Man from Music Mountain (1938)

Because a shoot-out in an underground gold mine is always a good idea. 

Intro.

When I started this blog back in January, I was still able to get a cable channel that showed a Gene Autry film every Sunday.  I moved and lost that channel, but I do have a collection of Gene's films that I've been saving for a rainy day.  Despite being a sunny day, I just needed something sweet, simple and fun.  I had heard of Man from Music Mountain and while chuckling at the name, decided it was the perfect way to unwind.   

Overview
Man from Music Mountain begins with the opening of Boulder Dam.  Power line routes are being laid out, and any land around those lines promises to profit.  Two shady businessmen decide to take advantage of the situation and start selling land in Gold River, including a stake in the nearby mine to every landowner.  Many entrepreneurs take the deal, but upon arrival, discover that Gold River is an abandoned ghost town.  Gene Autry runs into these folks on their way to town and realizes that he knows the no-good land baron, Scanlon (Ivan Miller).  Autry tries to get Scanlon to stop the scam, but it doesn't work.  Meanwhile Gene's sidekick, Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnett), is taken in by the deal and winds up with some land and a stake in the mine.  Gene's invested now, so he agrees to help the townspeople as they try to make the best of the situation.  They all still believe that the power lines will come through, but Gene has his doubts.  When they discover the mine's been worked dry and abandoned some twenty years ago, Gene and Frog hatch a plan to plant some gold dust from Gene's father and start a rumor that the mine's really profitable.  That of course makes Scanlon very upset and he tries to first discredit Gene, and then to buy back everyone's shares while they still think it's a hoax.  The rumor starts a gold rush and the town grows, which really helps the early settlers, but makes Gene really nervous.  Anyway, it all ends with a shoot-out in the mine and a very fortunate discovery!

Highlights (and a quick story)
As with most of Gene's earlier films, the music is fun and the story is pretty lighthearted.  I had some issues first with the slightly racist joke made by an African-American woman who works at Gene's ranch (still much better than Carolina Moon).  And while I applauded the fact that there were two very ambitious women in the earliest settlers who open their own salon, they weren't in keeping with the usually strong female leads that often featured in Gene's films.  Sure they ran their own business and managed to give Gene a manicure (more on that later), but they still relied on the men for everything and didn't fight their attentions.  I missed June Storey's competition with Gene or Irene Manning's use of a rifle to defend herself.  But in all honesty, they are still not the maidens strapped to the railroad tracks by an evil villain with a black mustache.  They choose to strike out on their own as "modern pioneers" and handle their difficulties with a laugh and a smile.  "Modern Pioneers" is a great title too, as this is a typical thirties Western, where the good guys are the hard-working cowboys and the bad-guys are tech-savvy crooks.  I swear in all these films, there's usually a group of cowboys who get run off the road by some vehicle (bus, truck, you name it) and then later the cowboys prove that horses are better because those same vehicles get stuck in the mud or in a river or in a ditch somewhere.  It's a great triumph of the hardworking homesteaders against the rich and mighty. 

The musical accompaniment was also well done.  Not only do we have Gene's usual singing ranch hands (was that asked in their job interview?  Can you rope a steer and then break into three part harmony?), but there's also Polly Jenkins and her Plowboys, a western band lead by a woman.  Gene gets to do a few of his own numbers of course, the best being "Goodbye Paint" which is actually really depressing because it's about a cowboy saying goodbye to his dying horse.  Anyway, I wanted to take a minute and talk about Gene Autry as a singing cowboy and what that meant for the Western film genre.  I know I've mentioned it before (like in Public Cowboy #1), but the addition of a singing cowboy to films helped make Westerns appeal to women, thus increasing the audience and helping save what would have been a dying genre.  But there's an interesting genre mix going on when you take a traditionally masculine genre like a Western and add in a typically feminine genre like a Musical.  I almost fell over laughing when Gene goes to visit the women in the salon and finds himself subjected to a manicure.  When his friends come in and start making fun of him, he is quick to his feet and shoots a warning at them, then forces them to also get manicures.  It's like a hold-up in a beauty salon all with the song, "Burning Love."  The perfect marriage of Western and Musical, with a subtle wink to the name, the "Lavender Cowboy."  It made me reconsider the gender coding of the parent genres and wonder about some underlying homosexual innuendo.  It seems funny that Gene is so quick to defend his right to get a manicure (even if the manicurist is a very pretty woman).   

And that leads me to my brief story.  At work, we had been talking about how films are marketed to female audiences - very few are when you think about it, and the ones that are still stereotype women.  One of my coworkers brought up a good point that in the new Twilight films, men are being objectified the way women have been for centuries.  I got to thinking about how this changes the audience and the marketing of these films and realized that on a similar level William Holden had also done this in the film Picnic.  I mean, that whole film revolves around him being shirtless and causing all the women to go a bit nuts.  But on a different level, Gene's films could also be argued to have been marketed to men and women equally.  When I brought this up, Catherine looked at me and said "so was he a Chippendale cowboy?"  I'm not too sure what Gene would've said to this, but I had a good laugh.  No, there was no shirtless-ness (he was still an idol of kids, remember) and definitely no kissing!   Anyway, the point of the story is that if we really want to consider targeted audiences, it goes back further than just glittery vampires.        

