MGM, 1948
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Walter Sleazak, and Gladys Cooper
Directed by Vincent Minnelli
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
This may be one of, if not the most unusual MGM musical of their Golden Era, and is one of the rare ones to not be a hit on release. Arthur Freed was experimenting with darker stories and fantasy - witness another MGM failure from the late 40's, Yolanda and the Thief. Audiences weren't quite ready for the tale of an actor who passes himself off as a pirate and the woman who falls for him at the time. How does it look now? Let's head to a small town in the Caribbean, where Manuela (Garland) gives us a quick overview of the history of the notorious Maccoco, and find out..
The Story: Manuela is the daughter of an impoverished noble family. Her Aunt Inez (Cooper) has arranged for a marriage between her and the town's mayor, Don Pedro (Sleazak). Don Pedro is respectable and steady, but he's also dull and older than Manuela, with no interest in traveling. To satisfy her desire for adventure and travel, Manuela convinces her aunt to take her to the port town of St. Sebastian so she can see the blue waters for herself. While admiring the view from the cliffs, she encounters Serafin (Kelly), the head of a traveling troupe of actors. He's crazy about her from the start, but she's annoyed with his advances and runs off. That night, she hears their show and wanders out to see it. He hypnotizes her, expecting her to say she's in love with him...but she admits in a wild musical number that she's in love with Mack the Black, aka Maccoco, a notorious pirate.
Serafin and his players turn up on Manuela's wedding day, hoping to convince her to join their troupe. An angry Don Pedro orders him away, but he stays, claiming he's Mack the Black. Manuela now eagerly goes with him to save the village...until she learns what he's really up to, and who the real Mack the Black is.
The Song and Dance: I'm a big fan of swashbucklers and goofy farce, so this one is right up my alley. Garland and Kelly have a great time with the farce and death-defying musical numbers. Kelly gets some of his best dances here, including the incredible "Be a Clown" with the Nicholas Brothers. The colorful costumes and sets beautifully reflects the Caribbean of the 1840's, with the elaborate hats and lacy Spanish gowns and ruffled coats and jackets.
Favorite Number: Though there's not a number until almost 20 minutes into the film, it's one of Kelly's two great solo routines, the flirtatious "Nina" with the women in the town market. Garland tears into "Mack the Black" under hypnosis, wowing the crowds and the troupe with her ferocious performance. Kelly's "Pirate Ballet" is a riot of color, smoke, and men leaping onto rigging, showing off Kelly's athletic choreography and Minnelli's wonderful use of color.
The two big numbers here are versions of "Be a Clown." Kelly joins the Nicholas Brothers for an athletic tumbling routine that literally saves their lives at the hangman's noose. Garland and Kelly finish off the movie with their own, equally fun duet version dressed as clowns and singing and dancing with gusto.
Trivia: This is an adaptation of a non-musical 1942 play called The Pirate that featured Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway.
"Mack the Black" originally opened the movie, and Garland and Kelly sang a number called "Voodoo" at the troupe's performance. MGM executives, especially studio head Louis B. Mayer, thought the number too overtly sexual, cut it, and put "Mack the Black" in its place. Alas, no footage of the number survives.
What I Don't Like: Apparently, critics understood what Minnelli was up to at the time, but audiences were baffled by the combination of action, music, artifice, and goofy slapstick. Some modern audiences who aren't into farce or the occasionally over-the-top acting may find it a little too much and too weird as well.
The Big Finale: Great numbers and an unusual story makes this a must-see if you're a fan of Kelly, Garland, pirate tales, or the Technicolor MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: Despite it's "love it or hate it" reputation, it's easily found on DVD and streaming
DVD
Amazon Prime
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
For Me and My Gal
MGM, 1942
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, George Murphy, and Ben Blue
Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music and Lyrics by various
After making a splash on Broadway in Pal Joey, MGM signed Gene Kelly as their latest dancing star. Judy Garland was more than happy to encourage Arthur Freed to take a chance on him. It would become the first of three times the two starred together. How does this tribute to vaudeville, the variety showcase of the early 20th century, look now? Let's head to a small-town train station where several actors are about to disembark and find out...
The Story: Harry Palmer (Kelly) is an ambitious hoofer in 1917 who desperately wants to make the big-time. He hooks up with talented singer and dancer Jo Hayden (Garland), despite her already being part of girls-and-singer act with Jimmy Metcalf (Murphy). She breaks with Metcalf when she realizes how much chemistry they have and how well they dance together. Despite their talent and dedication, the act doesn't seem to make it very far. At one point, Harry even gets an offer from a beautiful French singer (Martha Eggerth) and Jimmy asks Jo to come back, but they both decide to stick it out when they realize they're in love with each other.
Jo tells Harry she'll marry him after they get a booking at the top theater in vaudeville, the Palace in New York. They do finally make the Palace, just as the US enters World War I. Harry is drafted, but he wants so badly to play the Palace and get Jo to that wedding, he breaks his hand in his trunk. He couldn't have picked a worse time to do it. Jo's beloved brother Danny (Richard Quine) died in battle, and now she thinks he's a coward. Harry enlists in the ambulance corps to prove to one and all that he can be courageous about something besides dancing.
The Song and Dance: I can fully understand why Garland wanted Kelly for the role. Their chemistry was off the charts from the get-go. Kelly may be abrasive and egotistical, but he's also a charmer who realizes right away how well he and Jo fit together. The two of them really elevate the nostalgic melodrama. I also like the sets, costumes, and authentic-looking routines that really take you back to the vaudeville of baggy-pants clowns and beautiful singers that the opening paragraphs mention.
Favorite Number: The movie's at it's best when it showcases Garland and Kelly's dancing talents. Their version of the title song is a delight, graceful and energetic. "Ballin' the Jack" later gets as sexy as an MGM musical was allowed to at this time, with their swaying hips and briefer costumes. "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Red Rose" is a brief satire of early 20th century courtship that's too adorable for words. The closest thing to a big number is the opening "Oh You Beautiful Doll" routine, with Garland posing as a life-sized doll who badly wants Murphy to buy her. In other hands, it would probably be a little creepy, but Garland's intense charm makes it seem almost oddly sweet.
Trivia: This was Garland's first adult role.
There really was a Harry Palmer who had a double act with a Jo Hayden in early 20th century vaudeville. He did, indeed, break his hand to stay out of World War I, play the Palace, and marry her, and she dropped him briefly after a friend died in the war. He did serve with distinction in the ambulance corps, and they were married after he came back. Jo's friend was separated into her brother and Jimmy Metcalf.
Evidently, the film's ending was reshot after test audiences found Kelly to be too unsympathetic and thought Jo should end up with Jimmy Metcalf. Murphy was originally supposed to play Harry Palmer before MGM bought Kelly's contract from David O. Selznick. Busby Berkeley didn't want him, but Garland liked him and asked for him.
What I Don't Like: This is mostly Garland and Kelly's show. Anyone else barely registers, including Murphy and Keenan Wynn as a theatrical agent. It's also not for anyone expecting the kaleidoscopic routines associated with Berkeley. The numbers are subdued for him with no playing with the camera. I'm also a bit surprised this is in black and white. The vaudeville era practically screams for Technicolor.
The Big Finale: The numbers alone make this a must-see if you're a fan of Garland, Kelly, Berkeley's later career, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: The solo DVD is out of print, but it can be found on streaming and bundled with three other Garland movies in the Silver Screen Icons set.
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, George Murphy, and Ben Blue
Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music and Lyrics by various
After making a splash on Broadway in Pal Joey, MGM signed Gene Kelly as their latest dancing star. Judy Garland was more than happy to encourage Arthur Freed to take a chance on him. It would become the first of three times the two starred together. How does this tribute to vaudeville, the variety showcase of the early 20th century, look now? Let's head to a small-town train station where several actors are about to disembark and find out...
The Story: Harry Palmer (Kelly) is an ambitious hoofer in 1917 who desperately wants to make the big-time. He hooks up with talented singer and dancer Jo Hayden (Garland), despite her already being part of girls-and-singer act with Jimmy Metcalf (Murphy). She breaks with Metcalf when she realizes how much chemistry they have and how well they dance together. Despite their talent and dedication, the act doesn't seem to make it very far. At one point, Harry even gets an offer from a beautiful French singer (Martha Eggerth) and Jimmy asks Jo to come back, but they both decide to stick it out when they realize they're in love with each other.
Jo tells Harry she'll marry him after they get a booking at the top theater in vaudeville, the Palace in New York. They do finally make the Palace, just as the US enters World War I. Harry is drafted, but he wants so badly to play the Palace and get Jo to that wedding, he breaks his hand in his trunk. He couldn't have picked a worse time to do it. Jo's beloved brother Danny (Richard Quine) died in battle, and now she thinks he's a coward. Harry enlists in the ambulance corps to prove to one and all that he can be courageous about something besides dancing.
The Song and Dance: I can fully understand why Garland wanted Kelly for the role. Their chemistry was off the charts from the get-go. Kelly may be abrasive and egotistical, but he's also a charmer who realizes right away how well he and Jo fit together. The two of them really elevate the nostalgic melodrama. I also like the sets, costumes, and authentic-looking routines that really take you back to the vaudeville of baggy-pants clowns and beautiful singers that the opening paragraphs mention.
Favorite Number: The movie's at it's best when it showcases Garland and Kelly's dancing talents. Their version of the title song is a delight, graceful and energetic. "Ballin' the Jack" later gets as sexy as an MGM musical was allowed to at this time, with their swaying hips and briefer costumes. "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Red Rose" is a brief satire of early 20th century courtship that's too adorable for words. The closest thing to a big number is the opening "Oh You Beautiful Doll" routine, with Garland posing as a life-sized doll who badly wants Murphy to buy her. In other hands, it would probably be a little creepy, but Garland's intense charm makes it seem almost oddly sweet.
Trivia: This was Garland's first adult role.
There really was a Harry Palmer who had a double act with a Jo Hayden in early 20th century vaudeville. He did, indeed, break his hand to stay out of World War I, play the Palace, and marry her, and she dropped him briefly after a friend died in the war. He did serve with distinction in the ambulance corps, and they were married after he came back. Jo's friend was separated into her brother and Jimmy Metcalf.
Evidently, the film's ending was reshot after test audiences found Kelly to be too unsympathetic and thought Jo should end up with Jimmy Metcalf. Murphy was originally supposed to play Harry Palmer before MGM bought Kelly's contract from David O. Selznick. Busby Berkeley didn't want him, but Garland liked him and asked for him.
What I Don't Like: This is mostly Garland and Kelly's show. Anyone else barely registers, including Murphy and Keenan Wynn as a theatrical agent. It's also not for anyone expecting the kaleidoscopic routines associated with Berkeley. The numbers are subdued for him with no playing with the camera. I'm also a bit surprised this is in black and white. The vaudeville era practically screams for Technicolor.
The Big Finale: The numbers alone make this a must-see if you're a fan of Garland, Kelly, Berkeley's later career, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: The solo DVD is out of print, but it can be found on streaming and bundled with three other Garland movies in the Silver Screen Icons set.
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Honoring Chinese New Year - Mulan (1998)
Disney, 1998
Voices of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, and Miguel Ferrer
Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Music by Matthew Wilder; Lyrics by David Zippel
We honor the Year of the Rat with one of Disney's more unique animated films of its Renaissance era. It was also their first venture into Asian culture and folk tales, and a rare musical action movie. How does the story of a Chinese girl who joins the army as a man in place of her father look now? To answer this, we join the Huns as they prepare for battle...and a young woman preparing for the day that will change her life, in more than one way...
The Story: Fa Mulan (Wen) is a clumsy tomboy living on a farm with her grandmother and parents in ancient China. She's sent to a matchmaker to prepare her to find a husband, but can't remember what she's supposed to do and makes a mess out of the ritual. Her parents can't figure out what to do with her. They're even less happy when she jumps in front of her father (Soon-Tek Oh) after he's conscripted into the army. Her father is a veteran of previous wars, and he has a bad limp. To prevent him from going, she poses as a man and joins herself. She's accompanied by Mushu (Murphy), a small dragon guardian who's trying to get into the other ancestors' good graces, and Cri-kee (Frank Welker), a cricket her grandmother (June Foray) claims is lucky.
Her fellow army mates don't know what to make of her, either. Captain Li (BD Wong) is about ready to drop her, until he sees what she can do when she's really determined. Trouble is, she can only do it as a man. Even after she's found out, she'll still ride on to the Forbidden City to do whatever she can to save the Emperor (Pat Moriata) and China from Hun leader Shan You (Miguel Ferrer).
The Animation: Disney's animators studied the culture and architecture of China long and hard, resulting in more vibrant and delicate work than usual for them. As per Asian architecture, there's a lot of long, graceful lines and fluid curves. Some of it occasionally looks too cartoony, as in Mulan's rather potato-like horse Khan and her goofy army buddies, but it mostly moves very well. There's some first-rate battle sequences, especially the avalanche on the pass and the big finale with the fireworks.
