the entire island ends up dancing and singing along with them. Their energy and enthusiasm is so infectious and joyful, you really can't blame them.
Trivia: Mamma Mia! started out on England's West End, where it was a smash, playing for 13 years. It was even more popular in the US, playing at the Winter Garden and Broadhurst Theaters in New York for 14 years. The movie version did go over well in the US, but it wound up being the biggest hit of 2008 in England and in much of Europe, where ABBA still has many long-time fans.
What I Don't Like: Did I mention the fluffy story? Yeah, it's barely of consequence. They don't even resolve the major plot point - Sophie's search for her father. While the ladies' singing ranges from gorgeous to passable, the men don't go over quite as well. Pierce Brosonan can barely carry a tune, and he has three major ballads and a duet. His "S.O.S" is painful. And obviously, this isn't for anyone who doesn't like ABBA, the rock/pop of the late 70's, or are looking for a meatier or more dramatic story. Not to mention, it goes on for at least 20 minutes too long. Some of those later numbers (including Brosonan's) could have been trimmed or eliminated.
The Big Finale: It's not a great musical, but it is a fun one, with energetic numbers performed by a cast who are thoroughly enjoying themselves. This would be a blast for girls' night in, sleepovers, or other all-female events.
Home Media: As one of the most popular musicals of the last decade or so, this is easily found in all formats, including packaged with its sequel.
DVD
DVD - Mamma Mia! 2-Movie Collection
Blu-Ray
4K
Amazon Prime
But wait, there's more! Check in on Thursday for the review of the sequel, Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again!
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Musicals on TV - Jack and the Beanstalk
Hanna-Barbera, 1967
Starring Gene Kelly, Bobby Riha, Janet Waldo, and Ted Cassidy
Directed by Gene Kelly
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
This charming live action-animated hybrid used to show up a lot of cable when I was barely older than Jack. It was possibly my first exposure to Gene Kelly, long before I saw Singin' In the Rain or On the Town. How does this musical retelling of the famous English fairy tale look nowadays? Let's join Jack (Riha) and his cow on a dusty yellow road to town and find out...
The Story: Young Jack is ordered by his mother (Marion McKnight) to sell his beloved cow. Jeremy Keen (Kelly), a peddler on the road, can tell how reluctant he is to part with her and offers to trade her for some magic beans. It turns out that the beans are more magical than Jeremy thought. When the little boy accidentally plants them, they grow into a beanstalk that reaches the sky!
Climbing the beanstalk brings them to a beautiful land of huge plants and a towering castle. It's the home of a giant ogre who eats little boys and peddlers and has a cat who terrorizes the local mice. Among the treasures the giant has stolen from the local kingdoms is a goose who lays golden eggs and a beautiful princess (Waldo) who was turned into a harp. While Jeremy tries to break the spell and rescue the princess, Jack befriends the mice and encourages them to fight the cat.
The Animation: Only slightly removed from Hey There, It's Yogi Bear. It's the same sketchy style used in most Hanna-Barbera productions of this time period, with super-cute mice and a slightly more realistic-looking cat than usual for them. The effects on Kelly and Marni Nixon's duet reprise of "One Starry Evening" do look pretty good, though, especially as Kelly dances with a cartoon princess.
The Song and Dance: I've always loved fairy tales, and this one is a lot of fun. Kelly and Riha work and dance quite nicely together; Riha has a great scene where he's trying to remind the mice that the cat may be big, but they have safety in numbers. Waldo makes a sweet princess, and Ted Cassidy is an appropriately booming giant.
Favorite Number: "A Tiny Bit of Faith," the song Jeremy sings to Jack several times, is very catch and is probably the best song in the movie. Jack's chorus number with the mice, "Stiffen That Upper Lip," is also a lot of fun. The lone ballad "One Starry Night" turns up twice, first as a song of longing for the Princess trapped in the harp, then as a duet for her and Jeremy after she's freed.