Review and Recommendation 
A solid film on many fronts, Man from Music Mountain is a pretty typical B-Western.  It's a fun ride if you don't take it too seriously.  The ending might make you groan a bit, mainly because the women turn into airheads, but whatever.  It's Gene Autry and he sings and gets fabulous nails.  What more could you want?

P.S.  Sad but true: I couldn't make out the year on this film's title screen, so I tried to guess as I watched.  Based on Gene's appearance, his sidekick and supporting cast and the general feel, I guessed 1938.  Turns out I was right.  I'm not sure whether or not to be proud of this....

High Society (1956)

Intro.

Normally, I hate remakes.  If a film isn't particularly good, then I can understand wanting to redo it, or if there's some big change or improvement (like making a silent film into a talking picture) that warrents a new film.  I also appreciate it when the new film's director pays homage or does something to respect the new film.  Case in point, Cape Fear.  The original Cape Fear from 1962 starred Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum.  When it was remade in 1991, Martin Scorsese made sure that both men had roles in the film (both of them play lawyers in the remake).  That shows class and respect.  High Society is a different kind of remake.  It takes the movie, The Philadelphia Story, and makes it into a musical.  As it has changed genres, the film loses some of its punch, but adds some beautiful songs.  It's enjoyable in a wholly different way, which is one of the reasons I like it.

Overview
Wealthy Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) is getting remarried at her family estate.  Her ex-husband, C. K. Dexter Haven (Bing Crosby) however, lives next door and has opened his home to a jazz festival which will coincide with (and possibly ruin) her wedding.  Dexter is still in love with his ex-wife, despite her cool condescension of his work as a "jukebox hero."  Tracy's snobbery extends to her father, who has left home due to rumors of an affair with some showgirl.  Her wedding plans get even more complex when Spy Magazine threatens to run a tell-all story about Mr. Lord - a threat which is stopped in exchange for an inside scoop of Tracy's wedding.  The two magazine reporters, Mike Conner (Frank Sinatra) and Liz Imbrie (Celeste Holm), don't know about the deal, and hate their job almost as much as Tracy hates having them there.  If things couldn't get any harder for her, her father shows up unexpectedly, Mike starts to fall for her, and in the end her in tact virtue starts to crumble when a drunken late night swim with Mike leaves her uncertain of just how far they had gone.  Her fiancee refuses to marry her, thinking her unfaithful, and the resulting mess turns into a great ending after all.

Highlights
To judge this film on its own merits, it is a very fine piece of entertainment.  I wouldn't say it was the best musical I've ever seen, but certainly one of the most charming.  I mean, how can you resist Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in a love triangle?  Each performer in the movie is definitely worth watching.

I think the music really adds to this film.  Songs like "True Love" and "You're Sensational" are well-performed and showcase the two singer-turned-actors.  I have always loved the Sinatra/Crosby duet, "Well, Did You Evah?" which is a funny portrait of the follies of the upper class.  You also have to laugh at the Sinatra/Holm duet, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"  And of course, we can't forget the jazz festival, which features none other than Louis Armstrong as himself (how cool is that?).

It's difficult to watch High Society and not compare it with The Philadelphia Story.  Each movie is fun, entertaining and features some great talent.  That being said, I think the point of the story - Tracy's fall from grace and final understanding that no one is perfect - is portrayed much more effectively in The Philadelphia Story.  In some ways, I consider that film to be a comedy-drama.  The characters are much more developed and fragile.  In the original, Dexter is an alcoholic and hit Tracy, which led to their divorce.  In High Society, their divorce isn't really explained except that Dexter is just another crooner.  Likewise, Mike's character is much more developed in The Philadelphia Story - he is a real person trapped in a job he hates who connects with Tracy after talking to her about his writing.  In High Society, Mike's a more of a plot device (I hate putting it that way!) used to make the story work.

The addition of music allows the film to not only be light-hearted, but to sort of poke fun at the upper class more so than the original film did.  One thing that really struck me in High Society is the scene where Tracy takes Mike to see the "graveyard" of the rich - mansions abandoned because the taxes are too high.  The world she belongs to is falling apart and she wants to make sure he realizes it isn't all about dinner parties and pink champagne.  But that is as serious as the film gets.  And I think that's really what they wanted to achieve - to take a comic look at the "rich and mighty", not a deeper one that borders on the dramatic.

Review and Recommendation
On its own, High Society is a fun, upbeat musical comedy.  Grace Kelly is magnificent, as are her two crooning suitors, Sinatra and Crosby.  The score is incredible, and I guarantee you'll have at least one of the songs stuck in your head afterward!  While not as deep or well-developed as The Philadelphia Story, the film achieves its purpose to entertain and to showcase three legends on screen together.  This is one remake I can love and recommend!

P.S. The original Cape Fear is still far better than the remake, by the way.

Pal Joey (1957)

Intro.

I love hearing the backstories of films from TCM's host Robert Osborne.  For example, he explained that the story of Pal Joey began back in the 1930s as a Broadway play.  At one point it starred Gene Kelly, so when studios began trying to  make it into a film, he was their first choice.  However, due to the racy nature of the story and Hollywood's strict codes, it took a long while to be green-lighted.  Finally, Columbia Pictures made it, and cast their biggest star of the 1940s and 50s, Rita Hayworth.  They also cast up-and-coming star Kim Novak.  The problem was finding a leading man - Kelly wasn't available, so they tried Marlon Brando (who couldn't do it) and Jack Lemmon (who was still more or less unknown and Rita Hayworth did not want in the film).  At last Frank Sinatra was cast and the film was a perfect fit for him. 