The Song and Dance: Disney wanted to try something different with this one - their first truly action-oriented heroine. In some ways, Mulan is way ahead of her time, coming out in an era when women were only just starting to be prominent in action as more than the love interest. She may be clumsy and goofy, but she's also determined and quick-thinking. She shows the army that brains are just as important as brawn on the battlefield. Wen does well with her, showing the determination that would lead her play another Asian action heroine later, Melinda May in Agents of Shield. She's abetted by a nice cast, including Wong as her love-interest captain who wants to show his merit. Harvey Firnstein, Gedde Wantanabe, and Jerry Tondo are hilarious as her best buddies in the army, and Murphy has some nice lines as the mouthy mini-dragon who wants to be taken seriously again.
For all the funny moments, the movie works best when it explores Mulan's attempts to change gender roles in China and show just how terrible war is. The sequence when the troop goes from singing a comic number to suddenly discovering a destroyed village in less than five minutes is among the most devastating in any Disney animated film.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," the army's big training routine. We see in a montage just how hard Captain Li pushes his troops, male and female, and how they finally learn discipline...and Mulan figures out how she can use brains and brawn to solve a problem. I also like "A Girl Worth Fighting For," where we learn what kind of women the more typical army troops are interested in right before they find the village, and the opening number for Mulan and her family as she's getting ready for her matchmaking rituals, "Honor To Us All."
What I Don't Like: I feel like we have two movies here. The lighter first half is more like a Warner Brothers cartoon, what with the army's macho gags and Mulan making a hash out of her ritual and all of Murphy's modern references...and it clashes badly with the darker war sequences. In fact, Mushu and Crik-kee can be funny, but they're both mostly out of place. More than half the cast isn't Asian, including Murphy. Mushu's stream of modern references can be cute, but more often than not, they tend to yank one of out of the ancient Chinese setting. Not to mention, the attempts at discussing gender roles are well-meaning, but can come off as awkward at times.
As odd as it seems to admit in a major Disney animated musical, the biggest problem here is the music. Other than the supremely silly "Make a Man Out of You," it's just not that memorable. Mulan's big ballad "Reflection" is especially dull and drippy, and probably just exists to slip a slow song in. The credits song "True to Your Heart" is catchy but a bit bland.
The Big Finale: For all its flaws, this is still one of Disney's more interesting animated films, with a uniquely diverse cast and strong heroine. If you've got a daughter who is more into action than princesses or loves stories from other lands, try this one on her.
Home Media: The most recent disc version pairs Mulan with it's direct-to-DVD sequel. It can also be found quite easily on streaming, including on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime.
DVD - Mulan/Mulan 2 Double Pack
Blu-Ray - 2 Movie Collection
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Voices of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, and Miguel Ferrer
Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Music by Matthew Wilder; Lyrics by David Zippel
We honor the Year of the Rat with one of Disney's more unique animated films of its Renaissance era. It was also their first venture into Asian culture and folk tales, and a rare musical action movie. How does the story of a Chinese girl who joins the army as a man in place of her father look now? To answer this, we join the Huns as they prepare for battle...and a young woman preparing for the day that will change her life, in more than one way...
The Story: Fa Mulan (Wen) is a clumsy tomboy living on a farm with her grandmother and parents in ancient China. She's sent to a matchmaker to prepare her to find a husband, but can't remember what she's supposed to do and makes a mess out of the ritual. Her parents can't figure out what to do with her. They're even less happy when she jumps in front of her father (Soon-Tek Oh) after he's conscripted into the army. Her father is a veteran of previous wars, and he has a bad limp. To prevent him from going, she poses as a man and joins herself. She's accompanied by Mushu (Murphy), a small dragon guardian who's trying to get into the other ancestors' good graces, and Cri-kee (Frank Welker), a cricket her grandmother (June Foray) claims is lucky.
Her fellow army mates don't know what to make of her, either. Captain Li (BD Wong) is about ready to drop her, until he sees what she can do when she's really determined. Trouble is, she can only do it as a man. Even after she's found out, she'll still ride on to the Forbidden City to do whatever she can to save the Emperor (Pat Moriata) and China from Hun leader Shan You (Miguel Ferrer).
The Animation: Disney's animators studied the culture and architecture of China long and hard, resulting in more vibrant and delicate work than usual for them. As per Asian architecture, there's a lot of long, graceful lines and fluid curves. Some of it occasionally looks too cartoony, as in Mulan's rather potato-like horse Khan and her goofy army buddies, but it mostly moves very well. There's some first-rate battle sequences, especially the avalanche on the pass and the big finale with the fireworks.
The Song and Dance: Disney wanted to try something different with this one - their first truly action-oriented heroine. In some ways, Mulan is way ahead of her time, coming out in an era when women were only just starting to be prominent in action as more than the love interest. She may be clumsy and goofy, but she's also determined and quick-thinking. She shows the army that brains are just as important as brawn on the battlefield. Wen does well with her, showing the determination that would lead her play another Asian action heroine later, Melinda May in Agents of Shield. She's abetted by a nice cast, including Wong as her love-interest captain who wants to show his merit. Harvey Firnstein, Gedde Wantanabe, and Jerry Tondo are hilarious as her best buddies in the army, and Murphy has some nice lines as the mouthy mini-dragon who wants to be taken seriously again.
For all the funny moments, the movie works best when it explores Mulan's attempts to change gender roles in China and show just how terrible war is. The sequence when the troop goes from singing a comic number to suddenly discovering a destroyed village in less than five minutes is among the most devastating in any Disney animated film.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," the army's big training routine. We see in a montage just how hard Captain Li pushes his troops, male and female, and how they finally learn discipline...and Mulan figures out how she can use brains and brawn to solve a problem. I also like "A Girl Worth Fighting For," where we learn what kind of women the more typical army troops are interested in right before they find the village, and the opening number for Mulan and her family as she's getting ready for her matchmaking rituals, "Honor To Us All."
What I Don't Like: I feel like we have two movies here. The lighter first half is more like a Warner Brothers cartoon, what with the army's macho gags and Mulan making a hash out of her ritual and all of Murphy's modern references...and it clashes badly with the darker war sequences. In fact, Mushu and Crik-kee can be funny, but they're both mostly out of place. More than half the cast isn't Asian, including Murphy. Mushu's stream of modern references can be cute, but more often than not, they tend to yank one of out of the ancient Chinese setting. Not to mention, the attempts at discussing gender roles are well-meaning, but can come off as awkward at times.
As odd as it seems to admit in a major Disney animated musical, the biggest problem here is the music. Other than the supremely silly "Make a Man Out of You," it's just not that memorable. Mulan's big ballad "Reflection" is especially dull and drippy, and probably just exists to slip a slow song in. The credits song "True to Your Heart" is catchy but a bit bland.
The Big Finale: For all its flaws, this is still one of Disney's more interesting animated films, with a uniquely diverse cast and strong heroine. If you've got a daughter who is more into action than princesses or loves stories from other lands, try this one on her.
Home Media: The most recent disc version pairs Mulan with it's direct-to-DVD sequel. It can also be found quite easily on streaming, including on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime.
DVD - Mulan/Mulan 2 Double Pack
Blu-Ray - 2 Movie Collection
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Cult Flops - New York, New York
United Artists, 1977
Starring Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, and Barry Primus
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
This notorious flop has a lot in common with our previous review, Funny Lady. Both were vehicles for divas of the time set in the mid-20th century, had new music by Kander and Ebb mixed in with older songs, paired the diva with a largely non-singing tough guy, had unhappy endings, and were huge productions with major problems at a time when musicals were going out of style. The difference is, this one came out during the summer when Star Wars was on everyone's lips and couldn't find an audience. How does the tale of a singer and a jazz musician whose act works better than their relationship look now? Let's head to a nightclub in New York just as World War II ended and find out...
The Story: Francine Evans (Minnelli) meets Jimmy Doyle (De Niro) in a nightclub on V-J Day. She's not really interested, but he still gives her his phone number. They end up in the same taxi the next day, and Jimmy drags her along to an audition. Jimmy fights with the club manager, but Francine saves the session by joining in. The owner assumes they're an act and offers them a job. One job leads to many jobs at increasingly better clubs and to Jimmy backing his own orchestra. He and Francine eventually fall in love and marry.
Jimmy, however, is an aggressive and abrasive man who tends to fight with everyone around him, including Francine. Francine's thrilled when she gets pregnant, but Jimmy's not sure...and her going into labor early and the birth of their son leads to the end of their marriage. They eventually go separate paths and have separate successes, but they never forget what they had when they were making music together.
The Song and Dance: If you're a fan of Kander & Ebb, Minnelli, or big band music, this will be a real treat for you. The first half does a wonderful job of recreating the world of the traveling small-time orchestra during the tail end of the big band era - grimy hotels, bumpy roads traveled in rickety buses, sour-faced managers, cigarette smoke wreathing around a dingy nightclub. Minnelli is magnetic as Francine, the tough singer who falls for Jimmy almost in spite of himself, then realizes she's moved beyond him. The period-accurate costumes and terrific music add more layers to the realism.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous number from this one, and the only aspect of this movie to make it big at the time. Minnelli gets to belt the heck out of it several times, notably in the sequence towards the end. She also gets "The Man I Love" on a piano and another Kander and Ebb hit, "But the World Goes 'Round" near the end. De Niro is a better singer than you might think when he joins Mary Kay Place for an unusually upbeat "Blue Moon" with the orchestra. Some of the instrumental orchestra numbers are a blast too, especially "Opus Number One" early on and "Bobby's Dream."
The big number here is "Happy Endings," a spoof of elaborate dance routines in the film musicals of the 40's and 50's and of show business-based melodramas like A Star Is Born. In this spoof-within-a-musical, Francine is an usher who falls for a producer and becomes a star. It hits all the beats, from them meeting cute when he needs her help in the theater to his suddenly departure when she becomes a hit and the sudden return. It's big, bright, and bold...and really kind of funny if you've seen the types of numbers and films Scorsese's making fun of.
Trivia: Like Funny Lady, the movie ran into major production problems, going over budget and deepening Scorsese's decent into drugs and alcohol. He originally released it at 155, but United Artists reedited it to a little over two hours, including dropping the "Happy Endings" number. "Happy Endings" and several other scenes were restored for a 1981 re-release.
What I Don't Like: I know Scorsese was going for a darker version of a musical drama of the 1940's and 50's, but the stylized, obviously fake sets and overwrought romance clash badly with the more realistic on the road sequences and De Niro's explosive performance. Jimmy is such an obnoxious and disagreeable jerk, I frankly wonder why Francine even bothered with him. She was smart to finally ditch him. As cute as "Happy Endings" is, maybe they should have left the movie at two hours. It's way too long, with a thin story drawn out so long, you pretty much stop caring whether or not these two loud, abrasive people are going to stay together in the end or not.
The Big Finale: For all the problems, this is necessary for fans of Minnelli and Scorsese; worth a look for lovers of big band and swing as well.
Home Media: Not on streaming, but the two-disc DVD and Blu-Ray aren't hard to find.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Starring Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, and Barry Primus
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
This notorious flop has a lot in common with our previous review, Funny Lady. Both were vehicles for divas of the time set in the mid-20th century, had new music by Kander and Ebb mixed in with older songs, paired the diva with a largely non-singing tough guy, had unhappy endings, and were huge productions with major problems at a time when musicals were going out of style. The difference is, this one came out during the summer when Star Wars was on everyone's lips and couldn't find an audience. How does the tale of a singer and a jazz musician whose act works better than their relationship look now? Let's head to a nightclub in New York just as World War II ended and find out...
The Story: Francine Evans (Minnelli) meets Jimmy Doyle (De Niro) in a nightclub on V-J Day. She's not really interested, but he still gives her his phone number. They end up in the same taxi the next day, and Jimmy drags her along to an audition. Jimmy fights with the club manager, but Francine saves the session by joining in. The owner assumes they're an act and offers them a job. One job leads to many jobs at increasingly better clubs and to Jimmy backing his own orchestra. He and Francine eventually fall in love and marry.
Jimmy, however, is an aggressive and abrasive man who tends to fight with everyone around him, including Francine. Francine's thrilled when she gets pregnant, but Jimmy's not sure...and her going into labor early and the birth of their son leads to the end of their marriage. They eventually go separate paths and have separate successes, but they never forget what they had when they were making music together.
