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Post by Lucky Dan on Feb 27, 2023 23:59:10 GMT
Astaire said “I love Eleanor Powell, but she dances like a man. She's a remarkable dancer, but she has a very mannish style, and she's a little big for me.”
But then again, he also said “She put ’em down like a man, no ricky-ticky-sissy stuff with Ellie. She really knocked out a tap dance in a class by herself.”
I really think the "like a man" was meant as a compliment.
I think the "mannish" comment shows that Astaire knew he had to recognize her as equal in some respects. In another respect, he was right that she didn't have the same fluid grace that some of his partners did. But I don't think she ever aspired to go the "doing everything backwards and in heels" route and, if she had, I wouldn't be surprised if she could have done it. But she put her energy elsewhere and, boy, aren't we glad? I can only take him to mean butch. I don't know what else that word spoken by someone of his generation about a woman could mean, but I wouldn't think equal. She is probably the least memorable of his partners for me, but I did enjoy those clips. |
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Post by dianedebuda on Feb 28, 2023 3:16:04 GMT
I can only take him to mean butch. I don't know what else that word spoken by someone of his generation about a woman could mean, but I wouldn't think equal. She is probably the least memorable of his partners for me, but I did enjoy those clips. |
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Post by dianedebuda on Feb 28, 2023 14:18:03 GMT
A favorite song of mine. Although Gene's version works well in the movie, he doesn't exactly have a singing voice, so I've added a couple versions I also like.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 14:29:41 GMT
Fred was probably guilty of saying the quiet part out loud, about Eleanor being tall; a lot of his partners danced in flats, at his insistence as I understand it. Plus I think he was experiencing some level of discomfort partnering someone "in a class by herself" (his words) where he wouldn't be taking the lead. It was more like a head-to-head dance-off and I think they both acquitted themselves well, but it basically wasn't Fred's cup of tea and he was explaining why, maybe inelegantly.
That Ann Miller number is definitely one of her signature dances. It's too bad Small Town Girl isn't better known. Another lesser known one from around the same time is Lovely to Look At (1952), based on the show Roberta. It's a reminder of how well she could sell a song as a vocalist as well as a dancer. "I'll Be Hard to Handle"
It also featured one of those "smooth criminal" dance numbers by the great Marge and Gower Champion.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 14:55:47 GMT
Ann-Margret was acknowledged as a musical star, as in Bye Bye Birdie (1963), but even there she didn't get a full-fledged production number. ("Lot of Livin'" was shared space with Bobby Rydell and Jesse Pearson.) In State Fair (1962) she did. Sorry about the iffy print.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 16:03:06 GMT
As a kid, my first exposure to Betty Grable was the scene in The Girl Can't Help It (1956) where Edmund O'Brien is projecting a musical number in his living room featuring a very saucy Betty. It was years before I tracked it down and got to see it. From Wabash Avenue (1950).
And another number from the same movie, which I'll post because the movie doesn't seem to come around often.
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Post by dianedebuda on Feb 28, 2023 16:05:57 GMT
The very beginning of the Ann-Margaret clip for some reason reminded me of Inside Daisy Clover (1965)
Natalie's voice was dubbed by Jackie Ward. But I think the dubbing in this number was closer to Natalie's.
Jackie:
Natalie:
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Post by Fading Fast on Feb 28, 2023 16:30:05 GMT
Ann-Margret was acknowledged as a musical star, as in Bye Bye Birdie (1963), but even there she didn't get a full-fledged production number. ("Lot of Livin'" was shared space with Bobby Rydell and Jesse Pearson.) In State Fair (1962) she did. Sorry about the iffy print. I've always thought she stole most of the song-and-dance numbers and scenes she was in with Elvis in "Viva Las Vegas." |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 16:31:55 GMT
My first exposure to Ann Sothern was on TV too, in her show Private Secretary. I gradually accumulated a knowledge of her movie work as I grew older and was surprised to see how many musical numbers she had to her credit. It's always fun to find out that people you didn't expect it of can sing. I realize this could potentially get us into the problem of dubbing, because I know there was a lot of it back in the day. If anyone knows otherwise when we post these things, please blow the whistle.
Edit: I see Diane brought up dubbing while I was getting this one together, so we should probably keep our eyes and ears open.
"Where's That Rainbow?" from Words and Music (1948).
And from Panama Hattie (1942).
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 16:39:43 GMT
There's a great YouTube channel called Lost Vocals which digs into all of this. I'll post a quick example of what he has there. It's worth checking out.
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Post by dianedebuda on Feb 28, 2023 21:31:05 GMT
Amazing how many different ladies that Martha dubbed. Also surprised how many of those films I've actually seen.
Doubt there was any dubbing here 😆
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 28, 2023 22:21:15 GMT
Sinatra as part of a less reputable trio.
Sinatra brought the class to low life.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 1, 2023 14:25:26 GMT
A change of pace. These two were easy to ridicule but hard to hate and impossible to ignore. I love that they kept a bond going over the years and even spoofed their own image in Back to the Beach (1987) and in the Pee Wee Christmas special. From Beach Blanket Bingo (1965).
And a sweet coda from Back to the Beach (1987).
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 1, 2023 15:48:08 GMT
Those Beach Party-type movies had some great cameos, like this one by James Brown and the Famous Flames from Ski Party (1965). (I'll mention the all-white audience but I'm not going to comment on it.)
And "Little" Stevie Wonder from Muscle Beach Party (1964), with Dick Dale for added credibility. And stick around for Candy Johnson dancing under the end credits. She always put the party in beach party.
And speaking of credibility, even The Beach Boys got into the act. The Monkey's Uncle (1964) wasn't a beach party movie, but close enough. It's got Annette and it's got a good beat; you can dance to it. The song was written by Richard and Robert Sherman, who wrote the songs for Mary Poppins.
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Post by Lucky Dan on Mar 1, 2023 16:41:13 GMT
Those Beach Party-type movies had some great cameos, like this one by James Brown and the Famous Flames from Ski Party
Watching poorly made movies can teach us to appreciate not only the great ones but even the merely competent. You can usually see what they were trying to do, and why they missed. I'm watching Three Nuts in Search of a Bolt again and thinking of writing a few hundred words along those lines, but I'm finding little background on it other than the same often-repeated stuff. |
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