MUSICALS, include humor, music, dancing and a story.
One of the reasons I love musicals, is the use of beautiful background scenery. Dancers seem to perform as if there is a live audience watching.
This is my version of DANCING WITH THE STARS.
Ann Miller (April 12, 1923– January 22, 2004). In an interview featured in a "behind the scenes" documentary on, That's Entertainment III, she said that Eleanor Powell was her inspiration. Miller, made it "big" , in her roles in the musicals: Kiss Me Kate, Easter Parade and On the Town.
Miller, popularized pantyhose in the 1940s as a solution to the problem of torn stockings during the filming of her dance production numbers.
She was known, later in her career, for her black bouffant hair, heavy makeup with crimson red lipstick and fashions that showed off her figure. Her film career ended in 1956 as the movies lost their popularity to television, although, she remained active in the theatre and on television.
Video is from: Two Tickets to Broadway(1951). Nancy Peterson and her friends wants to get a spot on Bob Crosby's TV show.
Small Town Girl(1953). Directed by László Kardos. Cast: Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller. Busby Berkeley choreographed several dance numbers.
In the small town of Duck Creek, Connecticut, all the people enjoy listening to Cindy Kimbell, sing in the church choir, during Sunday services. While, the Kimball family sit down to their Sunday dinner, a policeman brings over Rick Belrow Livingston III, who was caught speeding through town.
Because of his bad attitude, Cindy's father Gordon, the town's judge, sentences Rick to thirty days in jail. Rick, is taken to jail and the news quickly spreads among all the young women, of the town.
That evening, Rick watches from his cell window as the town's people meet for a town social and sees Cindy dancing with, Ludwig Schlemmer. The bidding begins for the box suppers prepared by the young ladies and Rick outbids Ludwig, for Cindy's box supper.
The next morning, photographers watch Rick cleaning the sidewalk and take a picture of him just as he gives Cindy a hug, on her way to work. The picture of Rick and Cindy, is on the front page of the paper. His fiancee Lisa, comes to town the next day to give Cindy a piece of her mind, Lisa visits Rick, in jail and reminds him that her birthday, is just a couple of days away.
Desperate to get out of jail, Rick plays on Cindy's sympathies, by telling her it is his mother's birthday. Cindy talks Happy, the jailer, to set the prisoner free for the night, but insists on going with Rick on his visit to see his "mother." When they arrive, a formal gathering is already in progress. After Cindy sings, for the guests, his butler, Hemmingway, locks her in a fur vault while Rick sneaks out to watch Lisa, perform in a Broadway musical.
Rick, gets a call from Hemmingway, who tells him that Cindy is in the fur vault, he races home to get her out. He then takes Cindy, out for a night on the town and they begin to fall in love. Back in his cell, Rick asks to serve out his sentence, but Gordon, wants him to leave town. Will Rick, go back to his fiancee or will he say back in the small town of Duck Creek, that he has grown so fond of?
The film, Small Town Girl, may not be the best MGM musical, or the best of Jane Powell's films. But.. it is very entertaining.
Fun Facts:
Hank Williams was to have made his acting debut in this film as a small-town sheriff, but died shortly before filming got underway.
Jane Powell was pregnant during the filming of this movie.
Soundtracks:
•"I've Gotta Hear that Beat"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Danced by Ann Miller
•"My Gaucho"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Danced by Ann Miller
•"Take Me To Broadway"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Performed by Bobby Van
•"My Flaming Heart"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole
•"The Lullaby of the Lord"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
•"Fine, Fine, Fine"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
•"Small Towns Are Smile Towns"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
•"The Fellow I'd Follow"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
•"Hallelujah Chorus"
(uncredited)
from "The Messiah"
Music by George Frideric Handel
Lyrics by Charles Jennens
The Thrill of Brazil(1946), Is a remake of Hawks' HIS GIRL Friday as a musical, instead of Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell and Ralph Bellamy, there is Keenan Wynn, Evelyn Keyes and Allyn Joslyn, and instead of it being about newspapers and death, it is about a nightclub. Dance director Nick Castle, really knew how to choreograph a dance number.
