Musicals On Streaming - Spellbound (2024)

Netflix, 2024

Voices of Rachel Ziegler, John Lithgow, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem

Directed by Vicky Jenson

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glen Slater

This one apparently has been a long time coming. It was announced in July 2017 as a theatrical project from new animation studio Skydance, to be released by Paramount. In 2020, Apple TV replaced Paramount and released their first movie, Luck. Three years later, Skydance ended its deal with Apple and switched to Netflix, where it was finally released last week. Menken knows something about animated fantasies. Does this reach the height of Disney's animated fairy tales, or should it be changed into a beast? Let's begin with Princess Ellian of Lumbria (Ziegler) in the air as she flies with her friends and find out...

The Story: But Ellian doesn't have time for friends, or much of anything besides ruling her kingdom. The year before, a strange dark magic transformed her parents into uncontrollable monsters who wreck havoc on the castle. Ellian and her parents' advisors Bolivar (Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) have tried to keep the public from finding out, but they're becoming harder to control. Bolivar and Nazara think she should give up hope and be crowned queen, but Ellian is determined to find someone who will change them back.

She finally gets through to two powerful beings known as the Oracles, Sunny (Tituss Burgess) and Luno (Nathan Lane), only for her parents to scare them off. They do leave behind a powerful magic amulet called "the Fob" that can work their magic. The Captain of the Guard Genera Cardona (Olga Merediz) believes the monsters have stolen the princess and goes after them. They flee to the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness to find the Oracles, with Bolivar switching his body with that of Ellian's pet rodent Fink (Dee Bradly Baker) on the way. 

The Oracles can't restore her parents, but they claim the Lake of Light can. As the quartet travel across quicksand-laden deserts and echoing forests, Ellian helps her parents rediscover their humanity and learns why they lost it to begin with. When they do arrive at the Lake, she finally snaps...and they're reminded that, whether together or separate, their daughter is the most important thing in their lives, and they love her even if they're no longer meant to be a couple.

The Animation: Gorgeous, as per the fantasy milieu. The Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness is not aptly named, as it's colorful and stunning, with its wild backgrounds. The colors glow here, and the details are incredible. Humans look a bit selfish, but everyone moves well, and the diverse cast is well-rendered. Perhaps because John Lasseter runs Skydance, this does feel a bit derivative of Disney, mainly in those elaborate backgrounds.

The Song and Dance: The animation and score are probably the best thing about this one. Menken crafted some decent music here, especially for Ziegler. She does fairly well as the upbeat teenager who just wants her parents back, despite some clunky dialogue. Lithgow also has some funny moments as the stuffy advisor who learns to cut loose and see silver linings when he switches bodies, and Burgess and Lane are hilarious as the Oracles. I like the idea of her parents rediscovering their humanity throughout the film, and despite it being awkwardly handled, I commend them for even attempting to deal with a mature subject like divorce in an animated film at all. 

The Numbers: Ellian explains that "My Parents are Monsters" as she shows the chaos they've created in the castle during the opening number. Bolivar and Nazara claim they'll return the kingdom to normal "Step By Step" and make Ellian queen. The Oracles explain "How to Break the Spell" before the king and queen burst in. Ellian laments that she just wants things to be "The Way They Were Before" when her parents were human and knew she was their daughter. 

She's told to "Look for the Light" by the Oracles when they arrive at the Dark Forest. Her parents start "Remembering" their past life as they follow the lights and she encourages them to recall their past life. Bolivar happily claims "I Could Get Used to This" when he finally befriends the finks who think he's one of them. After they say they won't change back at the Lake of Light, Ellian finally snaps, wonder "What About Me?" and why they never seem to notice her in their fights. They all reprise "What About Us?" and "The Way It Was Before" as Bolivar helps save them and they realize how important their daughter is. Ellian reprises "My Parents are Monsters" in the end, and we get "The Way It Was Before" over the end credits.

What I Don't Like: While I appreciate the discussion of a topic like divorce here, it could have been integrated better. It comes out of nowhere in the second half and doesn't work well with the fantasy elements. There's also subjects like divorce and mixed marriages being extremely controversial. Some parents may not appreciate a movie where it's basically shoved down their throats. The music isn't bad but isn't especially memorable, either. The whole thing just seems like it's been thrown together from spare parts of better Disney and Dreamworks movies and is cliched to high heck other than the divorce talk. 

The Big Finale: Not the greatest thing ever, but not nearly as bad as some critics claim, either. If their parents aren't offended by some of the more mature elements, elementary-school-age girls like my niece might be the best audience for this. They'll enjoy the fairy tale story and be able to ignore the awkward message and clunky dialogue.

Home Media: Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Happy Thanksgiving! - Alice's Restaurant

United Artists, 1969

Starring Arlo Guthrie, Pat Quinn, James Broderick, and Michael McClanathan

Directed by Arthur Penn

Music and Lyrics by various

Arlo Guthrie's epic folk song "Alice's Restaurant" debuted on his album of the same title in 1967 and was a hit, making it into the top 20 that year. It isn't Thanksgiving for many people without the twenty-minute folk song playing somewhere in the background before dinner. Penn knew the story more intimately than most, being a resident of Stockbridge, Massachusetts where the incidents occurred and having heard the full story from the real Ray Brock. How does the tale of how Arlo's attempt to help the owner of the title establishment on Thanksgiving turn into disaster look today? Let's begin at a college in Montana and find out...

The Story: Arlo went to college to avoid the draft, but his long hair and Bohemian lifestyle doesn't go over well in rural Montana. After run-ins with the local police and students who make fun of him for his looks, he finally hitchhikes to the East Coast. His first stop is New York, where he visits with his sick father Woody Guthrie (Joseph Boley) and performs in a few folk venues.

He finally heads north to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where his friends Ray Brock (James Broderick) and Alice (Pat Quinn) live with assorted friends and hangers-on in an abandoned church. Alice has started a restaurant, which is popularized by a jingle Arlo writes for her. Alice is fed up with Ray's treatment of her and first has an affair with his friend Shelly (McClanathan), then follows Arlo and his friend Roger (Geoff Outlaw) to New York. Ray comes to bring her home, and she invites the guys along for Thanksgiving dinner.

The dinner itself goes just fine. Things go sideways when Alice asks Roger and Arlo to take garbage from the church to the town dump. The town dump is closed for Thanksgiving, so they drop it off on a cliff with other garbage. That gets them a visit from Officer Obie (the real officer, William Obanheim), who thinks they dumped a lot more than junk. Alice bails them out, and the blind judge (the real blind judge, James Hannon) can't see the evidence at their trial and gives the boys a fine and an order to find another place for the junk instead. 

Arlo does briefly end up drafted for Vietnam, but he doesn't make it due to the littering conviction. He's free to return to the church with his new girlfriend Mari-Chan (Tina Chen), where things are starting to go haywire. Shelly's high as a kite and has been keeping heroin in the church. Ray's furious and beats him, but he runs off and dies in a motorcycle accident. Woody passes on as well, leaving Arlo regretful that he didn't get to say good-bye. Even Alice and Ray's wedding is full of regrets, as Alice wonders what she's gotten herself into.

The Song and Dance: You can't get much more "you were there" than a story that more-or-less happened as it's shown onscreen. Broderick and Quinn are probably the best of the cast as the sometimes-dynamic, sometimes-violent owner of the church and his strong-willed wife. There's some gorgeous shots of New York, Montana, and the Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts as they looked in the late 60's, too, including that lovely old church. Penn's straightforward approach works well with the wild, frequently meandering plot. 

