July 2019 Round-Up
TOTAL FILMS SEEN IN JULY: 15
(see the film posters at the bottom of the post, arranged in watching order)
NEW-TO-ME: 8
REWATCHES: 7
SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 9
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: James Cagney (5 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Vera-Ellen (3 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Vera-Ellen (3 in total)
This month I didn't watch as many films as I would have liked to see, only 15 in total. But I did write three additional posts for this blog (My Most Watched Actors and Actresses, The Classic Movie Tag and Vera-Ellen, Underrated Dancer). Also my younger sister and family came to visit us in Barcelona for a couple of days. Because of this we missed the viewing of Babes In Arms at the Filmoteca. It would have been my first Garland/Rooney film so it was a bit of a bummer I didn't get to see it. But I had a great time with my family. Of the total of 15 films watched this month, 9 were seen on the big screen which made me very happy.
Let me first start with the screenings at the Filmoteca. This summer, from July till September, our favourite movie theater offers a wonderful special dedicated to the musical. I have been a musical fan ever since childhood, even though I don't watch musicals on a regular basis anymore. A lot of the films programmed I've already seen before but to rewatch a musical on the big screen is a wonderful experience. When the actors are dancing and singing, it's like seeing the performers on stage, especially when it's shown in CinemaScope.
My absolute favourite viewing among the Filmoteca screenings was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (with Jane Powell and Howard Keel). Other films I saw at the movie theater are (here in watching order):
Footlight Parade (with James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler)
Yankee Doodle Dandy (with James Cagney, Walter Huston and Joan Leslie)
Seven Days in May (with Fredric March, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner)
Botany Bay (with Alan Ladd, James Mason and Patricia Medina)
Top Hat (with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers)
Hello, Dolly! (with Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau)
On the Town (with Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra and Ann Miller)
The Pirate (with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was such a joy to see on the big screen in CinemaScope! The viewing room was packed with like-minded Classic Hollywood fans and there was a big applause when the end credits rolled. I have seen this musical many times before but to see this enlarged and with the speakers at high volume I discovered things I had never noticed before. Like the avalanche. I never knew it was such a long scene but to see the snow coming down, making that thunderous noise, was quite thrilling. And The Barn Dance was amazing!!!! I tried to soak up every tiny little detail of this marvellous sequence. It was the first time that I consciously noticed how well the fight after the dance was choreographed. For anyone who has something to say about the misogyny in this film: yes, in this day and age Howard Keel's behaviour towards women is pretty repulsive and of course one cannot condone the act of kidnapping women, even if the women in question fancy the kidnappers in question. But hey! Come on ... This musical is just great fun! It has wonderful musical numbers (I love When You're In Love, June Bride and Wonderful, Wonderful Day and Spring, Spring, Spring), one feisty heroine (also love it when Jane Powell gets emotional) and I can watch this film over and over again!
I saw Footlight Parade for the second time and wow! By a Waterfall is so amazing! To see this wonderful and extravagant choreographic arrangement on the big screen was something else. At times these kaleidoscopic overhead shots created by Busby Berkeley can be a bit too much for me but this particular piece By a Waterfall is pure genius. I love James Cagney and Joan Blondell as a couple, they have such great chemistry, and I also like their relationship here. Too bad they don't share more scenes together. And Ruby Keeler wearing glasses is cute. Her relationship with Dick Powell is also enjoyable.
Top Hat is the first film that I've seen twice at the Filmoteca. Again a wonderful experience and enjoying the musical numbers to the fullest, especially Isn't This a Lovely Day (To Be Caught in the Rain)? and The Piccolino. Never cared much for mistaken identity stories but this one starts to grow on me.
