|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 10, 2023 21:32:47 GMT
It was barely even a comedy. And another rung down the ladder in Noonan's movie career. I was sure I remembered a dance number. I shouldn't have doubted you, but I was probably thinking you wouldn't know this wreck.
I remember Sheree best from the MTM Show, as the saloon singer who was too much for Lou to handle. She was fun.It's been a while, but I know they played showgirls on the run so I'm sure there was some kind of establishing scene of them onstage. It wasn't really the fault of any of the actors that it didn't work. (Well, maybe the fact that Bob Cummings played a student.) Charles Coburn played the college dean and he was usually solid gold but even he didn't score because the script was just plain stupid. Fox Movie Channel plays it sometimes so I'll check it out again next time...for research purposes. And I'll bet you know lots better wrecks than I do; I've read your scholarly analyses.
|
|
|
Post by Lucky Dan on Mar 10, 2023 21:43:34 GMT
And another rung down the ladder in Noonan's movie career. I was sure I remembered a dance number.
It's been a while, but I know they played showgirls on the run so I'm sure there was some kind of establishing scene of them onstage... And I'll bet you know lots better wrecks than I do; I've read your scholarly analyses. I may seek it out, too, for the sake of Noonan completism. I also want to see The Rookie again, and I'm looking forward to that for the Divine Julie.
As for wrecks, I used to be in risk management. Studying the second-rate is a great way to learn what makes the good stuff work.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 10, 2023 21:51:26 GMT
It's been a while, but I know they played showgirls on the run so I'm sure there was some kind of establishing scene of them onstage... And I'll bet you know lots better wrecks than I do; I've read your scholarly analyses. As for wrecks, I used to be in risk management. Studying the second-rate is a great way to learn what makes the good stuff work.That's really cool. And I'm going to steal it so I won't feel so shallow.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 10, 2023 22:31:21 GMT
This is one of my favorites, Fred Astaire dancing on top of the Washington Square Arch in The Belle of New York (1952). Great set design and great dancing. My only quibble is the section where he "dances on air". It brings attention to the blue screen process and breaks the spell of the illusion, in my opinion, especially since the number is "Seeing's Believing".
And I won't commit the sin of ignoring Vera-Ellen. Again with the set design!
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 12, 2023 21:45:14 GMT
I've run into this a few times on the internet so I'm not breaking new ground by posting it here, but it's a real treat if you haven't seen it in a while. A spectacular Bob Fosse dance number from Sweet Charity (1969). Suzanne Charney is the lead dancer. I'm a particular fan of wide-screen musicals and this is a great use of the process.
And here's Shirley MacLaine going back to her roots, with Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly
|
|
|
Post by dianedebuda on Mar 13, 2023 2:24:53 GMT
I've always considered Sweet Charity to be a weak story with good music. Did a tap number to this number, so it has special memories for me. Here's Shirley's movie version:
But that's pale in comparison to Gwen Verden's:
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 13, 2023 13:01:10 GMT
I've always considered Sweet Charity to be a weak story with good music.
You're right. It's poorly paced as a whole, as if Fosse were saving most of his energy for the musical numbers. Plus I think the central character was starting to seem impossibly naive by 1969. I was glad to see Shirley get to really let loose as a dancer but it was Gwen's show, no doubt about it. Now I'm in the mood to post a couple of Shirley's other big moments as a dancer on film. This clip from Can-Can (1960) of the "Garden of Eden Ballet" is from a Spanish language source; I like how it credits the main dancers (with bios) as they appear. Once again, it's supposed to be onstage but appears to have been filmed in an airplane hanger. And the set is definitely mid-century and not contemporary with the time frame of the movie, but it's a nice dance number and also a good showcase for Juliet Prowse as well as Shirley. Shirley also danced with Gene Kelly in this daydream sequence from What a Way to Go! (1964). Nothing groundbreaking but a fun spoof of movie musicals, though you're way better qualified to critique the dancing than I am, Diane.
|
|
|
Post by dianedebuda on Mar 13, 2023 14:35:46 GMT
[Sweet Charity] was Gwen's show, no doubt about it. Not trying to take anything away from Fosse, but Gwen had a signifcant part in the creative process. When he got into choreographic trouble, it was Gwen he called to be the catalyst to get him going again. From what I've read, she planted many of the seeds that he nurtured to became his signature moves. This clip from Can-Can (1960) of the "Garden of Eden Ballet" ... it's a nice dance number and also a good showcase for Juliet Prowse as well as Shirley. I like Shirley as an actress and a dancer, but don't think she fares well in the number. Some of it is the (IMO) poorly designed and ill-fitting costume, but most of it is just that dance style suits Juliet & Marc much more than Shirley - again just IMO. Shirley also danced with Gene Kelly in this daydream sequence from What a Way to Go! (1964). Nothing groundbreaking but a fun spoof of movie musicals, though you're way better qualified to critique the dancing than I am, Diane. This is where Shirley's dance talent shines brightly. I was surprised to see that there's quite a few viewer reviews that don't like this funny movie. I'm a fan and think it is one of her best. Because I took dance, I probably recognize some techniques more than those without that background, but I wouldn't say I'm better qualified. I like what I like or not - just the same as everyone else.