The Numbers:  Our first numbers are instrumental classical piano pieces, performed by a class at the Montana college. Arlo's teacher is offended by him playing a folk number instead of what the rest of the students are doing. He's much happier playing a jam session on guitar and kazoo with Roger, until the landlady and police turn up to ask questions. He plays "Car-Car Song" and "Pastures of Plenty" with none other than folk legend Pete Seeger in his father's hospital bedroom. Ray really gets into the traditional folk song "Boiling Cabbage Down" with everyone at the church, and they sing "Amazing Grace" after Thanksgiving dinner. "Alice's Restaurant"turns up on the radio as a jingle. Tigger Outlaw sings the Joni Mitchell song "Songs to Aging Children" as the members of the church lay Shelly in the ground.

Trivia:  Though the film is based on a real incident, it plays very fast and loose with facts. The subplot with the Shelly/Ray/Alice triangle was fictional, as was Mari-Chan (Guthrie was actually dating an English girl at the time) and him being forced out of the Montana school (he was still attending it then). 

What I Don't Like: The movie is too meandering for its own good. It bounces from incident to incident with no real rhyme or reason. Quite frankly...the story behind the song isn't nearly as compelling as the song continues to be. Gurthrie's sweet-faced and endearing, but also not much of an actor (especially compared to the magnetic Broderick) and comes across as too goofy or annoying at times. The treatment of Guthrie because of his long hair and lifestyle and the discussions of the Vietnam War and the then-current generation have dated this movie very badly. The slightly bitter worldview doesn't help, either. 

The Big Finale: Recommended mainly if you're a huge fan of Guthrie or the original song, or are interested in movies from the late 60's and early 70's that go into some of the same themes. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and Blu-Ray

DVD

Blu-Ray

Musical Documentaries - The Last Waltz

United Artists, 1978

Starring The Band, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, and Van Morrison

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's celebrate Thanksgiving week with two very different rock movies from the 60's and 70's that were filmed or set during the holiday. The Last Waltz was supposedly going to be the final concert of Canadian-American rock group The Band in 1976, who had been touring for sixteen years. They invited many guest stars who were huge in the world of rock or folk music and even had Scorsese film the event. Scorsese took a different approach to making a concert documentary, starting with doing it on less grainy 35 millimeter stock instead of cheaper 16 millimeter. What else makes this stand out? Let's begin with a card telling us that this film should be played loud and see...

 

The Story: We get to know the members of the Band - drummer Levon Helm, saxophonist and pianist Richard Manuel, bassist Rick Danko, and guitarist Robbie Robertson - and their long career on the road and the artists who influenced them via a series of interviews. There's also segments in the studio where we hear them recording some of their best-known hits. They tell him how they got together, wild memories of their time touring, and why they want to make changes.

The Song and Dance: Wow. How's this for a concert line-up? In addition to the Band, special guests include Mitchell, Neil Young, Waters, Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield of the Butterfield Blues Band, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, and Dr. John, with Ringo Starr of The Beatles and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones visible in the finale. Each and every one gets a chance to shine or a really good song or story, including the Band themselves. The movie even looks spectacular. It being shot on good 35 millimeter stock assures that every last drop of sweat and finger flying over guitar strings look as clear as the day it debuted. Scorsese's nervous energy even brings out the most in the interviews, making Robinson sound hilarious and bringing out some great stories.

The Numbers: We open with the Band's song that closed the actual concert, the rockin' "Don't Do It." The studio version of the instrumental title song is heard over the credits while ghostly dancers do an actual waltz. After the first interview segment, the Band returns to give us blistering versions of "Up In Cripple Creek" and "The Shape I'm In." Ronnie Hawkins comes out for the Bo Diddley favorite "Who Do You Love?" The Band follow this with their own "It Makes No Difference." 

After a reading of the introduction to The Canterbury Tales by Micheal McClure, Dr. John comes on for "Such a Night." Neil Young gets the ballad "Helpless." He's not quite helpless, as we see a woman in silhouette providing the background singing. The lady turns out to be folk songstress Joni Mitchell, keeping out of sight to not take away from her own performance later. The Band returns with "Stage Fright" and a studio recording of "The Weight," the latter with lively black singing group The Staples Singers. We return to the stage for their own "The Night They Drove Dixie Down," best known as one of Joan Baez' biggest hits. 

Neil Diamond is on next, but though he has one of his better songs, "Dry Your Eyes," his leisure suit and soft-rock sound seems out-of-place with the folk and hard rock tunes and less formal musicians around him. Mitchell comes across much better with her own "Coyote." Paul Butterfield picks up the pace with his rollicking "Mystery Train." They almost didn't film Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy." It's a fluke that one cameraman happened to catch it...and thank goodness he did! They would have missed one of the best performances in the entire show, with Waters really throwing himself into the blues number. Eric Clapton is nearly as into his performance of the early blues hit "Further On Up the Road."

Beautiful country-rock star Emmylou Harris joins the band for a studio version of the ballad "Evangeline" that's as pretty as she is. The Band takes over with their "Ophelia" and "Chest Fever." Van Morrison's dynamic "Caravan" is definitely a highlight of the second half. After poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti recites a "Loud Prayer," we finally get Bob Dylan, who doesn't disappoint with intense performances of "Forever Young" and "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" that were worth all the last-minute haggling. The last concert number, Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," brings back all the singers from the actual concert, with Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood visible in the background. The movie ends with a reprise of the title song, this time done by the band in the studio.

What I Don't Like: First of all, the other band members were right that the film might focus on Robertson just a wee bit too much. He was the one who was friends with Scorsese, but I would have liked to have heard more from the others, too. Second, I'm glad they didn't film the rest of the poets whose recitations apparently took up a good chunk of the original concert. The two they do include really slow things down. And naturally, if you're not a fan of any of the artists seen here or the Band's brand of folk-hard rock, you won't be into this.

The Big Finale: One of the best concerts ever filmed, and one of the best concert movies ever created. Fans of the Band, any of the artists in question, or of folk, country, or hard rock in general owe it to themselves to see this one.

Home Media: Easily found on all formats, often for under $10. Tubi currently has it for free with commercials.

DVD

Blu-Ray

4K

Tubi

Family Fun Saturday - Wicked Part One

Universal Pictures, 2024

Starring Cynthia Ervio, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and Michelle Yeoh

Directed by Jon M. Chu

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

I've waited a very long time for this one to come out. It was originally announced in 2012, but kept getting pushed back for one reason or another. Universal said it would be coming out in 2021, but the pandemic ended those plans. It was supposed to come out last year, but then the strike happened. It's been one of the most popular shows on Broadway since its debut in 2003, especially among young women and Wizard of Oz fans. Was the story of how the Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch met in college and became close friends worth the long wait, or should it be put in a cage? Let's begin at the ending, with all of Oz celebrating the Witch's death and the arrival of Glinda (Grande) in her bubble, and find out...

The Story: Glinda relates to the people how she met Elphaba (Ervio), future Witch of the West, when she accompanied her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) to Shiz University. Head sorcery teacher Madame Morrible (Yeoh) is impressed when an angry Elphaba shows her considerable talent for magic and insists she studies with her at the school. Glinda, then known as Galinda Upland, is not happy when Elphaba ends up sharing her private suite. Galinda is a perky, rather shallow blonde, and Elphaba is sharp and intelligent despite the green skin that everyone around her fears.