What I Don't Like: The combination of animation and live-action may have looked good on the small screen in 1967, but it now occasionally looks fake or awkward. Several sequences seem to be there more as padding than anything, especially Kelly's number with a pair of "Woggle Birds" who do a routine explaining what they do and disappear, never to be mentioned again.
The Big Finale: A fun retelling if you can find it; great for younger kids or fans of Kelly or Hanna-Barbera.
Home Media: I really wish the Warner Archive release of this one that I have wasn't out of print! Check used venues like Goodwill and eBay.
DVD
Starring Gene Kelly, Bobby Riha, Janet Waldo, and Ted Cassidy
Directed by Gene Kelly
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
This charming live action-animated hybrid used to show up a lot of cable when I was barely older than Jack. It was possibly my first exposure to Gene Kelly, long before I saw Singin' In the Rain or On the Town. How does this musical retelling of the famous English fairy tale look nowadays? Let's join Jack (Riha) and his cow on a dusty yellow road to town and find out...
The Story: Young Jack is ordered by his mother (Marion McKnight) to sell his beloved cow. Jeremy Keen (Kelly), a peddler on the road, can tell how reluctant he is to part with her and offers to trade her for some magic beans. It turns out that the beans are more magical than Jeremy thought. When the little boy accidentally plants them, they grow into a beanstalk that reaches the sky!
Climbing the beanstalk brings them to a beautiful land of huge plants and a towering castle. It's the home of a giant ogre who eats little boys and peddlers and has a cat who terrorizes the local mice. Among the treasures the giant has stolen from the local kingdoms is a goose who lays golden eggs and a beautiful princess (Waldo) who was turned into a harp. While Jeremy tries to break the spell and rescue the princess, Jack befriends the mice and encourages them to fight the cat.
The Animation: Only slightly removed from Hey There, It's Yogi Bear. It's the same sketchy style used in most Hanna-Barbera productions of this time period, with super-cute mice and a slightly more realistic-looking cat than usual for them. The effects on Kelly and Marni Nixon's duet reprise of "One Starry Evening" do look pretty good, though, especially as Kelly dances with a cartoon princess.
The Song and Dance: I've always loved fairy tales, and this one is a lot of fun. Kelly and Riha work and dance quite nicely together; Riha has a great scene where he's trying to remind the mice that the cat may be big, but they have safety in numbers. Waldo makes a sweet princess, and Ted Cassidy is an appropriately booming giant.
Favorite Number: "A Tiny Bit of Faith," the song Jeremy sings to Jack several times, is very catch and is probably the best song in the movie. Jack's chorus number with the mice, "Stiffen That Upper Lip," is also a lot of fun. The lone ballad "One Starry Night" turns up twice, first as a song of longing for the Princess trapped in the harp, then as a duet for her and Jeremy after she's freed.
What I Don't Like: The combination of animation and live-action may have looked good on the small screen in 1967, but it now occasionally looks fake or awkward. Several sequences seem to be there more as padding than anything, especially Kelly's number with a pair of "Woggle Birds" who do a routine explaining what they do and disappear, never to be mentioned again.
The Big Finale: A fun retelling if you can find it; great for younger kids or fans of Kelly or Hanna-Barbera.
Home Media: I really wish the Warner Archive release of this one that I have wasn't out of print! Check used venues like Goodwill and eBay.
DVD
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Happy 4th of July! - Yankee Doodle Dandy
Warner Bros, 1942
Starring James Cagney, Walter Huston, Joan Leslie, and Richard Whorf
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Music and Lyrics by George M. Cohan
I couldn't think of a better way to end our All-American Weekdays than with this salute to one America's most patriotic songwriters. The title song, "You're a Grand Old Flag," and "Give My Regards to Broadway" remain popular to this day. When I was in kindergarten, we started off the day by singing "You're a Grand Old Flag." My mother used to put this on every 4th of July either right before or after the fireworks. Is it worth being a part of your holiday barbecue? Let's head to the Music Box Theatre in New York, where Cohan (Cagney) is performing in one of his last shows, and find out...