To see Hello, Dolly! on the big screen in CinemaScope (in a digital print) was also very special. I've been a Barbra Streisand fan all my life and it's so wonderful to see her perform on the big screen. The film is arguably too long but I enjoyed every minute of it, even though I have already seen it many times before. Yes, Streisand is too young to play the matchmaking widow but she is an utter delight, especially when she's fast talking. And I love the songs. The title song always brings a smile to my face (in fact, the whole film did), Louis Armstrong and Barbra are a singing match made in heaven (they can even move me to tears, I find it thát wonderful) and I even tolerated Walter Matthau this time. Still, this film would have been more perfect if Horace Vandergelder would have been played by a more charismatic actor and one better paired with Streisand. Was such a pleasure to see this with like-minded classic film fans and to hear lots of people humming the title song when leaving the viewing room, even well into the public toilets.
NOTE: The song Ribbons Down My Back has a special meaning to me. A long time ago I auditioned with this song for two musicals. I got accepted to participate in a musical training for Miss Saigon. I never got as far as playing a part in the actual stage production but I'm pleased to say that the one who was chosen to play the lead in the first Dutch production, Linda Wagenmakers, was in my class. I also auditioned for the semi-professional theater production of The King and I and got accepted, together with my 3 sisters, to play the role of one of the king's wives. We toured for almost a year through the country and played at some of the finest theaters, notably at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam.
I hadn't seen On the Town in a while but could still remember most of it. Though it's not one of my favourite musicals, it's so joyful and at times very funny, especially the scenes with Alice Pearce as Lucy Shmeeler (the audience was also very responsive). There are some great musical numbers and my absolute favourite one is Main Street. I love the song and how Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen leisurely stroll and dance, the sweetness and playfulness of it all, and Vera-Ellen's dress. This song I can watch over and over again and is among my favourite musical numbers ever. I also love Sinatra and his goofy character who's intent on seeing all the tourist attractions, and I love hearing him sing You're Awful to Betty Garrett (love her character too). The dance sequence A Day in New York, score by Leonard Bernstein and with the incomparable Carol Haney dancing, is great, as well as Miss Turnstiles Ballet where Vera-Ellen is at her loveliest, especially in her sport outfit. It also made me want to see more of Vera-Ellen's films.
I had seen The Pirate before but couldn't remember any of it and it was great to rewatch this on the big screen in a good print. How I love Technicolor! The story is silly, though, (the film flopped when released) and Gene Kelly has never looked sillier with that stupid moustache. Still, despite all its silliness, it was actually quite funny with madcap performances from Kelly and Judy Garland. But the Cole Porter songs are not memorable at all, except for Be a Clown. Speaking of memorable .... Look out for Gene Kelly's outfit during the Pirate Ballet (see photo below). I don't really find those hot pants sexy, they merely elicit a chuckle, but it's definitely something I have never seen a classic actor wear before in a musical number. This film is also noteworthy for seeing Kelly dance with the wonderful Nicholas Brothers.
The only rewatches this month (7 in total) were seen at the Filmoteca and the two new-to-me films seen at the movie theater were Yankee Doodle Dandy and Botany Bay.
Let me first start with the screenings at the Filmoteca. This summer, from July till September, our favourite movie theater offers a wonderful special dedicated to the musical. I have been a musical fan ever since childhood, even though I don't watch musicals on a regular basis anymore. A lot of the films programmed I've already seen before but to rewatch a musical on the big screen is a wonderful experience. When the actors are dancing and singing, it's like seeing the performers on stage, especially when it's shown in CinemaScope.
