Warner Bros, 1953
Starring Doris Day, Howard Keel, Allyn Ann McLerie, and Phillip Carey
Directed by David Butler
Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
In honor of Doris Day, who passed away today at age 97, my last reviews before my vacation hiatus will be devoted to two of her most popular musical vehicles. She appeared in movie musicals for Warners years before she starred in her famous series of romantic comedies in the late 50's and 60's. Today, this movie is probably best known for the Oscar-winning ballad "Secret Love," but there's a lot more to this girl-power western than a sweet tune. How much more? Let's take a stagecoach to Deadwood City in Dakota Territory to find out...
The Story: Calamity Jane (Day) is the toughest-talking, hardest-drinking "shotgun" messenger (stagecoach guard) in the Dakota Territory. She's got a ton of tall tales to tell about her exploits fighting outlaws and Indians off the coach, and she's always as good as her word. When she tells the boys she'll go to Chicago to get a famous actress to play at the Golden Garter Saloon, she does it. Turns out that the actress is on her way to Europe. What Calamity finds is Katie Brown (McLerie), her maid, who wants to be a performer. Calamity can't tell one bustle-wearin' female from another and brings Katie back to Deadwood.
The boys aren't happy about the switch at first, but Katie wins them over with her girlish charm and sweet voice. She even gains two suitors in the handsome cavalry officer Lieutenant Daniel Gilmartin (Carey) and Calamity's guy friend Wild Bill Hickock (Keel). She and Calamity move in together; she helps her fix up her tumbledown cabin and gives her a dress to wear. They attend a ball with the menfolk to show off Calamity's new, daintier style. That lasts for barely ten minutes before she catches Gilmartin and Katie kissing. Calamity has had her eye on Gilmartin, and she's angry enough to threaten Katie there and at the Saloon. After Bill tells her that he defended Katie during her act, she realizes that he's really her "secret love," and she has to keep Katie from leaving town.
The Song and Dance: It's rare to see a strong female hero in a western even nowadays, never mind in the 50's. Day's Calamity may be willing to submit to Katie's "Woman's Touch," but in a refreshing turn, she never quite loses her tomboyish spirit. Indeed, she wears simple western trousers and a lacy blouse during her "Secret Love" number, showing that while she have embraced her feminine side, she's going to do it her way. She and Keel make a nifty couple; she's even better with the tougher-than-she-looks McLerie. Dick Wesson has some funny moments as a tenderfoot actor whom the owner of the Golden Garter mistakes for an actress due to his feminine name, Francis.
Favorite Number: The opening "Whip-Crack Away/Very Good Friend of Mine" smoothly takes us from Calamity on the stagecoach to Deadwood City to the discovery of the mistake with Francis in an extended musical sequence that's a smooth and robust way to kick things off. Calamity and Bill express their antagonistic friendship in "I Can Do Without You." Wesson's drag number, "A Hive Full of Honey," when he's trying to convince the audience in the saloon that he's a woman, is hilarious.
The standard here is "Secret Love," the simple and lovely ballad Day sings towards the end of the movie, after she's realized that she really cares about Bill. The number that goes along with it is equally simple and sweet, just Day beautifully performing the song in a glowing Technicolor valley.
Trivia: The real Calamity Jane did have many adventures, and she was inclined to tell tall tales...but it's not really known what her actual relationship with Wild Bill Hickcock was. Historians say they were likely just acquaintances and Calamity exaggerated their relationship, the way she did many of her stories.
There's a stage version of this one around. It hasn't made Broadway at press time, but it did turn up on TV in 1963 with Carol Burnett as Calamity and in London's West End.
What I Don't Like: At times, this feels like it was cobbled together from other, better-known musical westerns. "I Can Do Without You" sounds like "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun, which also provides the general idea of a musical about a famous female sharpshooter. "Just Blew from the Windy City" bears more than a passing resemblance to "Everything's Up to Date In Kansas City" from Oklahoma. Carey's Gilmartin is so dull, he barely registers, making you wonder exactly what the ladies see in him.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of Day or musical westerns, this is a whip-cracking good tale that Calamity herself might have approved of.
Home Media: As one of Day's most popular musical vehicles, this is easy to find in all formats, including Blu-Ray and on several streaming services.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Happy Mother's Day! - Mother Wore Tights
20th Century Fox, 1947
Starring Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, Mona Freeman, and Connie Marshall
Directed by Walter Lang
Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Happy Mother's Day! I'm reviewing this one in honor of my mother, Cheryl Jackman. It's one of her favorite movies, and I'm glad I was able to find it for both of us. Betty Grable had one of her biggest hits with this film, and it introduced her to her friend and frequent partner Dan Dailey. Let's head to the porch of a quiet little house to meet a kindly old couple, and hear the story of Miriam "Mikie" Burt's (narration by Anne Baxter) unusual family...
The Story: Myrtle McKinley (Grable) meets Frank Burt (Dailey) shortly after her high school graduation in 1900, when she goes into San Francisco with two friends and tries to get into a burlesque house for free. Her friend lies and says they're there for jobs, but only Myrtle sticks it out. Frank sees her talent and takes a liking to her, offering to do a duo act. She takes him up on the offer, but almost leaves for another show before he finally breaks down and proposes.
Their new vaudeville act is a success. Myrtle takes time off to have two daughters, Iris (Freeman), and Miriam (Marshall), whom they call "Mikie." She raises them for a while, but her grandmother (Sara Allgood) eventually suggests that she returns to the act to keep an eye on her husband. She does, successfully.
They do well enough to have regular holidays, including the girls visiting them on the road one Christmas, and another one to a quiet little resort hotel in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. While her parents perk up the staid regulars, Iris falls in love with Bob (Robert Arthur), a young man whose family regularly goes there. She convinces her parents to let her and Mikie go to boarding school in Boston, but learns to her horror that her new friends don't think the stage is a dignified profession. Frank and Myrtle put on a show for the school to prove that vaudeville can indeed be sophisticated and elegant.
The Song and Dance: No wonder Mom loves this movie, and it was said to have been Betty Grable's favorite of her vehicles. It's adorable. Dailey and Grable make a nice couple and are quite believable as married parents of teenagers, two buddy-next-door blondes. Freeman is lovely as their confused teen daughter (although her beautiful voice was dubbed). The beginning in San Francisco when they meet and their trip to the quietest, most dull hotel in New England are also a lot of fun. The vaudeville angle gives this one an edge that many coming-of-age musical tales lack.
The color in this movie is gorgeous, especially when they're at the resort. The residents may be dull, but their surroundings are brilliant. The costumes are also nicely done, especially during the vaudeville numbers.
Favorite Number: The British music hall standard "Burlington Bertie from Bow" turns up in another 20th Century Fox musical, first performed by Dailey, then by Grable in a dead-on imitation. "You Do" was nominated for an Oscar, and it gets two nice run-throughs, a glamorous vaudeville version after Myrtle has returned to the act, and Iris singing it at her graduation in the finale. Grable and Dailey get two more good vaudeville numbers, the funny "This Is My Hometown" as they switch towns and theaters, and the sweet "Kokomo, Indiana."
Trivia: This is based on the memoir Mother Wore Tights, by the real Miriam (Burt) Young (who apparently went on to become a children's book author).
Mother Wore Tights was the first of four films that Grable and Dailey appeared in together in the late 40's and early 50's.
Betty Grable was pregnant during the making of this film, which explains why her stomach is frequently covered by banjos or feathers.
What I Don't Like: The movie feels too short, especially for a coming-of-age story. I would have liked to have seen more of the girls at the resort and in boarding school. We don't really see much of Mikie at all other than her falling down at the resort. Despite Myrtle's constant worry about her grandmother figuring out that she shucked college in the beginning, she accepts her new career awfully fast. Grable doesn't look much like a teenager, either (especially compared to the real young people later in the movie). As nice as the costumes are, once we get past the early 1900's, it doesn't really look that historical other than some of Mikie's girls' dresses.
The Big Finale: If you or your mother are fans of Grable, Dailey, or coming-of-age stories, you'll want to see if you can find this charming tale.
Home Media: At press time, this is only avaible on DVD via the made-to-order 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives.
DVD
Starring Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, Mona Freeman, and Connie Marshall
Directed by Walter Lang
Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Happy Mother's Day! I'm reviewing this one in honor of my mother, Cheryl Jackman. It's one of her favorite movies, and I'm glad I was able to find it for both of us. Betty Grable had one of her biggest hits with this film, and it introduced her to her friend and frequent partner Dan Dailey. Let's head to the porch of a quiet little house to meet a kindly old couple, and hear the story of Miriam "Mikie" Burt's (narration by Anne Baxter) unusual family...
The Story: Myrtle McKinley (Grable) meets Frank Burt (Dailey) shortly after her high school graduation in 1900, when she goes into San Francisco with two friends and tries to get into a burlesque house for free. Her friend lies and says they're there for jobs, but only Myrtle sticks it out. Frank sees her talent and takes a liking to her, offering to do a duo act. She takes him up on the offer, but almost leaves for another show before he finally breaks down and proposes.
Their new vaudeville act is a success. Myrtle takes time off to have two daughters, Iris (Freeman), and Miriam (Marshall), whom they call "Mikie." She raises them for a while, but her grandmother (Sara Allgood) eventually suggests that she returns to the act to keep an eye on her husband. She does, successfully.
They do well enough to have regular holidays, including the girls visiting them on the road one Christmas, and another one to a quiet little resort hotel in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. While her parents perk up the staid regulars, Iris falls in love with Bob (Robert Arthur), a young man whose family regularly goes there. She convinces her parents to let her and Mikie go to boarding school in Boston, but learns to her horror that her new friends don't think the stage is a dignified profession. Frank and Myrtle put on a show for the school to prove that vaudeville can indeed be sophisticated and elegant.
The Song and Dance: No wonder Mom loves this movie, and it was said to have been Betty Grable's favorite of her vehicles. It's adorable. Dailey and Grable make a nice couple and are quite believable as married parents of teenagers, two buddy-next-door blondes. Freeman is lovely as their confused teen daughter (although her beautiful voice was dubbed). The beginning in San Francisco when they meet and their trip to the quietest, most dull hotel in New England are also a lot of fun. The vaudeville angle gives this one an edge that many coming-of-age musical tales lack.
The color in this movie is gorgeous, especially when they're at the resort. The residents may be dull, but their surroundings are brilliant. The costumes are also nicely done, especially during the vaudeville numbers.
Favorite Number: The British music hall standard "Burlington Bertie from Bow" turns up in another 20th Century Fox musical, first performed by Dailey, then by Grable in a dead-on imitation. "You Do" was nominated for an Oscar, and it gets two nice run-throughs, a glamorous vaudeville version after Myrtle has returned to the act, and Iris singing it at her graduation in the finale. Grable and Dailey get two more good vaudeville numbers, the funny "This Is My Hometown" as they switch towns and theaters, and the sweet "Kokomo, Indiana."
Trivia: This is based on the memoir Mother Wore Tights, by the real Miriam (Burt) Young (who apparently went on to become a children's book author).
Mother Wore Tights was the first of four films that Grable and Dailey appeared in together in the late 40's and early 50's.
Betty Grable was pregnant during the making of this film, which explains why her stomach is frequently covered by banjos or feathers.
What I Don't Like: The movie feels too short, especially for a coming-of-age story. I would have liked to have seen more of the girls at the resort and in boarding school. We don't really see much of Mikie at all other than her falling down at the resort. Despite Myrtle's constant worry about her grandmother figuring out that she shucked college in the beginning, she accepts her new career awfully fast. Grable doesn't look much like a teenager, either (especially compared to the real young people later in the movie). As nice as the costumes are, once we get past the early 1900's, it doesn't really look that historical other than some of Mikie's girls' dresses.
The Big Finale: If you or your mother are fans of Grable, Dailey, or coming-of-age stories, you'll want to see if you can find this charming tale.
Home Media: At press time, this is only avaible on DVD via the made-to-order 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives.
DVD
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Family Fun Extra - The Great Muppet Caper
Universal/ITC, 1981
Starring The Muppets, Diana Rigg, and Charles Grodin
Directed by Jim Henson
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
Even the Muppets got in on the musical fashion stories in this comic mystery, their second movie. While it didn't do as well as their first, The Muppet Movie, at the time, it's just as well-regarded today. Let's take a hot air balloon with Fozzie, Kermit, and Gonzo to see how well this musical spoof holds up nowadays...
The Story: Kermit and Fozzie are reporters for The Daily Chronicle, and Gonzo's a photographer. They're so caught up in Gonzo's chicken obsession and the movie's opening number, they miss British fashion designer Lady Holiday (Rigg) having her jewels stolen right behind them. Their boss at the Chronicle (Jack Warden) fires them, but they convince him to send them to London to cover the case.
They go to Lady Holiday's fashion house for an interview, only to run into modeling hopeful Miss Piggy. Piggy lies and tells them that she's Lady Holiday to get a date with Kermit. The date goes well, until Lady Holiday's diamond necklace is stolen. Her jealous brother Nicky (Grodin) is the real thief, with the help of three of her models. When he frames Miss Piggy at his sister's fashion show, the other Muppets leap into action to clear her name.
The Song and Dance: Along with Christmas Carol and The Muppets Take Manhattan, this is my favorite Muppet movie. There's enough fourth walls broken in this movie to start a brick store. I'm a mystery fan to begin with and I love the riff on detective stories and heist capers. Rigg and especially Grodin are having a great time as the elegant but exasperated fashionista and her dastardly brother with a thing for pigs. Look for the scene where Piggy bursts into the Mallory Gallery on a motorcycle and saves the day, and Peter Faulk telling Kermit a long, rambling story ala his most famous character Columbo.
(And once again, I love the fashions here. I still have a weakness for the Victorian-esque ruffly gowns of my early childhood. Most of Lady Holiday's designs seem to be either Victorian or 50's influenced, with huge flowered hats, tons of lace and ruffles, big skirts, and pastels.)