The Story: Called to the President (Captain Jack Young) to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, Cohan ends up relating his life story. Born on the 4th of July to vaudevillians Jerry (Huston) and Nellie (Rosemary DeCamp) Cohan, he and later on his little sister Josie (Jeanne Cagney) join the act as soon as they're able. They travel from town to town, performing wherever there's a theater. George is eager to show his stuff, but his ego often gets them into trouble, whether it's playing "Peck's Bad Boy" as a child and getting too into his role, or pushing his girlfriend Mary (Leslie) and his music to an uninterested vaudeville producer as an adult.
He finally leaves the act, joining with producer Sam Harris (Whorf) to hawk their songs to producers. They do manage to find a taker in producer Schwab (SK Sakall). George's show Little Johnny Jones is a huge hit, enough to bring back his family to appear in his next show. He even manages to get huge star Faye Templeton (Irene Manning) to appear in one of his shows. She does get to sing the ballad he wrote for Mary, "Mary's a Grand Old Name," but Mary and George are the ones who wed.
George keeps writing hits, but things are changing. His parents and sister retire, then pass away. He writes a huge hit during World War I, "Over There," then finds himself falling out of favor with the public during the more cynical 20's. After a trip around the world, he settles down on the farm with Mary...but it takes a group of teens and their attitudes and lack of recognition to convince him to make one final show.
The Song and Dance: After Pearl Harbor happened during filming, the cast and crew set out to make the most patriotic musical they could...and they certainly succeeded. Cagney won an Oscar for his performance as the cocky, charming theatrical jack-of-all-trade. His perpetual energy fuels the entire film, especially in the first half, when he and his family are struggling and he's trying to prove to Broadway that some Irish kid can dominate the stage. Huston is warm and funny as his beloved father; Leslie's lovely as his sweet and sensible Mary. Jeanne Cagney, Cagney's real-life sister, is cute as a button as Josie.
Favorite Number: Even where the biography is pure fiction, the numbers are pretty close to the mark. The staging of Little Johnny Jones is pretty accurate to the time, including the flare going up over the boat during "Give My Regards to Broadway." Likewise, Cagney's "Off the Record" in the finale is said to be spot-on. Cagney and Leslie are charming together in their duet to impress a pair of producers, "Harrigan." "Grand Old Flag" may be the most patriotic musical number ever committed to film, with its marching everyday Americans, Civil War veterans, and Huston and DeCamp dressed as no less than Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty.
Trivia: James Cagney actually disliked Cohan because he sided with the producers during the 1919 Equity strike. He agreed to play him because he had been accused of being a communist and needed to make something really patriotic to improve his image. This did it. The movie was a smash, the second-biggest hit of 1942 after MGM's Mrs. Miniver, and Warner Bros' biggest money-maker of the year.
Along with Best Actor for Cagney, it won Best Score of Musical and Best Sound Recording.
That little dance Cagney does going down the stairs after getting his medal wasn't originally in the script. He devised it right before the scene started shooting.
That's Eddie Foy Jr. playing his father in a short sequence where he comments on Cohan's many abilities. Cagney would repay the favor by playing Cohan in the 1955 film biography of Foy and his family, The Seven Little Foys.
There would be a somewhat more accurate Broadway stage version of Cohan's life in 1968 with Joel Gray as George, George M!
What I Don't Like: Cohan himself was a consultant on this movie, and he saw to it that very little that was unflattering got in there. Mary is a condensed version of his two wives Ethel and Agnes. His mother died well before his father. Popularity was a flop...in 1906, not 1915, when the Lusitania was sunk. There's no reference to his dust-ups with Equity in 1919 that soured him on directing for the rest of his life.