My absolute favourite viewing among the Filmoteca screenings was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (with Jane Powell and Howard Keel). Other films I saw at the movie theater are (here in watching order):
Footlight Parade (with James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler)
Yankee Doodle Dandy (with James Cagney, Walter Huston and Joan Leslie)
Seven Days in May (with Fredric March, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner)
Botany Bay (with Alan Ladd, James Mason and Patricia Medina)
Top Hat (with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers)
Hello, Dolly! (with Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau)
On the Town (with Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra and Ann Miller)
The Pirate (with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was such a joy to see on the big screen in CinemaScope! The viewing room was packed with like-minded Classic Hollywood fans and there was a big applause when the end credits rolled. I have seen this musical many times before but to see this enlarged and with the speakers at high volume I discovered things I had never noticed before. Like the avalanche. I never knew it was such a long scene but to see the snow coming down, making that thunderous noise, was quite thrilling. And The Barn Dance was amazing!!!! I tried to soak up every tiny little detail of this marvellous sequence. It was the first time that I consciously noticed how well the fight after the dance was choreographed. For anyone who has something to say about the misogyny in this film: yes, in this day and age Howard Keel's behaviour towards women is pretty repulsive and of course one cannot condone the act of kidnapping women, even if the women in question fancy the kidnappers in question. But hey! Come on ... This musical is just great fun! It has wonderful musical numbers (I love When You're In Love, June Bride and Wonderful, Wonderful Day and Spring, Spring, Spring), one feisty heroine (also love it when Jane Powell gets emotional) and I can watch this film over and over again!
I saw Footlight Parade for the second time and wow! By a Waterfall is so amazing! To see this wonderful and extravagant choreographic arrangement on the big screen was something else. At times these kaleidoscopic overhead shots created by Busby Berkeley can be a bit too much for me but this particular piece By a Waterfall is pure genius. I love James Cagney and Joan Blondell as a couple, they have such great chemistry, and I also like their relationship here. Too bad they don't share more scenes together. And Ruby Keeler wearing glasses is cute. Her relationship with Dick Powell is also enjoyable.
Top Hat is the first film that I've seen twice at the Filmoteca. Again a wonderful experience and enjoying the musical numbers to the fullest, especially Isn't This a Lovely Day (To Be Caught in the Rain)? and The Piccolino. Never cared much for mistaken identity stories but this one starts to grow on me.
To see Hello, Dolly! on the big screen in CinemaScope (in a digital print) was also very special. I've been a Barbra Streisand fan all my life and it's so wonderful to see her perform on the big screen. The film is arguably too long but I enjoyed every minute of it, even though I have already seen it many times before. Yes, Streisand is too young to play the matchmaking widow but she is an utter delight, especially when she's fast talking. And I love the songs. The title song always brings a smile to my face (in fact, the whole film did), Louis Armstrong and Barbra are a singing match made in heaven (they can even move me to tears, I find it thát wonderful) and I even tolerated Walter Matthau this time. Still, this film would have been more perfect if Horace Vandergelder would have been played by a more charismatic actor and one better paired with Streisand. Was such a pleasure to see this with like-minded classic film fans and to hear lots of people humming the title song when leaving the viewing room, even well into the public toilets.
NOTE: The song Ribbons Down My Back has a special meaning to me. A long time ago I auditioned with this song for two musicals. I got accepted to participate in a musical training for Miss Saigon. I never got as far as playing a part in the actual stage production but I'm pleased to say that the one who was chosen to play the lead in the first Dutch production, Linda Wagenmakers, was in my class. I also auditioned for the semi-professional theater production of The King and I and got accepted, together with my 3 sisters, to play the role of one of the king's wives. We toured for almost a year through the country and played at some of the finest theaters, notably at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam.
I hadn't seen On the Town in a while but could still remember most of it. Though it's not one of my favourite musicals, it's so joyful and at times very funny, especially the scenes with Alice Pearce as Lucy Shmeeler (the audience was also very responsive). There are some great musical numbers and my absolute favourite one is Main Street. I love the song and how Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen leisurely stroll and dance, the sweetness and playfulness of it all, and Vera-Ellen's dress. This song I can watch over and over again and is among my favourite musical numbers ever. I also love Sinatra and his goofy character who's intent on seeing all the tourist attractions, and I love hearing him sing You're Awful to Betty Garrett (love her character too). The dance sequence A Day in New York, score by Leonard Bernstein and with the incomparable Carol Haney dancing, is great, as well as Miss Turnstiles Ballet where Vera-Ellen is at her loveliest, especially in her sport outfit. It also made me want to see more of Vera-Ellen's films.