Overview

Pal Joey feels almost like a Sinatra biography - or at least, the life he presented to the world.  The film opens with Joey (Frank Sinatra) getting thrown out of town for seducing an underaged girl.*  He winds up in San Francisco, where he looks up an old friend in the nightclubs on Barbary Coast.  He talks his way into a job as a singer and it's clear from his first performance that he excels at the job - women throughout the club start falling into a trance just listening to him.  It seems that the only one not affected is one of the chorus girls, Linda English (Kim Novak), who is a bit more reserved than the rest.  Joey pretends not to care about her, but then deliberately moves into the apartment next to hers.  Their first evening job away from the club is at a big fundraiser gala.  The much admired hostess Vera Simpson (Rita Hayworth) puts on a class act, but Joey happens to recognize her from her time as a famous stripper.  When the auction falls short of the monetary goal, Joey pipes up that he'd pay a thousand dollars to see her do her most famous routine right there on stage.  The bidding opens and the goal is met.  But that's only the beginning of an interesting push and pull between Vera and Joey.  Meanwhile, Linda starts to soften towards Joey, thanks to an adorable terrier named Snuffy.  Vera finally makes peace with Joey as well as a deal to open a new nightclub in Joey's name.  Joey's lifelong dream finally comes true, but is short lived as he realizes he's working with a very jealous woman.  The love triangle drives Joey to finally make his choice, but can both women live with it? 

Highlights

Pal Joey is a musical without feeling like a musical.  It's along the same lines as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or Young at Heart: the songs are a natural part of the plot.  Almost all of the songs are done as nightclub performances, when you'd expect to hear them, not out in the middle of the street just for the heck of it.  And these songs are wonderful!  They are all Rogers and Hart numbers, and very familiar to many Frank Sinatra fans.  I loved hearing and seeing him perform some of my favorite songs like "I Could Write a Book" or "The Lady is a Tramp."  Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak each had some great numbers (like "Bewitched" and "My Funny Valentine"), though I learned afterward that they had both been dubbed.  Dubbed or not, it was still a great score and a lot of talent.

I want to talk briefly about icons.  I noticed that in this film, there's a part where a large poster of Joey is put up outside the Barbary Coast club.  That poster is one of the iconic Frank Sinatra images - it's the one where he's got his hat forward and his trenchcoat slung over his shoulder.  I mentioned before that this film was a perfect fit for Frank and it was.  I can't imagine anyone else in this role (except maybe Gene Kelly).  It's almost as if Angelo Maggio** had survived Pearl Harbor and was working the coast after the war.  Joey is the legend of Sinatra - singer, swinger, heartbreaker with all the swagger and bravado we know and love.  As much as I love Frank Sinatra, I know he wasn't the most handsome of leading men, but his voice and confidence more than make up for it.      

Rita Hayworth at this point in her career had already been a top leading lady for a number of years.  She was #1 at Columbia Pictures, having made her mark in films like Only Angels Have Wings (1939), Cover Girl (1944) and Gilda (1946)***.  Kim Novak had just started to rise, having made a huge success in the film Picnic only two years earlier.  As Robert Osborne said, this film was like a "passing of the crown" from Columbia's former leading lady to the new one.  Both women are great, talented actresses and each one does a phenomenal job in this movie.  I think Novak, Hayworth and Sinatra have equal roles in the film, though ultimately it does bring sharp focus to just Sinatra's character.  The film is a strong vehicle for all three performers and a must-see!

I have to mention some of the great lines in this movie.  First, upon seeing Joey sing for the first time, one of the chorus girls remarks how cute he is.  Her friend says: "You think everyone with pants is cute." To which the girl replies: "That's not true.  I like lots of people without pants."  Later on, Vera tells Joey he has "all the subtlety of a battering ram."  I think I've heard this line before, but never delivered as well as Rita Hayworth does it!  A few times we also hear the line, in reference to Joey, that "one false move and you're out on your Francis!"  I don't know how they came up with that line, whether it was really a figure of speech or not, but I laughed as Sinatra is a Francis.  Joey throughout the film spells out his words for emphasis, but never spells them correctly.  I wasn't sure each time if he was being funny or if he was uneducated.  For example, he spells classy "K-l-a-s-y".  Some of those misspellings Frank Sinatra kept using off stage - his line to Snuffy to get off the bed: "Get off, O-R-F, off!" was used during his performances at the Sands in the 60s.  Just another way that films cross into real life and legends are made.

Review and Recommendation

Pal Joey is a brilliant showcase for three legends of Hollywood.  It's a fun, energetic story full of romance and great music.  Maybe not one of the most famous of musicals, it's nevertheless an entertaining one and well worth watching.

Random Film Trivia:
* Sinatra was once arrested for "seduction and adultery in New Jersey in the 1930s.  Charges were eventually dropped, but the story stuck with Sinatra.
** Angelo Maggio was Sinatra's character in From Here to Eternity (1953); a performance which won Sinatra an Academy Award.  He wanted the part because he said it was a perfect fit for him and he wouldn't even have to act. 