The Big Finale: A perfect cast and terrific, period-accurate numbers make all the difference and keep this from feeling as bland as other musical biographies of this period. If you love Cagney or Cohan or just want a blast of Americana, this his highly recommended.
Home Media: The 2-disc Special Edition I have was just re-released this year as part of the Warner Archives, who also put out the Blu-Ray. It's also easily found on several streaming companies.
DVD
DVD - 5 Film Collection: Musicals
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring James Cagney, Walter Huston, Joan Leslie, and Richard Whorf
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Music and Lyrics by George M. Cohan
I couldn't think of a better way to end our All-American Weekdays than with this salute to one America's most patriotic songwriters. The title song, "You're a Grand Old Flag," and "Give My Regards to Broadway" remain popular to this day. When I was in kindergarten, we started off the day by singing "You're a Grand Old Flag." My mother used to put this on every 4th of July either right before or after the fireworks. Is it worth being a part of your holiday barbecue? Let's head to the Music Box Theatre in New York, where Cohan (Cagney) is performing in one of his last shows, and find out...
The Story: Called to the President (Captain Jack Young) to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, Cohan ends up relating his life story. Born on the 4th of July to vaudevillians Jerry (Huston) and Nellie (Rosemary DeCamp) Cohan, he and later on his little sister Josie (Jeanne Cagney) join the act as soon as they're able. They travel from town to town, performing wherever there's a theater. George is eager to show his stuff, but his ego often gets them into trouble, whether it's playing "Peck's Bad Boy" as a child and getting too into his role, or pushing his girlfriend Mary (Leslie) and his music to an uninterested vaudeville producer as an adult.
He finally leaves the act, joining with producer Sam Harris (Whorf) to hawk their songs to producers. They do manage to find a taker in producer Schwab (SK Sakall). George's show Little Johnny Jones is a huge hit, enough to bring back his family to appear in his next show. He even manages to get huge star Faye Templeton (Irene Manning) to appear in one of his shows. She does get to sing the ballad he wrote for Mary, "Mary's a Grand Old Name," but Mary and George are the ones who wed.
George keeps writing hits, but things are changing. His parents and sister retire, then pass away. He writes a huge hit during World War I, "Over There," then finds himself falling out of favor with the public during the more cynical 20's. After a trip around the world, he settles down on the farm with Mary...but it takes a group of teens and their attitudes and lack of recognition to convince him to make one final show.
The Song and Dance: After Pearl Harbor happened during filming, the cast and crew set out to make the most patriotic musical they could...and they certainly succeeded. Cagney won an Oscar for his performance as the cocky, charming theatrical jack-of-all-trade. His perpetual energy fuels the entire film, especially in the first half, when he and his family are struggling and he's trying to prove to Broadway that some Irish kid can dominate the stage. Huston is warm and funny as his beloved father; Leslie's lovely as his sweet and sensible Mary. Jeanne Cagney, Cagney's real-life sister, is cute as a button as Josie.
Favorite Number: Even where the biography is pure fiction, the numbers are pretty close to the mark. The staging of Little Johnny Jones is pretty accurate to the time, including the flare going up over the boat during "Give My Regards to Broadway." Likewise, Cagney's "Off the Record" in the finale is said to be spot-on. Cagney and Leslie are charming together in their duet to impress a pair of producers, "Harrigan." "Grand Old Flag" may be the most patriotic musical number ever committed to film, with its marching everyday Americans, Civil War veterans, and Huston and DeCamp dressed as no less than Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty.
Trivia: James Cagney actually disliked Cohan because he sided with the producers during the 1919 Equity strike. He agreed to play him because he had been accused of being a communist and needed to make something really patriotic to improve his image. This did it. The movie was a smash, the second-biggest hit of 1942 after MGM's Mrs. Miniver, and Warner Bros' biggest money-maker of the year.
Along with Best Actor for Cagney, it won Best Score of Musical and Best Sound Recording.