I had seen The Pirate before but couldn't remember any of it and it was great to rewatch this on the big screen in a good print. How I love Technicolor! The story is silly, though, (the film flopped when released) and Gene Kelly has never looked sillier with that stupid moustache. Still, despite all its silliness, it was actually quite funny with madcap performances from Kelly and Judy Garland. But the Cole Porter songs are not memorable at all, except for Be a Clown. Speaking of memorable .... Look out for Gene Kelly's outfit during the Pirate Ballet (see photo below). I don't really find those hot pants sexy, they merely elicit a chuckle, but it's definitely something I have never seen a classic actor wear before in a musical number. This film is also noteworthy for seeing Kelly dance with the wonderful Nicholas Brothers.
The only rewatches this month (7 in total) were seen at the Filmoteca and the two new-to-me films seen at the movie theater were Yankee Doodle Dandy and Botany Bay.
I knew that Yankee Doodle Dandy was a biopic but didn't know about whom. I had never heard of George M. Cohan before. The film's beginning is a bit slow and I knew this was going to be a long film of over two hours, but fortunately the pace picked up and it became an entertaining and engrossing watch, with also some funny and snappy dialogue by uncredited script writers Julius and Phil Epstein.
To see Yankee Doodle Dandy on the big screen in a good print made it a great viewing experience. I am a fan of James Cagney so I was happy to watch one of his films I had never seen before. Reportedly Cohan wanted Fred Astaire to portray him in a film about his life but Astaire refused because Cohan's stiff-legged dancing style was very different from his own. Cagney got the part (at the time he wanted to make a patriotic movie) and worked really hard to imitate Cohan's dancing movements and singing style. His portrayal of Cohan deservedly won him the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. It was also nice to see Walter Huston in a different role, even dancing and singing here, and I love the relationship between him and Cagney. The scene at Huston's deathbed almost evoked tears. I also found the ending quite moving with Cagney joining the parade. And the anthem Over There kept lingering in my head long after the film was finished.
The fact that I saw Botany Bay on the big screen contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the film. Otherwise it would have been a bit of a dreary experience and only enjoyable for watching Alan Ladd play. Patricia Medina looks pretty in Technicolor and plays a feisty character. I have never seen her in a film before but know that she was Joseph Cotten's wife in real life. James Mason is okay here but I've never been much of a fan. I don't think I'll likely watch this again.
Last of the Filmoteca films to mention is Seven Days in May. I was happy to see it programmed because I had been meaning to rewatch this since I didn't catch everything the first time I saw this. I could also not remember much of it except for the scene with Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner in Gardner's apartment and the confrontation between Fredric March and Burt Lancaster, the best scene of the film in my opinion. Seeing this on the big screen made me pay attention to all details and this political thriller was more exciting with this second viewing. I have to say, Gardner looks a bit worn out. I don't think she has aged well, but her character is likeable and sweet. This reminds me again I should see more Fredric March films because he is a terrific actor.
Apart from the film screenings at the Filmoteca I watched another 6 films.
To see Yankee Doodle Dandy on the big screen in a good print made it a great viewing experience. I am a fan of James Cagney so I was happy to watch one of his films I had never seen before. Reportedly Cohan wanted Fred Astaire to portray him in a film about his life but Astaire refused because Cohan's stiff-legged dancing style was very different from his own. Cagney got the part (at the time he wanted to make a patriotic movie) and worked really hard to imitate Cohan's dancing movements and singing style. His portrayal of Cohan deservedly won him the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. It was also nice to see Walter Huston in a different role, even dancing and singing here, and I love the relationship between him and Cagney. The scene at Huston's deathbed almost evoked tears. I also found the ending quite moving with Cagney joining the parade. And the anthem Over There kept lingering in my head long after the film was finished.
