1h 38min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 8 December 1949
Directors: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Stars: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Vera-Ellen.
Jeanne Coyne ... assistant: Mr. Kelly, Hollywood (uncredited)
Carol Haney ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Alex Romero ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041716/
In the Tap! Appendix for Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Frank Sinatra.
I watched the credits very carefully, and no credit was given for choreography. This comes from a B'way show, so that could be at issue. I wonder what GK looks like when he dances someone else's choreography - or did he ever do that on film or on stage.
Songs performed; *'s have music by Leonard Bernstein, others have music by Roger Edens, all have lyrics by Comden & Green. (29 chapters with menu):
- ch2. I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet*, Sung by Bern Hoffman
- ch2. New York, New York*, Sung and danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin
- ch4. Miss Turnstiles, Danced by Vera-Ellen and Chorus
- ch7. Prehistoric Man, Sung by Ann Miller, Danced by Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Betty Garrett
- ch10. Come Up to My Place*, Sung by Betty Garrett and Frank Sinatra
- ch14. Main Street, Sung by Gene Kelly, Danced by Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen
- ch16. You're Awful, Sung by Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett
- ch18. On the Town, Sung and danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, and Vera-Ellen
- ch22. Count on Me, Sung by Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller, Alice Pearce, and Gene Kelly
- ch23. A Day in New York*, Danced by Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Carol Haney, and dancers
- ch26. That's All There Is, Folks, Danced by Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin
- ch28. I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet*, reprise Sung by Bern Hoffman
- ch28. New York, New York*, reprise
The cast listing for the A Day in New York ballet is very confusing: IMDb has more people in that ballet than the 6 who appear onscreen, naming 4 additional women and 1 additional man. In addition to GK, VE & Carol Haney (green dress): Bette Arlen (no photo), Dorinda Clifton (bad photo, but unlikely), Jeanne Coyne (her face doesn't match), Luigi Faccuito (no useful images), Gloria Marlen (her face doesn't match), Alex Romero (probable), Lee Scott (man, photo not helpful), Tyra Vaughn (no reliable images). [Jeanne Coyne was married to Stanley Donen '48-'51; to GK '60-'73 (her death at age 50, leukemia).]
Previously rated 9, I've gotta bump this to 10. I can't reserve Singin' in the Rain ('52) as the only great GK musical. Is this as good as The Wizard of Oz ('39)? In it's own way, yes.
What's so great?
- This has terrific pace. I don't have any moment where I feel it drags.
- This is an integrated musical. Not every emotion or plot twist is expressed in song, but none of the songs are just performance for performance sake.
- It's the first musical to be filmed on location, and what a location! And FS was at a popularity peak, so it was a major headache to get shots without drooling onlookers.
- The daydream/memory ballet is lengthy, gorgeous, and retells the entire story in mime/dance. (IMDb Trivia also says it's the first film to use trained ballet dancers as subs for the leads, although it's phrased more specifically.)
- The story is fairly simple, but interesting. It could be grimy and jaded, but it's sweet.
- We get a secondary and a tertiary couple, with each getting some specialties of their own.
- This rates pretty high on my feminist meter; all 3 women have jobs/interests, not just landing a man in marriage (or worse). BG & AM are both man-chasers, BG aggressively so, but that's rather feminist too. Even 7th wheel Alice Pearce is fairly self-sufficient and realistic about her prospects, and GK treats her pretty well (almost).
- The dancing, dancing, dancing. Tap, ballet, jazz, caveman, we get it all, designed and executed to perfection.
- I think I could actually go on, but I'm getting tired.
How does this film not have a commentary track, a featurette, deleted scenes? I wonder if the blu-ray has any better scan, and if that means the poor quality footage in the Miss Turnstiles number just looks more sharply speckled.
#19 on AFI's 2006 list of 25 best musicals.
MGM, dir. Kelly, Donen; 10