*** For modern movie fans, Gilda was the film being shown in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), which is why Andy asks for Rita Hayworth.  The original story by Stephen King is called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.  I highly recommend both the film and the novella!  I got the movie listing from IMDb.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Intro.

Can you believe The Blues Brothers is already thirty years old?  It was one of those films I had always heard about and seen parodies of as I grew up, but I didn't watch it until college.  And then recently, as it hit its big 30 year anniversary, I went to see it at the AFI Silver Theater and it was like seeing it again for the first time.     

Overview

The film opens with Jake "Joliet" Blues (John Belushi) getting out of prison.  His brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) picks him up in his new car - an retired police car.  Elwood makes Jake keep his promise to go and see the nun (Kathleen Freeman) who ran their orphanage.  She is still there and as terrifying as ever, but has some sad news - the county tax assessor told her that unless she can pay them $5000 in 11 days, the county will close the orphanage.  After an inspiring sermon from Pastor Cleophus (James Brown) the brothers realize that they are on a mission from God - get the old blues band back together and make enough money from their gigs to pay the back taxes.  It isn't easy though, as first they have to convince all the guys to join them (in spite of protests from Aretha Franklin), get their instruments out on a loan (from Ray Charles), and then find some venues (including a great Country bar where they have to perform the theme from "Rawhide").  Meanwhile they manage to get the police after them as well as the Illinois neo-Nazi party.  They manage to arrange a huge benefit concert, but have some trouble getting out.  It all culminates with one of the funniest chase-scenes in film history, and at the time held the record for the highest number of crashed cars in a movie.  

Highlights

There is definitely a fun, campy feel to this movie - it manages to be ridiculous without ever becoming cheesy.  You can see how it had grown from a simple Saturday Night Live skit.  I think a lot of that is due to just how seriously Jake and Elwood take themselves.  Jake only removes his sunglasses once, and that is just to convince Carrie Fisher's character to stop trying to kill him.  Buildings blow up, cars careen upside-down in parking malls, the entire police force of Chicago is after them, and these guys don't even break a sweat.  They're the perfect heroes of modern America - the bad guys trying to do good, even if "doing good" involves a few crimes.  Ends justify the means, right?

Part of the reason the film has that campy feel because it doesn't quite stick to one genre.  It's clearly a comedy and stays one throughout, but it also takes in elements of police (cops-and-robbers) films as well as musicals.  But it manages to pull off this genre-version of musical chairs quite well.  I think that's because for the music they only wanted to work with the best - all of the guys in the Blues Brothers band are actual musicians (and quite talented ones too!).  Plus there are all those great cameos - I mean, Aretha Franklin belting out into song in her diner?  Classic! 

Overall, this is one of the most legendary of all buddy films.  I mean, we don't even know for sure if the two guys are really brothers (they were raised in an orphanage, so we don't know for certain) but it doesn't matter.  Their relationship is at the heart of the film - you can't have Elwood without Jake or Jake without Elwood.  That was what I took away from this film - not just the fantastic music or ridiculous car crashes, but the brotherhood. 

Review
I love this movie.  It's not the kind of film I'd normally watch, but it is so well done and so enjoyable, I can't help but love it.  I have a feeling you will too, as long as you can just relax and go along for the ride.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Intro.

Lately I've been in the mood for musicals and luckily, TCM has been airing plenty for me!  I was about to watch On the Town, which I had recorded, but when I turned on my television, Meet Me in St. Louis was about to start.  As I had not seen it before, I decided to sit back and enjoy this delightful Judy Garland film.

Overview
Meet Me in St. Louis is a tribute to simple family life at the turn of the century.  It opens in 1903 in the small but growing town of St. Louis.  The World's Fair is seven months away, but that doesn't stop everyone from talking (and singing!) about it.  We hear the second eldest daughter, Esther (Judy Garland) sing it as sweeps into the house where her mother (Mary Astor) and the maid Katie (Marjorie Main) are cooking supper.  Soon eldest daughter Rose (Lucille Bremer) comes home and we learn that she is expecting a call from her boyfriend in Yale and also that Esther is stuck on the boy next door.  The rest of the family includes two young sisters, Agnes (Joan Carroll) and Tootie (Margaret O'Brien), their grandfather (Harry Davenport), teenaged brother Alonzo (Henry Daniels) and the father and head of the household (Leon Ames).  Sadly, Rose does not get a proposal from her Yale beau like she expects, but that doesn't keep her from enjoying a going away party for college-bound Alonzo.  Nor does it keep Esther from having any excuse not to meet boy-next-door John Truett.  Esther and John start a sweet romance that only improves with time (including a horrible misunderstanding caused by the troublesome Tootie!).  Just as everything looks rosy, Dad announces that the family is moving to New York city just after Christmas.  A few heartbreaking scenes later, he must come to terms with the fact that his family's hearts as well as his own will always be in St. Louis, with or without the beautiful Fair.

Highlights

I loved everything about this film - the set designs, the acting, the careful pacing and sentiment are all wonderful.  What makes it work so well is that it is just a simple story about one year in the life of one family.  Sometimes the simplest plots yield the deepest stories and that's what happens on screen with this gem.  The songs are unforgettable; the feeling warm and nostalgic.

