Released - August, 1953 

Directed By - Vincente Minnelli

Starring – Fred Astaire (Tony Hunter), Cyd Charisse (Gabrielle Gerard), Oscar Levant (Lester Martin), Nanette Fabray (Lily Martin), Jack Buchanan (Jeffrey Cordova).

Description – Tony Hunter is a veteran musical comedy star of both the stage and screen who’s feeling a little insecure lately. Tony is afraid he’s getting older and losing his popularity.

He needs a show for a strong comeback and his friends Lester and Lily Martin are there to help. The duo has written a show they think is perfect for Tony. Everything seems to be working out until a director is hired.

Chosen to direct the play is big-shot, overly “artistic” director, producer Jeffrey Cordova who has brought with him a prima ballerina to costar with Tony. Cordova changes the theme of the light comedy to a dark reinterpretation of Faust starring himself as the Devil and Tony as the Faust character.

As for Tony and costar ballerina Gabrielle Gerard…it’s hate at first sight. When the out-of-town tryout fails miserably, both the show and Tony’s career seem doomed.

Can a rewrite of the show by Tony and the addition of the originally intended light musical comedy be restored and successful? And if so, there is still one huge problem; the financial backers have pull out.

NOTABLE: In 1995, The Band Wagon was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The film received three Academy Award nominations; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, and Best Costume Design, Color.

Although only a modest box-office success, The Band Wagon is considered by many critics to rank right up there with the top MGM musicals.

In 2006, this motion picture was ranked as #17 on the American Film Institutes list of best musicals.

Buy Here The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)

The Classic Musicals Collection – Broadway to Hollywood (Easter Parade Two Disc Special Edition / The Band Wagon Two Disc Special Edition / Bells Are Ringing / Finian’s Rainbow / Brigadoon)

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Released - July, 1953 

Directed By - Howard Hawks

Starring- Jane Russell (Dorothy Shaw), Marilyn Monroe (Lorelei Lee), Charles Coburn (Sir Francis ‘Piggy’ Beekman), Elliott Reid (Ernie Malone).

Description – Dorothy Shaw and Lorelei Lee are showgirls and best friends. Lorelei is engaged to Gus Edmond much to his fathers regret. He does not approve of his sons engagement to a showgirl and stops their plans to sail to France and be married.

Lorelei still wants to go to France and her friend Dorothy is happy to accompany her. Gus asks Lorelei to be on her best behavior as his father may forbid their marriage forever should he hear of bad behavior. In fact, unknown to all his father has hired a private detective (Ernie Malone) to keep an eye on her.

During the trip Malone finds himself falling for Dorothy, but is still on the job. So much so that he has taken seemingly incriminating pictures of Lorelei and Sir Francis Beekman flirting. And, to make matters worse, Sir Francis happens to own a diamond mind which is the reason Malone believes Lorelei is interested.

Dorothy had seen Malone take the pictures and informs her friend. Now the fun begins as Lorelei and Dorothy scheme a way to get the pictures from Malone before any harm is done. Sir Francis, who happens to be married, is relieved that his wife will not see the pictures and gives Lorelei his wife’s tiara as a thank you present.

Very generous, but a slight problem as Sir Francis’ wife does not know of the gift and believes Lorelei to have stolen the tiara. Hearing of these events, Lorelei’s fiancee Gus cuts off her line of credit leaving both Lorelei and Dorothy without money or a place to live.

Now, how to straighten this mess out has become a little more difficult as the tiara is missing.

NOTABLE: Marilyn Monroe does a great job as the gold-digging Lorelei and gives an iconic performance of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Friend.”

The role of Lorelei was originally intended for Betty Grable. However, after the positive reviews Monroe received for her work in Niagara, the studio realized they could have a far less expensive sex symbol for the role than Grable. At the time, Grable would have received $150,000; Monroe did the role for $18.000.

A beautiful gold lame evening dress worn my Marilyn Monroe was worn by Ginger Rogers in the 1952 film Dreamboat.

In the “Ain’t There Anyone Here For Love” number Jane Russell accidentally falls into the pool. Director Hawks liked the fall so much he left it in the scene.

When told that she was not the star of the movie, Marilyn Monroe replied “Well whatever I am, I’m still the blonde.”

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Marilyn Monroe Special Anniversary Collection (The Seven Year Itch / Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / Niagara / River of No Return / Let’s Make Love / Marilyn – The Final Days)

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Released – April, 1952 

Directed By - Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Starring – Gene Kelly (Don Lockwood), Donald O’Connor (Cosmo Brown), Debbie Reynolds (Kathy Selden), Jean Hagen (Lina Lamont).

Description – Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are the King and Queen of the silent screen. Their romantic screen pairing has captured the publics hearts and Don has captured Lina’s.

However, a big change is in store as sound is now the rage in motion pictures. This does not sit well with Lina as she has what can only be described as a “grating voice.”

A few weeks earlier, in an effort to escape some overly exhuberant fans, Don accidently met Kathy Selden who claimed to be a stage actress, but who turned out to be a chorus girl. That is, a chorus girl with a great voice.

Don’s best friend Cosmo Brown comes up with a brainstorm. For their next film, have Kathy’s voice dubbed over the voice of Lina Lamont. This infuriates Lina who fears that Don is falling for Kathy and does everything she can to stop their budding romance and sabotage the film.

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for two Academy Awards; Best Actress, in a Supporting Role (Jean Hagen), and Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.