The fact that I saw Botany Bay on the big screen contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the film. Otherwise it would have been a bit of a dreary experience and only enjoyable for watching Alan Ladd play. Patricia Medina looks pretty in Technicolor and plays a feisty character. I have never seen her in a film before but know that she was Joseph Cotten's wife in real life. James Mason is okay here but I've never been much of a fan. I don't think I'll likely watch this again.
Last of the Filmoteca films to mention is Seven Days in May. I was happy to see it programmed because I had been meaning to rewatch this since I didn't catch everything the first time I saw this. I could also not remember much of it except for the scene with Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner in Gardner's apartment and the confrontation between Fredric March and Burt Lancaster, the best scene of the film in my opinion. Seeing this on the big screen made me pay attention to all details and this political thriller was more exciting with this second viewing. I have to say, Gardner looks a bit worn out. I don't think she has aged well, but her character is likeable and sweet. This reminds me again I should see more Fredric March films because he is a terrific actor.
Apart from the film screenings at the Filmoteca I watched another 6 films.
I started the month watching a Joan Bennett film because I thought I might start a Bennett binge. I chose The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo because I was looking for a lighthearted film with a short running time and it has such a nice title. It's also good to see more of Ronald Colman because I have seen so little of his films. Yet it's one of those 1930s comedies that are enjoyable but a dime a dozen and easy to forget.
Then, after watching Footlight Parade at the Filmoteca, I forgot all about Joan Bennett and decided to check out more James Cagney films and craved another Cagney/Blondell vehicle. I checked out The Crowd Roars and was a bit disappointed that they're not a couple in this film. Fortunately it's the lovely Ann Dvorak who plays Cagney's girlfriend. The women have the more interesting roles and I really like their scene together at the beginning of the film where Dvorak gets a wire from boyfriend Cagney. It says he's not coming home because he's helping out his kid brother in the car racing business. Joan Blondell really lets her friend Dvorak know what she thinks of her boyfriend and also expresses her own opinion about men. This might be the strongest and well-acted moment of the entire film. Eric Linden plays Cagney's kid brother and he looks like such a baby, certainly no match for Blondell. This entertaining pre-code film directed by Howard Hawks has some exciting car race sequences and also a brutal car crash where Frank McHugh burns to death. Might watch the remake Indianapolis Speedway with Pat O'Brien and Ann Sheridan soon.
The St. Louis Kid has Cagney playing a cocky wise guy who runs into trouble with the law and finds romance along the way. A standard programmer for Warner Bros with a short running time and totally forgettable but still enjoyable while watching it. I like Allen Jenkins as Cagney's sidekick and Patricia Ellis as Jimmy's love interest is a nice match.
Then, after watching Footlight Parade at the Filmoteca, I forgot all about Joan Bennett and decided to check out more James Cagney films and craved another Cagney/Blondell vehicle. I checked out The Crowd Roars and was a bit disappointed that they're not a couple in this film. Fortunately it's the lovely Ann Dvorak who plays Cagney's girlfriend. The women have the more interesting roles and I really like their scene together at the beginning of the film where Dvorak gets a wire from boyfriend Cagney. It says he's not coming home because he's helping out his kid brother in the car racing business. Joan Blondell really lets her friend Dvorak know what she thinks of her boyfriend and also expresses her own opinion about men. This might be the strongest and well-acted moment of the entire film. Eric Linden plays Cagney's kid brother and he looks like such a baby, certainly no match for Blondell. This entertaining pre-code film directed by Howard Hawks has some exciting car race sequences and also a brutal car crash where Frank McHugh burns to death. Might watch the remake Indianapolis Speedway with Pat O'Brien and Ann Sheridan soon.
The St. Louis Kid has Cagney playing a cocky wise guy who runs into trouble with the law and finds romance along the way. A standard programmer for Warner Bros with a short running time and totally forgettable but still enjoyable while watching it. I like Allen Jenkins as Cagney's sidekick and Patricia Ellis as Jimmy's love interest is a nice match.