Judy Garland is a true standout in this film.  It's also the first one she made with Vincent Minelli, whom she later married, and one of their finest collaborations.  Judy is not only a scene-stealer, but a careful balance of excited, infatuated girl and refined, graceful woman.  Her songs alone could carry the film - she has such wonderful ones (apart from the title song) as: "The Trolley Song", "The Boy Next Door" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (yes, it's from this movie!).  All of that and some great dancing too!

I realize now, after I've watched, that this film was made in 1944.  I wonder if it too was part of the Hollywood war effort - not necessarily in the same way as Thousands Cheer, but with the same feeling of simple American values.  It captured the best part of our innocent past - a part that could still inspire hope for those involved in World War II both at home and abroad.  It reminds viewers (even today) of the youthful optimism of our past, perhaps in an effort to encourage a return of that same spirit.  Think about how powerful that message is in Judy's final song.  It's as if she is speaking to those men and women in the war: "Have yourself a merry little Christmas / Make the Yule-tide gay / Next year all our troubles will be miles away / Here we are as in olden days / Happy golden days of yore [...] / Through the years we all will be together / if the Fates allow."  Not only is she singing about Christmas, but about what we as a nation were feeling.  Now that's what I call a movie.

Review and Recommendation
Truly one of the best films I've ever reviewed for this site.  This film is sweet, simple, beautiful.  A romanticized notion of America perhaps, but a heartfelt one nonetheless.  An interesting reflection not only of 1900's America, but also of 1940's America, Meet Me in St. Louis is a definite must for your list of must-see musicals!

Thousands Cheer (1943)

Intro.

I was attracted to Thousands Cheer because of all the stars it bragged about in its write-up: Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi, Mary Astor, John Boles, Mickey Rooney, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Red Skelton and more.  Although I was disappointed in the overall film, I have to say that seeing so many Hollywood faces was still very entertaining.

Overview

Basically, Thousands Cheer is a lot like Anchors Aweigh on the surface except it's in the Army and without Frank Sinatra (big mistake!).  Gene Kelly plays a GI who gets involved with the Colonel's daughter (Kathryn Grayson), who is staying at her father's house on post and organizing the entertainment for the troops.  While at first they don't hit it off, Gene is pretty persistent and gets Kathryn to go with him to meet his family, a group of daredevil trapeze artists in the circus.  As their relationship develops, Kathryn is also trying to get her long separated parents back together as well as plan a huge star-studded show for the men at the post before they deploy for World War II.  Despite a few bumps and set backs, everything comes together and both troops and we the viewers are treated to a USO-style show with singing, dancing, and comedy skits.  And of course our leading couple end with a tearful goodbye at a train station in traditional feel-good Hollywood fashion.

Highlights

There are some true musical gems in this film.  Kathryn Grayson has some breath-taking songs in this film, including "Daybreak" and "Three Letters in the Mail Box."  Gene Kelly also performs his famous (not to mention adorable) dance with a mop to "Let Me Call You Sweetheart."  Jose Iturbi is also wonderful as both actor and pianist.  When they begin the big show emceed by Mickey Rooney, there are some great numbers there as well, including a doctor skit with Frank Morgan and Lucille Ball, a soda fountain skit with Red Skelton, and my favorite, a number by Judy Garland called "The Joint Is Really Jumpin' in Carnegie Hall."

Sadly, I did lose interest in the film as the pacing and storyline kind of lose momentum after a promising beginning.  I think afterward it was more of a showcase of talent like the later productions of "That's Entertainment".  However, placing it in a historical context, I can see now that this was part of Hollywood's war effort - a USO show for the silver screen.  Watching it, I could imagine audiences of the time thinking of Gene Kelly as a swell guy going off to war and Kathryn Grayson as the woman so many soldiers would like to have waiting for them back home.  It's a bit dated, but nevertheless an interesting look at wartime Hollywood.

Review

As I said, Thousands Cheer is an example of World War II Hollywood's war effort.  It entertains audiences with some great performances by a wide array of talents, including some very big names in the industry.  What it lacks in story it makes up for in heart, so if you want something fun and not too serious, it may be worth a try.

The Harvey Girls (1946)

Intro.

This past week the sun finally came out and it felt like spring for the first time this year. And although last month was supposed to be dedicated to musicals, this is the time I really feel like singing.  So a few days ago I watched a film that had been recommended by a friend of mine - The Harvey Girls.  It was bright, enjoyable and perfect for this time of year (or any time, really).

Overview

The Harvey Girls is based on the line of restaurants founded by Fred Harvey in the 1870s which grew along the quickly expanding railroad line, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe.  The all-female wait staff was known for good looks, good manners and good food and brought a sense of civilization to the West.  These are the girls that Susan Bradley (Judy Garland) meets on a train bound for Sandrock, where she is to meet her mail-order husband.  After quite a breath-taking entrance to the town (hence the Oscar-winning song, "On the Atchison, Tokpeka and the Santa Fe"), Susan meets her intended husband Hartsey (Chill Wills) and the two realize that it isn't going to work out.  The main reason is that Hartsey had local dance-hall owner Ned Trent (John Hodiak) write those beautiful, tender letters to Susan.  Susan joins The Harvey Girls and soon their restaurant becomes a big rival to the dance hall, leading to a lot of confrontations, hold-ups and dance-offs between the Harvey Girls and the saloon girls, led by none other than Angela Lansbury.  Susan and Ned also have their own face-off, but in a sort of Pride and Prejudice way, as Susan realizes what Ned's intentions really are.  It all wraps up with the classic "this town isn't big enough for the two of us" scene where the train has to take the losers to the next town down the line.

Highlights

The music in this film is fantastic - proof that the Oscar for Best Song was richly deserved.  I also really enjoyed the color and choreography of all the dance numbers.  All the care and hard work shows in such a polished film.  Not only is Judy Garland outstanding in her singing and acting, but her co-stars shine as well. It's great to see her reunite with Ray Bolger (who has a great dance number!), and wonderful to watch her sparring with Angela Lansbury (who, believe it or not, makes a great mean-girl-turned-sympathetic-rival).  We also get some good humor from Chill Wills and Virginia O'Brien, as well as an early role for the graceful dancer Cyd Charisse.

I think what really got to me about this film was how great it was to see such strong female leads.  In typical Westerns, it's usually the men that do all the fighting, but here it's the women (okay, so some of the men set fire to the restaurant, but that's not direct confrontation).  Part of it goes back to the unusual pairing of the Western and Musical genres - something so traditionally masculine and something so traditionally feminine.  Here the male lead, Ned, is much more subdued and poetic while Judy Garland is the one throwing punches.  It's pretty neat to see such an unusual switch, but that's another topic for another day. 

Review
In Westerns, both women and music have long been regarded as signs of progress and civilization, and the Harvey Girls bring both to the little town of Sandrock.  Not only that, but they also bring great songs, dances, food and a lot of heart.  The Harvey Girls is a great film that anyone can enjoy, and I recommend it as a must-see Musical.

P.S. The story of Fred Harvery is pretty neat - you can read more here at the Kansas State Historical Society.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Intro.

As March was supposed to be Musicals Month, I went in search of musicals tonight and stumbled across Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which I had always assumed was a comedy.  In fact it was cross-listed online as romantic comedy, classic comedy, and classic musical.  Watching the film, I thought back to a film class I once took where we talked about what defines a movie's genre - I mean really, what makes a musical a Musical?  Certainly the genre conjures memories of Singin' in the Rain, Oklahoma!, Cabaret, West Side Story and a long list of similar titles.  But what about films like the melodramatic Young at Heart or even something more lighthearted like Robin and the 7 Hoods or Road to Morocco?  Is it the story line?  The number of songs?  What?  I think we finally formed a blurry definition that a musical earns its genre title when it contains three songs performed by characters in the film as a part of the story.  Of course there will always be gray areas, like the super traditional Western Rio Grande (imagine telling the Duke he was in a Musical!), but all in all, I think it's a pretty good rule, and as such Gentlemen Prefer Blondes would be more in the sophisticated, buddy-film type of classic musical.      

Overview

Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw (Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell) are American entertainers with their own successful show.  Their beauty and their talent gets them plenty of attention, most notably of which is Gus Esmond, a shy ordinary guy with a lot of family money.  He is engaged to Lorelei despite his father's wishes.  Instead of them sailing to Europe to marry, he sends Dorothy as a chaperon with the promise that he will meet them in Paris.  While Lorelei is more concerned with money as the basis of a secure marriage, Dorothy is more in line with the idea that love alone is all that a good marriage needs.  On that point they differ, but they are clearly best friends, making the most of their voyage.  Unfortunately, the guy Dorothy meets and falls for, Ernie Malone (played by Elliott Reid), is actually a private detective hired by Gus's father to trail the ever-flirtatious Lorelei.  When he catches her with an older man (who happens to own a diamond mine), he takes pictures.  Dorothy catches him though, and the girls then have to figure out a way to steal the photos back.  Once they do, in gratitude for their work, the mine owner (Charles Coburn) gives Lorelei his wife's diamond tiara.  By the time the girls land in France, they find that not only have their letters of credit and hotel lodgings been canceled by a jealous Gus, but the police are after them for a "stolen" tiara.  The results are hilarious and well choreographed in more than one sense!

Highlights

Most musicals are well remembered because of their unforgettable songs.  In this case, I only have 6 little words for you: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."  In that number alone, Marilyn Monroe makes the entire picture, not to mention her legend.  However, Jane Russell is just as amazing and a great scene stealer earlier in the film with "Bye Bye Baby" and "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love?"  And the girls are also great together with their signature song, "Two Little Girls from Little Rock" and "When Love Goes Wrong" (the latter of which is my favorite from the show).

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell are phenomenal in this film, and would be even without the music.  I think they make a great team and give an interesting picture of two very confident, independent women who stick together no matter what.  But as free and fun-loving as they are, you have to remember that it's a 1950's romantic comedy, so there's only one way it can really end (I won't say more, I promise!).  Even with the obvious sexual stereotypes, it's nice to see women have the upper hand, and no one handles it better than these two actresses.  And you can't help but laugh at the line: "If we can't empty his pockets between the two of us, we don't deserve the name 'woman'."

Review

Whatever you want to call it - a comedy, a musical, or a buddy film - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is definitely worth watching.  The humor, the music, and the great relationship between two such dynamite actresses all make for a great time!

Public Cowboy #1 (1937)

Intro.

Public Cowboy #1 is probably Gene Autry's most referenced film.   I did a research paper on early Westerns a few years ago, and I remember reading countless articles all of which mentioned this picture.  So it was a real treat to watch it last week.  All the hype is due - not only is this an entertaining vehicle, but it clearly demonstrates (better than most of Gene's pictures) the role Gene holds as a hero of the working class during the Depression.  He represents the farmers and ranchers who are hit the worst and his fight soon becomes the fight of all men and women of the time.