Angry that she wasn't chosen by Madame Morrible to be in her class, Galinda and her friends make fun of Elphaba. Elphaba feels more comfortable in class, especially goat professor Dr. Dillamond's (Peter Dinkalage) history course. It seems animals are being stripped of their speech and their civil rights. Elphaba is certain that the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), whom she admires, will take care of everything. The student body is more interested in the arrival of Fiyero Tigelarr (Bailey), a handsome prince whom Galinda fawns over. He's more interested in Elphaba, even helping her rescue a lion cub who was kept in a cage when Dr. Dillamond was forced out of class. She finally bonds with Galinda after she encourages Boq (Ethan Slater), one of her admirers, to ask Nessarose out. 

Elphaba is elated when Morrible gives her an invitation to see the Wizard. Now she can finally become his apprentice and help the animals of Oz. She even brings Galinda, who has now renamed herself Glinda in honor of Dillamond, They enjoy their day in the Emerald City, but Elphaba doesn't need a little dog to pull back the curtain and reveal the Wizard for the fraud he is. He wants her to read the Grimmerie, a book of magic spells. She's so horrified by what one of those spells does to a monkey guard, she flees. Glinda wants her to stay, but she has no desire to have anything to do with the Wizard now. She wants something more, a way to truly fly and help those she loves.

The Song and Dance: This was absolutely worth the wait. Ervio and Grande are delightful as the two witches, with Ervio appropriately sharp and defensive, Grande adorable and hilarious. Yeoh, Bailey, and Goldblum more than match them as the conniving teacher, the prince who learns there's more to life than being brainless, and the huckster who calls himself wizard. The mix of real sets and CGI allow for the characters to interact with their world more than normal for a big fantasy blockbuster. 

Shiz and the Emerald City are drop-dead gorgeous. Libraries have revolving circular shelves, gardens are a Technicolor wonder of green and pink and lavender, and the Emerald City glows with every shade of green possible. The costumes are even more amazing, with Glinda's pink and blue-striped suits and ruffly flower nightgowns, Elphaba's high-necked black gown and the infamous peaked hats, and all those blue uniforms on the Shiz students and the 20's-inspired low-waisted gowns at the Ozdust Ballroom.

The Numbers: We do indeed open with "No One Mourns the Wicked" as the citizens of Oz celebrates the Wicked Witch's demise and Glinda tells the story of how Elphaba came to be and her troubled childhood. "Dear Old Shiz" introduces Galinda and the students as they prepare for their first semester. Thrilled with the chance to work with her idol. Elphaba tells the frogs in the gardens what she'll do for "The Wizard and I." She and Galinda wonder "What Is This Feeling?" in a montage that shows the duo's antagonism after they end up having to share a room. "Something Bad" is moved to a room outside of the school where Dr. Dillmond and other animal teachers meet to discuss how animals are losing speech and their rights.

Fiyero encourages the students to go "Dancing Through Life," first in a huge, extensive dance number with students leaping all over that huge library, then at the Ozdust Ballroom. It ends with Elphaba and Galinda finally bonding over their own angry dance. Galinda claims she can make Elphaba "Popular," but her green friend is skeptical, to say the least. She even gets the cutest dance as she flits through the halls in her frilly rose-pink nightclothes. Elphaba would be the first to admit her feelings for Fiyero after he helps her rescue the lion cub, but she thinks "I'm Not That Girl" and he's in love with Galinda. 

Elphaba and the newly rechristened Glinda are delighted to spend "One Short Day" in Emerald City. They even get to see a show featuring two sorceresses who should be familiar to fans of the original Broadway cast album. The Wizard claims he's "A Sentimental Man" who thinks of the people of Oz as his children. Elphaba knows better than to accept his phony pathos. She'd rather be "Defying Gravity" and leaping out a window as she flies her famous broom.

Trivia: Wicked opened on Broadway in December 2003 and was an instant sensation, especially among young women who related to the themes of friendship and sacrifice. It continues to run at the Gershwin Theater to this day. The West End version opened in 2006 and also continues at the Victoria Apollo Theater.

Look for original Broadway stars Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel as the "Wise Ones" during the "One Short Day" stage production number.  

What I Don't Like: Some of the story lines, notably the Boq-Nessarose side plot and what happens with Dr. Dillamond, do get lost amid the witches' budding relationship and the many musical numbers. This was apparently even more of a problem in the plot-heavy Broadway show. No wonder Chu ended up separating this into two parts. Neither Slater and Bode nor Galinda's two buddies who are always by her side (Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James) have much to do. And forget it for those of you who aren't fans of fantasy, musicals, or The Wizard of Oz. This is very much a fantasy world where people burst into song. 

The Big Finale: Good things come to those who wait. This was an absolute delight from start to finish. I can't recommend it enough, especially if you have pre-teen and young teen girls who would enjoy the music and morals about friendship and sisterhood. 

Home Media: This will be on all major formats in late March; it's on pre-order now, and the soundtrack is available. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Vinyl Soundtrack

Cult Flops - That Lady In Ermine

20th Century Fox, 1948

Starring Betty Grable, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Caesar Romero, and Walter Abel

Directed by Ernst Lubisch and Otto Preminger

Music by Friedrich Hollaender; Lyrics by Leo Robin

That Lady In Ermine had an even more troubled production than The Emperor Waltz. The original director was frothy comedy specialist Ernst Lubisch, but he had a fatal heart attack eight days into filming. His replacement couldn't have been more different. Otto Preminger was known for his mysteries and dark dramas. He'd done one previous musical, the nostalgic Centennial Summer. That the film was a huge flop in 1946 didn't stop them from recruiting Preminger to handle an even fluffier story. How does the change in director affect the tale of a countess who is encouraged by her notorious ancestor to stop a Hungarian count from harming her husband? Let's begin at the wedding of Countess Angelina (Grable) and Baron Mario (Romero) in Northern Italy in 1861 and find out...

The Story: The two were barely married for a few hours when the castle was attacked by the Hungarian Army, led by dashing Colonel Teglash (Fairbanks Jr). Mario flees, leaving his wife to deal with the invaders. Her ancestors in their paintings call on Francesca (Grable), depicted as wearing nothing but an ermine cloak, to save them as she did 300 years before. Angelica does think he's handsome, but she's also devoted to her new husband. Even the story of how Francesca supposedly killed the Duke (Fairbanks Jr.) who lead another invading army against the castle doesn't scare him away. 

Mario returns to the castle disguised as a gypsy. Teglash is ready to hire him when he hears his excellent violin playing, until he realizes he's Angelica's husband. He asks for her to dine with him if he spares Mario's life, but she doesn't show. It's up to Francesca to send a dream that's romantic enough for Teglash to retreat...and Angelica to understand whom she truly cares about.

The Song and Dance: This has an even worse reputation than Emperor Waltz...but honestly, it's not that bad. Fairbanks Jr. and Romero have a wonderful time chewing every bit of the lavish scenery, with Fairbanks especially good as the officer who falls for both Angelica and her mysterious ancestress. The Technicolor is exquisite, a Dresden candy box showing off a wide range of glowing pastels. Grable flounces around in amazing hoop-skirted gowns and sleek fur coats trimmed with acres of ruffles, sequins, bows, and tulle, while the men show off their gold braided Italian and Hungarian uniforms and colorful gypsy rags. 

The Numbers: We open with "The Jester's Song" as Major Horvath's (Abel) ancestor Benvenuto (Abel) reports the invasion to the other ancestors in the paintings. They all join Francesca as she sings "Ooh, What I'll Do (To That Wild Hungarian)" and reveals her plans for repelling Teglash and his army. One member of a chamber orchestra plays a short, sad instrumental violin song for Teglash after they've taken the castle, but his mind is on the woman in the painting. Francesca reminds her ancestress in a dream that it doesn't matter who a man is or what he looks like if "The Melody Is Right." 

The orchestra reprises "Ooh, What I'll Do" during Tegash's lengthy dream sequence near the end of the movie. Francesca tells him he can do anything he wants, including do a vigorous waltz with her and boom "This Is the Moment" in a very dubbed baritone. Francesca's rendition is a little less bombastic and easier to take. Tegash's second dream is shorter and a lot less pleasant. He and Francesca dance again, only for her to literally stab him in the back. The two of them and the ancestors end the movie with another wild dance to "Ooh, What I'll Do."

Trivia: This began life as a German operetta in 1919, which later inspired an American stage show, Lady In Ermine. It was filmed twice before, as a silent under the original title in 1927 and as the racy musical Bride of the Regiment in 1930. Both films are now mostly lost other than a very short fragment of Bride. 

"This Is the Moment" was nominated for Best Song in 1948, but lost to "Buttons and Bows." 

What I Don't Like: Preminger's heavy-handed bombast is all wrong for a frothy romantic comedy. Everyone is always shouting and stomping when they should be laughing and waltzing. All the screaming makes a hash out of the big "This Is the Moment" dream sequence. It takes the spice out of what should be a racy romp. Grable is especially stiff and noisy, and not really believable as the reluctant countess or her matchmaking ancestress. No wonder she later called this her least-favorite vehicle. Oscar nomination aside, the music isn't really all that memorable, either. Preminger would do far better with two dark operas in the 50's, Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess. 

The Big Finale: While not nearly as bad as most people claim, it has its fair share of problems. It's probably best for major fans of Grable or the two leading men, or those who love historical costume flicks and might be interested in the gorgeous production.

Home Media: The 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives DVD is hard to find, but it is available on streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Cult Flops - The Emperor Waltz

Paramount, 1948

Starring Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Roland Culver, and Richard Haydn

Directed by Billy Wilder

Music and Lyrics by various

Our first two movies this week have a lot in common. They're historical romances from 1948 featuring major stars and directors that went through troubled productions and received mixed reviews on release. This one started with Wilder's desire to do a light-hearted musical set in his native Austria after having seen concentration camps in Europe. Crosby was Paramount's go-to musical star at the time, but not only did he have problems with Wilder, but with the fluffy script as well. How did all this effect the tale of a traveling salesman in turn-of-the-20th-century Austria who falls for a countess? Let's begin at a grand ball, where gramophone salesman Virgil Smith (Crosby) dances with the chilly Countess Joanna Franziska (Fontaine) and find out...

The Story: Smith and his white fox terrier Buttons are determined to sell their gramophone to none other than the Emperor Franz Joseph (Haydn), hoping to promote it in Austria. Meanwhile, the Countess Joanna and her father Baron Holenia (Ronald Culver) have come to mate Joanna's pure-blood poodle Schenherezade with the Emperor's poodle. Countess and poodle get into several arguments with Smith and his terrier, the last of which leaves Schenherezade sick. The doctor (Sig Ruman) recommends that she face the dog that frightened her. Joanna insists on Virgil staying in Austria so this can happen. 

Not only do the dogs fall in love, but so do their owners. Joanna is ready to run away with Virgil, until the Emperor reminds Virgil that he's a commoner and she's a noblewoman who is not accustomed to simple living. He buys his gramophone if he'll leave Joanna. Virgil lies and says he never loved her...but it becomes obvious a few months later that their dogs did. When Schenherezade has her puppies, Virgil and Buttons come around one last time to rescue them and prove to the entire Austrian court that, if you're truly in love, nothing else matters. 

The Song and Dance: Gorgeous mountain scenery (filmed in Canada), the period-accurate costumes depicting Austria during the Edwardian period, and some absolutely scrumptious Technicolor add life to this bittersweet confection. The film isn't as sugary as the fluffy story looks at first, especially in the second half, when the class distinctions come to the fore. Haydn makes an especially good Emperor, stubborn, but not uncaring. In fact, I'm actually glad the movie didn't end up painting him as the villain. All he wanted was for his dog to give him some pups. Crosby proves himself more than worthy of the drama in the second half, particularly when he lets the court have it for almost hurting innocent puppies in the name of class purity near the end. 

The Numbers: Our first number is the Johann Strauss title song, given English lyrics by Johnny Burke and danced by the royal court at the ball. It's also the song he tries to play on his gramophone before the horrified soldiers at the court mistake it for a bomb. After the dogs attack each other, he returns to the "Friendly Mountains" to yodel along and watch the local peasants dance. His attempt to encourage Joseph to "Get Yourself a Phonograph" in the woods only ends with him in trouble and Joseph missing a stag he very much wanted to hunt. His first attempt to woo Joanna is his older hit "I Kiss Your Hand, Madame." The second, the German song "The Kiss In Your Eyes," works much better, for humans and canines. It even works for the Countess' chauffeur and two female servants in the inn, who happily dance together. 

What I Don't Like: Did I mention that fluffy story? The whole thing with the dogs is silly to the point of being annoying, until it takes a left turn into melodrama near the end with what they try to do to Scheherezade's puppies. No matter how much he wanted to get away from darker stories, musicals aren't really Billy Wilder's turf. He wasn't satisfied with the results, and yeah, I can understand why. The social commentary mixes awkwardly with the overly sweet story. Not only is Fontaine stiff as a board and obviously not happy to be here, she's more realistic clashing with the aloof Crosby in the first half than falling for him in the second. 

The Big Finale: This alternately pretty and bitter class war romance is likely best for huge fans of Crosby, Fontaine, or Wilder. 

Home Media: Not on legitimate streaming at press time, but easily found on DVD and Blu-Ray, the latter from Kino Lorber

DVD - The Bing Crosby Collection: The Emperor Waltz/A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court

Blu-Ray

Animation Celebration Saturday - Dot and the Koala

Yoram Gross Films, 1985

Voices of Robyn Moore and Keith Scott

Directed by Yoram Gross

Music and Lyrics by Gairden Cooke

The Dot series was wildly popular in its native Australia, enough to continue for eight films. This is the third of those 8 films, coming after Dot and the Bunny. It also varies the formula a bit, trading in Dot's interaction with real-life animals for something closer to what you'd find in an animated series from this era, a town of talking animals. How does Dot get involved with the story of how one all-animal town created a dam for more power...and learned a lesson when the animals in the bush whose homes were flooded out fight back? Let's begin in that sleepy all-farm-animal town and find out...