That little dance Cagney does going down the stairs after getting his medal wasn't originally in the script. He devised it right before the scene started shooting.
That's Eddie Foy Jr. playing his father in a short sequence where he comments on Cohan's many abilities. Cagney would repay the favor by playing Cohan in the 1955 film biography of Foy and his family, The Seven Little Foys.
There would be a somewhat more accurate Broadway stage version of Cohan's life in 1968 with Joel Gray as George, George M!
What I Don't Like: Cohan himself was a consultant on this movie, and he saw to it that very little that was unflattering got in there. Mary is a condensed version of his two wives Ethel and Agnes. His mother died well before his father. Popularity was a flop...in 1906, not 1915, when the Lusitania was sunk. There's no reference to his dust-ups with Equity in 1919 that soured him on directing for the rest of his life.
The Big Finale: A perfect cast and terrific, period-accurate numbers make all the difference and keep this from feeling as bland as other musical biographies of this period. If you love Cagney or Cohan or just want a blast of Americana, this his highly recommended.
Home Media: The 2-disc Special Edition I have was just re-released this year as part of the Warner Archives, who also put out the Blu-Ray. It's also easily found on several streaming companies.
DVD
DVD - 5 Film Collection: Musicals
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
1776
Columbia, 1972
Starring William Daniels, Howard DaSilva, Ken Howard, and Virginia Westoff
Directed by Peter H. Hunt
Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards
We continue All-American Weekdays with what could be called the most patriotic of all film musicals. An adaptation of Broadway show from 1969, this wasn't a huge hit when it came out in 1972 (with critics or politicians), but picked up a far larger audience when it was restored on DVD and Blu-Ray. Let's head to Philadelphia to join a frustrated John Adams (Daniels) and see just how close the United States was to never existing at all...
The Story: Adams is determined to see that the US is free from the tyranny of England and its taxes, but he can't get the Continental Congress to discuss the matter, let alone agree on anything. The New Jersey delegation is late, New York refuses vote, the southerners want to keep slavery going, and most of Pennsylvania except for snarky Benjamin Franklin (DaSilva) want to remain a colony. Adams and Franklin recruit a reluctant Thomas Jefferson (Howard) to write a Declaration of Independence putting down their intentions...and bring around his wife Martha (Blythe Danner) to make sure he does it. Even after it's written, they need a unanimous vote to pass it. It'll take all their skills and know-how - with a little help from Adams' sensible wife Abigail (Westoff) and the ladies of Massachusetts - to convince Congress that they're ready to make history.
The Song and Dance: Anyone who is only familiar with William Daniels' TV work will likely find this to be a revelation. He's a real firebrand, hilarious with the delightfully deadpan DaSilva, pushy and tough with Congress. DaSilva steals every scene he's in as America's first snark king and one of Philadelphia's most beloved icons. Others who do well here include Ron Holgate as hammy Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, Donald Madden as resolute Pennsylvanian John Dickinson, and one-scene wonder John Cullum as South Carolinian Edward Rutledge.
For all they invented, a lot of the dialogue and lyrics are taken straight from letters and personal accounts written later. Much of this was quite accurate, including how hard it was for Adams to get that unanimous vote. I love that last scene with them all sitting and
Favorite Number: We learn why Adams is having problems getting the motion to revolt passed in the opening numbers "Sit Down, John," and "Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve," two rousing chorus routines for the Congress that reveal just how unpopular Adams is. Adams and Abigail have three lovely dream sequences where they reveal just how much in love they are (and were in real-life, apparently), "'Til Then," "Yours, Yours, Yours," and "Compliments." Ron Holgate has a blast with the puns and horse-back-riding of "The Lees of Old Virginia," while John Cullum vividly portrays how the slave trade worked (and how the south and the north profited off it) in "Molasses to Rum." A young courier (Stephan Nathan) sings the heartbreaking anti-war number of what happens to those young men who go off to war, "Momma Look Sharp."