Favorite Number: "The First Time It Happens" was nominated for an Oscar, and it turns into a great parody of 30's Eleanor Powell-style numbers, including Piggy getting a tap solo (in glass slippers!). Piggy also figures into the infamous Esther Williams spoof, with Grodin singing tenor (dubbed, as Piggy points out later), complete with synchronized swimmers and Piggy rising up out of the water in a sparkling pedestal at the end.
My personal favorite song from this one is "Couldn't We Ride?" Henson one-ups having Kermit ride a bike in the original movie by putting all of the Muppets (but Statler and Waldorf) on bikes. It still looks good to this day, and is the cutest song in the movie.
What I Don't Like: The music isn't bad, but it's not quite as memorable as in the original film. There's occasionally a little too much focus on humans Rigg and Grodin, and maybe not as much focus as you'd like on the Muppets. While the cameos include Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, and John Cleese along with Faulk, there's not as many of them as the other Muppet films, nor are they as recognizable. The story can occasionally get a little complicated for a Muppet movie, and the mystery is slightly more mature for them and may confuse younger kids.
The Big Finale: I'm surprised this one didn't do better in 1981. People may have been expecting a looser story ala The Muppet Movie and more cameos, but it's actually aged pretty well. If you've got slightly older kids or are a fan of the Muppets, this wacky heist tale is definitely worth robbing a diamond for.
Home Media: The Kermit's 50th Anniversary DVD that I have features both the widescreen and fullscreen versions; unlike Christmas Carol, there's really no difference between the two, other than the screen size. It can also be found on a couple of streaming platforms.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Starring The Muppets, Diana Rigg, and Charles Grodin
Directed by Jim Henson
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
Even the Muppets got in on the musical fashion stories in this comic mystery, their second movie. While it didn't do as well as their first, The Muppet Movie, at the time, it's just as well-regarded today. Let's take a hot air balloon with Fozzie, Kermit, and Gonzo to see how well this musical spoof holds up nowadays...
The Story: Kermit and Fozzie are reporters for The Daily Chronicle, and Gonzo's a photographer. They're so caught up in Gonzo's chicken obsession and the movie's opening number, they miss British fashion designer Lady Holiday (Rigg) having her jewels stolen right behind them. Their boss at the Chronicle (Jack Warden) fires them, but they convince him to send them to London to cover the case.
They go to Lady Holiday's fashion house for an interview, only to run into modeling hopeful Miss Piggy. Piggy lies and tells them that she's Lady Holiday to get a date with Kermit. The date goes well, until Lady Holiday's diamond necklace is stolen. Her jealous brother Nicky (Grodin) is the real thief, with the help of three of her models. When he frames Miss Piggy at his sister's fashion show, the other Muppets leap into action to clear her name.
The Song and Dance: Along with Christmas Carol and The Muppets Take Manhattan, this is my favorite Muppet movie. There's enough fourth walls broken in this movie to start a brick store. I'm a mystery fan to begin with and I love the riff on detective stories and heist capers. Rigg and especially Grodin are having a great time as the elegant but exasperated fashionista and her dastardly brother with a thing for pigs. Look for the scene where Piggy bursts into the Mallory Gallery on a motorcycle and saves the day, and Peter Faulk telling Kermit a long, rambling story ala his most famous character Columbo.
(And once again, I love the fashions here. I still have a weakness for the Victorian-esque ruffly gowns of my early childhood. Most of Lady Holiday's designs seem to be either Victorian or 50's influenced, with huge flowered hats, tons of lace and ruffles, big skirts, and pastels.)
Favorite Number: "The First Time It Happens" was nominated for an Oscar, and it turns into a great parody of 30's Eleanor Powell-style numbers, including Piggy getting a tap solo (in glass slippers!). Piggy also figures into the infamous Esther Williams spoof, with Grodin singing tenor (dubbed, as Piggy points out later), complete with synchronized swimmers and Piggy rising up out of the water in a sparkling pedestal at the end.
My personal favorite song from this one is "Couldn't We Ride?" Henson one-ups having Kermit ride a bike in the original movie by putting all of the Muppets (but Statler and Waldorf) on bikes. It still looks good to this day, and is the cutest song in the movie.
What I Don't Like: The music isn't bad, but it's not quite as memorable as in the original film. There's occasionally a little too much focus on humans Rigg and Grodin, and maybe not as much focus as you'd like on the Muppets. While the cameos include Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, and John Cleese along with Faulk, there's not as many of them as the other Muppet films, nor are they as recognizable. The story can occasionally get a little complicated for a Muppet movie, and the mystery is slightly more mature for them and may confuse younger kids.
The Big Finale: I'm surprised this one didn't do better in 1981. People may have been expecting a looser story ala The Muppet Movie and more cameos, but it's actually aged pretty well. If you've got slightly older kids or are a fan of the Muppets, this wacky heist tale is definitely worth robbing a diamond for.
Home Media: The Kermit's 50th Anniversary DVD that I have features both the widescreen and fullscreen versions; unlike Christmas Carol, there's really no difference between the two, other than the screen size. It can also be found on a couple of streaming platforms.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Cult Flops - Lovely to Look At
MGM, 1952
Starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, and Red Skelton
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy (with Vincent Minnelli)
Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Otto Haurbach, Dorothy Fields, and others
MGM had been trying to get their remake of Roberta off the ground ever since they bought the property in 1945. After almost a decade of false starts, they finally brought it together in 1952, under the name of the Oscar-nominated song Lovely to Look At. How does this trip to Roberta's compare with our previous one? Let's start in New York this time, as three young men try to convince a group of backers to produce their show, and find out...
The Story: That audition does not go well. Performers Al Marsh (Skelton), Tony Naylor (Keel), and Jerry Ralby (Gower Champion) just can't get anyone to back their new revue. They convince Tony's dancer girlfriend Bubbles (Miller) to give them the money to go to Paris after Al learns he's inherited a dress salon. Turns out he's only part-owner. His adopted cousins Stephanie (Grayson) and Clarisse (Marge Champion) own the other half. Hoping to get them to sell, Jerry and Tony romance the ladies and take them out on the town. Bubbles turns up too, hoping to get in on their new show. Tony convinces the bankers who are about to foreclose on Roberta's to let them put on an innovative new fashion show.
Meanwhile, Stephanie, besotted with how Tony has taken over the fashion show, is falling for Tony, and Jerry and Clarisse are now crazy about each other. Al has a crush on Stephanie, but he eventually starts looking Bubbles' way. It looks like Roberta's may be saved, until it turns out that their model Zsa Zsa (Zsa Zsa Gabor) has a boyfriend who is a renowned Broadway producer. He may be willing to give Tony his chance...if he leaves Roberta's right away...
The Song and Dance: The cast is the thing here, along with some great dancing and fabulous 50's fashion. If you love the clothes from this era, you'll really enjoy this one. At the very least, three performers inheriting a dress shop makes slightly more sense than a football player inheriting a dress shop, and they use more of the original score than the previous version (though not the original plot). Skelton in particular has fun as the sweet comedian who's gotten too used to letting his faster-talking buddy make all the decisions; his "Go and Tell Aunt Rhodie" routine is hilarious.
