1h 48min | Musical, Romance | 31 August 1950
Director: Charles Walters
Stars: Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, Phil Silvers, Ray Collins, Carleton Carpenter, Hans Conried.
Nick Castle ... dance stager
In the Tap! Appendix for Judy Garland, Gene Kelly.
Last MGM film for JG; she has 6 more films, 2 are only vocals.
I've never liked this film, especially not as much as the 2 stars should predict I would. And, unlike The Pirate ('48), I'm not revising my opinion today.
Part of it is the songs; only Get Happy is memorable. GK's dance with the newspaper is memorable, but only for the newspaper gimmick; he has a faster dance (ch9) that's more "wow".
Part of it is the costumes: mostly rehearsal clothes and overalls until we see the "show" at the end, and then, while some costumes are so dressy that you wonder where'd the money come from, the sets are befitting the no-money premise. I prefer glamour and beauty (or at least "pretty") in my musicals.
Part of it is how JG looks and acts. She's only 27 during this, but she looks more than a decade older. And I pity her petite frame (just under 5'), because fat shows quickly: she has to stand in profile during the challenge dance, and her waistline is noticeable although there's no color break there. She's much thinner for the Get Happy number, which was filmed after the film wrapped. Her acting feels like the pea-sized crumbles when making a pie crust: after you've blended the fat and the flour, but before you've added the liquid to bring the crust together.
I've never liked this film, especially not as much as the 2 stars should predict I would. And, unlike The Pirate ('48), I'm not revising my opinion today.
Part of it is the songs; only Get Happy is memorable. GK's dance with the newspaper is memorable, but only for the newspaper gimmick; he has a faster dance (ch9) that's more "wow".
Part of it is the costumes: mostly rehearsal clothes and overalls until we see the "show" at the end, and then, while some costumes are so dressy that you wonder where'd the money come from, the sets are befitting the no-money premise. I prefer glamour and beauty (or at least "pretty") in my musicals.
Part of it is how JG looks and acts. She's only 27 during this, but she looks more than a decade older. And I pity her petite frame (just under 5'), because fat shows quickly: she has to stand in profile during the challenge dance, and her waistline is noticeable although there's no color break there. She's much thinner for the Get Happy number, which was filmed after the film wrapped. Her acting feels like the pea-sized crumbles when making a pie crust: after you've blended the fat and the flour, but before you've added the liquid to bring the crust together.
The featurette explains that they interrupted production for her to stay 3 months at a sanitarium/hospital to rest mentally and physically. Not clear to me: the chronology on when she knew this was her last MGM film, nor who severed the contract. Update: just watched Private Screenings with Stanley Donen, reminding us that JG was slated to costar with Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding ('51). So they had not decided to fire her during Summer Stock.
MM is a treasure trove that is completely underutilized here. She's already 3 films into the Ma & Pa Kettle series over at Universal. I wonder if this film completed a contract at MGM, or if she was freelance, or loaned.
Also strange to see Eddie Bracken away from Paramount. I don't recognize his film titles from these years, and he semi-retires after '53.
Songs performed (33 chapters with menu):
I just don't feel like being generous and calling this 7-.
MM is a treasure trove that is completely underutilized here. She's already 3 films into the Ma & Pa Kettle series over at Universal. I wonder if this film completed a contract at MGM, or if she was freelance, or loaned.
Also strange to see Eddie Bracken away from Paramount. I don't recognize his film titles from these years, and he semi-retires after '53.
Songs performed (33 chapters with menu):
- ch2. If You Feel Like Singing, Sing, Performed by Judy Garland
- ch5. (Howdy Neighbor) Happy Harvest, Sung by Judy Garland
- ch9. Dig-Dig-Dig Dig For Your Dinner, Sung/danced by Gene Kelly with onlookers
- ch12. Mem'ry Island, Performed by Gloria DeHaven and Hans Conried (dubbed by Pete Roberts)
- ch14. Portland Fancy, Played and danced to by the townspeople at the social, Swing version danced to by the stock company members, then by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland
- ch18. You Wonderful You, Performed by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. Only a tiny bit of dancing
- ch20. Friendly Star, Performed by Judy Garland
- ch23. You Wonderful You, Danced by Gene Kelly with newspaper
- The Show:
- ch28. All for You, Sung/danced by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland and chorus, all in black formal wear (chorus girls in hat-check mini dresses)
- ch29. You Wonderful You, Sung by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland
- ch30. Heavenly Music, Performed by Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers as hillbillies with giant feet, and "singing" dogs
- ch31. Get Happy, Performed by Judy Garland and male chorus, again in black formal wear
- ch33. (Howdy Neighbor) Happy Harvest, Performed in the finale by Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Phil Silvers and stock company members in Technicolor overalls
I just don't feel like being generous and calling this 7-.
MGM, dir. Walters; 6+
