MGM, 1950
Starring Kathryn Grayson, Mario Lanza, David Niven, and J. Carrol Naish
Directed by Norman Taurog
Music by Nicholas Brodsky and others; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and others
Mario Lanza, a popular tenor in Philadelphia, was scouted out by MGM as their next big musical star in the late 40's. They starred him in a pair of operettas with soprano Kathryn Grayson that were both big hits, of which this is the second and last. Is this tale of a backwoods fisherman who becomes a gentleman as soaring as its music, or should it be tossed back into the bayou? Let's take a slow boat over to old New Orleans to see for ourselves...
The Story: Opera manager Jaques Riboudeaux (Niven) and his most popular star Suzette Micheline (Grayson) find themselves stranded in the Louisiana bayous in the 1880's. While there, they witness a festival in the local Cajun community. Among the performers are the exuberant dancer Tina (Rita Moreno) and fisherman Pepe (Lanza), who has a magnificent voice. Despite Pepe falling for Suzanne as soon as he sings with her, she doesn't share his feelings. Jaques, on the other hand, sees Pepe's natural talent and invites him to sing for his New Orleans opera company. Pepe turns him down, until a storm destroys the fishing boat operated by him and his Uncle Nicky (Naish). They go to Jaques to accept his offer in an attempt to earn enough money to buy another fishing boat.
Jaques immediately insists that Pepe be groomed for opera performances. This proves to work too well. Pepe still sings magnificently, but he's lost much of his original rough-hewn charm, to the dismay of both Tina and Suzette. Meanwhile, Nicky doesn't care who's singing what and just wants to go home to the bayou. Pepe has to figure out which world he belongs to...and which woman's heart he really wants.
The Song and Dance: Lanza never did become the best actor in the universe, but he at least acquits himself a bit better than in his previous movie with Grayson, That Midnight Kiss. It helps that this is a slightly better film. The gorgeous historical costumes and sets and down-home Cajun flavor gives this one an edge that the modern urban-set Kiss lacks. This was one of Rita Moreno's first movies, and she gets a nice solo dance routine early on "The Tina-Lina." Niven brings his usual urbanity to the suave Jaques.
Favorite Number: The big hit here was "Be My Love," which is sung constantly throughout the film. My favorite version is the first duet between Lanza and Grayson in the beginning, where we see the shock on her face and the surprise on Niven's when they hear Lanza's robust tenor joining in. We also get several sequences from actual operas, including a sequence from Madama Butterfly in the finale.
What I Don't Like: Not only is this pretty much a historical version of the previous That Midnight Kiss (which also featured Lanza as a working-class tenor who is suddenly discovered and falls for Grayson), but both stories are cliched to the max. Even the enormous sets and beautiful costumes can't disguise the twice-told story. Niven's out of place - musicals were never really his forte - and quite frankly seems a little bored.
The Big Picture: While it's better than Midnight Kiss or some of Lanza's other vehicles, I still only recommend it for major fans of him, Grayson, or opera.
Home Media: Originally only available as part of a two-pack with Midnight Kiss, it finally got a solo release from the Warner Archives last year.
DVD
DVD - 2-Pack That Midnight Kiss/The Toast of New Orleans
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Animation Celebration Saturday - Robin Hood
Disney, 1973
Voices of Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, Peter Ustinov, and Terry-Thomas
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman
Music and Lyrics by Roger Miller and others
If you thought a gangster Robin Hood was strange, how about an all-animal version? Disney's animated retelling has a fox as the famous outlaw, with other animals common in English and American folk-lore as Prince John, Little John and the residents of Nottingham. Is it worthy of the Golden Arrow? Let's take a carriage ride through Nottingham Forest, where two laid-back rogues are about to robe one unknowing royal, and find out...
The Story: Robin Hood (Bedford) and his buddy Little John (Harris) are the most notorious and beloved outlaws in cash-strapped Nottingham. Obnoxious and childish Prince John (Ustinov) is tired of their antics, especially after they rob his coach and leave him in the mud. Lovely Maid Marian (Monica Evans) just hopes he remembers her. John uses her feelings for him to trap him during a contest for a golden arrow. Robin and John not only manage to escape, but take Marian, her lady-in-waiting Kluck (Carole Shelley), and half of Nottingham with them.
Angry with their song that makes fun of him and with losing to Robin again, Prince John triples the taxes way beyond most of what the village can pay. Almost everyone, including narrator Allan a Dale (Roger Miller), lands in prison, and Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) is going to be hung for treason. Robin and Little John have to get past the Sheriff of Nottingham (Pat Buttram) and rescue Tuck and the townspeople, right under the prince's furry nose.
The Animation: This is where the movie falters. While the designs are colorful and fun, the troubled production is evident in sketchy animation that's quite obviously reused from other films. If you're a Disney fan, you'll recognize Marian's dance moves during "The Phony King of England" as being the same as Snow White's from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, for instance, and some of the others from The Aristocats. It's nothing flashy, but it's pretty par for Disney for the 1970's and early 80's.
The Song and Dance: What this movie has going for it is a hilarious script and some very funny performances. It had originally been developed with a western setting; they switched to a more traditional English locale too late to take an all British cast. As odd as the mix of western and British actors sounds, it actually works out pretty well. Devine makes a great feisty Tuck, and Buttram gets some of the best lines in the movie as the law-wolf everyone loves to hate. On the British side, Bedford's having a grand time as Robin, Shelley's even better as the toughest hen in Nottingham, and Ustinov and Thomas are hysterical as the sniveling villains.
I also like how simple this version is. Even the Errol Flynn film pads out the story with Robin's origins. Here, we start right in the thick of things with Robin and John robbing from the rich to give to the poor, with no added fluff. It's really kind of refreshing, especially compared to more recent, darker live-action retellings.
Favorite Number: Though Marion's ballad "Love" got the Oscar nomination, the movie does better by its chorus numbers. "The Phony King of England" is so funny, you can understand why John was offended by it. Robin and Little John get a great introduction in the opening song "Oo-de-Lally," where we get a close look at both their friendship and how they manage to out-run the prince's guards.
Triva: According to the current DVD release, the movie was supposed to have a darker ending, with Marian pleading for Robin's life in the castle after Prince John's men have fished him out of the moat.
As simple as it seems, Robin Hood went through one of the most troubled productions of any Disney animated film. It started out as another English medieval animal legend, that of Reynard the Fox, right after Snow White came out in the 1930's. Original director Ken Anderson wanted to put it in the Deep South, but too many comparisons to Song of the South nixed that idea. He also wanted to make things a bit darker and more epic with the Merry Men and with the Sheriff as a cranky goat instead of a more stereotypical wolf. Reitherman insisted on turning it into a buddy picture and the more comic tone.