Producer Steve Farraugh, tries out his new show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before taking it on to New York. The Star of the show, Linda Lorens, is in love with Steve, but Steve is still in love with his ex-wife, Vicki Dean, a stage director. Vicki arrives in Rio with her new fiancee, John Harbour, to have Steve's sign the final divorce papers. Steve purposely makes the show finale such a flop that she will want to stay and help him fix it. Despite his best efforts Steve admits defeat and signs the papers. Steve hires taxi driver to steal the the divorce papers from Vicki, along with the couples plane tickets. Vicki decides to accept his offer to direct the show. Steve's plan backfires, when the taxi driver discovers that the check Steve gave him has been signed with disappearing ink, and returns to the club and tells Linda about Steve's scheme. Together, Linda and the taxi driver look for Steve, who is with Vicki and John on a sightseeing trip. The police arrive just as a fight breaks out. All but Steve are arrested and thrown in jail. While still behind bars Steve has a photographer snap a picture of John. Will Steve give up his scheme and confesses to Vicki?
Ann Miller was the daughter of Clara Emma and John Alfred Collier, a criminal lawyer who represented the Barrow Gang, Machine Gun Kelly, and Baby Face Nelson. Miller danced to exercise her legs to help her rickets. In an interview she said that Eleanor Powell was her inspiration. At the age of 13 Miller had been hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she had told them she was 18). it was there she was discovered by Lucille Ball. This led Miller to be given a contract with RKO in 1936 at the age of 13 (she had also told them she was 18). Soon Miller was offered a contract at Columbia Pictures. She is best known for her roles in MGM musicals such as Kiss Me Kate, Easter Parade, and On the Town.
Ann Miller became famous for her speed in tap dancing. Studio publicists claimed she could tap 500 times per minute, but really the sound of ultra-fast "500" taps was put in later. Because the stage floors were slippery, she danced in shoes with rubber soles. Later she would add the sound of the taps while watching the film and actually dancing on a "tap board" to match her steps in the film.
In 1970, Stan Freberg, who is best known for his commercials, used Miller and her tap-dancing skills in a commercial for "Great American Soups." Miller plays a housewife asked by her "husband" what she's prepared for dinner. She throws off her house frock to show a sequined dance outfit, and the kitchen set splits open to reveal a huge Hollywood stage, showcasing a giant can of soup, which Miller sings and dances, accompanied by a chorus line. At the end of the commercial, she returns to the kitchen set, where the husband character says, "Why do you have to make such a big production out of everything?"
FUN FACTS:
Devoutly spiritual, she dabbles in psychic phenomena and astrology. She believes she was once Queen Hathshepsut of Egypt.
At the end of her MGM contract she flew overseas to Morocco to entertain on the Timex TV Hour for Bob Hope. She sang and danced "Too Darn Hot" in 120-degree heat, entertaining 5000 soldiers.
The Opposite Sex (1956) musical remake of the (1939) classic comedy The Women. Both films are based on Claire Boothe Luce's original play. Directed by David Miller. Cast: June Allyson, Joan Collins, Dolores Gray, Ann Sheridan, Ann Miller, Leslie Nielsen, Jeff Richards, Agnes Moorehead, Charlotte Greenwood, Joan Blondell, Sam Levene, and Bill Goodwin.
At Sydney's salon in Manhattan one afternoon, Sylvia Fowler hears from her manicurist Olga that theater producer Steven Hilliard is having an affair with chorus girl Crystal Allen. Kay his wife is the last to know that here is any problems with her 10 year marriage to Steven. Later, the ladies meet at the 21 Club to plan their upcoming charity benefit. When Kay shows up, Sylvia suggests that she visit Olga for a manicure. Kay goes to Sydney's, where Olga, not realizing who she is, tells her the gossip about Steven. After lunch, Sylvia and Edith attend Steven's show to see what Crystal looks like, and Edith's morning sickness forces them to leave early. At a coffee shop they happen to sit next to Crystal, and the three throw insults at each other.
Kay is heartbroken, tries to to pretend nothing has happened. (This my favorite flashback scene in the movie with Harry James, playing trumpet) That night, at the couple's anniversary party, Kay tries to keep up appearances. Crystal reads in the paper that Kay has gone to Bermuda, and hoping that this means the end of their marriage makes plans to "bump into" Steven and his daughter, where they spend the day together at the park.
Soon Kay is on a train to Reno to get a divorce. She meets the Countess, a colorful older woman on her 4th divorce, and actress Gloria Dahl. Later, at the ranch, Kay is shocked to discover that the newest boarder is Sylvia, whose husband is leaving her for another woman.
Kay decides return to her singing career, under her maiden name of Ashley, she learns backstage that Sylvia has returned from Reno with Buck as her new discovery and he is having an affair with Crystal who has grown bored with Steven.
The night of Buck's big opening, Kay does not feel like going, knowing Steven will be there with Crystal. while saying good night to Debbie, she reveals that Steven is unhappy and that Crystal is seeing Buck. Kay puts on a beautiful gown and goes to the club, where she flirts with Steven and asks gossip columnist Dolly DeHaven's for help on getting revenge on Sylvia and getting her man back.