Favorite Number: Ann Miller gets a good one in the beginning with the chorus boys, the racy "I'll Be Hard to Handle." Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson get in a good "You're Devastating," while Grayson has "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" here. The Champions have two fun duets, the comic "I Won't Dance" as Jerry tries to get Clarisse out of the dress shop, and a lovely instrumental "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" with a starry background.
The big one here is the finale, a riot of color, movement, and gowns by none other than ace costumer Adrian (who came out of retirement for this movie). Vincent Minnelli directed the fashion show sequence, and it does evince his touch, especially in its stunning use of color. The Champions have an odd cat burglar dance that looks good but doesn't have much to do with anything. Keel and Grayson's "The Touch of Your Hand" and Miller's striptease in a tight lounging outfit come off better.
Trivia: This was originally supposed to have reunited Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in 1948, but that fell through.
What I Don't Like: Bubbles was right towards the end. Tony was a jerk through most of the movie, full-stop. He took credit for pretty much everything, used the ladies and Roberta's to get what he wanted, and then almost ran out. He's such a pain, it's hard to figure out why Bubbles and Stephanie are after him.
I wish they'd been able to film in Paris. Other than Zsa Zsa, this has no French flavor whatsoever. Stephanie and Clarisse don't look or sound French (or Russian, for that matter). And I do wish they'd retained more of the original plot to go with most of the original score.
The Big Finale: This was a flop on first release, and while it's not the best MGM musical ever, I think it deserved a lot better. If you love vintage mid-20th century fashion, the cast, or classic dances, you'll find a lot to enjoy here.
Home Media: Currently only on DVD via the Warner Archives. (I actually dubbed my copy off TCM.)
DVD
Starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, and Red Skelton
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy (with Vincent Minnelli)
Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Otto Haurbach, Dorothy Fields, and others
MGM had been trying to get their remake of Roberta off the ground ever since they bought the property in 1945. After almost a decade of false starts, they finally brought it together in 1952, under the name of the Oscar-nominated song Lovely to Look At. How does this trip to Roberta's compare with our previous one? Let's start in New York this time, as three young men try to convince a group of backers to produce their show, and find out...
The Story: That audition does not go well. Performers Al Marsh (Skelton), Tony Naylor (Keel), and Jerry Ralby (Gower Champion) just can't get anyone to back their new revue. They convince Tony's dancer girlfriend Bubbles (Miller) to give them the money to go to Paris after Al learns he's inherited a dress salon. Turns out he's only part-owner. His adopted cousins Stephanie (Grayson) and Clarisse (Marge Champion) own the other half. Hoping to get them to sell, Jerry and Tony romance the ladies and take them out on the town. Bubbles turns up too, hoping to get in on their new show. Tony convinces the bankers who are about to foreclose on Roberta's to let them put on an innovative new fashion show.
Meanwhile, Stephanie, besotted with how Tony has taken over the fashion show, is falling for Tony, and Jerry and Clarisse are now crazy about each other. Al has a crush on Stephanie, but he eventually starts looking Bubbles' way. It looks like Roberta's may be saved, until it turns out that their model Zsa Zsa (Zsa Zsa Gabor) has a boyfriend who is a renowned Broadway producer. He may be willing to give Tony his chance...if he leaves Roberta's right away...
The Song and Dance: The cast is the thing here, along with some great dancing and fabulous 50's fashion. If you love the clothes from this era, you'll really enjoy this one. At the very least, three performers inheriting a dress shop makes slightly more sense than a football player inheriting a dress shop, and they use more of the original score than the previous version (though not the original plot). Skelton in particular has fun as the sweet comedian who's gotten too used to letting his faster-talking buddy make all the decisions; his "Go and Tell Aunt Rhodie" routine is hilarious.
Favorite Number: Ann Miller gets a good one in the beginning with the chorus boys, the racy "I'll Be Hard to Handle." Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson get in a good "You're Devastating," while Grayson has "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" here. The Champions have two fun duets, the comic "I Won't Dance" as Jerry tries to get Clarisse out of the dress shop, and a lovely instrumental "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" with a starry background.
The big one here is the finale, a riot of color, movement, and gowns by none other than ace costumer Adrian (who came out of retirement for this movie). Vincent Minnelli directed the fashion show sequence, and it does evince his touch, especially in its stunning use of color. The Champions have an odd cat burglar dance that looks good but doesn't have much to do with anything. Keel and Grayson's "The Touch of Your Hand" and Miller's striptease in a tight lounging outfit come off better.
Trivia: This was originally supposed to have reunited Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in 1948, but that fell through.
What I Don't Like: Bubbles was right towards the end. Tony was a jerk through most of the movie, full-stop. He took credit for pretty much everything, used the ladies and Roberta's to get what he wanted, and then almost ran out. He's such a pain, it's hard to figure out why Bubbles and Stephanie are after him.
I wish they'd been able to film in Paris. Other than Zsa Zsa, this has no French flavor whatsoever. Stephanie and Clarisse don't look or sound French (or Russian, for that matter). And I do wish they'd retained more of the original plot to go with most of the original score.
The Big Finale: This was a flop on first release, and while it's not the best MGM musical ever, I think it deserved a lot better. If you love vintage mid-20th century fashion, the cast, or classic dances, you'll find a lot to enjoy here.
Home Media: Currently only on DVD via the Warner Archives. (I actually dubbed my copy off TCM.)
DVD
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Roberta
RKO, 1935
Starring Randolph Scott, Fred Astaire, Irene Dunne, and Ginger Rogers
Directed by William A. Seiter
Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Otto Haurbach and Dorothy Fields
First of all, Musical Dreams Reviews will be on hiatus from May 15th to the 22nd for vacation. I'll be doing one extra review a week for the remaining weeks of the month to make up with it, starting with tomorrow's review. Now that we have the announcement out of the way, let's move on to today's review...
This is the first of two versions of the story of a couple of guys who inherit a Parisian fashion house we'll be doing this week. Roberta was one of the biggest hits on Broadway in 1933, combining Jerome Kern's operetta sensibilities with gorgeous gowns, a frothy plot, and an up-and-coming cast. RKO turned it into a vehicle for their own up-and-coming stars Astaire and Rogers, along with singer Dunne and romantic leading man Scott. Is it as elegant and romantic as a fine Paris gown? Let's head to Paris with Astaire and his orchestra to find out...
The Story: Huck Haines (Astaire), his best friend John Kent (Scott), and Haines' dance band the Wabash Indianans are stranded in Paris with barely a franc to their names. Cafe owner Alexandre Voyda (Luis Alberni) booked them, but mistook them for actual Native Americans, rather than a Midwestern orchestra and a former football player, and fired them. John does know one person in Paris to ask for help, his Aunt Minnie, the owner of the Roberta fashion house.
On his arrival, John finds himself stuck in the aging and cranky elevator. He's helped out by Stephanie (Dunne), Roberta's assistant. He's instantly smitten with her, but she's not as impressed by him. Meanwhile, Huck's met a girl of his own, the glamorous Countess Scharwenka (Rogers). Turns out she's actually his ex-girlfriend Lizzie Gatz. She's able to finally get Voyda to relent and hire them.