This was the first Disney animated movie released on home video as part of the original "Classics" line.
What I Don't Like: I wish they'd found room for more elements from the human-based Robin Hood legends, including the Merry Men and Guy of Gisborne. Marian (and Lady Kluck) disappears all together after "The Phony King of England," despite the big build-up with their romance. They should have found some way to incorporate those two into the finale, even if the original ending was a bit too dark for this movie. There's the problems with the reused animation, too.
The Big Finale: One of the funniest scripts and casts in any Disney animated film goes a long way to make up for the so-so animation and production problems. I consider this to be one of the most underrated movies in the entire Disney canon. It's a great choice for families, younger kids who are just learning about the Robin Hood legends, or folks who grew up watching this on video or on The Disney Channel as a kid like I did.
Home Media: Thankfully, Disney took this one off the Vault list a long time ago. I own the current 40th Anniversary DVD. It's also on Blu-Ray and most streaming platforms.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Voices of Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, Peter Ustinov, and Terry-Thomas
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman
Music and Lyrics by Roger Miller and others
If you thought a gangster Robin Hood was strange, how about an all-animal version? Disney's animated retelling has a fox as the famous outlaw, with other animals common in English and American folk-lore as Prince John, Little John and the residents of Nottingham. Is it worthy of the Golden Arrow? Let's take a carriage ride through Nottingham Forest, where two laid-back rogues are about to robe one unknowing royal, and find out...
The Story: Robin Hood (Bedford) and his buddy Little John (Harris) are the most notorious and beloved outlaws in cash-strapped Nottingham. Obnoxious and childish Prince John (Ustinov) is tired of their antics, especially after they rob his coach and leave him in the mud. Lovely Maid Marian (Monica Evans) just hopes he remembers her. John uses her feelings for him to trap him during a contest for a golden arrow. Robin and John not only manage to escape, but take Marian, her lady-in-waiting Kluck (Carole Shelley), and half of Nottingham with them.
Angry with their song that makes fun of him and with losing to Robin again, Prince John triples the taxes way beyond most of what the village can pay. Almost everyone, including narrator Allan a Dale (Roger Miller), lands in prison, and Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) is going to be hung for treason. Robin and Little John have to get past the Sheriff of Nottingham (Pat Buttram) and rescue Tuck and the townspeople, right under the prince's furry nose.
The Animation: This is where the movie falters. While the designs are colorful and fun, the troubled production is evident in sketchy animation that's quite obviously reused from other films. If you're a Disney fan, you'll recognize Marian's dance moves during "The Phony King of England" as being the same as Snow White's from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, for instance, and some of the others from The Aristocats. It's nothing flashy, but it's pretty par for Disney for the 1970's and early 80's.
The Song and Dance: What this movie has going for it is a hilarious script and some very funny performances. It had originally been developed with a western setting; they switched to a more traditional English locale too late to take an all British cast. As odd as the mix of western and British actors sounds, it actually works out pretty well. Devine makes a great feisty Tuck, and Buttram gets some of the best lines in the movie as the law-wolf everyone loves to hate. On the British side, Bedford's having a grand time as Robin, Shelley's even better as the toughest hen in Nottingham, and Ustinov and Thomas are hysterical as the sniveling villains.
I also like how simple this version is. Even the Errol Flynn film pads out the story with Robin's origins. Here, we start right in the thick of things with Robin and John robbing from the rich to give to the poor, with no added fluff. It's really kind of refreshing, especially compared to more recent, darker live-action retellings.
Favorite Number: Though Marion's ballad "Love" got the Oscar nomination, the movie does better by its chorus numbers. "The Phony King of England" is so funny, you can understand why John was offended by it. Robin and Little John get a great introduction in the opening song "Oo-de-Lally," where we get a close look at both their friendship and how they manage to out-run the prince's guards.
Triva: According to the current DVD release, the movie was supposed to have a darker ending, with Marian pleading for Robin's life in the castle after Prince John's men have fished him out of the moat.
As simple as it seems, Robin Hood went through one of the most troubled productions of any Disney animated film. It started out as another English medieval animal legend, that of Reynard the Fox, right after Snow White came out in the 1930's. Original director Ken Anderson wanted to put it in the Deep South, but too many comparisons to Song of the South nixed that idea. He also wanted to make things a bit darker and more epic with the Merry Men and with the Sheriff as a cranky goat instead of a more stereotypical wolf. Reitherman insisted on turning it into a buddy picture and the more comic tone.
This was the first Disney animated movie released on home video as part of the original "Classics" line.
What I Don't Like: I wish they'd found room for more elements from the human-based Robin Hood legends, including the Merry Men and Guy of Gisborne. Marian (and Lady Kluck) disappears all together after "The Phony King of England," despite the big build-up with their romance. They should have found some way to incorporate those two into the finale, even if the original ending was a bit too dark for this movie. There's the problems with the reused animation, too.
The Big Finale: One of the funniest scripts and casts in any Disney animated film goes a long way to make up for the so-so animation and production problems. I consider this to be one of the most underrated movies in the entire Disney canon. It's a great choice for families, younger kids who are just learning about the Robin Hood legends, or folks who grew up watching this on video or on The Disney Channel as a kid like I did.
Home Media: Thankfully, Disney took this one off the Vault list a long time ago. I own the current 40th Anniversary DVD. It's also on Blu-Ray and most streaming platforms.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Warner Bros, 1964
Starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Peter Faulk
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Today and Saturday, I'm going to be looking at two versions of one of the most beloved legends in English history, that of the outlaw Robin Hood. It's been told in every way possible and in every possible setting since the 12th century. This musical gangster tale, the last of the four "Rat Pack" films, may be one of the more unusual. How well does this tale of a mob boss who robs a corrupt fellow gangster to give to the poor fare now? Let's head to the birthday party of "Big" Jim Stevens in Chicago to find out...
The Story: "Big" Jim Stevens (Edward G. Robinson) was the most respected and feared mob boss in Chicago in the early 30's...until his second-in-command Guy Gisborne (Faulk) had him shot down at his birthday party. Gisborne demands that all the mobs in town come together under him and pay him protection money. Robbo (Sinatra) and his boys don't like this one bit. Rob was close with Big Jim, and he has no desire to share the town with Gisborne or anybody.
Trouble is, Rob has only a few boys, including the pool shark "Little" John (Martin) whom he hires after he sees him play and gun-crazy Will Scarlet (Sammy Davis Jr.). Gisborne has nearly 90, plus is bribing the corrupt Sheriff Glick (Robert Foulk) to look the other way. They end up destroying each other's nightclubs. When the Sheriff insists on not doing further harm, Gisborne has him eliminated. Meanwhile, Jim's elegant daughter Marion (Barbara Rush) tries to get Rob to help her avenge her father's death. Rob turns her down, even when she offers him 50,000 dollars.