I really enjoyed The Irish in Us with Cagney, Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh playing brothers. Cagney and O'Brien vie for Olivia de Havilland's affection (she's as cute as a button and very young, only 19 years old here), with Cagney moving in on his brother's sweetheart (which was actually not so nice of him). I really loved the family aspect of the film and the way the brothers treated their mother. With the lead actors being Irish, they really did feel like an Irish family. And I love both Cagney and O'Brien. Allen Jenkins has a bit of a strange role with the strange name of Carbarn Hammerschlog, a boxer who starts slugging people whenever he hears a bell ringing, something which really didn't make any sense. But who cares? I would probably watch this again.
After having seen On the Town on the big screen, I wanted to see more of Vera-Ellen and saw another two of her films: Big Leaguer and The Belle of New York.
Big Leaguer I chose to watch because of the short running time but I would actually have preferred to see a Vera-Ellen film where she is dancing. Still, I was also a bit curious whether she could deliver in a non-dancing role. Well, she should have stuck to her dancing shoes because her performance here is not very inspiring which is not entirely her fault on account of her role being rather dull. Jeff Richards, best known for playing one of the Pontipee brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, was an American minor league baseball player and became an actor after his baseball career had ended due to an injury. His role is as unexciting as Vera-Ellen's, same goes for his performance. Fortunately we have the great Edward G. Robinson who makes something of his role and is also believable as the baseball manager. I would not recommend this film and it's only really worthwhile for baseball fans.
The story premise of The Belle of New York is really silly with the lead characters (who are not very interesting to begin with) floating on air when they discover they're in love. Too bad the script is not very exciting either. Fortunately there are some great dance numbers. My fave ones are: A Bride's Wedding Day Song (Currier And Ives), Vera-Ellen's sexy dance Naughty But Nice and especially Astaire's solo dance I Wanna Be A Dancin' Man. Reportedly Astaire was not keen on doing the film and was affected by the film's failure at the box-office. Yet he was pleased that the critics were praising the dancing in the film and he himself claimed that the dance routines were of a high standard. Especially the duet with Vera-Ellen, the sequence A Bride's Wedding Day Song (Currier And Ives), is a virtuoso and more complicated dance routine. I read on the film's Wikipedia page that (quote) " ... this dance is noteworthy for being Astaire's last full tap duet with a leading lady on film, as Ellen was the last of his dance partners who could tap." Astaire said in his autobiography: "I liked making Belle, probably because Vera-Ellen and I had some interesting dance ideas to keep us busy. There were five numbers of Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer’s which stood out, but the element of fantasy which prevailed backfired on us … I was on Belle for eight months, beating my brains out, and all I got out of it was — a fortune. There’s one thing about having a flop movie at a major studio that has it all over a stage flop. You do get paid."