Shortly after their arrival, Aunt Minnie passes away. As she left no will, her dress salon goes to John by default. He knows nothing about designing gowns and asks Stephanie to stay on as his partner. Their collaboration is in trouble from the get-go. He rejects one of her more daring designs, and is pursued by his spoiled fiancee Sophie (Clarice Dodd), who is after his money. Huck and Lizzie convince Stephanie to sell Sophie that "vulgar" dress. It upsets John, who complains to Stephanie. She's so angry, she quits. It's up to Huck, Lizzie, and a cartload of couture gowns to bring these two lovers back together.
The Song and Dance: This was Astaire and Rogers' third musical together, and along with the lovely music and stunning 30's gowns, they're the main reason to see it today. They're just having so much fun together as the witty orchestra leader and the demanding "countess" who isn't as glamorous or aristocratic as she seems.
Those gorgeous gowns are worth the fuss Stephanie and John made over them. The backless number that she sold Sophie would probably barely turn heads today, but it's actually quite attractive. My favorite is the ruffly black and dot gown in the big fashion show in the finale. The Art Deco sets are almost as beautifully designed, including the elevator that keeps sticking.
Favorite Number: Two of Ginger and Fred's best dance routines can be found here. Ginger starts off "I'll Be Hard to Handle," but it quickly turns into a really fun comic duet. They also get to dance to "Lovely to Look At" performed by Irene Dunne in the finale. Dunne also scores with probably this score's best-known standard, the ballad "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes."
Trivia: Yes, that is a young and very blonde Lucille Ball among the models in the fashion show finale. She's the one in the layered white feather cape with the dress trimmed with feathers.
The movie drops three hits from the original Broadway show - "The Touch of Your Hand," "Something Had to Happen," and "You're Devestating" - and adds "I Won't Dance" from the flop stage show Three Sisters and the newly written "Lovely to Look At." The latter was nominated for an Oscar in 1935.
What I Don't Like: Some of the numbers sans Rogers are really strange. Both the routine in the opening where the Indianans turn themselves into a human organ that Astaire "plays" and the too-goofy "Let's Begin" in drag look more ridiculous than funny. No wonder Volya refused to hire them.
When the movie focuses on Astaire and Rogers and their dances and relationship, it's a lot of fun. It's the main plot involving Scott, Dunne, and Roberta's that flounders. Scott is stiff as a board and not terribly happy; his stoic demeanor looks better on the wide open plains than in a musical. Dunne only comes off a little better, helped by her beautiful renditions of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Lovely to Look At."
The Big Finale: The stunning costumes and a couple of great Astaire-Rogers numbers makes this worth a look for their fans or lovers of dance or vintage fashion.
Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming, both in its original release and as part of the Warner Archives.
DVD
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Astaire & Rogers, Vol. 2
Amazon Prime
Starring Randolph Scott, Fred Astaire, Irene Dunne, and Ginger Rogers
Directed by William A. Seiter
Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Otto Haurbach and Dorothy Fields
First of all, Musical Dreams Reviews will be on hiatus from May 15th to the 22nd for vacation. I'll be doing one extra review a week for the remaining weeks of the month to make up with it, starting with tomorrow's review. Now that we have the announcement out of the way, let's move on to today's review...
This is the first of two versions of the story of a couple of guys who inherit a Parisian fashion house we'll be doing this week. Roberta was one of the biggest hits on Broadway in 1933, combining Jerome Kern's operetta sensibilities with gorgeous gowns, a frothy plot, and an up-and-coming cast. RKO turned it into a vehicle for their own up-and-coming stars Astaire and Rogers, along with singer Dunne and romantic leading man Scott. Is it as elegant and romantic as a fine Paris gown? Let's head to Paris with Astaire and his orchestra to find out...
The Story: Huck Haines (Astaire), his best friend John Kent (Scott), and Haines' dance band the Wabash Indianans are stranded in Paris with barely a franc to their names. Cafe owner Alexandre Voyda (Luis Alberni) booked them, but mistook them for actual Native Americans, rather than a Midwestern orchestra and a former football player, and fired them. John does know one person in Paris to ask for help, his Aunt Minnie, the owner of the Roberta fashion house.
On his arrival, John finds himself stuck in the aging and cranky elevator. He's helped out by Stephanie (Dunne), Roberta's assistant. He's instantly smitten with her, but she's not as impressed by him. Meanwhile, Huck's met a girl of his own, the glamorous Countess Scharwenka (Rogers). Turns out she's actually his ex-girlfriend Lizzie Gatz. She's able to finally get Voyda to relent and hire them.
Shortly after their arrival, Aunt Minnie passes away. As she left no will, her dress salon goes to John by default. He knows nothing about designing gowns and asks Stephanie to stay on as his partner. Their collaboration is in trouble from the get-go. He rejects one of her more daring designs, and is pursued by his spoiled fiancee Sophie (Clarice Dodd), who is after his money. Huck and Lizzie convince Stephanie to sell Sophie that "vulgar" dress. It upsets John, who complains to Stephanie. She's so angry, she quits. It's up to Huck, Lizzie, and a cartload of couture gowns to bring these two lovers back together.
The Song and Dance: This was Astaire and Rogers' third musical together, and along with the lovely music and stunning 30's gowns, they're the main reason to see it today. They're just having so much fun together as the witty orchestra leader and the demanding "countess" who isn't as glamorous or aristocratic as she seems.
Those gorgeous gowns are worth the fuss Stephanie and John made over them. The backless number that she sold Sophie would probably barely turn heads today, but it's actually quite attractive. My favorite is the ruffly black and dot gown in the big fashion show in the finale. The Art Deco sets are almost as beautifully designed, including the elevator that keeps sticking.
Favorite Number: Two of Ginger and Fred's best dance routines can be found here. Ginger starts off "I'll Be Hard to Handle," but it quickly turns into a really fun comic duet. They also get to dance to "Lovely to Look At" performed by Irene Dunne in the finale. Dunne also scores with probably this score's best-known standard, the ballad "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes."
Trivia: Yes, that is a young and very blonde Lucille Ball among the models in the fashion show finale. She's the one in the layered white feather cape with the dress trimmed with feathers.
The movie drops three hits from the original Broadway show - "The Touch of Your Hand," "Something Had to Happen," and "You're Devestating" - and adds "I Won't Dance" from the flop stage show Three Sisters and the newly written "Lovely to Look At." The latter was nominated for an Oscar in 1935.
What I Don't Like: Some of the numbers sans Rogers are really strange. Both the routine in the opening where the Indianans turn themselves into a human organ that Astaire "plays" and the too-goofy "Let's Begin" in drag look more ridiculous than funny. No wonder Volya refused to hire them.
When the movie focuses on Astaire and Rogers and their dances and relationship, it's a lot of fun. It's the main plot involving Scott, Dunne, and Roberta's that flounders. Scott is stiff as a board and not terribly happy; his stoic demeanor looks better on the wide open plains than in a musical. Dunne only comes off a little better, helped by her beautiful renditions of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Lovely to Look At."