His men turn her cash over to an orphanage. The grateful secretary Allan A. Dale (Crosby) announces to the newspapers that Robbo is a "Robin Hood" who gives to the poor. He convinces Rob to set up a string of charitable operations as a front for his nightclubs, with Dale in charge of the charities. Suddenly, Rob and his boys are not only doing gangbusters business, but they have the public on their side, too. Gisborne's determined to show Rob for what he is...and Marion still wants in on the take, too. When Gisborne accuses Rob of murdering the sheriff and Marion goes after John, it'll take all of Rob's ingenuity - and a little help from the public - to not end up part of a cornerstone of building on the Miracle Mile.
The Song and Dance: Evidently, this was a troubled production from the get-go, with several actors replaced, Sinatra's friend John F. Kennedy being assassinated during filming, and his son being kidnapped shortly after. Whatever headaches they went through were worth it. This is a colorful and unique tale with a great score and some fun performances. Faulk makes a surprisingly good greedy mob boss, and lumbering Victor Buono is hilarious as the slow-witted Deputy Sheriff Potts. I'm also glad that Sammy Davis Jr. is treated a little better here than in most of the "Rat Pack" movies, even getting a nice solo in "Bang Bang!" and a funny scene where he has to find a telephone in the remains of a room wrecked by Gisbourne's boys.
Favorite Number: "My Kind of Town" was the hit and got an Oscar nomination, but my favorite number from this one is "Style." Rob and John teach the old-fashioned Allan A. Dale how to update his fashion sense and his vocabulary by letting him pick and choose from their closets. Three of the most famous singers of the 20th century in a simple "straw hat and cane" routine - it doesn't get any better than that.
Crosby also gets in on two catchy chorus numbers. He admonishes the boys at the orphanage "Don't Be a Do-Badder" after Rob is framed, and joins Rob and the other guys at the soup kitchen for the rousing faux revivalist song "Mr. Booze."
Trivia: Peter Lawford was originally supposed to be Allan A. Dale, but he got into a feud with Sinatra shortly before filming and was replaced with Crosby.
What I Don't Like: I kind of wish Marion had a number, even just a slow solo to try to lure the guys in. Maybe she should have sung instead of Faulk. His solo "All for One" in the opening was painful. I'm a bit surprised Sinatra doesn't have more songs in his own vehicle, either. Both Crosby and Martin sing more than he does.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the Rat Pack, Crosby, or gangster movies, this is a stylish and funny musical that definitely deserves a look.
Home Media: Pretty easy to find solo and as part of a set with the other Rat Pack movies on disc and streaming.
DVD
DVD - The Rat Pack Collection
Blu-Ray
Google Play
Starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Peter Faulk
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Today and Saturday, I'm going to be looking at two versions of one of the most beloved legends in English history, that of the outlaw Robin Hood. It's been told in every way possible and in every possible setting since the 12th century. This musical gangster tale, the last of the four "Rat Pack" films, may be one of the more unusual. How well does this tale of a mob boss who robs a corrupt fellow gangster to give to the poor fare now? Let's head to the birthday party of "Big" Jim Stevens in Chicago to find out...
The Story: "Big" Jim Stevens (Edward G. Robinson) was the most respected and feared mob boss in Chicago in the early 30's...until his second-in-command Guy Gisborne (Faulk) had him shot down at his birthday party. Gisborne demands that all the mobs in town come together under him and pay him protection money. Robbo (Sinatra) and his boys don't like this one bit. Rob was close with Big Jim, and he has no desire to share the town with Gisborne or anybody.
Trouble is, Rob has only a few boys, including the pool shark "Little" John (Martin) whom he hires after he sees him play and gun-crazy Will Scarlet (Sammy Davis Jr.). Gisborne has nearly 90, plus is bribing the corrupt Sheriff Glick (Robert Foulk) to look the other way. They end up destroying each other's nightclubs. When the Sheriff insists on not doing further harm, Gisborne has him eliminated. Meanwhile, Jim's elegant daughter Marion (Barbara Rush) tries to get Rob to help her avenge her father's death. Rob turns her down, even when she offers him 50,000 dollars.
His men turn her cash over to an orphanage. The grateful secretary Allan A. Dale (Crosby) announces to the newspapers that Robbo is a "Robin Hood" who gives to the poor. He convinces Rob to set up a string of charitable operations as a front for his nightclubs, with Dale in charge of the charities. Suddenly, Rob and his boys are not only doing gangbusters business, but they have the public on their side, too. Gisborne's determined to show Rob for what he is...and Marion still wants in on the take, too. When Gisborne accuses Rob of murdering the sheriff and Marion goes after John, it'll take all of Rob's ingenuity - and a little help from the public - to not end up part of a cornerstone of building on the Miracle Mile.
The Song and Dance: Evidently, this was a troubled production from the get-go, with several actors replaced, Sinatra's friend John F. Kennedy being assassinated during filming, and his son being kidnapped shortly after. Whatever headaches they went through were worth it. This is a colorful and unique tale with a great score and some fun performances. Faulk makes a surprisingly good greedy mob boss, and lumbering Victor Buono is hilarious as the slow-witted Deputy Sheriff Potts. I'm also glad that Sammy Davis Jr. is treated a little better here than in most of the "Rat Pack" movies, even getting a nice solo in "Bang Bang!" and a funny scene where he has to find a telephone in the remains of a room wrecked by Gisbourne's boys.
Favorite Number: "My Kind of Town" was the hit and got an Oscar nomination, but my favorite number from this one is "Style." Rob and John teach the old-fashioned Allan A. Dale how to update his fashion sense and his vocabulary by letting him pick and choose from their closets. Three of the most famous singers of the 20th century in a simple "straw hat and cane" routine - it doesn't get any better than that.
Crosby also gets in on two catchy chorus numbers. He admonishes the boys at the orphanage "Don't Be a Do-Badder" after Rob is framed, and joins Rob and the other guys at the soup kitchen for the rousing faux revivalist song "Mr. Booze."
Trivia: Peter Lawford was originally supposed to be Allan A. Dale, but he got into a feud with Sinatra shortly before filming and was replaced with Crosby.
What I Don't Like: I kind of wish Marion had a number, even just a slow solo to try to lure the guys in. Maybe she should have sung instead of Faulk. His solo "All for One" in the opening was painful. I'm a bit surprised Sinatra doesn't have more songs in his own vehicle, either. Both Crosby and Martin sing more than he does.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the Rat Pack, Crosby, or gangster movies, this is a stylish and funny musical that definitely deserves a look.
Home Media: Pretty easy to find solo and as part of a set with the other Rat Pack movies on disc and streaming.