So that's another round-up! I do hope to see more films in August than I watched this month. Fortunately there are some fabulous films at the Filmoteca programmed. I want to make August a musical month so apart from the musical screenings at the theater, I'm planning to watch musicals at home too. Will definitely check out more Vera-Ellen films. See ya next time!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Footlight Parade (1933), from the sequence By a Waterfall;
*Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) with Howard Keel and Jane Powell;
*Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) with Jane Powell and Tommy Rall;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with James Cagney and Joan Blondell;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with James Cagney and Frank McHugh;
*Top Hat (1935) with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers;
*Hello, Dolly! (1969) with Barbra Streisand and Louis Armstrong;
*Hello, Dolly! (1969), behind the scenes with Barbra Streisand, Louis Armstrong and director Gene Kelly;
*On the Town (1949), publicity shot with Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Jules Munshin;
*On the Town (1949), rehearsal with Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen;
*On the Town (1949) with Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen;
*The Pirate (1948) with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland;
*The Pirate (1948) with Gene Kelly;
*Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney;
*Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney;
*Seven Days in May (1964) with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas;
*Seven Days in May (1964) with Ava Gardner and Kirk Douglas;
*Botany Bay (1953) with Alan Ladd, James Mason and Patricia Medina;
*The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) with Joan Bennett and Ronald Colman;
*The Crowd Roars (1932) with Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak;
*The St. Louis Kid (1934) with James Cagney and Patricia Ellis;
*The Irish in Us (1935) with James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland;
*The Irish in Us (1935) with Pat O'Brien, Olivia de Havilland and Frank McHugh;
*Big Leaguer (1953) with Edward G. Robinson, Vera-Ellen and Jeff Richards;
*The Belle of New York (1952) with Vera-Ellen and Fred Astaire;
*The Belle of New York (1952) with Vera-Ellen and Fred Astaire. (gif by me)
The story premise of The Belle of New York is really silly with the lead characters (who are not very interesting to begin with) floating on air when they discover they're in love. Too bad the script is not very exciting either. Fortunately there are some great dance numbers. My fave ones are: A Bride's Wedding Day Song (Currier And Ives), Vera-Ellen's sexy dance Naughty But Nice and especially Astaire's solo dance I Wanna Be A Dancin' Man. Reportedly Astaire was not keen on doing the film and was affected by the film's failure at the box-office. Yet he was pleased that the critics were praising the dancing in the film and he himself claimed that the dance routines were of a high standard. Especially the duet with Vera-Ellen, the sequence A Bride's Wedding Day Song (Currier And Ives), is a virtuoso and more complicated dance routine. I read on the film's Wikipedia page that (quote) " ... this dance is noteworthy for being Astaire's last full tap duet with a leading lady on film, as Ellen was the last of his dance partners who could tap." Astaire said in his autobiography: "I liked making Belle, probably because Vera-Ellen and I had some interesting dance ideas to keep us busy. There were five numbers of Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer’s which stood out, but the element of fantasy which prevailed backfired on us … I was on Belle for eight months, beating my brains out, and all I got out of it was — a fortune. There’s one thing about having a flop movie at a major studio that has it all over a stage flop. You do get paid."
So that's another round-up! I do hope to see more films in August than I watched this month. Fortunately there are some fabulous films at the Filmoteca programmed. I want to make August a musical month so apart from the musical screenings at the theater, I'm planning to watch musicals at home too. Will definitely check out more Vera-Ellen films. See ya next time!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Footlight Parade (1933), from the sequence By a Waterfall;
*Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) with Howard Keel and Jane Powell;
*Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) with Jane Powell and Tommy Rall;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with James Cagney and Joan Blondell;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell;
*Footlight Parade (1933) with James Cagney and Frank McHugh;
*Top Hat (1935) with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers;
*Hello, Dolly! (1969) with Barbra Streisand and Louis Armstrong;
*Hello, Dolly! (1969), behind the scenes with Barbra Streisand, Louis Armstrong and director Gene Kelly;
*On the Town (1949), publicity shot with Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Jules Munshin;
*On the Town (1949), rehearsal with Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen;
*On the Town (1949) with Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen;
*The Pirate (1948) with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland;
*The Pirate (1948) with Gene Kelly;
*Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney;
*Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney;
*Seven Days in May (1964) with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas;
*Seven Days in May (1964) with Ava Gardner and Kirk Douglas;
*Botany Bay (1953) with Alan Ladd, James Mason and Patricia Medina;
*The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) with Joan Bennett and Ronald Colman;
*The Crowd Roars (1932) with Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak;
*The St. Louis Kid (1934) with James Cagney and Patricia Ellis;
*The Irish in Us (1935) with James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland;
*The Irish in Us (1935) with Pat O'Brien, Olivia de Havilland and Frank McHugh;
*Big Leaguer (1953) with Edward G. Robinson, Vera-Ellen and Jeff Richards;
*The Belle of New York (1952) with Vera-Ellen and Fred Astaire;
*The Belle of New York (1952) with Vera-Ellen and Fred Astaire. (gif by me)