I thought June Allyson was wonderful as Kay. Joan Collins did a believable performance as her rival, I also enjoyed her catty friends. Agnes Moorehead, Ann Miller and Charlotte Greenwood. As an added plus, there are plenty of beautiful costumes to look at.
FUN FACTS: MGM originally wanted Esther Williams to star in this movie, but she was not interested.
"The Opposite Sex"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed over the opening credits by Dolores Gray
Performed during "The Psychiatrist" musical sketch with Dick Shawn, Jim Backus,
Joan Collins and Carolyn Jones
"Young Man With a Horn"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed and Danced by June Allyson, with horn solo by Harry James
"A Perfect Love"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by June Allyson, dubbed by Jo Ann Greer
"Yellow Gold"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by Jerry Antes, Joan Collins, Carolyn Jones
"Rock and Roll Tumbleweed"
(uncredited)
Lyrics by Ralph Freed
Music by George Stoll
Performed by Jeff Richards
"Now Baby Now"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed and Danced by June Allyson and male chorus
ON THE TOWN (1949) A wonderful musical, about three sailors (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin) on a twenty-four hour shore leave, looking for adventure and romance.They go on a sightseeing tour of Manhattan. On their list: the Empire State Building, Central Park and Rockefeller Center, Ozzie and Gabey quickly becoming bored of sightseeing and want to check out the beautiful women of New York. The three sailors see a poster of Ivy Smith, "Miss Turnstiles"(Vera Ellen) for the month of June, thinking that she is beautiful girl he has ever seen. They tell her life story in a dance number. They can not believe that they find her, as soon as they arrive at the subway station, where Ivy is posing for a photo shoot. Gabey poses with her for a photograph. she quickly disappears. Gabey, Chip and Ozzie follow Ivy in a taxicab driven by Brunhilde (Betty Garrett), who has eyes for Chip. With the poster of Ivy's as their only information, Gabey and his friends look for her in places where she might be working. Brunhilde, takes the sailors to look for Ivy at the Museum of Natural History, where Ozzie meets Claire (Ann Miller), an anthropologist, who quickly joins them in the search. When they break into a dance, Ozzie and Claire accidentally knock over a dinosaur skeleton at the museum. They run for their lives, but the police are hot on their trail. The group splits up and search for her separately, agreeing to meet later that evening at the Empire State Building. Alone at last with Chip, Brunhilde takes him to her apartment, only to be disturbed by her quirky, roommate, Lucy(Alice Pearce).Gabey eventually finds Ivy in a dance studio, and they make plans to go on a date later that evening. Ivy promises to return from her date in time to make her performance as a coach dancer at Coney Island, because she owes her dance instructor a lot of money for her lessons. Chip, Brunhilde, Ozzie, Claire and Gabey meet at the top of the Empire State Building, where they hide Ozzie from the policemen who are still looking for him. When Ivy arrives, the three couples begin their night ON THE TOWN. The evening comes to an abrupt halt when Ivy disappears without explanation, leaving behind only a note. His friends try to cheer him up by quickly having Lucy fill in for for Ivy. Gabey has a few drinks and thinks about his new love, Ivy. Will the two love birds find each other again?I loved the fact that this movie was filmed on location. I really enjoyed the dance numbers. For me they seemed to go with the plot instead strictly for entertainment. I also, loved the dance number where the guys dress up in Hiram costumes and sing like girls..In her screen debut, Alice Pearce (the roommate with the sneezing problem). Alice is also known as the first actress to play the nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz on the show Bewitched (1964). http://www.tcm.com/video/videoPlayer/?cid=16834&titleId=355
CLICK to view theatrical trailer.
"I Feel Like I'm Not out of Bed Yet"
(uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Bern Hoffman
"New York, New York"
(uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung and Danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin
"Miss Turnstiles"
(uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Danced by Vera-Ellen and chorus
"Prehistoric Man"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Ann Miller
Danced by Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett
"Come Up to My Place"
(uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Betty Garrett and Frank Sinatra
"Main Street"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Gene Kelly
Danced by Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen
"You're Awful"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett
"On the Town"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung and Danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller,
Betty Garrett and Vera-Ellen
"Count on Me"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Sung by Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller,
Alice Pearce and Gene Kelly.
"A Day in New York"
(uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Danced by Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Carol Haney and dancers
"That's All There Is, Folks"
(uncredited)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden
Danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin
