Movie Review: My Dream is Yours

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great singing, entertaining while watching

Cons: Pacing over emphasizes job, making romance seem forced

The Bottom Line:

A singer’s big break

Light, fun film with great singing

Story needs focus

“He Was the Man I Used to Work for a Long, Long Time Ago.  Day Before Yesterday.”

Diane Vallere has a new book in her Madison Night series coming later this month.  As always, in order to prepare, I watched the similarly titled Doris Day movie.  In this case, that lead me to My Dream is Yours, her second movie from 1949.

This movie opens in Hollywood, where we meet agent Doug Blake (Jack Carson).  His star client (his only client) is singing sensation Gary Mitchell (Lee Bowman), who is set to renew his contract for the radio show he is on.  But Gary doesn’t want to do it.  He’s negotiated his own contract with a different show, in fact.

So Doug sets off for New York City to find a replacement for Gary.  And he does when he stumbles on Martha Gibson (Doris Day).  But can he land her a job back in Los Angeles?

Given that two of the three lead characters are singers, there is lots of singing, mostly from Doris Day.  And most of the songs are in the context of their jobs.  With one exception, I enjoyed the songs.  Doris has a fantastic voice, and I loved listening to it.  Hal Derwin, who was the singing voice of Gary, was just as great.  So, which song didn’t I enjoy?  Sadly, it was the title track.  Which, naturally, means we heard it the most.

Oh, and there’s that dream sequence.  I don’t see how anyone thought it was good to put into the film.  It was more something out of a cheesy sitcom.

As is often the case with Doris Day movies, I was entertained while watching, but I didn’t feel like it was that good.  We get lots of time spent on Doug trying to find a job for Martha.  I liked the fact that it didn’t come easy, but it also felt a little drawn out.  Yeah, I know.  I’m hard to please.

There is also supposed to be a love triangle.  I say supposed to be because they only hint at this storyline before the last 20 minutes or so of the movie, when we suddenly focus on that.  Honestly, if they had given that a little more time while not spending as much time on the repetition of Martha not getting a job, I think it would have been better.  As it is, the romance feels forced when we start focusing on it.

I suspect most of that is just because of the age of the film.  We look for something different in the storytelling now vs. what they did back then.  I’m sure the focus on the pacing the story would be better if it were made today.

Overall, this does represent something we don’t see from the major studios any more – a light romantic movie.  I wish we would see more of that.

None of this criticism is directed at the actors.  They are all great at bringing the story to life for us.  Those involved in the dream sequences even commit fully to it. 

For me, My Dream is Yours is another mixed bag.  It’s entertaining enough when you sit down to watch it, but it isn’t worth going out of your way for.

Looking for the DVD?  Looks like it is part of this Doris Day collection.

Movie Review: Wicked - For Good

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Tells the second half of the story well

Cons: A few pacing issues and song moments

The Bottom Line:

Second half story

Does have some pacing issues

I mostly enjoyed

Second Part Holds Up Better Than Expected

I decided I really needed to watch Wicked: For Good very close to my first viewing of Wicked, so I set aside some time just a few days later to watch the second part.  No, I’m not considering this a sequel.  It’s one story broken up into two parts, and I will stand by that.  Anyway, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this movie as much as I did despite some flaws.

This movie, essentially act two of the stage musical Wicked, picks up a bit after the first movie ended.  In that time, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has become infamous in Oz for being…well…wicked.  Of course, her best friend, Glinda (Ariana Grande) knows the truth, but she doesn’t have much of a chance to set the record straight.  She’s also become the face of hope as Glinda the Good, an idea of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the real power behind The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

But Elphaba knows that The Wizard is a fake.  She’s also determined to make sure that the animal residents of Oz are given equal treatment.  But will her efforts help or hurt her cause?

This is where I see the musical as more of a look at propaganda than an apology for evil.  We know that Elphaba’s motives are usually good even if her actions are questionable.  And yes, the way she goes about this are quite often bad.  But, the true villain of the piece is Madame Morrible, with The Wizard being pretty bad himself.  But, the two of them are able to spin it so that Elphaba doesn’t have the ability to get her side out or share what she knows.  The people aren’t willing to listen any way.  This is captured perfect in the song “Wonderful.”

Of course, the problem with all of this is you have to be able to think through what you are seeing.  Much like with propaganda.  It’s not as black and white as the original story.  It’s very gray, various shades of gray.  And I can see the problem people have with this story since it makes the traditional villains heroes and traditional heroes villains.  I enjoy it for the fan fiction it is that makes us think.  But that may just be me.

But enough about the themes.  Shall we look at this movie itself?

Much of what I said about the first film holds true here, too.  Things look great, outside a moment or two.  The leads are fantastic.  The rest of the cast is good, although a couple really struggle when they have to sing.

Not that much of the music here is memorable.  There’s a reason that “For Good” is the best known of the songs from the second half.  And the two new songs added to this movie don’t add much to things.  Likewise, we don’t get many dance numbers, although I enjoyed what we did get.

I was worried when they took the one hour second act and more than doubled it that this half would drag.  And yes, there were some moments in the middle that were slower than they should have been, but overall, I found the pacing worked.