DVD
DVD - The Rat Pack Collection
Blu-Ray
Google Play
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Neptune's Daughter
MGM, 1949
Starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Garrett, and Red Skelton
Directed by Edward Buzzell
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
The controversy over the song "Baby It's Cold Outside" during the recent holiday season and the advent of colder weather in my part of the US has inspired me pull out this one. The song and the movie were major hits in 1949. "Cold Outside" actually won the Oscar for Best Song that year. Does this movie flow along swimmingly, or does it unravel like an old bathing suit? Let's float along to Southern California to see for ourselves...
The Story: Joe Backett (Keenan Wynn), a partner in a swimsuit-designing firm, convinces champion swimmer Eve Barrett (Williams) to give up her amateur status and join the company. She becomes one of their top models and even designs her own line of popular bathing suits. Her sister Betty (Garrett) is more interested in the arrival of a South American polo team and their handsome star, Jose O'Rourke (Montalban). Betty meets what she thinks is O'Rourke, but is really Jack Sprat (Skelton), the team's clumsy masseur, who is pretending to be O'Rourke - and South American - in order to be more magnetic to women.
Sprat's attempts to woo Betty work too well. Eve thinks the real Jose is after her sister, and tells him as much when she sees him at the swimsuit factory. He's more interested in wooing her. Joe, who has a crush on her, would prefer she didn't woo anybody and focused on work. Eve agrees to date Jose only to keep him from dating her sister, but she ends up falling for him.
Meanwhile, gangster Lukie Luzette (Ted de Costa) has bet big money on the polo game and orders his men to kidnap Jose and keep the South American team from winning. They initially kidnap the wrong Jose, grabbing Jack instead. After they do find the real Jose, Betty has to get Jack on a horse and lead the team to victory and pair her sister up with the right man at her swimming ballet show.
The Song and Dance: A great cast works out nicely in this tropical-themed romp. Montalban is one of Esther Williams' few leading men who seems just as relaxed in the water as she does and looks fetching in a polo uniform. Garrett and Skelton have a great time together as the man-crazy sister and the masseur who just wants a girl, any girl, to like him. This is also one of the rare times we get to see a live-action Mel Blanc as Skelton's buddy Pancho. The Technicolor cinematography is gorgeous - check out the swimsuit fashion show halfway through or the big water ballet in the finale.
The sudden gangster plot seems a bit out of left-field, but it does add some needed excitement to the second half. It gives the movie a lift beyond the usual romantic comedy plots of most of Williams' other films and allows Skelton to have fun on horseback.
Favorite Number: "Baby It's Cold Outside" was the hit of the film and is probably it's most famous number, and it doesn't disappoint. We actually get the innuendo from both genders - first Jose performs it for a reluctant Eve, then Betty uses it to try to get Jack to hang around.
This movie's two best numbers don't need any words to astonish. Xaviar Cugat and His Orchestra provide the music for "Jungle Rhumba," an amazing tropical dance routine for the chorus, while Williams and Montalban perform the unnamed water ballet in the finale that involves colored lights under the surface and fabric rolling across the water.
Trivia: "Baby It's Cold Outside" was a last-minute addition. The song originally intended for that number was "Slow Boat to China," but the censors didn't like some of the lyrics. Ironically, it went on to become a pop hit on it's own.
What I Don't Like: I feel sorry for poor Joe. He really loved Eve, and not only did her relationship with Jose seem kind of sudden, he did act kind of smarmy with her, especially in the first half. I almost wish she'd let Betty have Jack, sent Jose back to South America, and kept Joe and the business. In fact, most people will likely be less offended by "Cold Outside" (at least it lets both genders in on the innuendo) and more by Blanc's stereotypical Mexican. (And I can't be the only one who sees Speedy Gonzolez every time Blanc opens his mouth.)
While the plot isn't quite as thin as some of Williams' other vehicles, it does lose steam mid-way through. The whole mistaken identity thing becomes wearisome and a bit boring by the end of the movie, and the gangsters suddenly turn up in the last act for no reason other than to give Skelton a reason to goof around on the polo court.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the cast, Loesser, or Williams' other vehicles, or want to know where "Baby It's Cold Outside" came from, this is worth seeing for the two dance routines and "Cold Outside" alone.
Home Media: At press time, this one is only available as part of two Esther Williams/TCM DVD collections and on several streaming platforms.
DVD - TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Volume One
DVD - TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends - Esther Williams Vol. 2
Google Play
Starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Garrett, and Red Skelton
Directed by Edward Buzzell
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
The controversy over the song "Baby It's Cold Outside" during the recent holiday season and the advent of colder weather in my part of the US has inspired me pull out this one. The song and the movie were major hits in 1949. "Cold Outside" actually won the Oscar for Best Song that year. Does this movie flow along swimmingly, or does it unravel like an old bathing suit? Let's float along to Southern California to see for ourselves...
The Story: Joe Backett (Keenan Wynn), a partner in a swimsuit-designing firm, convinces champion swimmer Eve Barrett (Williams) to give up her amateur status and join the company. She becomes one of their top models and even designs her own line of popular bathing suits. Her sister Betty (Garrett) is more interested in the arrival of a South American polo team and their handsome star, Jose O'Rourke (Montalban). Betty meets what she thinks is O'Rourke, but is really Jack Sprat (Skelton), the team's clumsy masseur, who is pretending to be O'Rourke - and South American - in order to be more magnetic to women.
Sprat's attempts to woo Betty work too well. Eve thinks the real Jose is after her sister, and tells him as much when she sees him at the swimsuit factory. He's more interested in wooing her. Joe, who has a crush on her, would prefer she didn't woo anybody and focused on work. Eve agrees to date Jose only to keep him from dating her sister, but she ends up falling for him.
Meanwhile, gangster Lukie Luzette (Ted de Costa) has bet big money on the polo game and orders his men to kidnap Jose and keep the South American team from winning. They initially kidnap the wrong Jose, grabbing Jack instead. After they do find the real Jose, Betty has to get Jack on a horse and lead the team to victory and pair her sister up with the right man at her swimming ballet show.
The Song and Dance: A great cast works out nicely in this tropical-themed romp. Montalban is one of Esther Williams' few leading men who seems just as relaxed in the water as she does and looks fetching in a polo uniform. Garrett and Skelton have a great time together as the man-crazy sister and the masseur who just wants a girl, any girl, to like him. This is also one of the rare times we get to see a live-action Mel Blanc as Skelton's buddy Pancho. The Technicolor cinematography is gorgeous - check out the swimsuit fashion show halfway through or the big water ballet in the finale.
The sudden gangster plot seems a bit out of left-field, but it does add some needed excitement to the second half. It gives the movie a lift beyond the usual romantic comedy plots of most of Williams' other films and allows Skelton to have fun on horseback.
Favorite Number: "Baby It's Cold Outside" was the hit of the film and is probably it's most famous number, and it doesn't disappoint. We actually get the innuendo from both genders - first Jose performs it for a reluctant Eve, then Betty uses it to try to get Jack to hang around.
This movie's two best numbers don't need any words to astonish. Xaviar Cugat and His Orchestra provide the music for "Jungle Rhumba," an amazing tropical dance routine for the chorus, while Williams and Montalban perform the unnamed water ballet in the finale that involves colored lights under the surface and fabric rolling across the water.
Trivia: "Baby It's Cold Outside" was a last-minute addition. The song originally intended for that number was "Slow Boat to China," but the censors didn't like some of the lyrics. Ironically, it went on to become a pop hit on it's own.
What I Don't Like: I feel sorry for poor Joe. He really loved Eve, and not only did her relationship with Jose seem kind of sudden, he did act kind of smarmy with her, especially in the first half. I almost wish she'd let Betty have Jack, sent Jose back to South America, and kept Joe and the business. In fact, most people will likely be less offended by "Cold Outside" (at least it lets both genders in on the innuendo) and more by Blanc's stereotypical Mexican. (And I can't be the only one who sees Speedy Gonzolez every time Blanc opens his mouth.)
While the plot isn't quite as thin as some of Williams' other vehicles, it does lose steam mid-way through. The whole mistaken identity thing becomes wearisome and a bit boring by the end of the movie, and the gangsters suddenly turn up in the last act for no reason other than to give Skelton a reason to goof around on the polo court.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the cast, Loesser, or Williams' other vehicles, or want to know where "Baby It's Cold Outside" came from, this is worth seeing for the two dance routines and "Cold Outside" alone.
Home Media: At press time, this one is only available as part of two Esther Williams/TCM DVD collections and on several streaming platforms.
DVD - TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams, Volume One
DVD - TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends - Esther Williams Vol. 2
Google Play
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Animation Celebration Saturday - Peter Pan
Disney, 1953
Voices of Hans Conried, Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, and Bill Thompson
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson
Music by Sammy Fain and others; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and others
Peter Pan was Disney's big follow-up to Alice In Wonderland. It went over much better at the time with critics and audiences. How does this tale of pirates, Indians, and Boys Who Never Grow Up look to modern audiences? We'll need a little pixie dust to fly over London to the Darlings' house, where Wendy Darlings' life is about to change...
The Story: Wendy (Beaumont), John (Paul Collings), and Michael (Tommy Luske) Darling firmly believe in the stories of Peter Pan (Driscoll), who lives in Neverland with his Lost Boys, with all their hearts. The younger boys consider Wendy to be the authority on Peter and his adventures...which is why they're all devastated when their father Mr. Darling (Conried) gets angry and insists that Wendy's going to be moved out of the nursery.
Peter's not happy about it either when he arrives to hear more stories. After Wendy sews on his shadow, he agrees to take her and her brothers to Neverland. Tinkerbell, his pixie friend, is jealous that Peter's paying attention to someone else and repeatedly tries to get Wendy hurt. The mermaids Wendy admires aren't terribly pleasant to her, either. Meanwhile, Wendy's brothers and the Lost Boys are having their own troubles. The Indians have captured them, insisting that they kidnapped the chief's daughter Tiger Lilly. Peter does rescue Tiger Lilly from Captain Hook (Conried) and his pirates, giving Wendy a little bout with jealousy of her own during the ensuing party.
Tink's still jealous too, so much that she lets Captain Hook talk her into telling him where Peter's hideout is. That turns out to be a mistake. Hook kidnaps the other kids and tries to kill Peter. Tink flies off to warn him. After they escape, they head to Hook's ship to save the others and throw Hook to the Tick-Tock Crock for good.
The Animation: While not as crazy-psychedelic as Alice, there is some nice work here. I've always liked the flying sequences in particular, as the children soar through the skies, and the finale with the ship silhouetted against the London sky.
The Song and Dance: While there have been other retellings of this story on the big and small screen, from Mary Martin to Robin Williams, this may be the definitive version. Conried's Captain Hook is such a highlight, so mincing and delightfully nasty, that you almost wish he'd finally get the best of egotistical Peter for once. Thompson makes a hilarious Smee as well. My favorite character has long been John. Not only does Collings lend him the appropriate big-brother air, but I love a kid who brings an umbrella and top hat with him to Neverland.
Favorite Number: "You Can Fly!", where Peter shows the kids how to get to Neverland, is probably the most famous number from this one, and is my personal favorite. It's an exhilarating romp through London, as Peter shows off on swans and Michael tries to help poor Nana join them. John, Michael, and the Lost Boys have fun heading through the jungle to fight Indians in the march "Following the Leader." Conried, Thompson, and the pirates get two funny songs that introduce Hook and his life of pillaging and annoying Peter, "A Pirate's Life" and "The Elegant Captain Hook." I kind of wish the lovely "The Second Star to the Right" wasn't thrown away during the opening credits, but it does introduce the idea of Neverland quite well.
What I Don't Like: The racist portrayal of the Indians is built into almost every version of Peter Pan, and I'm afraid this one is no exception. The song "What Made the Red Man Red?" will likely make many folks cringe, as will the Boys constantly referring to the Indians as "savages" and their seeing nothing wrong with hunting them down. Granted, this comes from the original play, and Peter Pan revivals as late as the 80's portray the Indians in this manner, but it's still doesn't make it right or something that'll be easy for many folks to see today.
I've never really been a big fan of Peter Pan in general. Peter himself is an obnoxious jerk. He flirts with every girl in the movie and sees nothing wrong with playing them off each other. His ego could probably dwarf neighboring planets. This may have been seen as innocent in 1900, when this is set and was written, but it comes off as annoying today.
The Big Picture: Mixed feelings here. The great music and performances do help to distract from a story that occasionally hasn't dated well and the racist portrayal of the Indians. If you love Peter Pan stories more than I do, you may find a lot more of interest here than I did.
Home Media: Alas, this is another title currently on moratorium...but unlike other movies in the Disney Vault, it can be found for streaming on several platforms.
Amazon Prime (buy only)
Voices of Hans Conried, Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, and Bill Thompson
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wilfred Jackson
Music by Sammy Fain and others; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and others
Peter Pan was Disney's big follow-up to Alice In Wonderland. It went over much better at the time with critics and audiences. How does this tale of pirates, Indians, and Boys Who Never Grow Up look to modern audiences? We'll need a little pixie dust to fly over London to the Darlings' house, where Wendy Darlings' life is about to change...
The Story: Wendy (Beaumont), John (Paul Collings), and Michael (Tommy Luske) Darling firmly believe in the stories of Peter Pan (Driscoll), who lives in Neverland with his Lost Boys, with all their hearts. The younger boys consider Wendy to be the authority on Peter and his adventures...which is why they're all devastated when their father Mr. Darling (Conried) gets angry and insists that Wendy's going to be moved out of the nursery.
