Favorite MGM musicals — Page 12

My alltime favorite is "An American in Paris"!!!!! Thanks for the terrific list!

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Mastr, "Living In A Big Way" is an odd picture. It is directed by Gregory LaCava (My Man Godfrey) and the best way to descibe the pic is a screwball comedy that midway through decides to become a film about social issues. It really is like three movies in one - screwball comedy, musical, social drama.

The musical numbers were filmed and interpolated when they realized what a bomb the pic would be. Gene's "Construction Sight" dance is great as is his song "Fido and Me" with a dog. Really charming.

And as for Marie "The Body" MacDonald -- well, let's just say she makes Lucille Bremer look like Sarah Bernhart. MacDonald IS truly awful.

Try to catch the film. It is such an odd finished product that it deserves viewing.

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The film opens with him singing "It Had To Be You" and then attempting to do an Astaire/ Rogers type dance duet with McDonald. Sadly, she has two left feet and is about five inches too tall for Gene. Still, it's great to "find" a seldom seen Kelly number.

Spring Byington and Phyllis Thaxter are good in the pic.

Stanley Donen had been interviewed regarding the added dance numbers - particularly the dance with the children: "Gene does this number with kids. Why? If someone else had done the picture, he wouldn't have been dancing with kids, but it was done because it was Gene." Well Mr. Donen, may I be one of the first to say that although you seem rather apathetic, I for one am glad that they shot that great number.

*edit* Failed to say that the film is really pretty bad, imho.

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Updated On: 5/23/05 at 08:53 PM

Fix needed by AndyHardy and greatly appreciated from "HOT" Cookie.

"To be a perfect Ziegfeld Girl you needn't have much knowledge"

"The Follies is a school itself,
Not for French or grammar.
A school where beauty enters in the rough
and comes out labled 'glamour'"

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When I first moved to NYC there were still film revival theaters. I recall seeing a double feature of 'The Harvey Girls' (calling BT!) and 'Ziegfeld Girl' at the Regency Theater near Lincoln Center. Swell afternoon.

When it came to Lana's nervous breakdon scene in 'Ziegfeld': "I'm counting my bessings!!!" the audience couldn't help but laugh. Correction--they howled! :)

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Saw Splendour In The Grass at Theater 80. The print was so spliced up it seemed like somebody was chewing on it. Half of Natalie Wood's nervouse breakdown was missing. One moment she was sitting in class and then --no poem reading-- she was running down the hall. The whole audience started to "boo"

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Ah to see The Harvey Girls on a big screen ...

When I was taking film classes, Professor David Bordwell was doing a lecture with slides projected on the big movie screen. He was using Meet Me In St. Louis to demonstrate some film technique or other (I think it was Minnelli's use of very long single shots) and he came to a slide of Judy in her goofy trolley dress. He stopped talking and said, "Excuse me for a moment while I go and kiss the screen" and ran up and gave Esther Smith a big old kiss. I get a little nostalgic every time I see that scene now ...

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You are one piping HOT cookie, aren't you?!!! Thanks for the fix, I have needed one for a few days.

Stout shirtwaist, to keep a sense of humor, please confine your underwear to camisol and bloomer!

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Sir, eh? I like the sound of that !

Give em ginger peachy service or their appetites will sperl
that's what it takes to be a Harvey girl!

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Brava, brava, bravissima?

She does that on the Harold Arlen album she did with Andre Previn. It's exquisite.

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<------ As sung by the delightful de-lovely Dolores Gray!

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