The Big Finale: The stunning costumes and a couple of great Astaire-Rogers numbers makes this worth a look for their fans or lovers of dance or vintage fashion.
Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming, both in its original release and as part of the Warner Archives.
DVD
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Astaire & Rogers, Vol. 2
Amazon Prime
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Animation Celebration Double Feature - Saludos Amigos & The Three Caballeros
And saludos to all of you! In honor of Cinco Del Mayo, the Mexican celebration of independence, we're going to join Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, Goofy, and Panchito the Rooster in their exploration of the culture, music, and beauty...including feminine beauty...of Latin and South America. Why don't we join the Disney animators as they board a plane bound for Lake Titicaca and other points south to see how well these unusual animated anthologies hold up today?
Saludos Amigos
Disney, 1943
Voices of Clarence Nash, Pinto Colvig, and Jose Olivera
Directed by Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney and others
Music by Ary Barroso and others
The Story: The tale of Disney's animators traveling south of the border to soak up inspiration for their work is actually split into four shorts.
Lake Titicaca: Donald visits the title lake on the border of Peru and Chile, where he watches the locals at work and attempts to ride a stubborn llama at high altitudes.
Pedro: Pedro is a baby plane who must deliver the mail when his big daddy plane gets a bad cold. He finds it easy to fly over the Andes at first, until he runs almost headlong into Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America!
El Gaucho Goofy: American cowboy Goofy finds himself thrown into the Argentinian Pampas (grasslands), where he must learn to dance, catch a fast-moving rhea, and eat his barbecued meat in the gaucho manner.
Aquarela do Brasil: Rio De Janeiro native Jose Carioca is introduced in this lovely watercolor tribute to Brazil and Carnival.
The Animation: The Donald and Goofy shorts are pretty par for the course for this era. More care was put into "Pedro," with its rugged mountains and chilly snow storms, and the beautiful "Aqualera do Brasil."
The Song and Dance: "Aquarela" is by far my favorite of the four shorts. The watercolor animation is genuinely gorgeous, and the songs "Brasil" and "Tico-Tico no fuba" are as lovely and lively as the animation. Jose makes a nice, laid-back contrast to Donald, and he's voiced by actual Brazilian Jose Olivera to boot. While the animation isn't as creative, there are some fun gags in "El Gaucho Goofy" and "Lake Titicaca."
Trivia: Most versions of "El Gaucho Goofy" currently on DVD and streaming edit out a sequence of cowboy Goofy smoking a cigarette. Apparently, the unedited version can be found as a bonus feature on the DVD of the documentary on the making of these movies, Walt & El Grupo.
At 42 minutes, this is the shortest Disney animated movie to date.
What I Don't Like: First of all, it's too short. They could have added at least one more cartoon, maybe representing Columbia or Venezuela. "Pedro" has it's moments, but it's ultimately too cutesy. The Goofy and Donald segments feel more like their typical cartoons set in South America than something that really represents those countries.
The Big Finale: The short length and mostly comic shorts makes it an ideal introduction to South America and Donald Duck for younger children; animation fans and older kids may find more to enjoy in the follow-up The Three Caballeros (see below).
Home Media: The solo Gold Collection DVD is out of print, but not hard to find, and it's on several streaming platforms. I'd still recommend looking for it paired with the similar Three Caballeros (below).
DVD
Amazon Prime
The Three Caballeros
Disney, 1944
Voices of Clarence Nash, Jose Olivera, Joaquin Garay, and Aurora Miranda
Directed by Norman Ferguson, Jack Kinney and others
Music by Agustin Lara, Manuel Esperon, and others
The Story: It's Donald's birthday, and he's gotten many gifts from his friends south of the border. The first gift is a reel-to-reel camera that shows three shorts:
The Cold-Blooded Penguin: After introducing several native South American birds (including the wacky Aracuan Bird), we go way south to Antarctica learn more about Pablo, a penguin who wishes to head to somewhere warmer. He's constantly thwarted in his quest, until he turns his igloo home into a raft. Even then, he runs into trouble when his home melts and starts to sink.
The Flying Donkey: A young lad from Uruguay discovers a donkey that can fly in the Andes. They become great friends, and he even enters the little fellow in a local race
At the conclusion of the shorts, we flip over to a pop-up book from Jose Carioca on Baia in his native Brazil, which introduces a beautiful live-action cookie singer (Miranda) and Donald's lusty overtures to anything female. After dancing with Yaya, Panchito the Mexican Rooster comes in to show Donald the Mexican Christmas tradition Las Posadas and dances native to Mexico and Latin America on a magic carpet ride. The movie ends with them singing the title song...and Donald's libido going wild, first on a trip to the beaches of Acapulco, then in a colorful, surreal finale that has pretty girls turning into flowers, cacti, and other Latin American motifs.
The Animation: The first two shorts are, once again, par for the course in this era. The rest is a lot more creative. The live-action/animation combination still looks pretty good to this day, particularly Don dancing with Yaya and chasing after all the girls at the beach in Acapulco. The finale is a stunner, with its blooming girls-into-flowers and swirling cowgirls who become cacti.
The Song and Dance: Wow, does this one get weird. It doesn't start that way, but by the end, you start to seriously wonder what kind of drugs were being consumed at the Disney studios in the 1940's. The work of Mary Blair, the Disney artist who would later go on to do animation for Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, and Peter Pan and would help do the designs for the "It's a Small World" ride, is all over this movie, especially in the "Las Posadas" sequence and the finale.
And once again, I applaud Disney for its use of actual Mexicans and South Americans in this film, both behind the camera and the microphone.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous song from either of these films. Don, Jose, and Panchito are hilarious, especially when they're trying to figure out how to end Panchito's long final note! I also love the real-life folk dances in Mexico, with their colorful and fun native costumes, and that bonkers finale to "You Belong to My Heart."
What I Don't Like: That infamous finale really gets a little too weird, especially for what's supposed to be a goofy Donald Duck vehicle. Let's just say, if you're expecting anything like the relatively subdued Saludos Amigos or a typical Donald short, you'll probably be as baffled as critics and most audiences in 1944. Donald chasing after anything in a skirt may be a bit PG-rated for many audiences today as well.
The Big Finale: By far my favorite of the two "Donald South of the Border" films, if only for the creative animation and great music and dancing. If you're a fan of Donald too, enjoy truly deranged animation, or want to take a lighthearted-but-loony look at our neighbors in Latin and South America, this one is definitely worth a look.
Home Media: Once again, the solo Gold Collection DVD is out of print, as is the original DVD set featuring both films. If you love Donald or these movies, your best bet may be to stream them or look for the Blu-Ray set.
Blu-Ray - Saludos Amigos & The Three Caballeros
Amazon Prime
Saludos Amigos
Disney, 1943
Voices of Clarence Nash, Pinto Colvig, and Jose Olivera
Directed by Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney and others
Music by Ary Barroso and others
The Story: The tale of Disney's animators traveling south of the border to soak up inspiration for their work is actually split into four shorts.
