Gypsy (1993), 8-

2h 33min | Biography, Comedy, Drama | TV | 12 Dec 1993

Based on the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee, this made-for-TV movie-previously a Broadway smash and a 1962 film-depicts the life and times of a stripper and her domineering mother.

Director: Emile Ardolino

Stars: Bette Midler, Peter Riegert, Cynthia Gibb, Christine Ebersole, Elisabeth Moss (b. '82).

Kathleen Dawson ... assistant choreographer

Peggy Holmes ... movement consultant

Diana Laurenson ... assistant choreographer

Jerome Robbins ... choreographer / choreographer: original stage production / director: original stage production

Bonnie Walker ... choreographer: Mr. Robbins' recreated by

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107065/

Watched on AmazonPrime.

14 songs in the Soundtracks, all Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Notice the director of Dirty Dancing & Sister Act noted on the poster.

I watched Gypsy (1962), 8 in mid-August (it's mid-Nov now). I feel that one is slightly better, so I'll give this one a minus.

It was delightful to have a traditional musical on my screen. More dancing would be better, especially given how many choreography credits there were. This is more of a singing musical with deliberately bad dancing because the child acts are bad, and the strippers don't dance. So the "best" dancing is by Tulsa out in the alley, which is still not exciting, because it's choreography made by a young adult, not yet a pro. The '62 film had the same issue.

Very fun to recognize EM as the young Louise. Wish she could have grown up right there to play Gypsy.

I thought BM had done this show onstage, but it doesn't list her for this on IBDb. Instead, the '89-'91 revival starred Tyne Daly and then Linda Lavin.

distr. CBS, dir. Ardolino; 8-

Gypsy (1962), 8

Based on the Broadway hit about the life and times of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee and her aggressive stage mother, Mama Rose.
2h 23min | Biography, Comedy, Drama | 1 November 1962 | Color, WS
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Stars: Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden.
Jerome Robbins ... based upon the stage play choreographed by / based upon the stage play directed by
Robert Tucker ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056048/

16 songs in the Soundtracks by Jule Stein and Stephen Sondheim.

I've always loved this film. The songs (both music and lyrics), the acting, the pacing, the story.

Let Me Entertain You seems like one of those songs that must have always been imported from burlesque, but it's written for the show. 

Fascinating that they managed to write "bad" songs to fit the story, yet they're great songs.

Interesting balance between Gypsy and Rose in this film. Is Rose the real star, despite the title?

Also fascinating that Robbins choreographed the stage version. After doing the great athletic West Side Story, how do come down to bad kid acts and strippers? There's not even a big ensemble number here.

I followed Gypsy Rose Lee ever since seeing this on TV whenever that was (60's?). She had a daytime talk show for a while, also in the 60's. I'm not sure which I would have seen first. And while going through this quest I paid extra attention when she was onscreen or behind it (author).

I enjoyed this again today.

Mervyn LeRoy Prod., distr. Warner, dir. LeRoy; 8

Battle of Broadway (1938), 5- {nm}

Two American Legionnaires on convention in New York share adventures and rivalries in an around show biz.
(84 min) Released 1938-04-22
Directors: George Marshall, Allan Dwan (uncredited)
Stars: Victor McLaglen, Brian Donlevy, Gypsy Rose Lee

Genres: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Music | Romance
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029902/

When I saw that Mary Martin dubbed Gypsy's singing, I was looking forward to seeing Gypsy perform. But she literally walked while the chorus danced, not walking rhythmically, nothing. I don't remember seeing that before. (The singing is nice.)

Other than the 1 nightclub number, the only thing for musical fans to savor is an early speaking performance of Lynn Bari, who's been serving in the chorus for years, and has decent roles in many (future) films. This is likely her highest billing to date; only her 5th role with a character name. I saw her among the anonymous uncredited chorus very recently.

This film is more for Action/Adventure/brawling fans. Here McLaglen can't sit at a diner counter without destroying several meals and their place settings. I don't know if this film is funny; I wasn't in the mood for what it offers.

Fox, dir. Marshall & Dwan; 5-

Love Me Tonight (1932); 8+

A Parisian tailor finds himself posing as a baron in order to collect a sizeable bill from an aristocrat, only to fall in love with an aloof young princess.
(104 mins.) Released 1932-08-13
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Stars: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Charles Ruggles, Charles Butterworth

comedy, musical, romance

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023158/

originally posted  5 Oct 2017 16:03

I remember this movie fondly, especially for an early musical. But it deserves the high score without considering its age. 

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This is the 5th Maurice Chevalier movie in my collection, paired with Jeanette MacDonald for the 4th time. But this time the director is Rouben Mamoulian, and we trade the Lubitsch Touch for the Mamoulian's joy and genius. Plus the great songwriters Rodgers and Hart, and 6 character actors who flesh out the cast sumptuously (in billing order: Charles Ruggles, Charles Butterworth, Myrna Loy, C. Aubrey Smith, Elizabeth Patterson and Robert Grieg). Paramount's sets (and effects) and costumes add well too.