What I Don't Like: As one of the last of the epic Broadway adaptations of the 1960's and early 70's, this is very talky and super sloooowwww. Despite a few exterior numbers filmed like "Til Then," it mostly looks like the filmed play it is. People move around enough to keep it just this side of static. It's also very long, over two and a half hours, and you definitely feel it.
The Big Finale: If you love Hamilton or American history, you'll want to take a look at this earlier exploration into the American Revolution. It makes one proud to be an American.
Home Media: All versions currently available use the restored Director's Cut, with the additional number "Cool, Considerate Men." The Blu-Ray has even more sequences restored. Amazon Prime is in 4K.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring William Daniels, Howard DaSilva, Ken Howard, and Virginia Westoff
Directed by Peter H. Hunt
Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards
We continue All-American Weekdays with what could be called the most patriotic of all film musicals. An adaptation of Broadway show from 1969, this wasn't a huge hit when it came out in 1972 (with critics or politicians), but picked up a far larger audience when it was restored on DVD and Blu-Ray. Let's head to Philadelphia to join a frustrated John Adams (Daniels) and see just how close the United States was to never existing at all...
The Story: Adams is determined to see that the US is free from the tyranny of England and its taxes, but he can't get the Continental Congress to discuss the matter, let alone agree on anything. The New Jersey delegation is late, New York refuses vote, the southerners want to keep slavery going, and most of Pennsylvania except for snarky Benjamin Franklin (DaSilva) want to remain a colony. Adams and Franklin recruit a reluctant Thomas Jefferson (Howard) to write a Declaration of Independence putting down their intentions...and bring around his wife Martha (Blythe Danner) to make sure he does it. Even after it's written, they need a unanimous vote to pass it. It'll take all their skills and know-how - with a little help from Adams' sensible wife Abigail (Westoff) and the ladies of Massachusetts - to convince Congress that they're ready to make history.
The Song and Dance: Anyone who is only familiar with William Daniels' TV work will likely find this to be a revelation. He's a real firebrand, hilarious with the delightfully deadpan DaSilva, pushy and tough with Congress. DaSilva steals every scene he's in as America's first snark king and one of Philadelphia's most beloved icons. Others who do well here include Ron Holgate as hammy Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, Donald Madden as resolute Pennsylvanian John Dickinson, and one-scene wonder John Cullum as South Carolinian Edward Rutledge.
For all they invented, a lot of the dialogue and lyrics are taken straight from letters and personal accounts written later. Much of this was quite accurate, including how hard it was for Adams to get that unanimous vote. I love that last scene with them all sitting and
Favorite Number: We learn why Adams is having problems getting the motion to revolt passed in the opening numbers "Sit Down, John," and "Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve," two rousing chorus routines for the Congress that reveal just how unpopular Adams is. Adams and Abigail have three lovely dream sequences where they reveal just how much in love they are (and were in real-life, apparently), "'Til Then," "Yours, Yours, Yours," and "Compliments." Ron Holgate has a blast with the puns and horse-back-riding of "The Lees of Old Virginia," while John Cullum vividly portrays how the slave trade worked (and how the south and the north profited off it) in "Molasses to Rum." A young courier (Stephan Nathan) sings the heartbreaking anti-war number of what happens to those young men who go off to war, "Momma Look Sharp."
What I Don't Like: As one of the last of the epic Broadway adaptations of the 1960's and early 70's, this is very talky and super sloooowwww. Despite a few exterior numbers filmed like "Til Then," it mostly looks like the filmed play it is. People move around enough to keep it just this side of static. It's also very long, over two and a half hours, and you definitely feel it.
The Big Finale: If you love Hamilton or American history, you'll want to take a look at this earlier exploration into the American Revolution. It makes one proud to be an American.
Home Media: All versions currently available use the restored Director's Cut, with the additional number "Cool, Considerate Men." The Blu-Ray has even more sequences restored. Amazon Prime is in 4K.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
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