The Story: Mayor Percy Pig is certain that their big new dam will thrust their little town into the 20th Century and bring many jobs to the community. What he doesn't consider is that their dam would flood the Outback and destroy the homes of the animals who live there. Bruce the Koala (Scott) encourages all the residents to fight back, but it just ends with them building the dam anyway. They finally bring in Dot (Moore) to help them stop the opening. She's the one who shows Percy, rat detective Sherlock Bones, and his none-too-bright cat sidekick Watson that small towns have their own charms, and there can be progress without destroying the environment.

The Animation: This one takes a different route with the style of animation. The animals look far smaller and less realistic than they do in previous films, with shorter, less detailed bodies and larger, goofier eyes. There's also far less live-action footage, and the animals barely interact with it at all. Dot looks more-or-less the same, but then she also has a lot less to do. 

The Song and Dance: Unique story almost comes off as a lighter version of Animal Farm, with the two sides warring over what one sees as "progress" and the other only knows will destroy their way of life. Some of the action sequences, especially in the beginning where they're all fighting, are kind of fun. Scott has fun playing most of the voices, including the stuffy pig mayor who thinks that power is the best way to shove his little town in the 20th Century and feisty little Bruce the Koala.

The Numbers: The local children's "Dam the Power!" chant leads everyone in town to chant about how the dam will mean "progress." The animals in the outback aren't as amused. They go to tell the animals in town what they think of their dam and "Stop It From Happening." Dot and Bruce show how a "Small Town" is just as important in the finale, which continues into the credits.

What I Don't Like: I liked it much better when Dot was helping animals in the real Australian outback. First of all, she doesn't turn up until 40 minutes into a movie that runs a little over an hour, and when she does appear, she doesn't have all that much to do. Second, the animation is grotesque, weird, and a little too goofy, lacking the realistic details of the previous three. The story veers between Sherlock Bones and Watson's dumb gags and the darker story of how so-called "progress" isn't always the answer with no rhyme or reason, and the environmental message is forced and cliched.

The Big Finale: With weirdly goofy animation and a story that veers between cliched, dark, and too silly, I'm going to say this is only for the most ardent fans of the Dot series or Australian animation. All others are fine with the previous three films or the ones that came afterwards.

Home Media: Which makes it just as well that at press time this is one of the harder-to-find Dot films. To my knowledge, the only place it can currently be found in North America is YouTube.

YouTube

A Salute to Mitzi Gaynor - South Pacific

Magna/20th Century Fox, 1958

Starring Mitzi Gaynor, Rossano Brazzi, John Kerr, and Ray Walston

Directed by Joshua Logan 

Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Gaynor wasn't the first choice to play Nurse Nellie Forbush this huge adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rodgers and Hammerstein stage show. They wanted original Broadway stars Enzio Pinza and Mary Martin, but Pinza died in 1957, and Martin wouldn't appear without him. Doris Day passed, and Elizabeth Taylor failed to impress Rodgers and Hammerstein. Gaynor tested twice for them before they finally hired her. Italian actor Brazzi was mainly known for dramas like Three Coins In the Fountain, while Walston did have stage experience (and played the role in London). How well do they pull off the story of a nurse and officer who learn a lesson in prejudice on a South Seas island during World War II when they fall for a French planter and a local girl? Let's begin with the arrival of Lieutenant Joseph Cable (Kerr) to the island and find out...

The Story: Cable is there to persuade local French plantation owner Emile DeBeque (Brazzi) to help him with a reconnaissance mission in Japan, but he refuses. He has children and is beginning a romance with Navy nurse Nellie Forbush (Gaynor) and doesn't want to get involved. Seabee Luther Bills (Walson) convinces Cable to visit the nearby island Bali Hai, where he falls for local girl Liat (France Nuyen), to the delight of her mother, Bloody Mary (Juanita Hill). 

Both romances hit a snag when Nellie breaks up with DeBeque after she learns his children were born to a Polynesian woman and Cable insists he can't bring Liat home to Philadelphia. It's enough to finally convince LeBeque to take that mission. Nellie's horrified and worried when they fly out to fishermen on a Japanese-controlled island DeBeque knows, then come under heavy fire. Only one man makes it back to the South Pacific, but they're happy when their loved ones discover that just because you're "carefully taught" to shun different races doesn't mean you can't overcome those feelings. 

The Song and Dance: If anything, the message of tolerance and prejudice is even more important today then it was during the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in 1958. No wonder this has seen successful revivals in the last ten-fifteen years or so. Gaynor is a sweet and bubbly Nellie. Her "Honey Bun" is especially delightful, and she works well with Walston. Kerr and Nuyen look gorgeous together and make their doomed relationship fairly believable. Hill's Bloody Mary is both hilarious in the opening with the Seebees and heartbreaking later after she realizes that no matter how much she wants him to, this man is not going to marry her daughter. Check out the historically-accurate costumes, including the hilarious showgirl outfits at the Thanksgiving show that were obviously cobbled together from whatever the sailors and nurses could get their hands on.

The Numbers: We open with the Seabees singing an ode to their favorite local lady "Bloody Mary." "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" is their complaint that they don't have enough women in the South Seas. After Luther points out "Bali Hai," Bloody Mary sings to cable about the beauty and lure of the island. At her date with Emile, Nellie claims that she's "A Cockeyed Optimist." "Twin Soliloquies" gives them their thoughts and worries that they aren't good enough for each other, which goes into Emile's smash hit ballad "Some Enchanted Evening." He introduces his children with their lilting number "Dites Moi." Nellie tells the other nurses "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair," but finally admits "I'm In Love With a Wonderful Guy" to Luther. 

Cable sings to Liat that she's "Younger Than Springtime" in the show's other hit ballad. Mary and Liat give Cable "Happy Talk" and try to talk him into staying with them. "Honey Bun" is the raucous number at the Thanksgiving show. Nellie starts off singing it in a sailor's uniform to Luther dressed as a woman in a coconut bra and hula skirt. Thank goodness for the sailors that real women show up for the chorus, all of them dressed in costumes cobbled together from bits and pieces of whatever fabric and materials could be found. 

Nellie reminds Cable of "My Girl Back Home" when he admits he's in love with Liat. He knows why neither of them can go further with their relationships. It's not ingrained. "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" to hate others who are different than you. Emilio laments that "This Nearly Was Mine" before he leaves for that fateful mission. The children sing "Dites Moi" again when he returns...with a little help from their new caretaker...

Trivia: Won an Oscar for Best Sound in 1959.

South Pacific opened on Broadway in 1949 and was an instant blockbuster, continuing until 1954 and becoming the second-longest-running Broadway show at that time. It became the first show to win all four major acting prizes at the Tonys (and remains the only one to do so), along with picking up the Pulitzer for drama. The West End mounting in 1951 also saw a respectable run. It's been revived twice in London and on Broadway twice in 1967 (with Florence Henderson as Nellie) and 2008 (with Kelli O'Hara in the role). The 2008 revival was also a hit that ran two years and won Tonys for Best Musical Revival and for its Emile, Paulo Szot. 

"My Girl Back Home" was cut from the original show, but reinstated for the film. Most stage versions continue to use it, usually as a solo for Cable. 

For some reason, the first and second scenes are switched around from the stage version. On stage, the show begins with Emile, Nellie, and his children before introducing us to Bloody Mary and the Seabees. (Admittedly, a few stage productions have done this as well.) 

This was originally released at almost 3 hours. The roadshow version was considered lost until a few years ago. Though it's not online, it can be found on DVD.

Brazzi was dubbed by Giorgio Tozzi, who would play Emilie opposite Florence Henderson in 1967. Kerr was dubbed by Bill Lee. Muriel Smith dubbed Juanita Hill, even though she sings just fine on the 1949 original cast albums. 

What I Don't Like: Alas, the show's forward-thinking stance on racism is seen primarily though the lens of its white characters. Though this is apparently handled a bit better here than in the original show (at least Liat has some lines), the only natives we really see are the broadly comic and occasionally annoying Bloody Mary and Liat, who is more-or-less forced into bed with Cable. This is also stiff as a board at times. Despite the nice scenery, other than Cable's romantic swim with Liat after "Younger Than Springtime," people barely move or do much of anything. The only dance routines are "Honey Bun" and a bit of the Seabees goofing off during "Bloody Mary." It's more like a play with especially beautiful backdrops than a movie.

Let's talk about those infamous color filters. Apparently, no one wanted them, including Richard Rodgers and director Joshua Logan, but they ended up using them anyway. The blue towards the end during some night scenes isn't that bad, but the yellows and reds used elsewhere look weird and unrealistic rather than romantic and really take you out of the scene. I have no idea why the audience howling at "Honey Bun" was blue while the performers were left in realistic colors, either. It looks silly rather than dreamy.

The Big Finale: Mixed feelings on this one. Decent performances, gorgeous songs, and the important message don't always overcome the weird production and stagey stiffness. This isn't my favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein show (the stage casts are better), but it's still recommended for fans of theirs and the cast and lovers of huge 50's and 60's musicals.

Home Media: The original 2 1/2 hour version is easily found on all formats. It can currently be found streaming on Tubi for free. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Tubi

A Salute to Mitzi Gaynor - Bloodhounds of Broadway

20th Century Fox, 1952

Starring Mitzi Gaynor, Scott Brady, Mitzi Green, and Marguerite Chapman

Directed by Harmon Jones

Music and Lyrics by various

We honor singer and dancer Mitzi Gaynor, who died on October 17th, this week with our first two reviews. Gaynor began at Fox in 1950 at the age of 17 in the musical My Blue Heaven. They wanted to build her into a major star to rival their famous "Fox blonde" Betty Grable. She never became quite that big, but she did make some really interesting musicals on her own. This retelling of a Damon Runyon short story was her second starring role after the biography Golden Girl. How well does she do in this tale of a backwoods girl with a fine singing voice who is discovered and promoted by a gangster? Let's begin with three of Runyon's typical gangsters on the town and a singer in a nightclub and find out...

The Story: That singer is Yvonne Dugan (Chapman), who is persuaded to appear in court for her gangster boyfriend Robert "Numbers" Foster (Brady) while he's hiding out in Georgia. After his arrival there with Harry "Poorly" Sammis (Wally Vernon), Numbers overhears someone beautifully singing a hymn. Turns out to be local girl Emily Ann Stackerlee (Gaynor), who was singing for her grandfather's funeral. Numbers drives her and her two bloodhounds to New York to star in his nightclub. He turns her over to Poorly's sister, 52nd Tessie (Green), who becomes her best friend. Yvonne, however, is jealous, and she'll do anything to get this newcomer out of her hair...even turn on her current boyfriend.

The Song and Dance: Gaynor makes an adorable Georgia farm girl here, bolstered by a genuinely funny script and some good dance numbers. All those Runyonesque gangsters shine here, including Vernon as the fussy Poorly, George E. Stone as Ropes McGonigle, Henry Slade as Dave the Dude, and Richard Allen as slick dancer Curtaintime Charlie. Chapman does so well as the jealous dame who can't stand to see this little hillbilly steal the spotlight, you wish she had more to do in the second half, and Green gets some of the funniest lines. We have some gorgeous Technicolor and lovely costumes, in rural Georgia and on Broadway. 

The Numbers: We open with "Broadway Rhythm" performed over the opening credits, giving us an idea of what's to come. Yvonne performs the sensual "You Send Me" at the nightclub while Numbers looks on. "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" is the hymn Emily Ann performed at her grandfather's funeral that impressed Numbers so much, he stops and listens. She and local kid Little Eilda (Sharon Baird) do an adorable two-step to "Cindy" on wind-up Victrola that keeps speeding up or running down. We get two short sequences of Emily Ann showing off dance steps her grandfather taught her, but Curtaintime Charlie and Tessie insist that "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" in what becomes a cute tap trio. 

After a brief instrumental montage of Emily Ann practicing her steps in the nightclub, we get to see her act. She's a hillbilly claiming she's "Eight Miles from Atlanta" in the first number, prancing with guys in floppy hats and suspenders, then turns glamorous dance star with Charlie for the romantic "I Wish I Knew." The movie ends with Emily Ann as a saloon girl in a Wild West dance hall, singing about that "Jack O'Diamonds" who was a famous card sharp until he fell for a good woman.

Trivia: Final movie for Mitzi Green, who began in the early 30's as a child star. She had largely retired to raise a family by this point and would return to her family after this, only making occasional TV and nightclub appearances thereafter.

What I Don't Like: First of all, this has nothing to do with the actual Damon Runyon "Bloodhounds of Broadway" short story besides its title. There are times when it feels like an imitation Guys and Dolls, with all the goofy vocabulary being thrown around by the gangsters and the cops trying to catch them in the act. As cute as the story is, it can also come off as forced and corny, especially in the second half when Emily Ann uses those bloodhounds of the title to track down Poorly and Numbers after they've fled again. The numbers are a strange mix of old songs and new, and the new songs are nothing to write home about.

The Big Finale: This ended up being a pleasant surprise. If you're a fan of Gaynor, Runyon's other work, or the big, flashy comic musicals of the 50's and 60's, you might get as much of a kick as I did out of Emily Ann's big New York debut.

Home Media: The DVD is in print, but can be pricey. You might be better off streaming this one.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Saluting Our Veterans - Sergeant Deadhead

American International, 1965

Starring Frankie Avalon, Deborah Walley, Eve Arden, and Fred Clark

Directed by Norman Taurog

Music by Guy Hemric; Lyrics by Jerry Stymer

Let's honor those men and women who explore the final frontier and travel to the far reaches of space this Veteran's Day with this unusual war comedy. Though it features many regulars from the Beach Party series, this one has more in common with the fluffy musicals Taurog directed from the 30's onward. How strange is this story of a soldier whose accidental trip into orbit ends up changing more than his knowledge of the stars? Let's begin at an Air Force Base, where the title soldier (Avalon) is trying to set off his own rocket, and find out...

The Story: Sergeant O.K Deadhead (Avalon) constantly ends up in the brig, thanks to his experiments and antics. His fiancee Airman Lucy Turner (Walley) works on the base as well and is frustrated when he turns up in the brig again. They were to have been married that day. After fellow prisoners Private McEvoy (Harvey Lembeck) and Private Filroy (Johh Ashley) break him out, he flees for what turns out to be an experimental rocket carrying a chimpanzee into space. After Deadhead ends up in orbit, General Fogg (Clark) and his assistant Lieutenant Kinsey (Arden) have no choice but to pretend that was the plan all along.

When Deadhead returns to Earth, he's a changed man. Turns out that his trip through space has blended his personality with that of the chimp. He's now egotistical and aggressive, to the annoyance of Fogg and disappointment of his fiancee, who preferred him when he was gentler. Fogg and Admiral Stoneham (Cesar Romero) hire look-a-like Sergeant Donovan (Avalon) to take his place with his fiancee at their wedding. After he ends up in the brig again, Deadhead begins to realize that he's changed and breaks out to take Donovan's place. Captain Weiskopt (Gale Gordon) still wants Donovan in his place, but no less than the President of the United States (Pat Buttram) is fine with Deadhead the way he is.

The Song and Dance: Avalon gives one of his better performances, both as the goofy Deadhead and the smoother Donovan, in this extremely peculiar attempt to cross the antics of the Beach Party films with a more traditional military-based musical. In fact, I'm impressed with just how much of a musical this is. No randomly-inserted rock bands or goofy dance routines here. There's a march number for the military ladies in the opening, a number for the girls, duets for Walley and Avalon, and even a comic number for Arden. Of the adults, Clark and Arden have the most fun as the exasperated head of the base who just wants his plans to work and the head of the women's corps who loves him. Also look for Reginald Gardiner as a distracted officer and Buster Keaton doing his own material as the base handyman.

The Numbers: We open with that march number performed by the women's corps over the credits as Lieutenant Kinsey leads Deadhead to the guardhouse, "Hurry Up and Wait." The girls wonder "How Can You Tell?" the guy is right for you in their barracks at night. Lieutenant Kinsey tells the girls that "You Should Have Seen the One That Got Away" at Deadhead and Lucy's wedding, while Donna Loren sings about that "Two Timing Angel." Lucy insists "Let's Play Love" on their honeymoon night to the shy Donovan...and Deadhead turns it around and chases her when he replaces him. When Lucy wonders why Deadhead acted so differently after he returned from space, he insists that "The Difference In Me Is You."

Trivia: There was to have been a sequel, Sergeant Deadhead Goes to Mars, but it was canceled after this was a disappointment at the box office. 

What I Don't Like:  Did I mention how strange and fluffy this is? The romantic comedy stuff with the kids getting married doesn't really seem to fit with the military story or with the shenanigans from Beach Party regulars like Harvey Lembeck and Buster Keaton. It's also a little unusual for one of the American International musicals. As mentioned, this is a full-out musical. There's the brief wedding party, but no rock groups, and no one goes to the beach. The military setting also explains the increase in character actors and the lack of Annette Funicello. She doesn't even turn up in a cameo. The music is ok, but not terribly memorable.

The Big Finale: Not the best of the American International teen musicals of the early-mid 60's, but worth a look once on Veteran's Day if you're a fan of Avalon or the Beach Party films.  

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime                  

Diplomaniacs

RKO, 1933

Starring Bert Wheeler, Robert Woosley, Marjorie White, and Louis Calhern

Directed by William A. Seiter

Music by Harry Akst; Lyrics by Edward Eliscu

Al Jolson is far from the only performer in the pre-Code era who dealt with some very strange politics...and musical numbers. Bert Wheeler and Bob Woosley had been the number one comics at RKO since sound came in. After appearing in a few successful musicals in 1929 and 1930, they mostly stayed away from music until their version of Girl Crazy debuted the year before. Though not a huge hit, it did well enough for them to go full-on musical in their next film. How does this zany romp that somehow manages to squeeze Native Americans with British accents, Swiss peace conferences, seductive ladies, and huge chorus numbers into a little over an hour? Let's begin by revealing why barbers Willy Nilly (Wheeler) and Hercules Glub (Woosley) are having a hard time running a shop on an Indian reservation and find out...

The Story: The Natives hire Willy and Hercules to represent them at a peace conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Winkelreid, owner of a company selling arms to various European countries (Louis Calhern), worries he'll be bankrupted if there's peace and insists on sabotaging the duo. He first sends goofy blonde Dolores (White), but she falls for Willy while on the boat to Europe. He then hires the far tougher Fifi (Phyllis Barry) when the duo are in France, but she ends up in love with Hercules. Winkelreid steals their secret papers, but the duo insist on joining the conference anyway. The conference is going badly as all the countries attack each other. The duo think they have the way to bring everyone together, but it turns out they're not as good at diplomacy as they think.

The Song and Dance: Hoo boy, does this one get weird. As you can imagine from the above plot description, it moves at a lightning-fast pace with enough going on to fill six comedies. Wheeler and Woosley toss out their wacky one-liners with relish, especially in the second half when they're chasing the girls and being chased in Paris and Geneva. The ladies are equally funny, with White reveling in throwing Wheeler around in their duet and Barry sizzling as a lady who is so tough, her kiss can (literally) melt a man. I also like that this is fairly dark for the duo and for 30's comedy in general, almost a preview for the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup a few months later. There's no easy answers here, for peace or for the guys in general. 

The Numbers: Our first number is a chorus routine with Willy, Hercules, and the Natives. The fact that the title is "Ood-Gay Eye-Bay" should give you an idea of what's going on in this nonsensical spoof of introductory opening numbers in operettas. Willy shows off his own moves to Winkelreid while singing the traditional ballad "Annie Laurie." Dolores is determined to make Willy "Sing To Me," even if she has to wrestle him to the ground to do it! Willy reprises it with Hercules later when they're in Geneva. 

They're dressing to stroll "On the Boulevard" while they're in Paris, thanks to a gaggle of maids wearing barely anything. The duo and their ladies try to insist on "No More War," which turns into an epic chorus number in the finale. We even get a huge and long minstrel number, with the guys in blackface singing "Old Folks at Home."

What I Don't Like: Note the mention of the blackface and Native numbers above. This movie insults pretty much every race it can. We have the stereotypical Natives in bad red makeup (except their chief, who speaks Oxford English), Hugh Herbert's homilies-spouting Chinese sidekick to Winkelreid, and the guys turning up in that lengthy blackface number near the end. If you have trouble with any of this, this movie is not for you. 

It's also not for those who aren't into Wheeler and Woosley's brand of wiseguy humor. They seem to be an acquired taste nowadays. Either you get a kick out of their goofy lines and soft-shoe vaudeville numbers, or you think they're low-rent versions of better comic groups like Laurel and Hardy or the Marxes. And don't come here looking for a happy ending or one of their lighter romps, either. This is about as dark as you can get without going into full-on black comedy territory. 

The Big Finale: This is definitely something else. The numbers alone must be seen to be believed. Worth checking out if you like Wheeler and Woosley, Duck Soup, or some of the more absurd comedies of the early 30's like Million Dollar Legs and can handle the obvious stereotypes. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming (the former from the Warner Archives).

DVD

Amazon Prime

Election Day Special - Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

United Artists, 1933

Starring Al Jolson, Frank Morgan, Harry Langdon, and Madge Evans

Directed by Lewis Milestone

Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

Here's a truly unique musical experience to tide you over until the election results come in. After their Love Me Tonight was a critical (though not commercial) success, Rodgers and Hart opted to combine that film's rhyming dialogue and whimsical tone with something that more accurately reflected the political climate of the early 30's. It was also Al Jolson's attempt at a film comeback after his success in the late 20's and early 30's fizzled out. How does this mix of reality, poverty, and comedy look now? Let's begin with homeless men Bumper (Jolson) and Acorn (Edgar Connor) as they encounter Mayor John Hastings (Morgan) of New York on a hunting trip and find out...

The Story: Bumper is perfectly happy as the head of the New York homeless folks. They're not interested in working again, content with living a meager but friendly existence in Central Park and occasionally teasing Egghead (Langdon), a communist who works as a street sweeper. He's friendly with Mayor Hastings, as he once saved his life, and he hopes to be like him someday.

Mayor Hastings wishes he were as happy as Bumper and his carefree followers. He thinks his latest mistress June Marcher (Evans) is cheating on him and slips a $1,000 bill in her purse. When she leaves her purse behind, he thinks she's seeing someone else. Bumper does manage to return the purse, but June thinks Hastings is no longer interested and jumps off a bridge. He rescues her, then falls for her when he realizes she's lost her memory. He's willing to give up his shiftless ways to be with her...not thinking of what will happen when she regains her memories...

The Song and Dance: This is one of the most original musicals ever made in Hollywood. There aren't too many movies, let alone musicals, dealing with financial hardship, communism, and Marxist theory. Though Jolson is subdued compared to his earlier movies, he's also a lot easier to take as the head of the New York homeless than he was in his early talkies vehicles like Say It With Songs. (And note this is one of only two movies he made where he wears no blackface whatsoever.) 

While not their absolute best, the Rodgers and Hart score is still pretty good, and contains at least one standard in Jolson's ballad "You are Too Beautiful." Morgan matches him well as the troubled mayor, whose mind is on his lady rather than his job. The rhyming dialogue, with music often seamlessly flowing into words and back again, makes this into almost an opera at times. 

The Numbers: We open with Bumper proclaiming "I've Gotta Get Back to New York" as he and Acorn hit the road. He and the others sing their ode to "My Pal Bumper" after they arrive at Central Park. After a choir sings "My Country Tis of Thee" at the dedication of a new building, Mayor Hastings shows how they're "Laying the Corner Stone.

Acorn, Bumper, and Egghead know they owe "Dear Jane," whom they've never seen, for finding that thousand dollar bill, because "Bumper Found a Grand." After they argue over who gets a share of the cash, Bumper reminds them that it's not so important. After all, "What Do You Want With Money?" because "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum." He gets his answer when a "Kangaroo Court" puts him on trial for getting a job. Bumper admits that he did it for love, and "I'd Do It Again." He finally tells his Angel as they dance in their new apartment that "You are Too Beautiful." 

Trivia: Harry Langdon and Chester Conklin (the carriage driver in Central Park) were popular comedians in the silent era. 

Known as Hallelujah, I'm a Tramp in England, where "bum" has entirely different connotations. 

What I Don't Like: This is the definition of "not for everybody." If you're not a fan of musicals, like your musicals more traditional, don't like the rhyming dialogue, or don't agree with the leftist politics in question (or are unable to overlook them), you will not be into this. It's not for those who aren't fans of Jolson or prefer him in bombastic mode, either. Madge Evans isn't nearly as interesting as the guys. She has very little personality whether she's Bumper's angel or the mayor's mistress, making the love triangle not nearly as romantic as the movie wants to think it is. 

Milestone's lack of experience with musicals shows in his constant cutting away from songs before they finish. Even the lovely "You are Too Beautiful" barely gets a chance to end before he's off somewhere else. No wonder his only other musical would be the more traditional Anything Goes from 1936. The whimsical rhyming dialogue doesn't always work all that well with the social commentary, either. 

The Big Finale: This may be one of the most polarizing musicals in existence. Either you'll get a kick out of what Milestone, Jolson, and writer S.N Behrman were trying to do, or you'll find the rhyming dialogue, political waffling, and Jolson's ego insufferable. Give it a chance this Election Day and see which side of the debate you fall on.

Home Media: It's on DVD, and YouTube and the Internet Archive have it streaming at press time.

DVD

YouTube

Internet Archive

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

Disney, 2002

Voices of Tom Hulce, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Michael McKean, and Haley Joel Osment

Directed by Bradley Raymond

Music and Lyrics by various

Here's another movie from that period between 1994 and 2008 where Disney made direct-to-home-media sequels for every single animated film it ever did. Critics took shots at them even then, but they were wildly popular with kids who couldn't get enough of their favorite Disney characters. Nowadays, while a few of them are mildly well-regarded, they mostly look like the chintzy cash-grabs they are. Where does Hunchback II fall in the pack? Let's begin back in Paris six years later as the citizens prepare for "Le Jour d'Amour," the Day of Love, and find out...

The Story: Quasimodo (Hulce) is glad to take care of his friends Esmerelda (Demi Moore) and Phobeus' (Kevin Kline) energetic son Zephyr (Osment), but he's still often alone with his bells. He's especially proud of the largest and most elaborate bell, La Fidelitie, which is gold and studded with gems inside. He'll ring it to begin the Festival of Love.

Zephyr is especially excited when a circus comes to town. Quasimodo is more interested in Madellaine (Hewitt), the beautiful assistant for magician Sarousch (McKean). Madellaine is frightened by Quasimodo at first, but then he shows her around Paris and she sees him taking care of Zephyr and realizes how sweet he is. Meanwhile, Phobeous has been searching for the thieves who have stolen valuables from people all over the city. Zephyr and Quasimodo don't want to believe it when he learns that Madellaine and the circus are involved in the thefts, until Quasimodo realizes that the bell is gone. When Zephyr goes after the thieves, Madellaine has the chance to prove her worth and show that real love requires looking far deeper into a person than what's on the surface.

The Animation: Talk about cheap. It looks like one of Disney's animated TV shows of the time. Most of the characters are off-model. The colors are lovely, but the backgrounds lack the sumptuous details that went into the original. They move stiffly, too, and lack the expression of the original film. 

The Song and Dance: I'm surprised they managed to get such a great cast for this. Not only is most of the original cast back, but they added then-hot child and teen stars Osment and Hewitt and comedian McKean. McKean's making the most of his limited material as the greedy magician who is more interested in making people's valuables disappear than making them happy. Madellaine and Quasimodo's relationship is surprisingly sweet, even when you can see where it's going from a mile away. And while the music isn't great, I do kind of like Quasi's "Ordinary Miracle." 

The Numbers: We open with "Le Jour D'Amour" as Clopin and the cast explains about the festival and its importance. Quasimodo tells Madellaine his feelings about how "An Ordinary Miracle" can change someone's life. "I'd Stick With You" is Quasimoto's buddy song with Zephyr, letting Madellaine see how cute their friendship is. "Fa La La Fallen In Love" turns into a huge chorus number in the rain as the gargoyles gush over Quasimodo's new girlfriend and half of Paris dances around the two in the rain. The movie ends with Hewitt's self-penned ballad "I'm Gonna Love You" over the credits. 

What I Don't Like: This screams "watered-down rehash" at the top of its lungs. Madellaine is neither well-drawn, nor all that interesting despite her troubled past. She looks as bland as she is. The gargoyles don't fit in any better here than they did in the original. Their material is still a little too vaudeville for medieval France. The dialogue is often clumsy, the animation is barely Saturday-morning level, and other than the lovely "Ordinary Miracle," the songs are totally unmemorable, especially Hewitt's too-sugary end title ballad.

The Big Finale: Unless you're a really huge fan of Hunchback of Notre Dame, you can easily pass on this one.

Home Media: Easily found on all formats. It's on Disney Plus with a subscription.

DVD

Blu-Ray - The Hunchback of Notre Dame/The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Special Edition

Disney Plus