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Joy and Genius part 1: The opening, as Paris awakens, and makes more and more noises, they mingle rhythmically, eventually turning into a song with MC greeting his fellow merchants and praising Paris. After a couple of transactions in his shop, he begins singing Isn't It Romantic, one of R&H's best standards. His customer takes it out of the shop, and it's picked up by a cabbie, a composer, a traincar full of soldiers, a gypsy violinist, the whole gypsy camp, and finally JM at her uncle's nearby estate.

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When MC arrives at that estate the next day (seeking to collect fees due him by Ruggles, a nephew of JM's uncle), he is introduced as a baron to dodge the debt. The next morning we have various residents of the estate singing Mimi, which MC sang to JM on the prior afternoon, and must have sung the night before to the assembled guests and residents of the estate.

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J&G, pt2: As the wealthy are wont to do, they go on a stag hunt, giving MC the horse no one would dare ride. The hunt takes an unusual turn, and the wonderful score by Rodgers enhances the story enormously. (According to the commentary track, Rodgers had never written a film score before, and enjoyed it. Wikipedia lists 19 R&H stage shows before this film.)

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At the costume ball that night, MC entertains the party with a dramatic song, The Poor Apache. Mamoulian lights the performance from below, so MC's movements are exaggerated by his much larger shadow. Mamoulian applied the same lighting to an earlier scene with 3 dowagers lamenting JM's single status (conjuring up a husband?)

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After a scene in the garden when JM finally realizes she loves MC as he loves her, we see them in their separate beds dreaming (and singing the title song) about each other, including a split screen shot joining them together. (Pillow Talk (1959, Gordon) and Indiscreet (1958, Donen) would also use split screen to unite their couples in bed.)

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We get one more viral song when the house discovers (by his confession) that MC, The Son of Gun is Nothing But a Tailor. The residents, guests and staff spread the word via song. 

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J&G, pt 3: We close with a reprise of Love Me Tonight, voiced by both, over a beautifully double-exposed montage of MC leaving in disgrace and JM agonizing that she's rejecting the man she loves. She gives him a long head start, and he's on a speeding train, but she catches up with him on horseback, and we get a dramatic conclusion. The way Mamoulian shoots JM's heroic stance from below is worthy of The Fountainhead (1949c Vidor).

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Many scenes are filmed outdoors, at the Paramount Ranch according to the IMDb entry, and the variety of exterior versus interior enhances the film. Many song lyrics are modified to the action of the moment - while still rhyming, thank you very much. (Such a shame that Hart was too troubled to continue his partnership with Rodgers, but Hammerstein benefited from the new union.)

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Paramount, dir. Mamoulian; 8+

The Loves of Carmen (1948), 7- Color

A beautiful but amoral gypsy girl entices a young dragoon to betray his honor and get cashiered from the service, and for her sake he soon turns to a life of crime.
1h 39min | Adventure, Drama, Music | 23 August 1948 | Color
Director: Charles Vidor
Stars: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, Ron Randell, Victor Jory.
Robert Sidney ... choreographer
Eduardo Cansino... choreographer (uncredited), associate choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040552/

3rd of 5 films with RH & GF together; Gilda ('46) was the 2nd.

Only 1 song in the Soundtracks, sung by RH (dubbed). She dances a few times; always a pleasure to see. I would not have tagged this as Music/al, but I won't fight it.

I don't remember the Bizet opera having such an elaborate story. But with opera, you get lots of repetition, so that in the days before supertitles the audience might be able to follow the story. None of the Bizet music is used here.

This is entertaining, but too violent for me (even when a kick is delivered offscreen, I hate that). When they are in civilization, it's nice to look at; in the wild, it's drab (desert, cave).

In addition to RH's father getting choreography credit, I see 2 other Cansino's in the cast. I wouldn't recognize any of them.
Jose Cansino ... Gypsy Dancer (uncredited)
Vernon Cansino... Soldier (uncredited)

IMDb trivia for RH: In 1947, started her own production company, "Beckworth Corporation" (formed from syllables of her daughters name, Rebecca Welles, and her own surname). It was dissolved in 1954 under advice from her fourth husband, Dick Haymes. RH was married to 2nd of 5 husbands Orson Welles (7 September 1943 - 1 December 1948) (divorced) (1 child).

RH's beauty, dancing and acting push this to Recommended status.

The Beckworth Corporation, distr. Columbia, dir. Vidor; 7-

Hot Blood (1956), 5

Stephen Torino (Wilde), who is tricked by his brother Marco (Adler) into an arranged marriage with tempestuous Annie Caldash (Russell). Annie is willing to give the union a go, but Torino wants none of it.
1h 25min | Drama, Musical | 7 March 1956 | Color, WS
Director: Nicholas Ray
Stars: Jane Russell, Cornel Wilde, Luther Adler.
Sylvia Lewis ... choreographer
Matt Mattox ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049333/

Nothing in the Soundtracks. I don't remember songs per se, just gypsy music to which they dance. The way JR & CW's dancing is filmed, you can be sure the majority of the dancing is done by doubles. No mention of that in the cast list, which makes me speculate that the choreographers were the dancers, but MM is more slender than CW.

CW is not tricked by his brother, really. His brother did arrange the marriage without consulting him, but that wasn't so surprising. However, JR did some trickery of her own.

The story is boring, and the acting is flat. I'm a fan of JR & CW, but they had no humor to play, no knowing glances to throw. She's trying to make the marriage work within the gypsy culture (both are gypsies here), which is sexist yet not. The woman is supposed to earn money, rather like the lioness hunting. And she has equal rights to terminate the marriage. But the husband then gets to spend the money and abuse his wife. Violence is directed at anyone, using whips and belts. Thievery and cheating are the primary professions. It's an unsavory world.

There's nothing interesting about this. Because the dancing is done by doubles, the filming is horrible: too far away, or close up on feet. I just didn't care at the end whether JR & CW stayed together or not.

Columbia, dir. Ray; 5

Doll Face (1945), 6

Burlesque star (Blaine) makes it in the big time.
1h 20min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 31 December 1945
Director: Lewis Seiler
Stars: Vivian Blaine, Dennis O'Keefe, Perry Como, Carmen Miranda.
Kenny Williams ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037650/

This feels like a major demotion for VB & CM to be in a black and white movie. Perhaps this is a post-war decision, that audiences didn't need color to boost morale anymore. Or maybe it's a lack of confidence in a Gypsy Rose Lee-penned play, or its subject matter. (Her prior and first writing credit, Lady of Burlesque was in '43. Her 3rd and final is Gypsy ('62), each produced by different studios.) CM has only 1 more Fox film, in '46, also VB & PC top-billed, also b/w; this is 15th of her 20 film credits. This is VB's 9th of 19 films, and she makes only 2 more for Fox. So the demotion theory holds water.

The Soundtracks lists 6 songs with 3 reprises: 1 without a performer, and only 1 by CM. She really dances here, and has a male partner shorter than she, while she is BAREFOOT. The dvd includes another number with her (She Was Always True to the Navy), and her turban has a lighthouse on top. The collar suggest a sailor uniform, so I'd guess the gown is (a very shiny) navy blue. Don't miss the rope-shaped bracelet.

Perry Como gets 2 duets and a solo that becomes a dance number for the chorus. He also acts in the backstage story. He's so young and pretty, but his quiet personality is better suited for TV, where he had a variety show '48-'67.

DO again does not dance at all. Former chorus boy for years, and not an ankle shaken.

Twice a burlesque woman (don't remember if VB was one, or if it was Martha Stewart both times) does a very bad job of swinging 1) a fur boa or 2) the stage curtain. Bad because it's not properly timed to the music. Barbara Stanwyck did a much better job of both in Lady of Burlesque.

This is pleasant, but the plot is not very interesting, or maybe it's just not well executed.

Fox, dir. Seiler; 6

Sally, Irene and Mary (1938), 6

Manicurists Sally, Irene and Mary hope to be Broadway entertainers. When Mary inherits an old ferry boat, they turn it into a successful supper club.
(86 min) Released 1938-03-04
Director: William A. Seiter
Stars: Alice Faye, Tony Martin, Fred Allen, Joan Davis, Jimmy Durante, Gregory Ratoff, Gypsy Rose Lee, Raymond Scott.
Nick Castle ... choreographer
Geneva Sawyer ... choreographer

Genres: Comedy | Music | Romance

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030712/

bootleg copy with damage during 1 number at 1:06:20

Gypsy Rose Lee again doesn't sing/dance, only plays a serial gold-digger with her own money to spend by now, harsh/severe personality. Raymond Scott is not prominent; his only writing credit in the Soundtracks is Minuet in Jazz, and the opening notes are typical of his style; this is the biggest ensemble number, shown in dress rehearsal with far too much time spent on Fred Allen sugaring his coffee. There is a brief tap solo, perhaps Carol Adams...Dancer (uncredited), the only dancer credit with dozens onscreen; she had ~20 such credits before this, and more to come. Jimmy Durante is here; because he was so prominent in the last film I watched, I was surprised to see his name in the credits. 

Marjorie Weaver, the titular Mary, is very pretty, has 41 film credits ('36-'52), and is all but ignored here. If she weren't the one to inherit the ship, she could have been uncredited. She's a Maureen O'Sullivan type, without the charm somehow.

This made the Tap! Appendix, but only mentions AF, JD & MW tapping, not (the speculated) Carol Adams. Their tapping is likely in the damaged segment on this disc, to Who Stole the Jam? with 3 girls (actual children). Durante does a number with 8 chorus girls who mimic his mannerisms a bit. Joan Davis also gets a solo song, as does AF, as does TM. AF & TM have a duet. 

This is the last of 4 movies that AF and TM did together '36-'38. They were married 9'37-3'41. 

It's just a pleasant film, with some pleasant songs, and the dancing is disrespected. (This is Nick Castle's 4th of 80 choreographer credits; looking at his filmo', I might not want to add him to the DD list until at least 2 years from now.)

Fox, dir Seiter; 6

Bizet: Carmen (1987), 8

2h 52min | Drama , Music , Musical | TV Movie 1 April 1987

Gypsy Carmen picks soldier Don Jose as her latest conquest, costs him his career, takes up with a toreador while he's in jail, recruits him for the smuggling ring, and foresees her own death.

Director: Brian Large

Conductor: James Levine

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255868/

First performance at Paris, March 3, 1875

Time: about 1820
Place: Seville and thereabout

I've always wondered why Bizet only had 1 well-known opera, and such a brilliant one at that. Just read that he died 3 months after its premiere at age 37. I wonder at what ages the best operas were composed. G.Gershwin was 37 when Porgy and Bess premiered, and died within 2 years.

I wonder if I've ever watched the full opera before. (I can't say that I did today either.) I'm familiar with the story from the non-musical film The Loves of Carmen (1948) with Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, and Carmen Jones (1954) with Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. Neither is faithful to this story precisely, but together they almost are.

This production is elaborate with an enormous cast. But it's dark and drab. The whole stage has a yellowish cast; the buildings look well-aged, and when red appears in a costume, it's very dark and muted. It's like they imitated some Goya painting(s) that need cleaning. Maybe it's just the quality of the recording medium; this was released on dvd in 2000.

The voices sound remote, as though the mics weren't close enough. I also probably didn't have the volume high enough, but the orchestra was loud enough.

AB is neither young nor beautiful, but she's shaped well, and sells the Carmen persona. JC is good as the weak-willed Don Jose.

Cast:
CARMEN, a gypsy   Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, or Contralto : Agnes Baltsa
DON JOSÉ, a corporal   Tenor : José Carreras
ESCAMILLO, the toreador   Baritone : Samuel Ramey
MICAELA, a peasant   Soprano : Leona Mitchell
smugglers       
  EL DANCAIRO   Baritone   
  EL REMENDADO   Tenor
ZUNIGA, José’s captain   Bass
MORALES, an officer   Bass or Baritone
gypsies       
  FRASQUITA   Soprano   
  MERCÉDES   Soprano or Mezzo-soprano

This might deserve a 9. Maybe after the next viewing.

Met Opera, cond. Levine; 8

You Can't Have Everything (1937), 6+

Starving playwright Judith Wells meets playboy writer of musicals, George Macrae, over a plate of stolen spaghetti. He persuades producer Sam Gordon to buy her ridiculous play "North Winds"... 
(100 min) Released 1937-08-03
Director: Norman Taurog
Stars: Alice Faye, The Ritz Brothers, Don Ameche, Gypsy Rose Lee, Arthur Treacher, Tony Martin, Louis Prima.
Harry Losee ... choreographer

Genres: Comedy | Musical | Romance

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029806/

Bootleg copy, decent quality. This print is 5 minutes shorter than IMDb says; maybe that's why we get only 1 number from Tip Tap & Toe, instead of the 2 listed in the Soundtracks.

This is the 3rd of 4 movies that AF and TM did together '36-'38. They were married 9'37-3'41. 

Too bad Gypsy (1911-70) doesn't perform here; she has a straight comedramatic role. This is her first of 12 films.

The Ritz Brothers have some lines, and make non-comedy faces too. Nothing here is as good as their astronomer production in On the Avenue ('37), but that shines more for the dancing than the comedy. 

Director Taurog has directing credits for 9 of Elvis' 31 movies ('60-'68), 79 movies total ('28-'68) and 103 shorts ('20-'31).

We do get onstage production numbers, sometimes in rehearsal, sometimes partial, hence the credit for choreographer.

Musical numbers, to determine the "missing" Tip Tap & Toe dance:

• 5:20 You Can't Have Everything, sung by Alice Faye with David Rubinoff on violin, in restaurant when she can't pay for her spaghetti
• 23:10 Long Underwear, sung and danced by The Ritz Brothers and chorus in half-dress rehearsal
• 29:20 The Loveliness of You, sung by Tony Martin and showgirls in rehearsal
• 37:18 (not in credits) sounds like a brief Sing, Sing, Sing played by Louis Prima as our stars enter the dive bar
• 39:55 Danger, Love at Work, sung and danced (a little) by Alice Faye with Louis Prima and His Band in dive bar
• 46:50 You Can't Have Everything, reprised by The Ritz Brothers with Louis Prima and His Band in the dive bar (what's with the boots?) The boots are distracting, since I worry for the safety of Jimmy/Al having to dance on/around them.
• 57:10 Afraid to Dream, sung by Don Ameche in rehearsal
• 1:02:00 Afraid to Dream, reprised by Alice Faye, Tony Martin and chorus in dress rehearsal
• 1:15:20 Please Pardon Us, We're in Love, sung by Alice Faye back home working in music shop
• 1:20 Tip Tap & Toe dance to something at the beginning of opening night. One of them is dressed as some royalty? The 2 credits are It's a Southern Holiday and Rhythm of the Radio, both mentioning "played by Louis Prima and His Band", and LP is not visible here. No lyrics, so...? Great dancing. Lots of sliding joins the taps.
• 1:24:20 North Pole Sketch, performed by The Ritz Brothers, Tony Martin, Dorothy Christy and others 
• and various reprises

Fox, dir. Taurog; 6+

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of the Tony Awards, 7

Great Performances (1971– )
1h 35min | Music | Episode aired 7 August 2005
Add a Plot »
Directors: Chris Cohen, Wayne Palmer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787451/

No songs listed in the Soundtracks. Because I typed all these in by scratch, it took more than 30 extra minutes to watch this. I won't add them to IMDb today.

Some of the performances in all 3 shows were from past years; perhaps these were the ones lip synced? That's the case here for Damn Yankees.

Great to have these performances; wish they'd compile more of these shows.


Songs performed:

1. 42nd Street/We're in the Money, from "42nd Street", Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Al Dubin, performed by Cast
2. Whatever Lola Wants, from "Damn Yankees", Music & Lyrics by Richard Alder, Jerry Ross, performed by Gwen Verdon
3. Medley, from "Into the Woods", Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Vanessa Williams & cast
4. She Likes Baseball, from "Promises, Promises", Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David, performed by Jerry Orbach
5. America, from "West Side Story", Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Debbie Allen & cast
6. Sing, Sing, Sing, from "Fosse", Music by Louis Prima, performed by original cast
7. Ol' Man River, from "Show Boat", Music by Jerome Kern, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, performed by Michel Bell & cast
8. Step to the Rear, from "How Now Dow Jones", Music by Elmer Bernstein, Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, performed by Anthony Roberts & cast
9. Where is the Life That Late I Led, from "Kiss Me Kate", Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter, performed by Alfred Drake
10. Medley, from "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot", Music by Frederick Lowe, Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, performed by Julie Andrews
11. I Can't Be Bothered Now, from "Crazy for You", Music by George Gershwin, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, performed by Harry Groener & cast
12. Where You Are, from "Kiss of the Spider Woman", Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, performed by Chita Rivera, Brent Carver & cast
13. Indian Love Call, from "Rose Marie", Music by Rudolf Friml & Herbert P. Stothart, Lyrics by Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II, performed by Robert Goulet & Inga Swenson
14. T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do, from "Black and Blue", Music by Peter Grainger, Lyrics by Everett Robbins, performed by Ruth Brown & Linda Hopkins, cast dancing
15. Comedy Tonight, from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Zero Mostel
16. Medley, from "Girl Crazy", Music & Lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin, from "Call Me Madam", Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin, from "Gypsy", Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Ethel Merman
17. My New Philosophy, from "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown", Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, performed by Kristin Chenoweth
18. Caledonia, from "Five Guys Named Moe", Music by Louis Jordan, Lyrics by Fleecie Moore, performed by original cast
19. Ragtime, from "Ragtime", Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, performed by original cast
20. The American Dream, from "Miss Saigon", Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby, Jr., performed by Jonathan Pryce & cast
21. Everything's Coming Up Roses, from "Gypsy", Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Angela Lansbury
22. The Happy Time, from "The Happy Time", Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, performed by Robert Goulet, David Wayne, Michael Rupert
23. She Could Shake the Maracas, from "Too Many Girls", Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, performed by Desi Arnaz

Rated 8.0 (24)

distr. PBS, dir. Cohen & Palmer; 7

Verdi: Il trovatore (1988), 8

The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977– )
2h 12min | Music | Episode aired 15 October 1988
Troubadour Manrico, kidnapped and raised by gypsy Azucena, courts Leonora and she loves him. Count di Luna wants Leonora, vows to destroy Manrico, not knowing they are actually brothers.
Director: Brian Large
Conductor: James Levine

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0254831

First performance at Rome, January 19, 1853

Time: 15th century
Place: Biscay and Aragon

Famous arias: Miserere, Home to Our Mountains, The Anvil Chorus, The Tempest of the Heart. I'm not sure I know 2 of the 4.

One of the Anvil bangers looked a lot like Harpo Marx, and they focused on him for a while. HM is long dead at this point, but I wonder if this was intentional, an homage to A Night at the Opera (1935), which stages Il trovatore, and 4 arias are listed in the Soundtracks.

LP really can act, and of course sings amazingly well with a distinctive voice. Here he had to sing from offstage a couple of times, and there was not extra mic for him back there. If I understood Italian, I suspect I would have been able to make out every word.

EM (b.'43) looks too old for the part, but sings well. (NB: LP (b. '35) didn't invoke that thought. His beard hides the face and neck signs that showed on EM.)

SM is always a welcome presence both visually & vocally.

The opera opens with JW, and he sings again later. He has few IMDb credits. Perhaps he has more than they list.

The staging is too dark, as are the costumes, but the costumes are very pretty in their dark way, with lots of gold brocade patterns, and something sparkly about Leonora's first gown. The darkness does not obscure faces; it's just the set, or lack thereof.

LEONORA, lady-in-waiting to Princess of Aragon Soprano : Éva Marton
AZUCENA, a Biscayan gypsy woman Mezzo-soprano : Dolora Zajick
MANRICO, a chieftain under the Prince of Biscay and reputed son of Azucena Tenor : Luciano Pavarotti
COUNT DI LUNA, a young noble of Aragon Baritone : Sherrill Milnes
FERRANDO, Di Luna’s Captain of the Guard Bass : Jeffrey Wells
INEZ, confidante of Leonora Soprano : Loretta Di Franco
RUIZ, a soldier in Manrico’s service Tenor : Mark Baker

Met Opera, cond. Levine; 8

Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937), 7+

A movie company is doing the Arabian Nights when a hobo enters their camp, falls asleep and dreams he's back in Baghdad as advisor to the Sultan. In a spoof of Rosevelt's New Deal, he ... 
(81 min) Released 1937-10-15
Director: David Butler
Stars: Eddie Cantor, Tony Martin, Roland Young, Gypsy Rose Lee, Raymond Scott and His Quintet, John Carradine, Douglass Dumbrille.
Sammy Lee ... dances staged by; Oscar nom'd for "Swing Is Here to Stay"; Oscars 1938

Genres: Comedy | Fantasy | Musical
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028566/

This is the last of the seven Cantor star-vehicles I own, and the highest ranked by IMDb users (they give it an 8, also Palmy Days, which I give 6 despite Charlotte Greenwood as the star and EC absent from the first 4 credits.) This is 1 of 3 of his films that I actually liked, and the best 2 were his only Fantasy genre (he falls asleep and dreams the bulk of the movie). The other Fantasy is Roman Scandals ('33; 7-), which only gets 7.4 IMDb average, and ranks 6th among the seven. (My third 'like' of the Cantor films, Strike Me Pink ('36; 7-) co-started E.Merman, who contributed a lot to my enjoying the film, and is last of the seven for IMDb voters, with average score of 7.)

Here I like that he brings his '30s cultural references and political ideas to the ancient Bagdad society, and I like the opulent royal court where most of the movie exists (the bejeweled costumes look heavy!) The Raymond Scott music is a huge bonus, probably what elevates this to a +.

Tony Martin sports a mustache here; it looks better than clean-shaven; wonder why he didn't adopt it. Gypsy Rose Lee is good as the Sultana, but again doesn't perform, just acts. She only has 2 Soundtrack credits (in '44 and '58), so I wonder if we ever get to see her strut her stuff in a film.

Charles Lane (1905–2007) has a bit part as a Doctor. He has 239 movie credits ('30-'87) and 123 TV credits ('51-'95), which just counts shows, not episodes. If you've watched anything from those decades, you likely know his face.

This movie earned an entry in Appendix B of the book Tap! with the scene at 34:00 (the enveloping scene is the Oscar nom'd Swing Is Here to Stay, which begins at 29:00) with Jeni LeGon and the Peters Sisters tapping (and PS singing). Jeni (in slacks) danced along side Bill Robinson in Hooray for Love ('35) and will appear in a few more films on this quest. The Peters Sisters appeared in With Love and Kisses ('36), the film with Pinky Tomlin and Toby Wing. PS have only 5 American credits (plus 6 European), and right now their other American films are online; one is not a musical.

The Oscar nom is likely for the entire scene, since the musicians move a lot too.

Raymond Scott and His Quintet appear in the acting credits, and twice in the Soundtracks:
Twilight in Turkey (1937) 
Written by Raymond Scott
Performed by Raymond Scott and His Quintet (uncredited),

corrected to include Danced by The Pearl Twins

Beginning at 57:00 we see 6 musicians well-hidden by beards (is RS the one with the finger cymbals?), playing as the Pearl Twins dance.
Arabania (1937) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Revel
Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Performed by Raymond Scott and His Quintet
Danced by The Pearl Twins

OK, this is wrong, because the tune danced by the Pearl Twins is VERY Raymond Scott-y (and no one sang any lyrics). He composed Powerhouse (listed 50 times in his Soundtrack credits, the first was in a '40 live-action Warner musical short; the rest are probably all Warner cartoons). Even if I were only familiar with Powerhouse (and I'm not, I own an album of his), I would recognize (like you recognize Mozart without knowing which piece it is) the music danced by the Pearl Twins as his, and I don't think you get there just from arrangement. Aha! Twilight in Turkey is on the album I have, and that's what the Twins dance; I'll submit a correction; correction was accepted. After the Twins dance, a larger group of dancers performs to a different tune also played by the sextet, and that is more likely to be not his (but it could be). Then in a scene after the harem dancing, when EC is tying up DD, the music sounds Scott-y again. 

Note that this is not a Goldwyn film, as were the prior six.

Fox, dir. Butler; 7+

My post on Oscar, Best Dance Direction, 1936-38

Happy Landing (1938), 7-

Bandleader (Romero and manager (Ameche) discover skater (Henie) in Norway. They become rivals as she returns with them to America.
(102 min) Released 1938-01-21
Director: Roy Del Ruth
Stars: Sonja Henie, Don Ameche, Jean Hersholt, Ethel Merman, Cesar Romero, Raymond Scott & Quintet, Condos Brothers.
Harry Losee ... choreographer

Genres: Comedy | Musical | Sport
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030213/

Home of Condos Brothers (Nick and Steve) dancing the War Dance of the Wooden Indians (by Raymond Scott) in big headdresses and fringed clothing. Screen credit comes after the film as Condos Brothers, no first names.

Skating, the Merm, Condos and the rest of the Soundtracks:

• 3:50 (for a few seconds) You Are the Music to the Words in My Heart sung by EM


• 23:40 - 31:00 spectacular skating production number with dozens of skaters moving (and leaping over barrels) while SH skates. Song? Lyrics were English but not really intelligible.
• 33:40 A Gypsy Told Me sung by Leah Ray


• 36:45 Hot and Happy sung by EM
• 46:30 instrumental War Dance of the Wooden Indians, 49:00-51:38 danced by Condos Bros
• 56:20 casual skating in Central Park
• 59:00 Yonny and His Oompah, 1:00:00-1:03:00 skated by SH alone; camera dances well with her
• 1:04:00 45 sec montage of SH professional performances, including a slice from prior film
• 1:08:20 A Gypsy Told Me sung by DA
• 1:21:30 You Appeal To Me sung by EM
• 1:33:45 You Appeal To Me skated by SH
• 1:40 Hot and Happy skated by SH with 4 men in evening attire, Caped.

EM plays a violent woman, not just throwing things, but landing them on her target's head. CR plays a womanizer yet submissive (masochistic?). They're a match made for therapy.

I would love to see this in a theatre, or at least the official release for a clearer image during skating and Condos. Really like the emphasis of music over plot. And the skating is great.

Fox, dir. Del Ruth; 7-

Golden Earrings (1947), 7 {nm}

On the eve of World War II (1939) English officer Ralph Denistoun is in Nazi Germany on an espionage mission to recover a poison gas formula from Prof. Krosigk. He is helped by Lydia and ... 
1h 35min | Adventure, Romance, War | 27 August 1947
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Stars: Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, Murvyn Vye

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039428/
Watched "accidentally" on double-sided disc for The Flame of New Orleans ('41).

Very satisfying cusp-of-war yarn about RM seeking a MacGuffin, encountering Gypsy Lydia (MD), and learning to live and love like a gypsy while pursuing his goal. The story also slightly illuminates how paranoid you must be under a totalitarian regime. MD's performance is excellent as usual. The ending befits the tale.

Paramount, dir. Leisen, 7

Tutto Verdi: Il Trovatore (2010), 8-

2h 32min | Drama, Musical | TV Movie 3 December 2012
Gypsy Azucena finally tells her adult son Manrico that he is the brother of his political and romantic rival, the Conte di Luna. The Conte strikes a bargain with Leonora (who loves Manrico): her hand in marriage for the life of Manrico.
Director: Tiziano Mancini
Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov
Stars: Claudio Sgura, Teresa Romano, Mzia Nioradze, Marcelo Álvarez.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2812788/

17th Verdi opera.
Premiere 1853, Teatro Apollo, Rome

Place: Biscay and Aragon (Spain)
Time: Fifteenth century

Filmed at Teatro Regio di Parma

Now that I've seen a few productions/performances, the story is clearer, so I submitted the outline above.

But that leaves out the history of Azucena's mother being burned at the stake by the Conte's father, her kidnapping the Conte's infant brother, accidentally throwing her own infant son into the flames instead of the Conte's brother, raising the Conte's brother as her own. It also omits Leonora intending to enter a convent when she believes Manrico is dead in battle, but both Conte and Manrico intercede, with Manrico taking her with him. We get an offstage battle or two between Conte's & Manrico's armies, and the capture of both Manrico and Azucena (who Conte has sought for his brother's death). Leonora takes poison rather than fulfill her bargain with Conte, so when she dies, he has Manrico executed. Azucena is a little happy, because her mother's death is now avenged by Conte having (unknowingly) executed his own brother. Oy Vey. If the music weren't so good, would this be a story people want to see?

Marcelo Álvarez is a familiar face and international star tenor (many Met in HD telecasts on IMDb). He sings well, overacts a bit, and is not eye candy, so I'm not enthused when I see him on the cast list, but it could be much worse, of course. Sgura as Conte is good, but now I've bonded a bit with D.Hvorostovsky from Met performances, whose name I got corrected on IMDb. Both female leads are fine as well.

The anvil chorus had only 1 anvil, which was nearly drowned out by the chorus. I prefer the multi-anvil version of the Met, especially since that invokes the Marx Bros film A Night at the Opera ('35).

The costumes were appropriate to the period, but the color choices were a bit too on the nose: red for gypsies, black for the Conte's men, white for Leonora.

The Great Course has ~1 chapter on this opera.

Per the 2012 featurette, without naming the source of world-wide most-performed rankings, this is 5th among Verdi's operas, 23rd among all operas. (another source-less list of the top 100; Operabase Statistics).

Unitel, cond. Temirkanov; 8-

It's a Date (1940), 6+

An aspiring actress is offered the lead in a major new play, but discovers that her mother, a more seasoned performer, expects the same part. The situation is further complicated when they both become involved with the same man.
1h 43min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 22 March 1940
Director: William A. Seiter
Stars: Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Cuddles Sakall

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032644/

Pleasant, yet silly, but not because they're trying to be funny. The man both KF and DD fall for is WP (b. 1897). We don't get a clear idea of how old DD (b. '21) is playing; when she was at school, I presume it was college. And WP did play the helpless stowaway pretty well, so it's not totally implausible that DD would fall for him. (WP is a year away from his first pairing with Greer Garson.)

DD sings a good bit, and KF is portrayed as having a similar voice. (Soundtracks lists Gypsy Lullaby, the opening number, as Performed by KF (all others are Sung by whoever), and lists no voice double, but I doubt that is KF singing.)

The ending is pretty good: each woman gets what is best for her. Also good: DD acts up a storm, both as the aspiring actress in the film, and as the person in the film. KF is always good. I'm tempted to give this a 7, but the plot is too hokey.

Universal, dir. Seiter; 6+

Snow White (1987), 6-

PG | 1h 25min | Family , Fantasy , Musical | 14 May 1987
Dame Diana Rigg (TV's "The Avengers"), Billy Barty ("Willow") and Sarah Patterson ("The Company of Wolves") as Snow White star in this feature-length, live-action, musical version of the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
Director: Michael Berz
Stars: Diana Rigg, Billy Barty, Sarah Patterson.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093999/
Watched online: part 1, part 2, reversed print, ok quality.

8 songs in the Soundtracks, all at least Lyrics by writer/director Michael Berz, sometimes also music.

1st entry in this series was Rumpelstiltskin ('87) with Amy Irving. Interesting that this was filmed in a studio in Israel.

Some of the music is ok here, but the sole reason this is not a 5 is Diana Rigg as the evil stepmother queen, and the fact that she makes 3 attempts to kill off Snow after learning the hunter did not bring back the child's liver: first as a gypsy fabric saleswoman who laces Snow's bodice so tight she can't breathe, then as a geisha saleswoman who stabs her with a poisoned comb, and finally as the old crone saleswoman with the dual-colored poison apple, with the worm in the non-poison side. Otherwise this was as meh as Rump was. But these are intended for children.

Also interesting: the dwarves names are not Grumpy, Sleepy, etc., but variations on _iddely.

distr. Cannon Group, dir. Berz; 6-

Doctor Rhythm (1938), 5

Dr. Bill Remsen pretends to be a policeman, and ends up being assigned to guard Judy Marlowe. Amazingly, he falls in love with her.
(80 min) Released 1938-05-06
Director: Frank Tuttle
Stars: Bing Crosby, Mary Carlisle, Beatrice Lillie

Genres: Comedy | Musical
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030078/
Watched online, fuzzy print uploaded in 6 segments.

Didn't hold my attention. The beginning seems completely unrelated to the bulk of the movie; a reunion held in a menagerie of 4 high school teammates who sing. Their reunion continues until they're in underwear (doesn't this sound like a different sort of film altogether?), and the zoo keeper decides to free the animals. Huh? What? He gets in the water with a seal, who bites him on the ass, so he catches the seal (yeah, right, it's Andy Devine, not Johnny Weissmuller) and bites IT on the ass.)

Later, we see that one of the 4, Bing, is an MD, who threatens a plump (not obese) middle-aged patient that either she work off the fat, or he'll cut it off with the long carving knife he holds. (Where's a cop when you need one?)

Somehow this doctor has time to substitute for a policeman friend in a body-guarding gig, and the aunt, Beatrice Lillie, of the guardee is putting on a benefit for the policeman's fund. (I was hopeful when I saw her name. But I'm not sure anyone could have made this palatable. She has only 7 credits; I remember her from Thoroughly Modern Millie ('67).)

So we get some songs, a big gypsy dancing number at the benefit (near the end), and some extra mysteries to solve. Oh, I get it now: they had a special file cabinet/dumpster with discarded ideas, reached in, grabbed a handful, and made this movie. Of course.

Recommended for insomnia sufferers who won't go OCD trying to follow the plot.

I didn't rate it 4 because I didn't/couldn't pay sufficient attention to be sure that's deserved.

Emanuel Cohen Productions (as Major Pictures Corp.), distr. Paramount, dir. Tuttle; 5

That Lady in Ermine (1948), 7-

Circa 1861, Angelina, ruling countess of an Italian principality, is at a loss when invaded by a Hungarian army. Her lookalike ancestress Francesca, who saved a similar situation 300 years ... 
1h 29min | Comedy, Fantasy, Musical | 24 August 1948
Directors: Ernst Lubitsch, Otto Preminger (uncredited)
Stars: Betty Grable, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Cesar Romero.
Hermes Pan ... choreographer
Angela Blue ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040869/

bootleg, very blurry

4 songs in the Soundtracks; BG only waltzes with DF.

This is a bizarre entry in BG's filmography. She really doesn't show her legs, despite the poster. She doesn't tap. But it's actually a bit of a feminist film, because women save the day (BG and her ancestor 300 years earlier).

The Fantasy genre attaches from the ancestors (seemingly) coming to life, but they don't really interact with the present day world of the story. And it's all very muddy how much is whose dream.

One jaw-dropping aspect is the CR character. He and BG are just married as the film begins, and he is clearly nervous about the wedding night. When the enemy nears the castle, he manages to convince BG that he should flee. When he returns, he's dressed as a gypsy, earrings and all. What's so astonishing? CR was gay in real life, and while he frequently played debonair, he usually avoided such definite fear/avoidance of women on film. In real life he enjoyed social/ballroom dancing (did some onscreen too), which I think meant contact with women in those days.

DF is charming and, of course, handsome. I've seen worse performances from him.

Maybe this is not as interesting as I think, and I'm giving too much allowance for the blurry print. But I think it's near time to purchase the official release.

Fox, dir. Lubitsch, Preminger; 7-