Lake Titicaca: Donald visits the title lake on the border of Peru and Chile, where he watches the locals at work and attempts to ride a stubborn llama at high altitudes.
Pedro: Pedro is a baby plane who must deliver the mail when his big daddy plane gets a bad cold. He finds it easy to fly over the Andes at first, until he runs almost headlong into Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America!
El Gaucho Goofy: American cowboy Goofy finds himself thrown into the Argentinian Pampas (grasslands), where he must learn to dance, catch a fast-moving rhea, and eat his barbecued meat in the gaucho manner.
Aquarela do Brasil: Rio De Janeiro native Jose Carioca is introduced in this lovely watercolor tribute to Brazil and Carnival.
The Animation: The Donald and Goofy shorts are pretty par for the course for this era. More care was put into "Pedro," with its rugged mountains and chilly snow storms, and the beautiful "Aqualera do Brasil."
The Song and Dance: "Aquarela" is by far my favorite of the four shorts. The watercolor animation is genuinely gorgeous, and the songs "Brasil" and "Tico-Tico no fuba" are as lovely and lively as the animation. Jose makes a nice, laid-back contrast to Donald, and he's voiced by actual Brazilian Jose Olivera to boot. While the animation isn't as creative, there are some fun gags in "El Gaucho Goofy" and "Lake Titicaca."
Trivia: Most versions of "El Gaucho Goofy" currently on DVD and streaming edit out a sequence of cowboy Goofy smoking a cigarette. Apparently, the unedited version can be found as a bonus feature on the DVD of the documentary on the making of these movies, Walt & El Grupo.
At 42 minutes, this is the shortest Disney animated movie to date.
What I Don't Like: First of all, it's too short. They could have added at least one more cartoon, maybe representing Columbia or Venezuela. "Pedro" has it's moments, but it's ultimately too cutesy. The Goofy and Donald segments feel more like their typical cartoons set in South America than something that really represents those countries.
The Big Finale: The short length and mostly comic shorts makes it an ideal introduction to South America and Donald Duck for younger children; animation fans and older kids may find more to enjoy in the follow-up The Three Caballeros (see below).
Home Media: The solo Gold Collection DVD is out of print, but not hard to find, and it's on several streaming platforms. I'd still recommend looking for it paired with the similar Three Caballeros (below).
DVD
Amazon Prime
The Three Caballeros
Disney, 1944
Voices of Clarence Nash, Jose Olivera, Joaquin Garay, and Aurora Miranda
Directed by Norman Ferguson, Jack Kinney and others
Music by Agustin Lara, Manuel Esperon, and others
The Story: It's Donald's birthday, and he's gotten many gifts from his friends south of the border. The first gift is a reel-to-reel camera that shows three shorts:
The Cold-Blooded Penguin: After introducing several native South American birds (including the wacky Aracuan Bird), we go way south to Antarctica learn more about Pablo, a penguin who wishes to head to somewhere warmer. He's constantly thwarted in his quest, until he turns his igloo home into a raft. Even then, he runs into trouble when his home melts and starts to sink.
The Flying Donkey: A young lad from Uruguay discovers a donkey that can fly in the Andes. They become great friends, and he even enters the little fellow in a local race
At the conclusion of the shorts, we flip over to a pop-up book from Jose Carioca on Baia in his native Brazil, which introduces a beautiful live-action cookie singer (Miranda) and Donald's lusty overtures to anything female. After dancing with Yaya, Panchito the Mexican Rooster comes in to show Donald the Mexican Christmas tradition Las Posadas and dances native to Mexico and Latin America on a magic carpet ride. The movie ends with them singing the title song...and Donald's libido going wild, first on a trip to the beaches of Acapulco, then in a colorful, surreal finale that has pretty girls turning into flowers, cacti, and other Latin American motifs.
The Animation: The first two shorts are, once again, par for the course in this era. The rest is a lot more creative. The live-action/animation combination still looks pretty good to this day, particularly Don dancing with Yaya and chasing after all the girls at the beach in Acapulco. The finale is a stunner, with its blooming girls-into-flowers and swirling cowgirls who become cacti.
The Song and Dance: Wow, does this one get weird. It doesn't start that way, but by the end, you start to seriously wonder what kind of drugs were being consumed at the Disney studios in the 1940's. The work of Mary Blair, the Disney artist who would later go on to do animation for Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, and Peter Pan and would help do the designs for the "It's a Small World" ride, is all over this movie, especially in the "Las Posadas" sequence and the finale.
And once again, I applaud Disney for its use of actual Mexicans and South Americans in this film, both behind the camera and the microphone.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous song from either of these films. Don, Jose, and Panchito are hilarious, especially when they're trying to figure out how to end Panchito's long final note! I also love the real-life folk dances in Mexico, with their colorful and fun native costumes, and that bonkers finale to "You Belong to My Heart."
What I Don't Like: That infamous finale really gets a little too weird, especially for what's supposed to be a goofy Donald Duck vehicle. Let's just say, if you're expecting anything like the relatively subdued Saludos Amigos or a typical Donald short, you'll probably be as baffled as critics and most audiences in 1944. Donald chasing after anything in a skirt may be a bit PG-rated for many audiences today as well.
The Big Finale: By far my favorite of the two "Donald South of the Border" films, if only for the creative animation and great music and dancing. If you're a fan of Donald too, enjoy truly deranged animation, or want to take a lighthearted-but-loony look at our neighbors in Latin and South America, this one is definitely worth a look.
Home Media: Once again, the solo Gold Collection DVD is out of print, as is the original DVD set featuring both films. If you love Donald or these movies, your best bet may be to stream them or look for the Blu-Ray set.
Blu-Ray - Saludos Amigos & The Three Caballeros
Amazon Prime
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Maytime
MGM, 1937
Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, John Barrymore, and Herman Bing
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Music by Sigmund Romberg, Herbert Stothart, and others
This movie's early May setting makes it perfect to kick off this month. It was the biggest hit of the eight movies Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy made together, and one of the blockbusters of 1937. How does this tale of a spring romance that turns tragic hold up nowadays? Let's go to a small-town May Day celebration around the turn of the century to find out...
The Story: Miss Morrison (MacDonald) has just come back from the town's May Day celebration when she overhears an argument between her young neighbor Barbara (Lynne Carver) and her sweetheart Kip (Tom Brown). Later, Barbara reveals that she wants to go to New York to become a great opera singer, like Marcia Mornay. The older woman reveals that she was Marcia Mornay, who gave up love for her career.
We then flashback to Paris in the 1860's. Her demanding teacher Nazaroff (John Barrymore) has just presented her to Napoleon and his court. She's so dazed from her success with her song there and with the dazzle of the ball and the evening, she unthinkingly accepts Nazaroff's proposal, even though she doesn't love him. She regrets her decision when she goes for a midnight carriage ride and finds herself at a local bar, where handsome music student Paul Allison (Eddy) is singing a rousing drinking song. He's smitten with Marcia right away and convinces her to visit his tiny apartment for lunch with him and his teacher Archipenko (Bing). He manages to get into her most recent opera vehicle and ask her to a May Day fair in the country with him. They attend and have a wonderful time...and fall in love. But Marcia has already promised herself to Nazaroff and doesn't want to give up her music for Paul.