In 1989 Singin’ In The Rain was selected for the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress.

This film is rated #1 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years of Musicals list and #5 on the list of 2007′s Greatest Films.

Gene Kelly’s famous song-and-dance routine for Singin’ In The Rain was filmed with a little milk added to the water used for the scene. It was done to have the puddles and rain water show up better on film. Kelly was actually sick during the filming of this scene with 103 degree fever.

There were some problems during production of the film between Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Reynolds was not a trained dancer and this caused Kelly to initially be quite harsh on her abilities. Have no fear, Fred Astaire, upon hearing about the problem between the two, volunteered to help Reynolds with her dancing. Kelly later admitted to being too critical of Reynolds.

Dancer Cyd Charisse performs a brief, but memorable dance routine with Kelly.

Debbie Reynolds stated that making this film and surviving childbirth were the two hardest thing she had ever done.

The very acrobatic dance number “Make Em Laugh” left Donald O’Connor bedridden for days suffering from exhaustion and carpet burns.

Personal Note: While there were many great musicals made during the decades covered on this site, this is my favorite. A musical treat for the eyes and the ears. In my mind, and many would agree, this is probably the greatest musical of all time.

Singin’ in the Rain (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Gene Kelly Collection (Singin’ in the Rain / An American in Paris / On the Town / Anatomy of a Dancer)

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: American Musicals (The Band Wagon / Meet Me in St. Louis / Singin’ in the Rain / Easter Parade)

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Released – October, 1951 

Directed By - Vincente Minnelli

Starring – Gene Kelly (Jerry Mulligan), Leslie Caron (Lise Bouvier), Oscar Levant (Adam Cook), Georges Guetary (Henri “Hank” Baurel), Nina Foch (Milo Roberts).

Description – Free-spirited American expatriate Jerry Mulligan is trying to make a name for himself painting in Paris. It looks as though good luck has finally come his way when he is “discovered” by society woman Milo Roberts.

However, looks can be deceiving as Milo is interested in more than Jerry’s paintings. Unaware, or possibly just ignoring her advances, Jerry meets and falls in love with Franch girl Lise whom he meets at a restaurant. While Lise would like to return those feelings she is already involved with Henri to whom she feels indebted for having saved her family during the war.

A wonderfully enjoyable musical ride to true love.

NOTABLE: In 1993 this film was selected for inclusion in the United States National Film Registry.

In 2006 the American Film Institute ranked this as #9 in their list of 100 Years of Musicals.

This motion picture won six Academy Awards that included Best Picture, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Costume Design, Color, Best Cinematography, Color, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color. There were two more nominations for Best Director (Vincente Minnelli), and Best Film Editing.

In addition, Gene Kelly received an honory Academy Award for “his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film.”

Actress Cyd Charisse was originally cast in the role of Lise Bouvier but had to be replaced when she discovered she was pregnant.

This film was the first for Leslie Caron who was discovered performing in a ballet by Gene Kelly while vacationing in Paris.

The beautiful climatic 17-18 minute dance sequence cost $500,000. and took a whole month to film.

Personal Comment: Over the years I have gone back and forth in my personal opinion as to who was the better dancer – Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly. I finally realized I was comparing apples with oranges. Fred Astaire exuded sophistication and class, while Gene Kelly added the elements of athleticism and sensuality. They were both the best at what each did.

An American in Paris (Two-Disc Special Edition)

An American in Paris [Blu-ray]

Gene Kelly Collection (Singin’ in the Rain / An American in Paris / On the Town / Anatomy of a Dancer)

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Released - September, 1951 

Directed By - George Sidney

Starring – Kathryn Grayson (Magnolia Hawks), Ava Gardner (Julie LaVerne), Howard Keel (Gaylord Ravenal), Joe E. Brown (Captain Andy Hawks), Marge Champion (Ellie May Shipley), Gower Champion (Frank Shultz).

Description – Based on the novel by Edna Ferber this lavish Technicolor production is one of MGM’s most popular musicals. This is the story of life and love on a Mississippi show boat featuring many classic and timeless songs from Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II.

Julie LaVerne and her husband Steve Baker are forced to leave the show boat ‘Cotton Blossom’ when it is revealed that Julie is mixed race. Taking over their jobs as the show boat’s main attraction are Captain Andy Hawks daughter  Magnolia and gambler Gaylord Ravenal.

The two are immediately attracted to each other, marry and leave for a whirlwind honeymoon. It doesn’t take long for gambler Gaylord to lose Magnolia’s fortune and for her to realize that nothing is more important to Gaylord than his gambling. An added complication – Magnolia is pregnant.

NOTABLE: This motion picture received two Academy Award nominations: Best Cinematography, Color and Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Ava Gardner’s singing voice was dubbed by Annette Warren.

While not all critics praised this film, they all agreed that the music was teriffic; especially, the performance of “Ol” Man River” by William Warfield.

Judy Garland was the original choice to play Julie LaVerne, but she had ended her relationship with MGM.

The water scenes depicting the Mississippi River were in fact, filmed at the lake used for the Johnny Weissmuller MGM Tarzan movies.

Personal Comment: While not faithful to previous versions of the film, or the 1927 stage version, this is never-the-less a treat for the eyes and ears. A beautiful and handsome production with one of the best movie scores ever.

Show Boat

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Broadway Musicals (Show Boat / Annie Get Your Gun / Kiss Me Kate / Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)

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