|
|
|
Post by dianedebuda on Mar 13, 2023 14:55:52 GMT
This is one of my favorite Cagney dance numbers. Shows the stiff-legged Cohen style that many associate with Cagney as well as a smoother, softer one in the Mary number. I was surprised how good Hope was here.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 16, 2023 23:34:55 GMT
Gene Kelly must have liked dancing with Jerry the Mouse in Anchors Aweigh because when he put together his all-dance movie Invitation to the Dance (1956) he included an extended animated sequence, using Carol Haney as the animation model for his dance partner. Wish there were a better print to post.
It's actually part of an even longer sequence, which also included the young dancer David Kasday, who really held his own.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 21, 2023 23:33:54 GMT
The Opposite Sex (1956) wasn't a musical but they snuck in this musical number for June Allyson. The set composition with all the guys on the tiers in the second half of the number is really interesting because just a year later Elvis (who supposedly did the choreography) used a very similar set-up for Jailhouse Rock (1957). Elvis was a big movie musical fan so it's always made me wonder.
Designing Woman (1957) with Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck was another non-musical which snuck in this number by Dolores Gray, cleverly integrated into the plot.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2023 14:16:13 GMT
Dan Dailey wasn't one of the flashier ones but he was a true song and dance man and brought a lot of spirit to everything he did. He partnered Betty Grable in a string of films, one of my favorites being Mother Wore Tights (1947). I suspect Betty was relatively ego-less because here she seems to be having a great time as one of the chorus.
He tore it up with The Berry Brothers in You're My Everything (1949), a musical co-starring Anne Baxter which doesn't show up all that often. (It's on YouTube if you're interested.)
Here he is with Betty again in My Blue Heaven (1950), with a very young Mitzi Gaynor doing the commercial.
I know it's been excerpted in That's Entertainment but the trash can lid dance from It's Always Fair Weather (1955) is so spectacular that I want to add it here.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2023 18:04:01 GMT
I'm on a Betty Grable binge right now. It's amazing how many of her films are hard to find, probably thanks to Fox, which has never been big into preservation. Anyway, take a look at this gem from Meet Me After the Show (1951). It's Jack Cole choreography, which explains the presence of the great Gwen Verdon.
I mentioned before that Betty seems to have had a healthy ego, because she didn't seem to be afraid of being upstaged when partnering with other women. With June Haver in The Dolly Sisters (1945).
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 23, 2023 13:35:52 GMT
With a few exceptions Debbie Reynolds eventually "graduated" out of musicals, which was probably a necessity career-wise because musicals were fading in popularity, but she certainly left her mark with her goofy, youthful energy. She'd teamed successfully with Carleton Carpenter in a number for Two Weeks with Love (1950) to sing "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (which also became a hit recording) so MGM put her together with Bobby Van for another novelty number in Skirts Ahoy! (1952). (I'm thankful Warner Archive provides so many clips to YouTube but I wish they'd wait until the number was over to plaster the screen with all their stuff.)
The next year in I Love Melvin (1953) she got a nice solo number using the daydreams of a star-struck fan.
In Hit the Deck (1955) Debbie had a nice number (with Russ Tamblyn).
Even as she started to graduate to straight comedies (and some drama) there were sometimes opportunities found for her to do a musical number, such as this one from Susan Slept Here (1954). She did more musicals for MGM and a musical at Fox called Say One For Me (1959) with Bing Crosby and Robert Wagner and, of course The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), but she became less and less a musical star as the 1950's ended. She also had a nice, tipsy dance sequence to "Tequila" in the all-star Pepe (1960), but there isn't a good enough clip available to post. Anyway, this one gave Dick Powell a nice chance to revisit his roots and a chance for Anne Francis to show a different side.
|
|
|
Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 23, 2023 23:14:15 GMT
The wider the screen the more chorus girls you need to fill it, but who's complaining? Vivian Blaine channeling Judy Holliday (or Jean Hagen in Singin' in the Rain?) in Guys and Dolls (1955).
For perspective, here's an example of what she could also do, from Nob Hill (1945).
|
|