Peter's not happy about it either when he arrives to hear more stories. After Wendy sews on his shadow, he agrees to take her and her brothers to Neverland. Tinkerbell, his pixie friend, is jealous that Peter's paying attention to someone else and repeatedly tries to get Wendy hurt. The mermaids Wendy admires aren't terribly pleasant to her, either. Meanwhile, Wendy's brothers and the Lost Boys are having their own troubles. The Indians have captured them, insisting that they kidnapped the chief's daughter Tiger Lilly. Peter does rescue Tiger Lilly from Captain Hook (Conried) and his pirates, giving Wendy a little bout with jealousy of her own during the ensuing party.
Tink's still jealous too, so much that she lets Captain Hook talk her into telling him where Peter's hideout is. That turns out to be a mistake. Hook kidnaps the other kids and tries to kill Peter. Tink flies off to warn him. After they escape, they head to Hook's ship to save the others and throw Hook to the Tick-Tock Crock for good.
The Animation: While not as crazy-psychedelic as Alice, there is some nice work here. I've always liked the flying sequences in particular, as the children soar through the skies, and the finale with the ship silhouetted against the London sky.
The Song and Dance: While there have been other retellings of this story on the big and small screen, from Mary Martin to Robin Williams, this may be the definitive version. Conried's Captain Hook is such a highlight, so mincing and delightfully nasty, that you almost wish he'd finally get the best of egotistical Peter for once. Thompson makes a hilarious Smee as well. My favorite character has long been John. Not only does Collings lend him the appropriate big-brother air, but I love a kid who brings an umbrella and top hat with him to Neverland.
Favorite Number: "You Can Fly!", where Peter shows the kids how to get to Neverland, is probably the most famous number from this one, and is my personal favorite. It's an exhilarating romp through London, as Peter shows off on swans and Michael tries to help poor Nana join them. John, Michael, and the Lost Boys have fun heading through the jungle to fight Indians in the march "Following the Leader." Conried, Thompson, and the pirates get two funny songs that introduce Hook and his life of pillaging and annoying Peter, "A Pirate's Life" and "The Elegant Captain Hook." I kind of wish the lovely "The Second Star to the Right" wasn't thrown away during the opening credits, but it does introduce the idea of Neverland quite well.
What I Don't Like: The racist portrayal of the Indians is built into almost every version of Peter Pan, and I'm afraid this one is no exception. The song "What Made the Red Man Red?" will likely make many folks cringe, as will the Boys constantly referring to the Indians as "savages" and their seeing nothing wrong with hunting them down. Granted, this comes from the original play, and Peter Pan revivals as late as the 80's portray the Indians in this manner, but it's still doesn't make it right or something that'll be easy for many folks to see today.
I've never really been a big fan of Peter Pan in general. Peter himself is an obnoxious jerk. He flirts with every girl in the movie and sees nothing wrong with playing them off each other. His ego could probably dwarf neighboring planets. This may have been seen as innocent in 1900, when this is set and was written, but it comes off as annoying today.
The Big Picture: Mixed feelings here. The great music and performances do help to distract from a story that occasionally hasn't dated well and the racist portrayal of the Indians. If you love Peter Pan stories more than I do, you may find a lot more of interest here than I did.
Home Media: Alas, this is another title currently on moratorium...but unlike other movies in the Disney Vault, it can be found for streaming on several platforms.
Amazon Prime (buy only)
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Victor/Victoria
MGM, 1982
Starring Julie Andrews, Robert Preston, James Gardner, and Leslie Ann Warren
Directed by Blake Edwards
Music by Henry Mancini; Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Julie Andrews fell off the radar somewhat in the 70's, after her major successes in the 1960's. She made a comeback in her husband Blake Edwards' 1981 comedy S.O.B, which while not a huge success at the time, did garner praise for her performance as a star looking to change her image. She continued that streak in Edwards' next film, which did somewhat better at the box office. How does the story of a woman who dresses as a man who impersonates a woman look now? Let's head to the nightclubs of Paris in the 1930's to find out...
The Story: Victoria Grant (Andrews) is in Paris in 1934, trying to get a job as a soprano. She fails her audition and can't even afford food, much less her squalid apartment. Gay singer Toddy (Preston) sees her at the audition and, after starting a brawl when he sees his lover Richard (Malcom Jamieson) as part of a straight couple, joins her in trying to get a free meal out of a restaurant. He takes her to his house in the rain, but she ends up staying when it has shrunk her clothes. She manages to get rid of Richard...and when Toddy sees her in his clothes, he gets the idea of cutting her hair and passing her off as a female impersonator. He even gets her an audition with agent Andre Cassell (John Rhys-Davies).
Andre launches her in a big nightclub debut. Among the club owners who are invited to see her performance are King Marchand (Gardner), his bimbo girlfriend Norma (Warren), and his bodyguard Squash Bernstein (Alex Karras). King's sure that "Victor" is a man, but "he" insists otherwise. "Victor's" act is a huge hit and is the toast of Paris, but Victoria's beginning to have feelings for King, too. He seems to be understanding when she reveals the deception, but living in two worlds is beginning to wear her out, not to mention there's how homosexuals are treated in the macho gangster circles that King runs in. When a private investigator finally blows Victoria's cover, she has to figure out how to reveal herself as a woman and end the persona of "Victor" for good.
The Song and Dance: No wonders Andrews got an Oscar nod for Best Actress, and Preston and Warren landed supporting nominations. Everyone's having a great time with this sassy, wacky farce that explores gender by showing a woman getting away with a double impersonation, and how it wears her down in the end. The flashy costumes and set direction were also Oscar-nominated.
It's interesting to see how homosexuality is depicted here, at a time when it still wasn't widely accepted in the US. Toddy makes jokes about it, but Squash admits that he played football because he looked more like a football player than a homosexual, and there's quite a few people, especially in Chicago, who call Victoria and King derogatory names and likely do worse.
Favorite Number: I'm a bit surprised that at least one of the excellent Mancini/Bricusse songs didn't get an Oscar nod along with the score as a whole. Andrews' touching ballad "Crazy World," performed at a piano in the nightclub, has become a minor standard, and the big ensemble numbers "Le Jazz Hot!" and "Shady Lady From Seville" are fun romps. The movie's best number, however, is probably "You and Me." No chorus or spangled costumes, just two performers at the top of their game dancing and joking together.
Trivia: Edwards had originally intended the role of Toddy for Peter Sellars, but he passed away before filming began.
The costume worn during "The Shady Dame from Seville" number was made to fit Preston, but fitted with snaps and hooks so it could fit Andrews as well.
This was based after the 1933 German movie Viktor und Viktoria. It was remade in England for British musical star Jessie Matthews in 1935 as First a Girl, and then under it's original title in Germany in 1957.
What I Don't Like: I actually wish this was more of a flat-out musical, with numbers outside of the nightclub as well as onstage. I'm not the only one. It was later turned into a Broadway musical in 1995. The final third, when Victoria and King move in together, is slightly less interesting than the rest of the movie as they try to figure out how to make their unusual relationship work.
The Big Finale: Witty, hilarious, and thought-provoking. If you're a fan of Andrews, Preston, Edwards' other work, or sexy farces with unique premises, you'll have a lot of fun with this one.
Home Media: While it was released on regular DVD in the early 2000's, the current version is now part of the Warner Archives (including the Blu-Ray). It can be found on most streaming platforms as well.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring Julie Andrews, Robert Preston, James Gardner, and Leslie Ann Warren
Directed by Blake Edwards
Music by Henry Mancini; Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Julie Andrews fell off the radar somewhat in the 70's, after her major successes in the 1960's. She made a comeback in her husband Blake Edwards' 1981 comedy S.O.B, which while not a huge success at the time, did garner praise for her performance as a star looking to change her image. She continued that streak in Edwards' next film, which did somewhat better at the box office. How does the story of a woman who dresses as a man who impersonates a woman look now? Let's head to the nightclubs of Paris in the 1930's to find out...
The Story: Victoria Grant (Andrews) is in Paris in 1934, trying to get a job as a soprano. She fails her audition and can't even afford food, much less her squalid apartment. Gay singer Toddy (Preston) sees her at the audition and, after starting a brawl when he sees his lover Richard (Malcom Jamieson) as part of a straight couple, joins her in trying to get a free meal out of a restaurant. He takes her to his house in the rain, but she ends up staying when it has shrunk her clothes. She manages to get rid of Richard...and when Toddy sees her in his clothes, he gets the idea of cutting her hair and passing her off as a female impersonator. He even gets her an audition with agent Andre Cassell (John Rhys-Davies).
Andre launches her in a big nightclub debut. Among the club owners who are invited to see her performance are King Marchand (Gardner), his bimbo girlfriend Norma (Warren), and his bodyguard Squash Bernstein (Alex Karras). King's sure that "Victor" is a man, but "he" insists otherwise. "Victor's" act is a huge hit and is the toast of Paris, but Victoria's beginning to have feelings for King, too. He seems to be understanding when she reveals the deception, but living in two worlds is beginning to wear her out, not to mention there's how homosexuals are treated in the macho gangster circles that King runs in. When a private investigator finally blows Victoria's cover, she has to figure out how to reveal herself as a woman and end the persona of "Victor" for good.
The Song and Dance: No wonders Andrews got an Oscar nod for Best Actress, and Preston and Warren landed supporting nominations. Everyone's having a great time with this sassy, wacky farce that explores gender by showing a woman getting away with a double impersonation, and how it wears her down in the end. The flashy costumes and set direction were also Oscar-nominated.
It's interesting to see how homosexuality is depicted here, at a time when it still wasn't widely accepted in the US. Toddy makes jokes about it, but Squash admits that he played football because he looked more like a football player than a homosexual, and there's quite a few people, especially in Chicago, who call Victoria and King derogatory names and likely do worse.
Favorite Number: I'm a bit surprised that at least one of the excellent Mancini/Bricusse songs didn't get an Oscar nod along with the score as a whole. Andrews' touching ballad "Crazy World," performed at a piano in the nightclub, has become a minor standard, and the big ensemble numbers "Le Jazz Hot!" and "Shady Lady From Seville" are fun romps. The movie's best number, however, is probably "You and Me." No chorus or spangled costumes, just two performers at the top of their game dancing and joking together.
Trivia: Edwards had originally intended the role of Toddy for Peter Sellars, but he passed away before filming began.
The costume worn during "The Shady Dame from Seville" number was made to fit Preston, but fitted with snaps and hooks so it could fit Andrews as well.
This was based after the 1933 German movie Viktor und Viktoria. It was remade in England for British musical star Jessie Matthews in 1935 as First a Girl, and then under it's original title in Germany in 1957.
What I Don't Like: I actually wish this was more of a flat-out musical, with numbers outside of the nightclub as well as onstage. I'm not the only one. It was later turned into a Broadway musical in 1995. The final third, when Victoria and King move in together, is slightly less interesting than the rest of the movie as they try to figure out how to make their unusual relationship work.
The Big Finale: Witty, hilarious, and thought-provoking. If you're a fan of Andrews, Preston, Edwards' other work, or sexy farces with unique premises, you'll have a lot of fun with this one.
Home Media: While it was released on regular DVD in the early 2000's, the current version is now part of the Warner Archives (including the Blu-Ray). It can be found on most streaming platforms as well.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Happy New Year! - Holiday Inn
Paramount, 1942
Starring Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds, and Virginia Dale
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
I thought this was appropriate for my first review of 2019, as it covers most major holidays, including New Year's. This is the movie that introduced the evergreen "White Christmas," one of the most beloved holiday songs of all time. Does the movie live up to that legacy? Let's head to a nightclub in New York on Christmas Eve to find out...
The Story: Ted Hanover (Astaire), Jim Hardy (Crosby), and Lilah Dixon (Dale) are a popular act on the nightclub circuit in the early 1940's. Jim's tired of the grind of show business and wants to retire with Lilah to a farm in Connecticut. Lilah ends up insisting that she wants to stay with Ted and continue dancing. Broken-hearted, Jim moves to the farm of his dreams...only to discover that running a farm takes a lot more work than he thought. He ultimately turns the farm into an inn that's only open on public holidays. Linda Mason (Reynolds) is a flower-shop girl who wants to be a singer and comes to the farm to audition after encountering Jim in New York.
Ted ends up at Holiday Inn on New Year's Eve, drunk as a skunk after Lilah ran off with a Texas millionaire. He's so gone, he doesn't remember dancing a great duet with Linda. He and his manager Danny (Walter Abel) spend Lincoln's Birthday looking for her. When Ted does manage to find her, Jim finds himself competing with Ted for a girl's affections all over again.
The Song and Dance: For all the fluff, there's some real bite to this story. This is one of the few major movies I've seen deal with the grind of show business and what performers, even in the 21st century, often have to sacrifice to be able to do what they do. The romantic comedy devices here don't feel as forced as they would later in White Christmas. Crosby and Astaire work well together, and while we don't really see much of Dale, I rather like Reynolds as down-home Linda. Louise Beavers is also excellent as Jim's tough-minded housekeeper Mamie, and her kids are adorable.
I like that this is pretty scaled-down for a major musical. There's some medium-sized numbers at Holiday Inn, but most of the focus is where it should be, on the four leads.
Favorite Number: Astaire has two jaw-dropping dance routines that may be among his most underrated. His drunk duet with Reynolds is hilarious (rumor has it he really got drunk to prepare for that scene). The "Say With Firecrackers" solo may have taken 38 takes to get right, but it's a marvel, with Fred casually twirling around those dropping noisemakers, cigarette in his mouth. Crosby tries get to Astaire's goat in the Washington's Birthday number, "I Cannot Tell a Lie." It's supposed to be romantic Colonial, but Crosby keeps playing hot jazz instead of minuets, and the other two have to try to keep up with him.
"White Christmas" is introduced in a charming, quiet scene early in the film that has Linda and Jim talking about the inn, their families, and what they hope for the future. It's lovely and sweet. Other standards introduced here include "Happy Holidays" and "You're Easy to Dance With."
Trivia: The calendar page that introduces the November sequence has a turkey running back and forth between the last two weeks, before finally shrugging in confusion. This is a reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt changing the Thanksgiving holiday to a week earlier from 1939 to 1941. After that, Congress officially made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November, no matter where it falls on the calendar.
Apparently, everyone involved thought the Valentine's Day song "Be Careful, It's My Heart" would be the big hit. While that one did do well and is relatively well-known, it's "White Christmas" that was the smash hit, became one of the biggest holiday standards ever, and took home the Oscar for best song for Berlin.
The name of the Holiday Inn hotel chain was inspired by this movie.
What I Don't Like: Let's talk about "Abraham." This is the big number for Lincoln's Birthday that has Jim getting Linda into blackface to avoid being found by Ted and Danny. Not only is the song the worst in the film, but while the lyrics mean well (especially the section performed by Beavers and the kids), they do come off as condescending and a bit racist today. The blackface doesn't help at all. The whole thing can be anywhere from awkward to downright offensive for many audiences today. (There's a reason this song was done as a random instrumental jazz duet for Vera-Ellen and one of the male dancers in White Christmas.)
The Big Finale: While White Christmas is fun, I really prefer this one. It has a note of intimacy that the shinier movie from a decade later lacks. Crosby's better here, too, and he pairs well with Astaire. Honestly, if you're a big fan of Crosby or "White Christmas," I recommend grabbing both movies and seeing which one you like better.
Home Media: As the movie that introduced one of the most beloved holiday standards of all time, this one is quite easy to find on most platforms, often for under ten dollars.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Starring Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds, and Virginia Dale
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
I thought this was appropriate for my first review of 2019, as it covers most major holidays, including New Year's. This is the movie that introduced the evergreen "White Christmas," one of the most beloved holiday songs of all time. Does the movie live up to that legacy? Let's head to a nightclub in New York on Christmas Eve to find out...
The Story: Ted Hanover (Astaire), Jim Hardy (Crosby), and Lilah Dixon (Dale) are a popular act on the nightclub circuit in the early 1940's. Jim's tired of the grind of show business and wants to retire with Lilah to a farm in Connecticut. Lilah ends up insisting that she wants to stay with Ted and continue dancing. Broken-hearted, Jim moves to the farm of his dreams...only to discover that running a farm takes a lot more work than he thought. He ultimately turns the farm into an inn that's only open on public holidays. Linda Mason (Reynolds) is a flower-shop girl who wants to be a singer and comes to the farm to audition after encountering Jim in New York.
Ted ends up at Holiday Inn on New Year's Eve, drunk as a skunk after Lilah ran off with a Texas millionaire. He's so gone, he doesn't remember dancing a great duet with Linda. He and his manager Danny (Walter Abel) spend Lincoln's Birthday looking for her. When Ted does manage to find her, Jim finds himself competing with Ted for a girl's affections all over again.
The Song and Dance: For all the fluff, there's some real bite to this story. This is one of the few major movies I've seen deal with the grind of show business and what performers, even in the 21st century, often have to sacrifice to be able to do what they do. The romantic comedy devices here don't feel as forced as they would later in White Christmas. Crosby and Astaire work well together, and while we don't really see much of Dale, I rather like Reynolds as down-home Linda. Louise Beavers is also excellent as Jim's tough-minded housekeeper Mamie, and her kids are adorable.
I like that this is pretty scaled-down for a major musical. There's some medium-sized numbers at Holiday Inn, but most of the focus is where it should be, on the four leads.
Favorite Number: Astaire has two jaw-dropping dance routines that may be among his most underrated. His drunk duet with Reynolds is hilarious (rumor has it he really got drunk to prepare for that scene). The "Say With Firecrackers" solo may have taken 38 takes to get right, but it's a marvel, with Fred casually twirling around those dropping noisemakers, cigarette in his mouth. Crosby tries get to Astaire's goat in the Washington's Birthday number, "I Cannot Tell a Lie." It's supposed to be romantic Colonial, but Crosby keeps playing hot jazz instead of minuets, and the other two have to try to keep up with him.
"White Christmas" is introduced in a charming, quiet scene early in the film that has Linda and Jim talking about the inn, their families, and what they hope for the future. It's lovely and sweet. Other standards introduced here include "Happy Holidays" and "You're Easy to Dance With."
Trivia: The calendar page that introduces the November sequence has a turkey running back and forth between the last two weeks, before finally shrugging in confusion. This is a reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt changing the Thanksgiving holiday to a week earlier from 1939 to 1941. After that, Congress officially made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November, no matter where it falls on the calendar.
Apparently, everyone involved thought the Valentine's Day song "Be Careful, It's My Heart" would be the big hit. While that one did do well and is relatively well-known, it's "White Christmas" that was the smash hit, became one of the biggest holiday standards ever, and took home the Oscar for best song for Berlin.
The name of the Holiday Inn hotel chain was inspired by this movie.
What I Don't Like: Let's talk about "Abraham." This is the big number for Lincoln's Birthday that has Jim getting Linda into blackface to avoid being found by Ted and Danny. Not only is the song the worst in the film, but while the lyrics mean well (especially the section performed by Beavers and the kids), they do come off as condescending and a bit racist today. The blackface doesn't help at all. The whole thing can be anywhere from awkward to downright offensive for many audiences today. (There's a reason this song was done as a random instrumental jazz duet for Vera-Ellen and one of the male dancers in White Christmas.)
The Big Finale: While White Christmas is fun, I really prefer this one. It has a note of intimacy that the shinier movie from a decade later lacks. Crosby's better here, too, and he pairs well with Astaire. Honestly, if you're a big fan of Crosby or "White Christmas," I recommend grabbing both movies and seeing which one you like better.
Home Media: As the movie that introduced one of the most beloved holiday standards of all time, this one is quite easy to find on most platforms, often for under ten dollars.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
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