Seven years pass. Marcia has become a beloved opera star, but her marriage with Nazaroff lacks passion and romance. On her debut at the Met, she finds herself paired with up-and-coming baritone Paul. They resist it, but their love too strong to ignore anymore. It makes their debut a smashing success...but it also makes Nazaroff insanely jealous. He's not about to share Marcia and her career with anyone, including a younger man.
The Song and Dance: This is my favorite MacDonald/Eddy vehicle. I'm not normally a fan of sad love stories, but for all the melodrama, this one really works. It was MacDonald's favorite of her movies as well, and she puts in one of her best performances as the diva who gives up love for her career, only to regret it later. Eddy's still a little stiff in the dramatic scenes; he's more at home in the first half of the film, singing in the bar or convincing Bing to help him set up for a very frugal lunch. Barrymore may have been so drunk by this point, he had to read his lines off cue cards, but he's still magnetic in the role of the possessive teacher who doesn't want to give up the woman whose career he's guided.
MGM went all-out on this one. Everyone, men and women, are dressed in acres of ruffles, puffs, lace, bows, and sequins. The black-and-white cinematography and lavish sets, including a nifty montage of Marcia's operatic successes, nicely evokes both small-town America at the turn of the century and the romance of Paris and the French countryside during the reign of Louis Napoleon.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "Sweetheart, Will You Remember?," the only number retained from the original 1917 Broadway show. MacDonald and Eddy sing it just after their day at the fair, as Marcia tells Paul she can't stay with him. It's a beautiful number, passionate and romantic, and it's one of their best duets. They also sing a nice version of "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny" at Paul's apartment after lunch, and their "Czarina" duet towards the end in the opera is equally strong.
Trivia: This was originally supposed to have been filmed in color and feature more songs from the original show. The first version was scrapped and restarted in black and white after producer Irving Thalburg died. MGM would finally film a MacDonald/Eddy vehicle in color a year later, Sweethearts.
The original Broadway show debuted in 1917; there's a story that it was so popular, two different companies ran in New York at the same time.
What I Don't Like: Not for people looking for a more upbeat musical, those who don't like opera or operetta, or who aren't fans of romantic melodrama. Nelson Eddy supposedly didn't share his partner's fondness for this movie. He found it to be a tad too frilly, and many critics then and now echo his sentiments that it's way too campy.
The Big Finale: If you love tragic romances, historical romances, opera, or MacDonald and Eddy, you'll want to spend your own May Day checking this one out.
Home Media: The solo Warner Archives DVD I have is now out of print, but it's available as part of the first MacDonald/Eddy Archives DVD set...and unlike many Archives titles, it can be found on several streaming services.
DVD - MacDonald-Eddy Collection, Volume 1
Amazon Prime
Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, John Barrymore, and Herman Bing
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Music by Sigmund Romberg, Herbert Stothart, and others
This movie's early May setting makes it perfect to kick off this month. It was the biggest hit of the eight movies Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy made together, and one of the blockbusters of 1937. How does this tale of a spring romance that turns tragic hold up nowadays? Let's go to a small-town May Day celebration around the turn of the century to find out...
The Story: Miss Morrison (MacDonald) has just come back from the town's May Day celebration when she overhears an argument between her young neighbor Barbara (Lynne Carver) and her sweetheart Kip (Tom Brown). Later, Barbara reveals that she wants to go to New York to become a great opera singer, like Marcia Mornay. The older woman reveals that she was Marcia Mornay, who gave up love for her career.
We then flashback to Paris in the 1860's. Her demanding teacher Nazaroff (John Barrymore) has just presented her to Napoleon and his court. She's so dazed from her success with her song there and with the dazzle of the ball and the evening, she unthinkingly accepts Nazaroff's proposal, even though she doesn't love him. She regrets her decision when she goes for a midnight carriage ride and finds herself at a local bar, where handsome music student Paul Allison (Eddy) is singing a rousing drinking song. He's smitten with Marcia right away and convinces her to visit his tiny apartment for lunch with him and his teacher Archipenko (Bing). He manages to get into her most recent opera vehicle and ask her to a May Day fair in the country with him. They attend and have a wonderful time...and fall in love. But Marcia has already promised herself to Nazaroff and doesn't want to give up her music for Paul.
Seven years pass. Marcia has become a beloved opera star, but her marriage with Nazaroff lacks passion and romance. On her debut at the Met, she finds herself paired with up-and-coming baritone Paul. They resist it, but their love too strong to ignore anymore. It makes their debut a smashing success...but it also makes Nazaroff insanely jealous. He's not about to share Marcia and her career with anyone, including a younger man.
The Song and Dance: This is my favorite MacDonald/Eddy vehicle. I'm not normally a fan of sad love stories, but for all the melodrama, this one really works. It was MacDonald's favorite of her movies as well, and she puts in one of her best performances as the diva who gives up love for her career, only to regret it later. Eddy's still a little stiff in the dramatic scenes; he's more at home in the first half of the film, singing in the bar or convincing Bing to help him set up for a very frugal lunch. Barrymore may have been so drunk by this point, he had to read his lines off cue cards, but he's still magnetic in the role of the possessive teacher who doesn't want to give up the woman whose career he's guided.
MGM went all-out on this one. Everyone, men and women, are dressed in acres of ruffles, puffs, lace, bows, and sequins. The black-and-white cinematography and lavish sets, including a nifty montage of Marcia's operatic successes, nicely evokes both small-town America at the turn of the century and the romance of Paris and the French countryside during the reign of Louis Napoleon.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "Sweetheart, Will You Remember?," the only number retained from the original 1917 Broadway show. MacDonald and Eddy sing it just after their day at the fair, as Marcia tells Paul she can't stay with him. It's a beautiful number, passionate and romantic, and it's one of their best duets. They also sing a nice version of "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny" at Paul's apartment after lunch, and their "Czarina" duet towards the end in the opera is equally strong.
Trivia: This was originally supposed to have been filmed in color and feature more songs from the original show. The first version was scrapped and restarted in black and white after producer Irving Thalburg died. MGM would finally film a MacDonald/Eddy vehicle in color a year later, Sweethearts.
The original Broadway show debuted in 1917; there's a story that it was so popular, two different companies ran in New York at the same time.
What I Don't Like: Not for people looking for a more upbeat musical, those who don't like opera or operetta, or who aren't fans of romantic melodrama. Nelson Eddy supposedly didn't share his partner's fondness for this movie. He found it to be a tad too frilly, and many critics then and now echo his sentiments that it's way too campy.
The Big Finale: If you love tragic romances, historical romances, opera, or MacDonald and Eddy, you'll want to spend your own May Day checking this one out.
Home Media: The solo Warner Archives DVD I have is now out of print, but it's available as part of the first MacDonald/Eddy Archives DVD set...and unlike many Archives titles, it can be found on several streaming services.
DVD - MacDonald-Eddy Collection, Volume 1
Amazon Prime
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