Overview

Gene plays a deputy sheriff out in cattle country, where the older sheriff has raised him like a son.  The film opens with the two of them good-naturedly helping their ranching neighbors to round up some strays.   The ranchers have been complaining because of some mysterious rustling - it seems that their cattle are disappearing without a trace.  We as the audience learn that the cattle are being stolen by the Chicago and Western packing company headed by a guy named Shannon.  He's got airplanes passing over head and radioing the packing truckers when and where there is an unguarded herd.  The truckers drive in, kill the cattle and ship them off in minutes, leaving the ranchers on horseback completely baffled.  The sheriff is outwitted as well, so the town votes him out of office and brings in a "modern" police force that promises to use new scientific methods to capture the crooks.  However, the rustlers didn't count on Gene's determination to solve the case the old-fashioned way and give the Sheriff back his pride.  He manages to do just that with the help of Frog's home-made shortwave radio, a funny undercover job and a pretty female newspaper editor named Ann (played by Helen Morgan).  The final show-down is a triumph not only for the ranchers, but for audiences of any generation feeling the pressures of change and technology.

Highlights

Gene, as in most of his pre-WWII films, has a lot of singing in this film. All of the songs are worth mentioning, but especially good were "Old Buckaroo" and the haunting "Wanderers of the Wasteland," the latter of which opens the film on somewhat of a somber note.  My favorite song though is "The West Ain't What it Used to Be," which Gene sings to Ann once they've met and later adds to in an attempt to serenade her.  I've typed up the lyrics, and here's a sample that backs up the whole sentiment of the film - that the West, both in the physical sense and in the mental image of America's promise, has changed.  Whether or not we can call this progress positive is another subject that isn't mentioned.

"There's a New Deal in the West today,
Where the antelope used to play,
I met a deer this very day,
Oh, the West ain't what it used to be."

"There ain't much left of the West no more,
The cowboys all turned troubadour,
A gal I know is an editor,
Oh, the West ain't what it used to be."
-music and lyrics by Fleming Allen

One of the topics I've written about before (and have read a good deal about) is the portrayal of women in Westerns.  Usually they are marked as the innocent, fragile beacon of civilization that must be protected.  However, with the development of a less rough-and-tough hero (I mean, come on, he sings after all) there's a shift towards making women much stronger, more independent characters.  Ann is the epitome of that - she not only writes for the newspaper, she runs the whole office.  She works harder and is more stubborn than her male counterparts.  She represents the best aspects of progress, and while Gene doesn't fit in with her world (as evidenced by him constantly knocking things over in the newspaper office), he does respect her.  When he teases her about her strong work ethic, he says "I guess I'll have to learn how to cook then."  All I want to say is "yes, Gene.  Yes you will."

While Ann may represent the good side of progress, the rustlers and Shannon represent the bad side.  All of the fears of the time are played out here - the fear of losing land and livelihoods and the fear that technology will put the working man out of business.  The film clearly references the very popular crime drama genre of the day - calling the packing company "Chicago & Western" alludes to it being run by gangsters (as well as Shannon wearing dark tailored business suits).  Even the title is a play on the James Cagney hit, The Public Enemy (1931).  Cowboys can not only beat bank robbers and horse-thieves, but they can also take down modern criminals, something the new police-scientists can't accomplish.  It's clear from the beginning that this is a fight Gene has to win - he has to preserve that last part of American fortitude and the can-do spirit, even in the most difficult of times.  His triumph is our triumph.

Review

I love Westerns, as you probably have guessed by now.  And of all the Gene Autry films I've seen, I think that Public Cowboy #1 is definitely one of, if not the absolute, best.  It isn't just about how the story works or how the cinematography looks - this is a film that captures the feeling of a certain time and place and endures because that feeling is universal.  So I definitely recommend this film, especially if you are a fan of how film reflects history or how the Western evolved.

As I read this all back over, I realize how serious this post sounds.  So let me leave you with a more lighthearted thought: I've heard a lot about the funny debate in the past few years about who would win in a fight - ninjas or pirates.  Well, let me end by saying my money's on the cowboys.

If you're interested in reading more, there's a great article by Lynette Tan called "The New Deal Cowboy: Gene Autry and the Anti-Modern Resolution."  If you think all B-Westerns are lousy oaters, then this article may change your mind!      

West Side Story (1961)

Intro.

Each of us has that "list" of films we want to see, but for one reason or another haven't gotten around to seeing.  Whenever someone recommends a movie to us, we say we'll put it on our list.  West Side Story was one of those movies on my list.  I had always been meaning to see it, so when it was featured on TCM a few days ago as part of their 31 days of Oscar marathon, I finally got my chance.  I already knew it was based on Romeo & Juliet, but it surprised me by being unpredictable.