The Song and Dance: If you're a fan of Kander & Ebb, Minnelli, or big band music, this will be a real treat for you. The first half does a wonderful job of recreating the world of the traveling small-time orchestra during the tail end of the big band era - grimy hotels, bumpy roads traveled in rickety buses, sour-faced managers, cigarette smoke wreathing around a dingy nightclub. Minnelli is magnetic as Francine, the tough singer who falls for Jimmy almost in spite of himself, then realizes she's moved beyond him. The period-accurate costumes and terrific music add more layers to the realism.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous number from this one, and the only aspect of this movie to make it big at the time. Minnelli gets to belt the heck out of it several times, notably in the sequence towards the end. She also gets "The Man I Love" on a piano and another Kander and Ebb hit, "But the World Goes 'Round" near the end. De Niro is a better singer than you might think when he joins Mary Kay Place for an unusually upbeat "Blue Moon" with the orchestra. Some of the instrumental orchestra numbers are a blast too, especially "Opus Number One" early on and "Bobby's Dream."
The big number here is "Happy Endings," a spoof of elaborate dance routines in the film musicals of the 40's and 50's and of show business-based melodramas like A Star Is Born. In this spoof-within-a-musical, Francine is an usher who falls for a producer and becomes a star. It hits all the beats, from them meeting cute when he needs her help in the theater to his suddenly departure when she becomes a hit and the sudden return. It's big, bright, and bold...and really kind of funny if you've seen the types of numbers and films Scorsese's making fun of.
Trivia: Like Funny Lady, the movie ran into major production problems, going over budget and deepening Scorsese's decent into drugs and alcohol. He originally released it at 155, but United Artists reedited it to a little over two hours, including dropping the "Happy Endings" number. "Happy Endings" and several other scenes were restored for a 1981 re-release.
What I Don't Like: I know Scorsese was going for a darker version of a musical drama of the 1940's and 50's, but the stylized, obviously fake sets and overwrought romance clash badly with the more realistic on the road sequences and De Niro's explosive performance. Jimmy is such an obnoxious and disagreeable jerk, I frankly wonder why Francine even bothered with him. She was smart to finally ditch him. As cute as "Happy Endings" is, maybe they should have left the movie at two hours. It's way too long, with a thin story drawn out so long, you pretty much stop caring whether or not these two loud, abrasive people are going to stay together in the end or not.
The Big Finale: For all the problems, this is necessary for fans of Minnelli and Scorsese; worth a look for lovers of big band and swing as well.
Home Media: Not on streaming, but the two-disc DVD and Blu-Ray aren't hard to find.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Funny Lady
Columbia, 1975
Starring Barbra Streisand, Ben Vereen, James Caan, and Omar Sharif
Directed by Herbert Ross
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
Funny Girl proved to be so popular, it prompted one of the very few musical sequels. Streisand had one more film left to make for Girl producer Ray Stark, and it took some convincing, but she finally liked the more mature screenplay. How does the further story of Fanny Brice and her relationship with songwriter, impresario, and con man Billy Rose (Caan) look now? Let's head to New York as the Follies of 1930 is winding down and find out...
The Story: Fanny Brice (Streisand) is facing financial ruin. Ziegfeld is broke and can't get a backer for his next show. Hopeful songwriter and producer Billy Rose (Caan) manages to get a backer by promising his current mistress a role in the show, then convinces Fanny to join after she asks to record his song "More Than You'll Know." Rose, however, has no experience as a producer, keeps firing people, and spends money like water on expensive sets and costumes. The show opens as a major disaster. Fanny finally takes him aside and helps him cut the acts down to their essentials, creating a better showcase for her and fellow star Bert Robbins (Vereen).
Fanny and Billy eventually realize they have a lot in common...including both of them being phonies who can talk their way into and out of anything. Fanny, however, still has feelings for her ex-husband Nicky Arnstein (Sharif), though he's now remarried. She eventually marries Billy, but they do nothing but fight, and he eventually turns to his new star of the spectacular Aquacade Eleanor Holm (Heidi O'Rourke). Fed up with all of the men in her life, she finally comes to the conclusion that she's doing pretty well being a "funny lady" on her own, thanks to her hit Baby Snooks radio show, and divorces him.
The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they had making this film, there's some first-rate songs and performances. Streisand is fine as the tougher, more experienced Brice, especially towards the end, when she realizes that she may like Billy, but she still loves Nicky. Cinematographer James Wong Howe was brought out of retirement to take over filming. He came up with some spectacular work, especially in the "How Lucky Can You Get?" number and "Let's Hear It for Me" finale. It won Oscars for cinematography and the bright, spangled, period-accurate costumes. By far the best part is the first half, where Fanny and Billy are still feeling around each other and we see just how badly Billy's overproduced show goes off the rails.
Favorite Number: Streisand gets to belt the heck out of two great Kander & Ebb numbers, the driving "How Lucky Can You Get?" when she's lost Nicky again, and the big finale on the plane, "Let's Hear It for Me." Ben Vereen gets to show his own stuff in the colorful "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley" as a whole orchestra of hands push to keep up with his splits and high kicks. Caan sounds surprisingly good on "Me and My Shadow" towards the end.
My favorite number takes a leaf from Fanny and cuts down to the essentials, just showcasing Fanny, Billy, and their increasing feelings about and understanding of each other in another Kander & Ebb song, "I Like Her/I Like Him," sung in counterpoint to the chorus performing Rose's most famous standard, "It's Only a Paper Moon," during the rehearsals.
Trivia: In real life, Fanny didn't have fond memories of either of her husbands after she broke up with them and fully admitted that she had the habit of falling for shifty men. Billy did have the habit of financing overstuffed shows, but they more often than not weren't hits. Crazy Quilt was fictional, but two of his most popular songs, "Great Day" and "More Than You Know," did come from a huge stage flop.
Funny Lady had its own problems. Producer Stark had to threaten to sue Streisand to get her back, and then he ended up doing some major editing to whittle the movie down to a little over two hours. Among the sequences left on the cutting room floor were more numbers with Vereen, Streisand appearing on the radio as Baby Snooks, and and dramatic scenes showing Fanny with her daughter.
What I Don't Like: Funny Lady is as ridiculously overproduced as the first version of Crazy Quilt. The story lurches from sequence to sequence with no rhyme or reason. Vereen is wasted beyond his two numbers; Caan is charming, but otherwise out of place. Like many musicals of this era, it's also way too long...and that hasty editing job shows in the disjointed plot. They probably could have done more trimming with no one the wiser.
The Big Finale: Worth seeing for the numbers alone if you're a fan of Streisand, Brice, or Vereen or really loved Funny Girl.
Home Media: Streaming is your best bet - it's expensive on disc. (I once again watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Crackle
Starring Barbra Streisand, Ben Vereen, James Caan, and Omar Sharif
Directed by Herbert Ross
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
Funny Girl proved to be so popular, it prompted one of the very few musical sequels. Streisand had one more film left to make for Girl producer Ray Stark, and it took some convincing, but she finally liked the more mature screenplay. How does the further story of Fanny Brice and her relationship with songwriter, impresario, and con man Billy Rose (Caan) look now? Let's head to New York as the Follies of 1930 is winding down and find out...
The Story: Fanny Brice (Streisand) is facing financial ruin. Ziegfeld is broke and can't get a backer for his next show. Hopeful songwriter and producer Billy Rose (Caan) manages to get a backer by promising his current mistress a role in the show, then convinces Fanny to join after she asks to record his song "More Than You'll Know." Rose, however, has no experience as a producer, keeps firing people, and spends money like water on expensive sets and costumes. The show opens as a major disaster. Fanny finally takes him aside and helps him cut the acts down to their essentials, creating a better showcase for her and fellow star Bert Robbins (Vereen).
Fanny and Billy eventually realize they have a lot in common...including both of them being phonies who can talk their way into and out of anything. Fanny, however, still has feelings for her ex-husband Nicky Arnstein (Sharif), though he's now remarried. She eventually marries Billy, but they do nothing but fight, and he eventually turns to his new star of the spectacular Aquacade Eleanor Holm (Heidi O'Rourke). Fed up with all of the men in her life, she finally comes to the conclusion that she's doing pretty well being a "funny lady" on her own, thanks to her hit Baby Snooks radio show, and divorces him.
The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they had making this film, there's some first-rate songs and performances. Streisand is fine as the tougher, more experienced Brice, especially towards the end, when she realizes that she may like Billy, but she still loves Nicky. Cinematographer James Wong Howe was brought out of retirement to take over filming. He came up with some spectacular work, especially in the "How Lucky Can You Get?" number and "Let's Hear It for Me" finale. It won Oscars for cinematography and the bright, spangled, period-accurate costumes. By far the best part is the first half, where Fanny and Billy are still feeling around each other and we see just how badly Billy's overproduced show goes off the rails.
Favorite Number: Streisand gets to belt the heck out of two great Kander & Ebb numbers, the driving "How Lucky Can You Get?" when she's lost Nicky again, and the big finale on the plane, "Let's Hear It for Me." Ben Vereen gets to show his own stuff in the colorful "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley" as a whole orchestra of hands push to keep up with his splits and high kicks. Caan sounds surprisingly good on "Me and My Shadow" towards the end.
My favorite number takes a leaf from Fanny and cuts down to the essentials, just showcasing Fanny, Billy, and their increasing feelings about and understanding of each other in another Kander & Ebb song, "I Like Her/I Like Him," sung in counterpoint to the chorus performing Rose's most famous standard, "It's Only a Paper Moon," during the rehearsals.
Trivia: In real life, Fanny didn't have fond memories of either of her husbands after she broke up with them and fully admitted that she had the habit of falling for shifty men. Billy did have the habit of financing overstuffed shows, but they more often than not weren't hits. Crazy Quilt was fictional, but two of his most popular songs, "Great Day" and "More Than You Know," did come from a huge stage flop.
Funny Lady had its own problems. Producer Stark had to threaten to sue Streisand to get her back, and then he ended up doing some major editing to whittle the movie down to a little over two hours. Among the sequences left on the cutting room floor were more numbers with Vereen, Streisand appearing on the radio as Baby Snooks, and and dramatic scenes showing Fanny with her daughter.
What I Don't Like: Funny Lady is as ridiculously overproduced as the first version of Crazy Quilt. The story lurches from sequence to sequence with no rhyme or reason. Vereen is wasted beyond his two numbers; Caan is charming, but otherwise out of place. Like many musicals of this era, it's also way too long...and that hasty editing job shows in the disjointed plot. They probably could have done more trimming with no one the wiser.
The Big Finale: Worth seeing for the numbers alone if you're a fan of Streisand, Brice, or Vereen or really loved Funny Girl.
Home Media: Streaming is your best bet - it's expensive on disc. (I once again watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Crackle
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Family Fun Saturday - Lady and the Tramp (2019)
Disney, 2019
Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Thomas Mann, and Kiersey Clemmons
Directed by Charlie Bean
Music and Lyrics by Sonny Burke, Peggy Lee, Jannelle Monae, and others
With the success of their big-screen remakes, Disney's now bringing the idea to the small and portable screens. How does their first made-for-streaming film stack up against the original and similar offerings on Netflix and elsewhere? Let's return to small-town America in the early 1910's and find out...
The Story: Lady (Thompson) is a Christmas present from "Jim Dear" (Mann) to his wife "Darling" (Clemmons). She's eventually adored by them and by the dogs on either side of her, former police hound Trusty (Sam Elliott) and Scottish terrier and artist's model Jock (Ashley Jensen). The cocker spaniel is baffled when Darling becomes pregnant, and she and Jim Dear seem to pay more attention to their new baby than her. Scruffy street dog Tramp (Theroux) insists this is how things will always be for her now. His words seem to be confirmed when grouchy Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) comes with her naughty cats to take care of her. She automatically believes that she caused the trouble that the cats did and has her muzzled. Tramp frees her and takes her to his favorite Italian restaurant, only to lose her to the determined dog catcher Elliot (Adrian Martinez).
She's delighted when Darling and Jim Dear not only rescue her from the pound, but send Aunt Sarah on her way. Lady is now a real part of the family, but she can't forget Tramp. He may be the only one who can save the baby when a rat gets in and Jim Dear thinks Lady's just barking at strays...and Lady may be the only one who can save Tramp from the dog catcher.
The Animation: The CGI here looks slightly better than it did in the other Disney movie from last year featuring photorealistic animals characters, The Lion King. They're still not terribly expressive, but they're a little less uncanny and a little more interesting. Maybe the live-action backgrounds help take your eyes off how lacking in expression they are, especially compared to the original.
The Song and Dance: I have to admit, I like some of the changes they made to the plot. One of the few things that annoyed me about the original was Aunt Sarah never got punished or scolded for the way she treated Lady; that's dealt with here. They also finished Peg and Bull's story; in the original, they disappear after the "He's a Tramp" number, and we never find out what happened to them or if they ever got out of the pound. Aunt Sarah's naughty kitties are now Devon Rexes, a cat breed that are as slender as Siamese, but lack the racist connotations. F. Murray Abraham as Tony still has an Italian accent, but it's now less cartoony and more like the way a real Italian man would have spoken in 1910.
Favorite Number: "He's a Tramp" is built into the closest thing this has to a big chorus number, complete with new lyrics by its performer, Jannelle Monae. Clemmons sings a really lovely "La La Lu" with Mann as they spend time with their new baby...and shut Lady out. "Belle Notte" is almost as gorgeous as the original, and I had no idea F. Murray Abraham was such a good singer.
What I Don't Like: For all that they changed, there's just as much that doesn't work. Elliott's vendetta against one dog comes off as ridiculous. Tramp may be a stray, but he's still just a dog. The cats' number "What a Shame" may be less offensive for most modern viewers than "The Siamese Cat Song," but it's also not as memorable as the original numbers. Nor are the new lyrics for "He's a Tramp" any better than the originals. The story's been rearranged, and some of the historical details fudged, especially the electric lights on the tree and house in the beginning and end.
But once again...and everyone keeps saying this...the story still lacks the heart of the original. Disney can try as much as they want, but they just can't seem to recreate the simple spark that made these animated films so popular to begin with.
The Big Finale: Taken on its own, this is an enjoyable little romantic comedy with some surprisingly decent animation and a fairly good cast for an online offering.
Home Media: It was created as one of the inaugural offerings for the new Disney Plus streaming service and at press time can only be found there.
Disney Plus
Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Thomas Mann, and Kiersey Clemmons
Directed by Charlie Bean
Music and Lyrics by Sonny Burke, Peggy Lee, Jannelle Monae, and others
With the success of their big-screen remakes, Disney's now bringing the idea to the small and portable screens. How does their first made-for-streaming film stack up against the original and similar offerings on Netflix and elsewhere? Let's return to small-town America in the early 1910's and find out...
The Story: Lady (Thompson) is a Christmas present from "Jim Dear" (Mann) to his wife "Darling" (Clemmons). She's eventually adored by them and by the dogs on either side of her, former police hound Trusty (Sam Elliott) and Scottish terrier and artist's model Jock (Ashley Jensen). The cocker spaniel is baffled when Darling becomes pregnant, and she and Jim Dear seem to pay more attention to their new baby than her. Scruffy street dog Tramp (Theroux) insists this is how things will always be for her now. His words seem to be confirmed when grouchy Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) comes with her naughty cats to take care of her. She automatically believes that she caused the trouble that the cats did and has her muzzled. Tramp frees her and takes her to his favorite Italian restaurant, only to lose her to the determined dog catcher Elliot (Adrian Martinez).
She's delighted when Darling and Jim Dear not only rescue her from the pound, but send Aunt Sarah on her way. Lady is now a real part of the family, but she can't forget Tramp. He may be the only one who can save the baby when a rat gets in and Jim Dear thinks Lady's just barking at strays...and Lady may be the only one who can save Tramp from the dog catcher.
The Animation: The CGI here looks slightly better than it did in the other Disney movie from last year featuring photorealistic animals characters, The Lion King. They're still not terribly expressive, but they're a little less uncanny and a little more interesting. Maybe the live-action backgrounds help take your eyes off how lacking in expression they are, especially compared to the original.
The Song and Dance: I have to admit, I like some of the changes they made to the plot. One of the few things that annoyed me about the original was Aunt Sarah never got punished or scolded for the way she treated Lady; that's dealt with here. They also finished Peg and Bull's story; in the original, they disappear after the "He's a Tramp" number, and we never find out what happened to them or if they ever got out of the pound. Aunt Sarah's naughty kitties are now Devon Rexes, a cat breed that are as slender as Siamese, but lack the racist connotations. F. Murray Abraham as Tony still has an Italian accent, but it's now less cartoony and more like the way a real Italian man would have spoken in 1910.
Favorite Number: "He's a Tramp" is built into the closest thing this has to a big chorus number, complete with new lyrics by its performer, Jannelle Monae. Clemmons sings a really lovely "La La Lu" with Mann as they spend time with their new baby...and shut Lady out. "Belle Notte" is almost as gorgeous as the original, and I had no idea F. Murray Abraham was such a good singer.
What I Don't Like: For all that they changed, there's just as much that doesn't work. Elliott's vendetta against one dog comes off as ridiculous. Tramp may be a stray, but he's still just a dog. The cats' number "What a Shame" may be less offensive for most modern viewers than "The Siamese Cat Song," but it's also not as memorable as the original numbers. Nor are the new lyrics for "He's a Tramp" any better than the originals. The story's been rearranged, and some of the historical details fudged, especially the electric lights on the tree and house in the beginning and end.
But once again...and everyone keeps saying this...the story still lacks the heart of the original. Disney can try as much as they want, but they just can't seem to recreate the simple spark that made these animated films so popular to begin with.
The Big Finale: Taken on its own, this is an enjoyable little romantic comedy with some surprisingly decent animation and a fairly good cast for an online offering.
Home Media: It was created as one of the inaugural offerings for the new Disney Plus streaming service and at press time can only be found there.
Disney Plus
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Animation Celebration Extra - Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Disney, 1955
Voices of Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Verna Felton, and Bill Thompson
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson
Music and Lyrics by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke
Disney's first feature-length animated film in widescreen was a charming romantic comedy about a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who loved a girl from a genteel upbringing. That the boy was a mutt and his beloved a cocker spaniel in a small town in the early 1900's added a new twist to one of the oldest stories in creation. Let's head to that small town on Christmas Eve to see just how well this dog-gone tale holds up today...
The Story: Lady (Luddy) is a cocker spaniel puppy given to Darling (Peggy Lee) for Christmas by her husband Jim Dear (Lee Millar). As she grows into maturity, she becomes a beloved member of the household, and a good friend to older neighborhood dogs Jock (Thompson) and Trusty (Bill Baucom). After Darling becomes pregnant, she and Jim Dear pay less attention to Lady, who wonders what's going on. Jock and Trusty try to explain, but it's a stray mutt whom everyone calls Tramp (Roberts) who finally tells her they're having a baby. He turns out to be wrong, however, that the baby will replace her in their affections. If anything, once the infant arrives, it brings them all closer together and makes Lady even more protective of her humans.
Jim's Aunt Sarah (Felton) doesn't share her nephew and his wife's high opinion of dogs. She scolds Lady for being near the baby and thinks she's attacked her Siamese cats (who have caused nothing but trouble). Lady runs away after she's muzzled and into Tramp, who helps her get it off. They consider running off together, but Lady's too attached to her family. They chase chickens, which lands Lady in the pound. That puts her off Tramp considerably...but she'll need his help, and Jock and Trusty's, to save the baby when a rat finally gets into the house and the crib.
The Animation: It may not be as colorful as Sleeping Beauty or Peter Pan, but there's some really lovely work here. Blue seems to be a major theme, from the soft snowy Christmas opening and closing to the glowing blue vistas when the chorus takes over during "Bella Notte" as Lady and Tramp stroll through the moon-lit park and town. Like The Lion King nearly 40 years later, it manages to make the dogs realistic-looking while still allowing them to be expressive and interesting.
The Song and Dance: One of Disney's sweetest and simplest love stories. Luddy has her best vocal role in a Disney movie as the pedigreed pooch who is stronger than she looks, while Roberts is perfectly cocky as the stray who thinks he doesn't need humans for anything but a meal. Thompson and Baucom are also fun as Lady's two best friends who don't trust this mongrel of a newcomer. Jazz chanteuse Lee steals the show in not one, but three roles - as motherly Darling, the mischievous Siamese cat pair, and Peg, the world-weary showgirl Pekingese in the pound. The lovely animation and period-accurate trappings add greatly to the authenticity.
Favorite Number: Lee introduces the movie's most famous number, Peg's "He's a Tramp" in the pound. Her sauntering and strutting is perfect - and should be, since it was modeled on the real Peggy Lee's walk (as illustrated in an episode of the Walt Disney Presents TV show). Lee also gets to introduce the lovely lullaby "La La Lu" and "The Siamese Cats Song," as they go after the fish, destroy the drapes, and generally wreck havoc.
The major ballad here is "Bella Notte," which plays during the most famous spaghetti dinner in film history. Tony the Italian restaurant owner and his head chef perform it on the accordion as accomplishment to that romantic meal; the chorus takes over as Lady and Tramp stroll in park. Lovely and charming.
What I Don't Like: This is more-or-less a romantic comedy with dogs and a few songs, and it's not for people looking for one of Disney's big fantasy epics. While Tony and his assistant's stereotypical Italian accents don't bother me, some people are apparently offended by them. There's also all the accents in the pound, including another stereotype in the Russian philosopher dog.
While the movie is mainly a fluffy romantic comedy, there's a few dark moments that may scare younger kids, including the sequence in the pound with the dogs' sad howl number and one dog being taken off to be quite obviously killed (though it's not stated) afterwards, Tramp's fight with the rat, and the dogs chasing the dog catcher's carriage.
The Big Finale: One of Disney's loveliest and most charming films; highly recommended for all the dog lovers in your family.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats, including streaming; it's currently on Disney Plus
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Voices of Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Verna Felton, and Bill Thompson
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson
Music and Lyrics by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke
Disney's first feature-length animated film in widescreen was a charming romantic comedy about a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who loved a girl from a genteel upbringing. That the boy was a mutt and his beloved a cocker spaniel in a small town in the early 1900's added a new twist to one of the oldest stories in creation. Let's head to that small town on Christmas Eve to see just how well this dog-gone tale holds up today...
The Story: Lady (Luddy) is a cocker spaniel puppy given to Darling (Peggy Lee) for Christmas by her husband Jim Dear (Lee Millar). As she grows into maturity, she becomes a beloved member of the household, and a good friend to older neighborhood dogs Jock (Thompson) and Trusty (Bill Baucom). After Darling becomes pregnant, she and Jim Dear pay less attention to Lady, who wonders what's going on. Jock and Trusty try to explain, but it's a stray mutt whom everyone calls Tramp (Roberts) who finally tells her they're having a baby. He turns out to be wrong, however, that the baby will replace her in their affections. If anything, once the infant arrives, it brings them all closer together and makes Lady even more protective of her humans.
Jim's Aunt Sarah (Felton) doesn't share her nephew and his wife's high opinion of dogs. She scolds Lady for being near the baby and thinks she's attacked her Siamese cats (who have caused nothing but trouble). Lady runs away after she's muzzled and into Tramp, who helps her get it off. They consider running off together, but Lady's too attached to her family. They chase chickens, which lands Lady in the pound. That puts her off Tramp considerably...but she'll need his help, and Jock and Trusty's, to save the baby when a rat finally gets into the house and the crib.
The Animation: It may not be as colorful as Sleeping Beauty or Peter Pan, but there's some really lovely work here. Blue seems to be a major theme, from the soft snowy Christmas opening and closing to the glowing blue vistas when the chorus takes over during "Bella Notte" as Lady and Tramp stroll through the moon-lit park and town. Like The Lion King nearly 40 years later, it manages to make the dogs realistic-looking while still allowing them to be expressive and interesting.
The Song and Dance: One of Disney's sweetest and simplest love stories. Luddy has her best vocal role in a Disney movie as the pedigreed pooch who is stronger than she looks, while Roberts is perfectly cocky as the stray who thinks he doesn't need humans for anything but a meal. Thompson and Baucom are also fun as Lady's two best friends who don't trust this mongrel of a newcomer. Jazz chanteuse Lee steals the show in not one, but three roles - as motherly Darling, the mischievous Siamese cat pair, and Peg, the world-weary showgirl Pekingese in the pound. The lovely animation and period-accurate trappings add greatly to the authenticity.
Favorite Number: Lee introduces the movie's most famous number, Peg's "He's a Tramp" in the pound. Her sauntering and strutting is perfect - and should be, since it was modeled on the real Peggy Lee's walk (as illustrated in an episode of the Walt Disney Presents TV show). Lee also gets to introduce the lovely lullaby "La La Lu" and "The Siamese Cats Song," as they go after the fish, destroy the drapes, and generally wreck havoc.
The major ballad here is "Bella Notte," which plays during the most famous spaghetti dinner in film history. Tony the Italian restaurant owner and his head chef perform it on the accordion as accomplishment to that romantic meal; the chorus takes over as Lady and Tramp stroll in park. Lovely and charming.
What I Don't Like: This is more-or-less a romantic comedy with dogs and a few songs, and it's not for people looking for one of Disney's big fantasy epics. While Tony and his assistant's stereotypical Italian accents don't bother me, some people are apparently offended by them. There's also all the accents in the pound, including another stereotype in the Russian philosopher dog.
While the movie is mainly a fluffy romantic comedy, there's a few dark moments that may scare younger kids, including the sequence in the pound with the dogs' sad howl number and one dog being taken off to be quite obviously killed (though it's not stated) afterwards, Tramp's fight with the rat, and the dogs chasing the dog catcher's carriage.
The Big Finale: One of Disney's loveliest and most charming films; highly recommended for all the dog lovers in your family.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats, including streaming; it's currently on Disney Plus
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Pal Joey
Columbia, 1957
Starring Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Rita Hayworth, and Barbara Nichols
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
This was originally a minor hit on Broadway in 1940, but a revival in 1952 was such a smash, Columbia Studio head Harry Cohn bought it for his most popular actress, Rita Hayworth. By the time they got to filming it, Hayworth had switched to the older woman role, and the ingenue role went to Cohn's newest discovery Kim Novak. Columbia also couldn't get original 1940 star Gene Kelly and ended up reworking the title role into a singer for Frank Sinatra. How does the story of a heel who uses women and people to get his own nightclub look nowadays? Let's join Joey (Sinatra) on the train to San Francisco and find out...
The Story: Joey Evans (Sinatra) is literally tossed on the train after getting into girl trouble in his previous job. He manages to talk his way into a gig at a second-rate club, mainly because he's interested in one of the chorus girls, Linda English (Novak). However, as much as he likes her, he has loftier ambitions. He pursues a previous girlfriend and stripper-turned-rich widow Vera Simpson (Hayworth), even living with her on her yacht in order to get her to fund his new club Chez Joey. Even with his relationship with Vera growing, Joey still has eyes for Linda and gets a job for her at the club. Vera, however, doesn't appreciate that one bit...and her growing jealousy ends with Joey having to decide once and for all which woman really owns his heart.
The Song and Dance: If you love musicals that veer toward the dark-ish, you'll probably enjoy this. Even with the story toned down, this is still pretty cynical for a musical. Sinatra is perfect as the man who uses and abuses women, only to be floored when he actually falls for one. Novak and especially Hayworth are also quite good as the women in his life. They're surrounded by a gorgeous Technicolor production, with the ladies dressed in tight-fitting, jewel-toned 50's gowns and San Francisco recreated in all it's gritty and glamorous Golden Gate glory.
Some people may be bothered by the changed ending, but I actually kind of like it. It remains ambiguous and somewhat downbeat for a musical from this era, even as Joey does get himself a girl (and a dog).
Favorite Number: Sinatra scores with two of his best recordings, a relaxed "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" when he talks his way into the first club job, and one of my favorite-ever versions of the standard "The Lady Is a Tramp" later at Chez Joey. Novak gets in on the intentionally cheesy chorus girl routine "That Terrific Rainbow" and sits in an old-fashioned valentine to croon one of my favorite Rodgers and Hart ballads, "My Funny Valentine." Hayworth has two terrific solos, the stripper spoof "Zip" where she poses as a striptease artist who knows about a lot more than taking her clothes off, and another standard Rodgers and Hart ballad, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" as she showers and dresses after Joey agrees to live with her.
Trivia: Gene Kelly and 20's operetta favorite Vivianne Segal were Joey and Vera in the original 1940 Broadway cast. Segal was retained for the popular 1952 revival, joined by dancer Harold Lang. Lang and Carol Bruce appeared in the first London showing in 1954. It's been revived three times, in 1963, 1976, and 2008; none ran longer than three months. The story was substantially re-written in the 2008 version.
What I Don't Like: The ending isn't the only thing that was changed from the original show. A whole subplot about gangsters blackmailing Joey and Vera was dropped, and several characters were combined or eliminated. Vera's husband was still alive, and her affair with Joey was "on the side." There were a few songs that were performed outside of the nightclub; here, all of the numbers but "Bewitched" and the big finale "What Do I Care for a Dame?" are sung as club numbers. Many songs were dropped as well, including Vera and Linda telling each other to "Take Him" and Joey insisting "You Mustn't Kick It Around."
And even with the darker edges sanded off, this still isn't the musical for you if you're looking for something lighter and fluffier or more overtly romantic, or with a stronger story.
The Big Finale: Not my favorite Sinatra movie, but it's worth a look if you're a major fan of his or Hayworth's or love Rodgers and Hart.
Home Media: Currently available via the made-to-order Sony Choice Collection. That and streaming are your best bet - the limited-edition Blu-Ray from Twilight Time is expensive. (I watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle, which was previously owned by Sony/Columbia.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Rita Hayworth, and Barbara Nichols
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
This was originally a minor hit on Broadway in 1940, but a revival in 1952 was such a smash, Columbia Studio head Harry Cohn bought it for his most popular actress, Rita Hayworth. By the time they got to filming it, Hayworth had switched to the older woman role, and the ingenue role went to Cohn's newest discovery Kim Novak. Columbia also couldn't get original 1940 star Gene Kelly and ended up reworking the title role into a singer for Frank Sinatra. How does the story of a heel who uses women and people to get his own nightclub look nowadays? Let's join Joey (Sinatra) on the train to San Francisco and find out...
The Story: Joey Evans (Sinatra) is literally tossed on the train after getting into girl trouble in his previous job. He manages to talk his way into a gig at a second-rate club, mainly because he's interested in one of the chorus girls, Linda English (Novak). However, as much as he likes her, he has loftier ambitions. He pursues a previous girlfriend and stripper-turned-rich widow Vera Simpson (Hayworth), even living with her on her yacht in order to get her to fund his new club Chez Joey. Even with his relationship with Vera growing, Joey still has eyes for Linda and gets a job for her at the club. Vera, however, doesn't appreciate that one bit...and her growing jealousy ends with Joey having to decide once and for all which woman really owns his heart.
The Song and Dance: If you love musicals that veer toward the dark-ish, you'll probably enjoy this. Even with the story toned down, this is still pretty cynical for a musical. Sinatra is perfect as the man who uses and abuses women, only to be floored when he actually falls for one. Novak and especially Hayworth are also quite good as the women in his life. They're surrounded by a gorgeous Technicolor production, with the ladies dressed in tight-fitting, jewel-toned 50's gowns and San Francisco recreated in all it's gritty and glamorous Golden Gate glory.
Some people may be bothered by the changed ending, but I actually kind of like it. It remains ambiguous and somewhat downbeat for a musical from this era, even as Joey does get himself a girl (and a dog).
Favorite Number: Sinatra scores with two of his best recordings, a relaxed "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" when he talks his way into the first club job, and one of my favorite-ever versions of the standard "The Lady Is a Tramp" later at Chez Joey. Novak gets in on the intentionally cheesy chorus girl routine "That Terrific Rainbow" and sits in an old-fashioned valentine to croon one of my favorite Rodgers and Hart ballads, "My Funny Valentine." Hayworth has two terrific solos, the stripper spoof "Zip" where she poses as a striptease artist who knows about a lot more than taking her clothes off, and another standard Rodgers and Hart ballad, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" as she showers and dresses after Joey agrees to live with her.
Trivia: Gene Kelly and 20's operetta favorite Vivianne Segal were Joey and Vera in the original 1940 Broadway cast. Segal was retained for the popular 1952 revival, joined by dancer Harold Lang. Lang and Carol Bruce appeared in the first London showing in 1954. It's been revived three times, in 1963, 1976, and 2008; none ran longer than three months. The story was substantially re-written in the 2008 version.
What I Don't Like: The ending isn't the only thing that was changed from the original show. A whole subplot about gangsters blackmailing Joey and Vera was dropped, and several characters were combined or eliminated. Vera's husband was still alive, and her affair with Joey was "on the side." There were a few songs that were performed outside of the nightclub; here, all of the numbers but "Bewitched" and the big finale "What Do I Care for a Dame?" are sung as club numbers. Many songs were dropped as well, including Vera and Linda telling each other to "Take Him" and Joey insisting "You Mustn't Kick It Around."
And even with the darker edges sanded off, this still isn't the musical for you if you're looking for something lighter and fluffier or more overtly romantic, or with a stronger story.
The Big Finale: Not my favorite Sinatra movie, but it's worth a look if you're a major fan of his or Hayworth's or love Rodgers and Hart.
Home Media: Currently available via the made-to-order Sony Choice Collection. That and streaming are your best bet - the limited-edition Blu-Ray from Twilight Time is expensive. (I watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle, which was previously owned by Sony/Columbia.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Animation Celebration Double Feature - Return of Jafar & Aladdin and the King of Thieves
The animated Aladdin was such a smash hit in the early 90's, they opted to release what became the first in the series of direct-to-home-media sequels of the late 90's and early 2000's. Nowadays, those films are notorious for being fun but bland at best, absolutely dreadful at worst. Where do these two fall on that scale? To answer that question, we'll return to the desert to follow a group of bandits as they seek their treasure and find out...
Return of Jafar
Disney, 1994
Voices of Dan Castanella, Scott Weinger, Gilbert Gottfried, and Johnathan Freeman
Directed by Tad Stones and Alan Zaslove
Music and Lyrics by various
The Story: Iago (Gottfried) manages to dig his and Jafar's (Freeman) way out of the Cave of Wonders about a year after the previous film ends. He wants to set out on his own and refuses to free Jafar, but a thief named Abis Mal (Jason Alexander) who also has beef with Aladdin does bring him out. Meanwhile, Aladdin (Weinger) is happily giving money to the peasants, but he's not as certain about the Sultan (Val Bettin) wanting him to be the next vizier or his relationship with Jasmine (Linda Larkin). Iago decides he wants to live in luxury, befriends Aladdin, and ingrates himself into palace life. The Genie (Castanella) has also tired of his around-the-world trip and is back as well. Jafar finds out about Iago and opts to use him to get in the castle...and get his revenge on Aladdin and all those who stole his power.
The Animation: A major downgrade. While there are occasionally some funny or well-done expressions and everything is very colorful and energetic, it lacks the flow, vitality, and care put into the original. It's pretty obvious this was something dashed off quickly for the video market. Even the Aladdin animated series looked better and more consistently animated with fewer glitches and continuity gaffes.
The Song and Dance: Castanella isn't as bad as you might think as the Genie, and not nearly as horrible as people made him out to be at the time. His gags are among the few bright spots. Freeman still plays Jafar to the hilt, even when the script is less than wonderful, and Alexander plays pretty well alongside him.
Favorite Number: Freeman does put over a slightly amusing "You're Only Second Rate," his "I'm better than you are now" number to the Genie, with utter relish.
What I Don't Like: First and foremost, apparently, it was director Tad Stones who thought it was a great idea to base an hour-long movie mainly around Iago. I have no idea what lead him to believe that. Iago is unlikable, annoying, and listening to Gottfried's screechy voice for a full hour is not exactly great entertainment. Castanella is good, but he's not going to make anyone forget Robin Williams. The animation is terrible, the story is dull and derivative, the music is bland and forgettable, and Aladdin and Jasmine pine over each other for no reason and are foolish to believe anything Iago says.
The Big Finale: I suspect the only reason this sold as many videos as it did was the sheer novelty of Disney continuing one of its recent movies. Frankly, it's boring and annoying, and though a few people who grew up in the mid-90's do have some fond memories, I really don't recommend it for anyone but the most ardent Disney or Aladdin fans.
Home Media: Out of print and expensive on DVD. Your best bet is streaming; it's free on Disney Plus if you have a subscription.
DVD
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves
Disney, 1996
Voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, John Rhys-Davies, and Linda Larkin
Directed by Tad Stones
Music and Lyrics by various
The Story: Aladdin (Weinger) and Jasmine (Larkin) are finally getting married, but their wedding is disrupted by the arrival of the Forty Thieves and their leader, the King of Thieves. The King, Cassim (Rhys-Davies), is searching for the Oracle, a powerful stone on a scepter that can reveal the hiding place of a great treasure. The Oracle (C.C.H Pounder) reveals that Aladdin's father is "trapped in their world, sending Aladdin, Iago, and Abu out to rescue him. When Aladdin does find them, he has to take a test to convince them to let him join their band, knocking their largest and most aggressive member, Sal'luk (Jerry Orbach), off a cliff.
He does convince his father to return to Agrabah, but it's hard for Cassim to stop stealing. There may be even bigger problems. One of Cassim's men is determined to get to the treasure first, and has no trouble selling out his leader or fellow thieves to get it. But the bonds of father and son may be stronger than anyone knows, even the Genie, and it'll take a family effort to find out what the real treasure is.
The Animation: Slightly better than Return to Jafar, and certainly more consistent. Just the fact that the animators were able to keep up with Williams' constant stream of topical gags makes this a cut above the first sequel. There's also some nice work in the finale when they find the big "treasure" too, with the floating island.
The Song and Dance: Yeah, this is more like it. Bringing Williams back and adding Rhys-Davies as Aladdin's charming father definitely elevates this one. The story is far more interesting, and even surprisingly thoughtful, with its ruminations on father and son relationships and what makes us family. The action is a delight, especially early-on when they're with the thieves, and Williams is just as "on" here as in the original. I really laughed at some of his crazy antics (the "Steamboat Willie" reference towards the end was especially cute).
Favorite Number: The epic opening "A Party In Agrabah" is by far the most memorable song here, with Williams riffing on every bridal cliche while Aladdin and Jasmine discuss their hopes and doubts. I also like "Welcome to the Forty Thieves" when Aladdin is being inducted into their group.
What I Don't Like: Though Iago's role is reduced somewhat, there's still too much of him - and Gottfried's screechy voice - here. Jasmine, on the other hand, doesn't have nearly enough to do besides worry about her fiancee. The animation is better, but not theatrical-quality. The story works better when it focuses on the parent-child bonding, not on the rather weak plot about the Oracle and what it leads to, and while the songs are slightly better, they're still not terribly memorable.
The Big Finale: If you or your kids are huge fans of the original Aladdin and must have more, come here (or to the fun TV series) first. The cast, decent animation, and mostly enjoyable story makes this one of the better Disney direct-to-video sequels.
Home Media: Same deal here. This is also out of print on disc; you're better off streaming.
DVD
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Return of Jafar
Disney, 1994
Voices of Dan Castanella, Scott Weinger, Gilbert Gottfried, and Johnathan Freeman
Directed by Tad Stones and Alan Zaslove
Music and Lyrics by various
The Story: Iago (Gottfried) manages to dig his and Jafar's (Freeman) way out of the Cave of Wonders about a year after the previous film ends. He wants to set out on his own and refuses to free Jafar, but a thief named Abis Mal (Jason Alexander) who also has beef with Aladdin does bring him out. Meanwhile, Aladdin (Weinger) is happily giving money to the peasants, but he's not as certain about the Sultan (Val Bettin) wanting him to be the next vizier or his relationship with Jasmine (Linda Larkin). Iago decides he wants to live in luxury, befriends Aladdin, and ingrates himself into palace life. The Genie (Castanella) has also tired of his around-the-world trip and is back as well. Jafar finds out about Iago and opts to use him to get in the castle...and get his revenge on Aladdin and all those who stole his power.
The Animation: A major downgrade. While there are occasionally some funny or well-done expressions and everything is very colorful and energetic, it lacks the flow, vitality, and care put into the original. It's pretty obvious this was something dashed off quickly for the video market. Even the Aladdin animated series looked better and more consistently animated with fewer glitches and continuity gaffes.
The Song and Dance: Castanella isn't as bad as you might think as the Genie, and not nearly as horrible as people made him out to be at the time. His gags are among the few bright spots. Freeman still plays Jafar to the hilt, even when the script is less than wonderful, and Alexander plays pretty well alongside him.
Favorite Number: Freeman does put over a slightly amusing "You're Only Second Rate," his "I'm better than you are now" number to the Genie, with utter relish.
What I Don't Like: First and foremost, apparently, it was director Tad Stones who thought it was a great idea to base an hour-long movie mainly around Iago. I have no idea what lead him to believe that. Iago is unlikable, annoying, and listening to Gottfried's screechy voice for a full hour is not exactly great entertainment. Castanella is good, but he's not going to make anyone forget Robin Williams. The animation is terrible, the story is dull and derivative, the music is bland and forgettable, and Aladdin and Jasmine pine over each other for no reason and are foolish to believe anything Iago says.
The Big Finale: I suspect the only reason this sold as many videos as it did was the sheer novelty of Disney continuing one of its recent movies. Frankly, it's boring and annoying, and though a few people who grew up in the mid-90's do have some fond memories, I really don't recommend it for anyone but the most ardent Disney or Aladdin fans.
Home Media: Out of print and expensive on DVD. Your best bet is streaming; it's free on Disney Plus if you have a subscription.
DVD
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves
Disney, 1996
Voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, John Rhys-Davies, and Linda Larkin
Directed by Tad Stones
Music and Lyrics by various
The Story: Aladdin (Weinger) and Jasmine (Larkin) are finally getting married, but their wedding is disrupted by the arrival of the Forty Thieves and their leader, the King of Thieves. The King, Cassim (Rhys-Davies), is searching for the Oracle, a powerful stone on a scepter that can reveal the hiding place of a great treasure. The Oracle (C.C.H Pounder) reveals that Aladdin's father is "trapped in their world, sending Aladdin, Iago, and Abu out to rescue him. When Aladdin does find them, he has to take a test to convince them to let him join their band, knocking their largest and most aggressive member, Sal'luk (Jerry Orbach), off a cliff.
He does convince his father to return to Agrabah, but it's hard for Cassim to stop stealing. There may be even bigger problems. One of Cassim's men is determined to get to the treasure first, and has no trouble selling out his leader or fellow thieves to get it. But the bonds of father and son may be stronger than anyone knows, even the Genie, and it'll take a family effort to find out what the real treasure is.
The Animation: Slightly better than Return to Jafar, and certainly more consistent. Just the fact that the animators were able to keep up with Williams' constant stream of topical gags makes this a cut above the first sequel. There's also some nice work in the finale when they find the big "treasure" too, with the floating island.
The Song and Dance: Yeah, this is more like it. Bringing Williams back and adding Rhys-Davies as Aladdin's charming father definitely elevates this one. The story is far more interesting, and even surprisingly thoughtful, with its ruminations on father and son relationships and what makes us family. The action is a delight, especially early-on when they're with the thieves, and Williams is just as "on" here as in the original. I really laughed at some of his crazy antics (the "Steamboat Willie" reference towards the end was especially cute).
Favorite Number: The epic opening "A Party In Agrabah" is by far the most memorable song here, with Williams riffing on every bridal cliche while Aladdin and Jasmine discuss their hopes and doubts. I also like "Welcome to the Forty Thieves" when Aladdin is being inducted into their group.
What I Don't Like: Though Iago's role is reduced somewhat, there's still too much of him - and Gottfried's screechy voice - here. Jasmine, on the other hand, doesn't have nearly enough to do besides worry about her fiancee. The animation is better, but not theatrical-quality. The story works better when it focuses on the parent-child bonding, not on the rather weak plot about the Oracle and what it leads to, and while the songs are slightly better, they're still not terribly memorable.
The Big Finale: If you or your kids are huge fans of the original Aladdin and must have more, come here (or to the fun TV series) first. The cast, decent animation, and mostly enjoyable story makes this one of the better Disney direct-to-video sequels.
Home Media: Same deal here. This is also out of print on disc; you're better off streaming.
DVD
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Aladdin (2019)
Disney, 2019
Starring Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott, and Marwan Kenzari
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Directed by Guy Ritchie
This was the second of the three remakes Disney made last year. The original 1992 Aladdin is one of their most popular animated films, and a lot of people questioned whether this one could live up to it, especially without the late Robin Williams as the Genie. Did they succeed, or at least come off better than the Lion King remake did? Let's hit the open ocean, where we begin with a fisherman (Smith) telling stories to his children, and find out...
The Story: Aladdin (Massoud) is a street urchin in Agrabah, a city in an Arabian country. One day, he encounters Jasmine (Scott) in the marketplace and saves her from losing her late mother's bracelet. When it turns out she's the princess of the land, he snitches the bracelet and follows her to the palace. Her father the Sultan (Naveed Negahban) wants her to marry silly Prince Anders (Billy Magnussen), but she'd rather rule the country herself after seeing how her people suffer.
Aladdin returns to the palace to give her the bracelet back, but he's caught by Jafar (Kenzari), the Sultan's second-in-command. Jafar wants him to find a special lamp in the Cave of Wonders, where only a "diamond in the rough" may enter. He and his monkey Abu do make it in, but they end up stranded when Abu tries to take more than the lamp. That lamp turns out to house a genie (Smith) who gets them out and promises Aladdin three wishes. Aladdin uses his second wish to make him a prince in order to marry Jasmine. She, however, is not impressed. As Aladdin tries to figure out how he can get her attention, he learns that he may have even bigger problems. Jafar has pierced his disguise, and if he gets his hands on the lamp, he's going to wish for a lot more than a fancy outfit and a duet with a girl.
The Song and Dance: The big question is - how well does Smith fill Williams' oversized blue Arabian shoes? Rather well, actually. He's a lot less wild than Williams, tossing out fewer references and gags, but he's also more subtle and has great chemistry with Massoud and Nasim Petrad as Jasmine's sarcastic but loyal handmaiden Dalia. Massoud is a perfect Aladdin - he looks the part, sings beautifully, works well with Scott and Smith, and is energetic and a lot of fun to watch whether he's fleeing the guards or adorably awkward at the party. The special effects are downright amazing, especially in the musical numbers and the big action sequences. Special kudos to the colorful and glittery costumes that nicely reflect both the brilliant world of Agrabah's castle and the vibrant street life in the city.
Favorite Number: "Friend Like Me" comes off almost as well here, with the CGI working just as quickly to morph along with the Genie. "Prince Ali" is a great showcase of those amazing costumes as the Genie shows off amid the crowds and the court. There's some nice choreography here and in the big dance party finale over the credits. "One Jump Ahead" is moved to after Aladdin meets Jasmine, but it's otherwise just as much fun to watch both of them evade the guards.
The sole new number is "Speechless," Jasmine's two solos on how she'll never let anyone silence her voice. While it sounds a bit pop-ish, it's also has some topical aspects, as many young women begin to find their own voices away from stereotypes and expectations.
What I Don't Like: The villains are the problem here. Despite the increased emphasis on his backstory, Kenzari lacks the charisma and menace Johnathan Freeman brought to the role in 1992. Alan Tudyk's Iago is less annoying that Gilbert Gottfried, but he's also less funny and has less of a role. Aladdin also spends less time around him - and doesn't get to fight him in the end. Scott brings the appropriate spunk to Jasmine, but she's also a little less feisty than her 1992 counterpart and takes less part in the action.
And there's once again the remake deal. As with pretty much every remake Disney did...we just did not need this. No matter how hard they try, I don't think they'll ever really be able to recreate the simple spark that made these movies so popular in the first place.
The Big Finale: With that caveat, I still think this was the best of the three remakes Disney did last year. More fun than the dull Lion King or dark and overwrought Dumbo, this is still worth a look if you're a fan of Smith, Arabian Nights stories, or the original film.
Home Media: As one of the most recent releases I've covered, this is easily found in all formats; they just added it to Disney Plus if you have a subscription there (that's how I saw it).
DVD
Blu-Ray
4K Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Starring Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott, and Marwan Kenzari
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Directed by Guy Ritchie
This was the second of the three remakes Disney made last year. The original 1992 Aladdin is one of their most popular animated films, and a lot of people questioned whether this one could live up to it, especially without the late Robin Williams as the Genie. Did they succeed, or at least come off better than the Lion King remake did? Let's hit the open ocean, where we begin with a fisherman (Smith) telling stories to his children, and find out...
The Story: Aladdin (Massoud) is a street urchin in Agrabah, a city in an Arabian country. One day, he encounters Jasmine (Scott) in the marketplace and saves her from losing her late mother's bracelet. When it turns out she's the princess of the land, he snitches the bracelet and follows her to the palace. Her father the Sultan (Naveed Negahban) wants her to marry silly Prince Anders (Billy Magnussen), but she'd rather rule the country herself after seeing how her people suffer.
Aladdin returns to the palace to give her the bracelet back, but he's caught by Jafar (Kenzari), the Sultan's second-in-command. Jafar wants him to find a special lamp in the Cave of Wonders, where only a "diamond in the rough" may enter. He and his monkey Abu do make it in, but they end up stranded when Abu tries to take more than the lamp. That lamp turns out to house a genie (Smith) who gets them out and promises Aladdin three wishes. Aladdin uses his second wish to make him a prince in order to marry Jasmine. She, however, is not impressed. As Aladdin tries to figure out how he can get her attention, he learns that he may have even bigger problems. Jafar has pierced his disguise, and if he gets his hands on the lamp, he's going to wish for a lot more than a fancy outfit and a duet with a girl.
The Song and Dance: The big question is - how well does Smith fill Williams' oversized blue Arabian shoes? Rather well, actually. He's a lot less wild than Williams, tossing out fewer references and gags, but he's also more subtle and has great chemistry with Massoud and Nasim Petrad as Jasmine's sarcastic but loyal handmaiden Dalia. Massoud is a perfect Aladdin - he looks the part, sings beautifully, works well with Scott and Smith, and is energetic and a lot of fun to watch whether he's fleeing the guards or adorably awkward at the party. The special effects are downright amazing, especially in the musical numbers and the big action sequences. Special kudos to the colorful and glittery costumes that nicely reflect both the brilliant world of Agrabah's castle and the vibrant street life in the city.
Favorite Number: "Friend Like Me" comes off almost as well here, with the CGI working just as quickly to morph along with the Genie. "Prince Ali" is a great showcase of those amazing costumes as the Genie shows off amid the crowds and the court. There's some nice choreography here and in the big dance party finale over the credits. "One Jump Ahead" is moved to after Aladdin meets Jasmine, but it's otherwise just as much fun to watch both of them evade the guards.
The sole new number is "Speechless," Jasmine's two solos on how she'll never let anyone silence her voice. While it sounds a bit pop-ish, it's also has some topical aspects, as many young women begin to find their own voices away from stereotypes and expectations.
What I Don't Like: The villains are the problem here. Despite the increased emphasis on his backstory, Kenzari lacks the charisma and menace Johnathan Freeman brought to the role in 1992. Alan Tudyk's Iago is less annoying that Gilbert Gottfried, but he's also less funny and has less of a role. Aladdin also spends less time around him - and doesn't get to fight him in the end. Scott brings the appropriate spunk to Jasmine, but she's also a little less feisty than her 1992 counterpart and takes less part in the action.
And there's once again the remake deal. As with pretty much every remake Disney did...we just did not need this. No matter how hard they try, I don't think they'll ever really be able to recreate the simple spark that made these movies so popular in the first place.
The Big Finale: With that caveat, I still think this was the best of the three remakes Disney did last year. More fun than the dull Lion King or dark and overwrought Dumbo, this is still worth a look if you're a fan of Smith, Arabian Nights stories, or the original film.
Home Media: As one of the most recent releases I've covered, this is easily found in all formats; they just added it to Disney Plus if you have a subscription there (that's how I saw it).
DVD
Blu-Ray
4K Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
The Harvey Girls
MGM, 1946
Starring Judy Garland, Angela Landsbury, John Hodiak, and Marjorie Main
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Hoping to come up with the film equivalent of the stage hit Oklahoma!, producer Arthur Freed refashioned this robust western as a vehicle for then-major star Garland. Does the tale of waitresses who tame a small southwestern town serve the goods today, or should it be sent packing on that famous train? Let's start on the train as the titular Harvey House waitresses are on their way to town and find out...
The Story: Susan Bradley (Garland) thinks she's coming to Sand Rock, Arizona to marry the man of her dreams. Turns out the fellow is actually a grizzled old cowboy (Chill Willis) who no more wants to marry her than she wants to marry him. They break things off amiably before Susan learned that the gentleman who owns the local saloon, Ned Trent (Hodiak), wrote the letters for the cowpoke as a joke. Susan tells him off, then join the Harvey Girls, the clean-cut waitresses at the Harvey House. The Harvey House competes with the saloon for the customers coming off the train. Ned's business partner Judge Sam Purvis (Preston Foster) will do anything to scare the girls off, including shooting bullets in their windows and planting rattlesnakes in their room. Ned, however, is falling for Susan, to the frustration of his girl Em (Landsbury), and is starting to wonder if civilization isn't such a bad thing after all.
The Song and Dance: What I like about this one is it's one of the very few female-centric westerns, musical or otherwise. The guys may own the buildings, but it's the ladies who are the leads and whom the story really revolves around. Garland definitely earns her top billing as the strong-willed young woman who will not be bullied by anybody. She's especially funny when she goes to retrieve steaks from the saloon that were stolen by two local mugs and during a huge all-out girl fight after Em catches Susan trying to bring dancer Deborah (Cyd Charisse) back to the Harvey House. Main and Willis have some fun moments as the tough cook at the Harvey House and the good-natured cowpoke.
Favorite Number: The big one here is the epic ensemble routine "On the Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe." This giant number has Garland, Ray Bolger, and almost everyone in the cast explaining who they are and dancing with the backdrop of the steaming train. It's so catchy and fun, it won the Oscar for best song in 1946.
Other nice songs here include "Oh You Kid," a routine for Em and the dance hall girls at the saloon, "It's a Great, Big World" as Susan and her two new friends Deborah and Alma (Virginia O'Brian) sing about what brought them to the west and what they want from their new jobs. Alma also gets a nice solo after she ends up helping horse-shy blacksmith Chris Maule (Ray Bolger) with his work, the comic "Wild Wild West." The Harvey Girls join the local men for the waltzing "Swing Your Partner" before they finally shoo out the bad girl saloon dancers.
Trivia: Harvey House was, indeed, the first restaurant chain, created by Fred Harvey in the 1840's as a better option for train diners. Harvey Houses continued as a family owned operation until 1968, when they were bought out by a Hawaiian real estate company. They were known for their excellent food, elegant dining rooms, and their beautiful and clean-cut waitresses, known as "Harvey Girls."
This was originally intended to be a drama with Lana Turner, but Freed heard about it and thought it would make a wonderful western musical. Ann Sheridan was originally given Landsbury's role, but dropped out due to personal problems.
Two songs - "My Intuition," a duet for Garland and Hodiak, and another chorus routine at the Harvey Girls' party "March of the Doagies," were filmed but cut before release. Both exist; "March of the Doagies" was used in That's Entertainment III. Another Garland number, "Hayride," was recorded but not filmed.
What I Don't Like: Hodiak is supposed to be the handsome bad man, but he's even more bland opposite the dynamic Garland than "boy next door" Tom Drake in Meet Me In St. Louis. The two have no chemistry whatsoever; Deborah's romance with the pianist at the saloon (Kenny Baker) is more believable. Landsbury is no naughty saloon chanteuse, either (and was dubbed to boot). Other than two solos dance numbers and his bit in "Wild Wild West," Bolger is barely in the film.
The Big Finale: While not the enduring masterpiece that Oklahoma! is, this is still a fun romp for fans of Garland, Landsbury, or the big MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's.
Home Media: Currently available on DVD from the Warner Archives, at least one Garland collection, and on several streaming companies.
DVD
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Starring Judy Garland, Angela Landsbury, John Hodiak, and Marjorie Main
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Hoping to come up with the film equivalent of the stage hit Oklahoma!, producer Arthur Freed refashioned this robust western as a vehicle for then-major star Garland. Does the tale of waitresses who tame a small southwestern town serve the goods today, or should it be sent packing on that famous train? Let's start on the train as the titular Harvey House waitresses are on their way to town and find out...
The Story: Susan Bradley (Garland) thinks she's coming to Sand Rock, Arizona to marry the man of her dreams. Turns out the fellow is actually a grizzled old cowboy (Chill Willis) who no more wants to marry her than she wants to marry him. They break things off amiably before Susan learned that the gentleman who owns the local saloon, Ned Trent (Hodiak), wrote the letters for the cowpoke as a joke. Susan tells him off, then join the Harvey Girls, the clean-cut waitresses at the Harvey House. The Harvey House competes with the saloon for the customers coming off the train. Ned's business partner Judge Sam Purvis (Preston Foster) will do anything to scare the girls off, including shooting bullets in their windows and planting rattlesnakes in their room. Ned, however, is falling for Susan, to the frustration of his girl Em (Landsbury), and is starting to wonder if civilization isn't such a bad thing after all.
The Song and Dance: What I like about this one is it's one of the very few female-centric westerns, musical or otherwise. The guys may own the buildings, but it's the ladies who are the leads and whom the story really revolves around. Garland definitely earns her top billing as the strong-willed young woman who will not be bullied by anybody. She's especially funny when she goes to retrieve steaks from the saloon that were stolen by two local mugs and during a huge all-out girl fight after Em catches Susan trying to bring dancer Deborah (Cyd Charisse) back to the Harvey House. Main and Willis have some fun moments as the tough cook at the Harvey House and the good-natured cowpoke.
Favorite Number: The big one here is the epic ensemble routine "On the Atcheson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe." This giant number has Garland, Ray Bolger, and almost everyone in the cast explaining who they are and dancing with the backdrop of the steaming train. It's so catchy and fun, it won the Oscar for best song in 1946.
Other nice songs here include "Oh You Kid," a routine for Em and the dance hall girls at the saloon, "It's a Great, Big World" as Susan and her two new friends Deborah and Alma (Virginia O'Brian) sing about what brought them to the west and what they want from their new jobs. Alma also gets a nice solo after she ends up helping horse-shy blacksmith Chris Maule (Ray Bolger) with his work, the comic "Wild Wild West." The Harvey Girls join the local men for the waltzing "Swing Your Partner" before they finally shoo out the bad girl saloon dancers.
Trivia: Harvey House was, indeed, the first restaurant chain, created by Fred Harvey in the 1840's as a better option for train diners. Harvey Houses continued as a family owned operation until 1968, when they were bought out by a Hawaiian real estate company. They were known for their excellent food, elegant dining rooms, and their beautiful and clean-cut waitresses, known as "Harvey Girls."
This was originally intended to be a drama with Lana Turner, but Freed heard about it and thought it would make a wonderful western musical. Ann Sheridan was originally given Landsbury's role, but dropped out due to personal problems.
Two songs - "My Intuition," a duet for Garland and Hodiak, and another chorus routine at the Harvey Girls' party "March of the Doagies," were filmed but cut before release. Both exist; "March of the Doagies" was used in That's Entertainment III. Another Garland number, "Hayride," was recorded but not filmed.
What I Don't Like: Hodiak is supposed to be the handsome bad man, but he's even more bland opposite the dynamic Garland than "boy next door" Tom Drake in Meet Me In St. Louis. The two have no chemistry whatsoever; Deborah's romance with the pianist at the saloon (Kenny Baker) is more believable. Landsbury is no naughty saloon chanteuse, either (and was dubbed to boot). Other than two solos dance numbers and his bit in "Wild Wild West," Bolger is barely in the film.
The Big Finale: While not the enduring masterpiece that Oklahoma! is, this is still a fun romp for fans of Garland, Landsbury, or the big MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's.
Home Media: Currently available on DVD from the Warner Archives, at least one Garland collection, and on several streaming companies.
DVD
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Animation Celebration Saturday - Wakko's Wish
Warner Bros, 1999
Voices of Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, and Maurice LaMarche
Directed by Liz Holzman, Tom Ruegger, and Rusty Mills
Music by Richard Stone and Julie Bernstein; Lyrics by Tom Ruegger and Randy Rogel
The first animated musical review of the year is the finale of the popular 90's TV series Animaniacs. The show follows the adventures of siblings Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner and the colorful cast of oddball characters in various skits, many of them inspired by older cartoon tropes (like former cartoon star Slappy Squirrel and dog-and-baby duo Mindy and Buttons). How does the wacky Warners style do in a spoof of operettas and fantasy cliches? Let's begin in the village of Acme Acres, in the kingdom of Warnerstock, and find out...
The Story: Warnerstock was a lovely little kingdom, until it's invaded by the kingdom of Ticktockia after a civil war. It's greedy ruler King Salazar the Pushy (Paxton Whitehead) taxed the residents into dire poverty. This is especially problematic for orphans Yakko (Paulsen), Wakko (Harnell), and Dot (MacNeille) Warner, who need money so Dot can have an operation. Wakko does finally manage to earn a haypenny, but it's taken for taxes the moment he comes home by the king's lackey Baron Von Plotz (Frank Welker). Frustrated, Wakko performs a harp solo to a wishing star that so moves the star, it falls from the sky. A "desired wish facilitator" (Ben Stein) tells Wakko that he needs to travel to the star to make his wish. Wakko's wild wish gets around town, and suddenly, every resident of Acme Acres, including Salzar and the mad scientist mice Pinky (Paulsen) and the Brain (LaMarche), wants to get to the star and make the wish they believe will bring them happiness.
The Animation: Typical colorful stretch-and-squash-style of the Warner TV cartoons of the time period. The designs are bright and fun, nicely reflecting their 40's inspirations and the more cynical late 90's.
The Song and Dance: If you love Animaniacs, you'll get a kick out of this movie. It uses almost the entire original voice cast, including Bernadette Peters as homeless cat Rita and Nancy Cartwright as ever-oblivious baby Mindy, and gives most of them at least a few minutes in the spotlight or a couple of good gags. The spoof songs are a lot of fun, and the story can get slightly dark and even surprisingly touching for the goofy Warners shows. The King is a hilarious villain, especially if you' can guess before the characters does why he really hates the Warner siblings - and it's not entirely because they're annoying him or because he wants the wish. Tom Bodett also has some very funny moments with his narration. (Even though I keep expecting him to say he'll leave the light on for us.)
Favorite Number: The opening song "Never Give Up Hope" introduces the entire huge cast and gives us an idea of how they're all suffering but manage to believe better times are ahead. They celebrate the arrival of Wakko and his little bit of money in "I Got a Haypenny," a spoof of large ensemble numbers in shows like The Music Man. "Twinkle, Twinkle" is Wakko's sweet harp solo as he wishes on the star to help with Dot's operation. Everyone tells why they're after the star, even as they rattle down the hill towards it, in "If I Had a Wish, I'd Be Happy."
Trivia: This was intended to be the first in a series of animated films featuring the Animaniacs cast, but sales of this one fell short, and Warners canceled the others.
What I Don't Like: The Warners cartoons of the 90's tended to be fond of topical jokes and gags, including the names of the kingdoms and how Ticktockia (Time Inc) invaded Warnerstock (Warner Media). Many people who weren't around then or aren't fans of pop culture may not get a lot of the jokes. And while they do manage to squeeze in most of the major characters, a few - notably fan favorite Minerva Mink - are missing or are reduced to cameos. Some folks who prefer the skit comedy style of the original show may be baffled by the more sentimental moments and linear story here.
The Big Finale: If you love Animaniacs, you'll find much to enjoy in this one...but do check out the show first before you come here to get a better idea of the characters and how they all relate to each other.
Home Media: Warners finally put it out on DVD about five years ago; it's also easily found on most streaming companies.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Voices of Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, and Maurice LaMarche
Directed by Liz Holzman, Tom Ruegger, and Rusty Mills
Music by Richard Stone and Julie Bernstein; Lyrics by Tom Ruegger and Randy Rogel
The first animated musical review of the year is the finale of the popular 90's TV series Animaniacs. The show follows the adventures of siblings Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner and the colorful cast of oddball characters in various skits, many of them inspired by older cartoon tropes (like former cartoon star Slappy Squirrel and dog-and-baby duo Mindy and Buttons). How does the wacky Warners style do in a spoof of operettas and fantasy cliches? Let's begin in the village of Acme Acres, in the kingdom of Warnerstock, and find out...
The Story: Warnerstock was a lovely little kingdom, until it's invaded by the kingdom of Ticktockia after a civil war. It's greedy ruler King Salazar the Pushy (Paxton Whitehead) taxed the residents into dire poverty. This is especially problematic for orphans Yakko (Paulsen), Wakko (Harnell), and Dot (MacNeille) Warner, who need money so Dot can have an operation. Wakko does finally manage to earn a haypenny, but it's taken for taxes the moment he comes home by the king's lackey Baron Von Plotz (Frank Welker). Frustrated, Wakko performs a harp solo to a wishing star that so moves the star, it falls from the sky. A "desired wish facilitator" (Ben Stein) tells Wakko that he needs to travel to the star to make his wish. Wakko's wild wish gets around town, and suddenly, every resident of Acme Acres, including Salzar and the mad scientist mice Pinky (Paulsen) and the Brain (LaMarche), wants to get to the star and make the wish they believe will bring them happiness.
The Animation: Typical colorful stretch-and-squash-style of the Warner TV cartoons of the time period. The designs are bright and fun, nicely reflecting their 40's inspirations and the more cynical late 90's.
The Song and Dance: If you love Animaniacs, you'll get a kick out of this movie. It uses almost the entire original voice cast, including Bernadette Peters as homeless cat Rita and Nancy Cartwright as ever-oblivious baby Mindy, and gives most of them at least a few minutes in the spotlight or a couple of good gags. The spoof songs are a lot of fun, and the story can get slightly dark and even surprisingly touching for the goofy Warners shows. The King is a hilarious villain, especially if you' can guess before the characters does why he really hates the Warner siblings - and it's not entirely because they're annoying him or because he wants the wish. Tom Bodett also has some very funny moments with his narration. (Even though I keep expecting him to say he'll leave the light on for us.)
Favorite Number: The opening song "Never Give Up Hope" introduces the entire huge cast and gives us an idea of how they're all suffering but manage to believe better times are ahead. They celebrate the arrival of Wakko and his little bit of money in "I Got a Haypenny," a spoof of large ensemble numbers in shows like The Music Man. "Twinkle, Twinkle" is Wakko's sweet harp solo as he wishes on the star to help with Dot's operation. Everyone tells why they're after the star, even as they rattle down the hill towards it, in "If I Had a Wish, I'd Be Happy."
Trivia: This was intended to be the first in a series of animated films featuring the Animaniacs cast, but sales of this one fell short, and Warners canceled the others.
What I Don't Like: The Warners cartoons of the 90's tended to be fond of topical jokes and gags, including the names of the kingdoms and how Ticktockia (Time Inc) invaded Warnerstock (Warner Media). Many people who weren't around then or aren't fans of pop culture may not get a lot of the jokes. And while they do manage to squeeze in most of the major characters, a few - notably fan favorite Minerva Mink - are missing or are reduced to cameos. Some folks who prefer the skit comedy style of the original show may be baffled by the more sentimental moments and linear story here.
The Big Finale: If you love Animaniacs, you'll find much to enjoy in this one...but do check out the show first before you come here to get a better idea of the characters and how they all relate to each other.
Home Media: Warners finally put it out on DVD about five years ago; it's also easily found on most streaming companies.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Thursday, January 2, 2020
Bye Bye Birdie
Columbia, 1963
Starring Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Ann-Margaret, and Paul Lynde
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Lee Adams
Our first review of the decade is an affectionate spoof of not only the early rock era, but of the teen fads and fashions of the time and the growing generation gap. How does this very early 60's tale look over 50 years later? Let's head to New York and the music offices on Tin Pan Alley and find out...
The Story: Rock idol Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson) was just drafted into the army. His primary songwriter Albert Peterson (Van Dyke) writes a song, "One Last Kiss," for him to sing on the popular variety program The Ed Sullivan Show. At its conclusion, he'll give a kiss to one of his adoring teen fans. Albert's devoted secretary and girlfriend Rose DeLeon (Leigh) chooses Kim MacAffee (Ann-Margaret) of Sweet Apple, Ohio as the lucky miss. Kim's utterly delighted. Her steady boyfriend, Hugo (Bobby Rydell), is most definitely not. Kim's dad Harry (Lynde) is against the whole thing until Rose says his whole family will be on Ed Sullivan. After that, he tries to get Albert, who is also a chemist, to market a new speed-up pill his son made. Meanwhile, Albert's clingy mother (Maureen Stapleton) has also arrived, hoping to keep her son in show business and as her meal ticket.
The Song and Dance: While some aspects of this show haven't worn well, teen girls swooning over the latest and hottest young idol haven't changed much in over fifty years. Van Dyke is fairly charming as hectic mama's boy Albert. Lynde is hilarious as Mr. McAffee, who goes from abashed that his daughter should kiss a guy she doesn't know and how the younger generation behaves to desperate to get on TV and show off to the world. There's some interesting use of color filters here, too, especially in the "Lot of Livin' To Do" number.
Favorite Number: Ann-Margaret wriggles her way through the title song in the opening and closing sequences against a blue screen, explaining why girls across America are upset over Birdie being drafted. She also gets to explain why she's so glad to be a teen in "How Lovely to Be a Woman." Conrad sings the Elvis-esque ballad "Honestly Sincere"...and his his-swiveling performance leaves every woman in Sweet Apple fainting. Albert tries to cheer up Rosie after his mother arrives with probably this show's best-known song, "Put On a Happy Face," in a charming duet downtown. The McAffee parents join Mrs. Peterson in lamenting about how "Kids" today don't respect their parents.
Trivia: The musical was inspired by Elvis Presley entering the Army in 1957. They wanted Elvis himself to play Conrad, but his manager didn't want him appearing in spoofs of himself.
Bye, Bye Birdie debuted on Broadway in 1961, with Chita Riviera as Rosie, Kay Medford as Mrs. Peterson, and Michael J. Pollard as Hugo. It was a surprise hit, running over a year. It also ran in London, with Riviera and Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall as Albert. A 1981 Broadway sequel with Rivera and Donald O'Connor, Bring Back Birdie, limped through a month, while a limited revival in 2009 featuring John Stamos and Gian Gershon received rather unimpressed reviews and barely made it through its scheduled run.
In addition to the film, there was also a TV version in 1995, with Vanessa Williams as Rose, Jason Alexander as Albert, Tyne Daly as Mrs. Peterson, and George Wendt as Harry McAffee that was somewhat closer to the original show. A live version announced for NBC with Jennifer Lopez keeps getting pushed back, due to her busy schedule.
What I Don't Like: It's the supporting cast that's the problem here. Ann-Margaret may be pretty and a good singer and dancer, but she's way too old for her role and is too sensual to be believable as a teenager who just got her first steady boyfriend. Neither Rydell nor Pearson come off as anything more than bland, no matter how many teen girls scream over the latter. Janet Leigh is no Hispanic beauty and is totally at sea in a black wig and a role that's too spicy for her sweet persona.
Teens may still scream at their favorite idols, but other details haven't worn as well. Ed Sullivan's show may have been the talk of the town in 1961, but most real families probably don't even remember it - or most similar variety programs - today. Sullivan's show was so instrumental to the time period, the MacAffees even sing a song about it. The whole side story with the speed-up pills comes off as silly and unnecessary filler. Not to mention, there were a lot of changes from the original show, with at least five songs dropped and much of the plot being re-written.
The Big Finale: Honestly, neither the stage nor film versions of this show are huge favorites of mine, but there's enough good numbers to be worth a look if you're a fan of Ann-Margaret, Lynde, or Van-Dyke or of the early rock era.
Home Media: Currently out of print on DVD; streaming is your best bet here.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Starring Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Ann-Margaret, and Paul Lynde
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Lee Adams
Our first review of the decade is an affectionate spoof of not only the early rock era, but of the teen fads and fashions of the time and the growing generation gap. How does this very early 60's tale look over 50 years later? Let's head to New York and the music offices on Tin Pan Alley and find out...
The Story: Rock idol Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson) was just drafted into the army. His primary songwriter Albert Peterson (Van Dyke) writes a song, "One Last Kiss," for him to sing on the popular variety program The Ed Sullivan Show. At its conclusion, he'll give a kiss to one of his adoring teen fans. Albert's devoted secretary and girlfriend Rose DeLeon (Leigh) chooses Kim MacAffee (Ann-Margaret) of Sweet Apple, Ohio as the lucky miss. Kim's utterly delighted. Her steady boyfriend, Hugo (Bobby Rydell), is most definitely not. Kim's dad Harry (Lynde) is against the whole thing until Rose says his whole family will be on Ed Sullivan. After that, he tries to get Albert, who is also a chemist, to market a new speed-up pill his son made. Meanwhile, Albert's clingy mother (Maureen Stapleton) has also arrived, hoping to keep her son in show business and as her meal ticket.
The Song and Dance: While some aspects of this show haven't worn well, teen girls swooning over the latest and hottest young idol haven't changed much in over fifty years. Van Dyke is fairly charming as hectic mama's boy Albert. Lynde is hilarious as Mr. McAffee, who goes from abashed that his daughter should kiss a guy she doesn't know and how the younger generation behaves to desperate to get on TV and show off to the world. There's some interesting use of color filters here, too, especially in the "Lot of Livin' To Do" number.
Favorite Number: Ann-Margaret wriggles her way through the title song in the opening and closing sequences against a blue screen, explaining why girls across America are upset over Birdie being drafted. She also gets to explain why she's so glad to be a teen in "How Lovely to Be a Woman." Conrad sings the Elvis-esque ballad "Honestly Sincere"...and his his-swiveling performance leaves every woman in Sweet Apple fainting. Albert tries to cheer up Rosie after his mother arrives with probably this show's best-known song, "Put On a Happy Face," in a charming duet downtown. The McAffee parents join Mrs. Peterson in lamenting about how "Kids" today don't respect their parents.
Trivia: The musical was inspired by Elvis Presley entering the Army in 1957. They wanted Elvis himself to play Conrad, but his manager didn't want him appearing in spoofs of himself.
Bye, Bye Birdie debuted on Broadway in 1961, with Chita Riviera as Rosie, Kay Medford as Mrs. Peterson, and Michael J. Pollard as Hugo. It was a surprise hit, running over a year. It also ran in London, with Riviera and Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall as Albert. A 1981 Broadway sequel with Rivera and Donald O'Connor, Bring Back Birdie, limped through a month, while a limited revival in 2009 featuring John Stamos and Gian Gershon received rather unimpressed reviews and barely made it through its scheduled run.
In addition to the film, there was also a TV version in 1995, with Vanessa Williams as Rose, Jason Alexander as Albert, Tyne Daly as Mrs. Peterson, and George Wendt as Harry McAffee that was somewhat closer to the original show. A live version announced for NBC with Jennifer Lopez keeps getting pushed back, due to her busy schedule.
What I Don't Like: It's the supporting cast that's the problem here. Ann-Margaret may be pretty and a good singer and dancer, but she's way too old for her role and is too sensual to be believable as a teenager who just got her first steady boyfriend. Neither Rydell nor Pearson come off as anything more than bland, no matter how many teen girls scream over the latter. Janet Leigh is no Hispanic beauty and is totally at sea in a black wig and a role that's too spicy for her sweet persona.
Teens may still scream at their favorite idols, but other details haven't worn as well. Ed Sullivan's show may have been the talk of the town in 1961, but most real families probably don't even remember it - or most similar variety programs - today. Sullivan's show was so instrumental to the time period, the MacAffees even sing a song about it. The whole side story with the speed-up pills comes off as silly and unnecessary filler. Not to mention, there were a lot of changes from the original show, with at least five songs dropped and much of the plot being re-written.
The Big Finale: Honestly, neither the stage nor film versions of this show are huge favorites of mine, but there's enough good numbers to be worth a look if you're a fan of Ann-Margaret, Lynde, or Van-Dyke or of the early rock era.
Home Media: Currently out of print on DVD; streaming is your best bet here.
DVD
Amazon Prime
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