Overview

For the most part, West Side Story does mirror Romeo & Juliet.  The feuding families have been replaced with rival teenage gangs - the American born Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks.  Of course there's a dance at the school gymnasium, where Maria, the sister of the Sharks leader Bernardo, meets Tony, one of the founding members of the Jets.  Tony has since given up the gang life in order to work and make a life for himself.  His best friend Riff now runs the Jets, and has asked him to help with a war council against the Sharks.  Bernardo, furious that Maria danced with Tony, accepts Riff's challenge to a rumble.  The agreement is that one man from each side will fight with only his fists - no weapons.  Meanwhile, Tony and Maria get together, but she pleads with him to stop the fight.  Tony arrives as the rumble begins, and his attempts to stop it only further anger Bernardo.  Needless to say, the fight gets way out of control and ends with both Riff and Bernardo dead.  Bernardo's friend Chino goes after Tony for revenge and after a few fateful twists, the film closes with both gangs realizing just what their hatred has done.

Highlights
The music and choreography are definitely the shining features of this film.  It feels almost like an opera, with its sweeping dance sequences and limited amount of dialogue.  The beginning was a bit difficult for me to get interested in, as it felt a little on the long side.  Also, it took some time for me to really appreciate and accept a bunch of teenage gangsters trying to assert their territory by dancing down the street.  But as soon as we meet Maria and Tony, the film changes both in depth and color.  Everything in the Puerto Rican homes is bright, rich and multi-colored, which makes it the perfect setting for Maria and Tony to reunite and declare their love.  In addition to the wonderful performances of Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno does an outstanding job as Bernardo's girlfriend Anita.  Especially good is the number done by the Sharks and their women called "America", which focuses on the hardships faced by immigrants.

Review
I was surprised that Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer both had their singing dubbed, and I have to confess it took some of the magic away.  The film does feel a bit dated, and as I mentioned before the beginning is a little long.  Still, I can see why the film earned its 10 Oscars, as it beautifully touches such difficult topics as teenage angst and rebellion, fated love, and prejudice.  It is one of the most simple story lines that has produced such a complex and dynamic musical.  If West Side Story is still on your list, move it up to the top and watch it soon.

Melody Ranch (1940)

Intro.
It seems as though I've stumbled onto all these great 1940 musical Westerns in the past few weeks.  I happened upon this one on Netflix and the reason it stood out was the cast - I have to admit, I had to blink a few times to make sure I was reading it correctly.  A Gene Autry picture with Ann Miller and Jimmy Durante?  THE Jimmy Durante?  The same Jimmy Durante that completely won me over in It Happened in Brooklyn (one of Frank Sinatra's best films)???  In a WESTERN?  Needless to say, I had to see it to believe it.

Overview
The plot to the film is really pretty interesting - Gene plays a cowboy who gave up his spurs for a microphone and has become a big radio star.  His old hometown, Torpedo, has invited him to be an honorary Sheriff for their Frontier Days celebration.  Thinking it's good for publicity, Gene goes with his whole radio show, including big-city diva Julie (Ann Miller) and comical manager Corny (Jimmy Durante), who certainly lives up to his name.  Once there, Gene gets shown up by some bad guys and realizes he's lost his edge - he's no longer a cowboy, but a pampered city dweller.  So he decides to stay in Torpedo, get in shape, and clean up the town.  Which he of course does, all the while still hosting his radio program and winning over Julie.

Highlights (and low points)
The music in this film was above par for Gene's B-Westerns.  He has some beautiful solos in here, most enchanting being "Call of the Canyon".  He and Ann Miller have a gorgeous duet as well, "Never Dream the Same Dream Twice."  It's clear in this picture why so many women went crazy over Gene - his voice is at its peak and he looks terrific too.  When he serenades Ann Miller overlooking Melody Ranch's canyon, you fall for him right along with her.  The music is added to by Mary Lee (who I adore!) and her rich voice, as well as Gene's backup.  I thought those musicians looked familiar - it's none other than Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys!  Talk about a bunch of legends together on one screen!

I'm glad that Ann Miller gets a dance solo in here too, even if it is a bit short.  On the other hand, though, she gets more time to sing, which makes you appreciate her talent in a different way.  Also to note, the bad guys do a funny parody of Gene's famous theme song with (Go) "Back to the City Again."  And bonus, Ann's manager/boyfriend Tommy is played by Jerome Cowman.  You probably know him better as Miles Archer...as in Spade & Archer of The Maltese Falcon.

Finally, Jimmy Durante.  He plays the screwy sidekick like Frog Millhouse or Pat Buttram.  It's hard seeing him in such a corny role and I have to admit some of his scenes will make you groan.  But you have to remember it's all in good fun and really, Jimmy is terrific anywhere and anytime.  It's funny, I was just thinking how this film is a good example of the type of film I call the "crooner-comedian" type.  Think Martin and Lewis or Crosby and Hope or Sinatra and Durante.  There's always the straight man with the smooth singing, and then the comedic sidekick who can get obnoxious, but only in fun.  In this case it's Autry and Durante - an unusual pairing, but still very, very entertaining. 

Review and Recommendation
There are some films you have to see simply because of the cast.  It's like Paint Your Wagon - yes, it's a bit cheesy and wrong on so many fronts, but it features Clint Eastwood singing.  This is a must see.  Similarly, seeing Jimmy Durante in a Western is definitely a must see.  It's corny, and if you're a Durante fan, you may be a bit disappointed.  But go with the flow, enjoy it for entertainment's sake and remember that you're watching a bit of grand Hollywood history.

Oh yeah, and if you're a huge Gene Autry fan like me, this film will give you plenty to swoon over :-)  Enjoy!