The second half is where we get Dorothy crashing things.  We don’t see more than her back here, and we get glimpses of the original Wizard of Oz story.  Those nods and the Easter Eggs we get to the original are fun, but the emphasis is on how all of this impacts Elphaba and Glinda.

Back to the beginning of my review for a minute.  I talked about how I view this as a continuation, not a sequel.  There are so many things that tie back to the first movie, as you’d expect since this is Act two of the play.  You really need to watch these two movies close together to get the complete picture.  That’s not true with true sequels.

Another thing that bothers me with this story is the melancholy ending.  I get it.  It is the right ending.  But I guess I wish that we’d gotten a full redemption, but that would break Wizard of Oz cannon.  Of course, it breaks cannon in another way, but we won’t go there.

In the end, I think fans of the Broadway musical will be satisfied with Wicked: For Good and these two movie musicals overall. 

Movie Review: Wicked

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good acting from the leads; inventive dance numbers; looks great

Cons: Not all the cast does well; feels incomplete since only half the story

The Bottom Line:

Get the backstory

Along with singing, dancing

Only the first half

Friendship Dominates the First Half of the Story

I must confess, I’m not the biggest fan of Wicked.  I did see it once when it came through Los Angeles, and I like some of the songs from the soundtrack, but I haven’t been as taken with it as so many other musical fans seem to be.  As, I didn’t rush to the theater to see either part of the movie version.  In fact, I just sat down to watch the first part of the movie this month.  It’s about what I expected when I heard they were splitting it into two parts.

In case you aren’t familiar with the story, it tells the back story of Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo).  While we get a few scenes of her childhood, the movie focuses on what happens to her when she arrives at Shiz College.  While she’s just there to make sure her younger sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode) settles in okay, she catches the eye of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and finds herself rooming with Galinda (Ariana Grande).  But the two roommates can’t stand each other.  Will anything change their attitudes toward each other?

If you went to see this story on Broadway, you’d get everything in about two and a half hours.  Maybe two hours forty-five minutes.  That’s the entire story.  This movie is that long, and we just get the first act.  Now, I’ll admit, I didn’t see a lot that could be cut out.  But it is still frustrating to know I’ve sat that long and we aren’t getting the entire story.  Yes, they could have tightened up some of the reactions and asides, but it isn’t as bad as I expected.

Because, let’s be honest, that is definitely a cliffhanger ending.  I’m glad I got to part two quickly.

The book and the stage musical based on it were on the forefront of the modern trend to rewrite the story of the villains and make them sympathetic characters.  I don’t really remember what happens in the second half of the story, but what we see here thematically fits with what I remember.  The story is as much about the power of perception and political power as it is about Elphaba and her being wicked.  Having said that, the trend has been overdone, and I get the complaints that we can’t have evil villains anymore.  As much as I enjoy exploring gray, we don’t need it for every villain.

Anyway, back to this movie in particular.  One of the impressions I have with the stage version is that relationships change very quickly.  Even with the added time for the movie, I felt like that was true here, too.  Elphaba and Galinda go from enemies to besties pretty quickly.  It makes the ending of this movie not have quite the punch it wants to have.  But, I think to fully develop the relationship, we’d need a TV series.  I know, I know, I shouldn’t suggest it.  And I’m also the one complaining about this being split into two halves and then complaining that it doesn’t have enough material in it.

Now, this isn’t a slight on Cynthia Erivo or Ariana Grande.  They do good jobs with the material they have.  I enjoyed watching them and their relationship develop.  And their singing is fantastic.

The same can’t be said for all of their costars.  Some are great.  Some are less so.  It doesn’t help that some of these songs are really hard to sing.

Fans of the Broadway show will spot the original leads, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in an extended cameo.  I’m wondering if there were another couple of cameos in that scene I missed.  It was more than I expected them to get, and it was really fun.

The movie looks epic.  The special effects work.  There is plenty of color and wonder, as you’d expect from Oz.  It might not quite have the full imagination I’d want, but it works well.

And the dance numbers are inventive and cinematic, which is always a plus when it comes to a movie musical for me.

I am glad I finally sat down to watch Wicked since I did enjoy it.  I’m going to make watching part 2 a priority so I can conclude the story before too much time passes.

Movie Review: Meet Me in St. Louis

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Acting, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

Cons: Weak story hampered by underdeveloped male characters

The Bottom Line:

Classic musical

Movie did not work for me

Has too many flaws

Romance in the Lead Up to the World’s Fair

I’ve long heard of Meet Me in St. Louis.  Since I love musicals, it was on my list to watch, but when I finally did, I was disappointed.

The film follows the Smith family, starting in the summer of 1903.  They have five kids, four of them girls, and the older two daughters, Esther and Rose (Judy Garland and Lucille Bremer) can think of nothing but the young men they are hoping to marry.

But that’s not all that is going on in their world.  For one thing, St. Louis is getting ready to host a world’s fair.  And, as autumn falls on the family, their father (Leon Ames) has some shocking news.  What will happen to them before they hit spring?

Stories that cover a long period of time need to be very careful as they try to navigate those times jumps.  In this case, the movie didn’t do it well.  Honestly, I was trying to figure out what the central plot of the movie was.  I figured, like many musicals, it was the romance of the two daughters, but when we hit autumn, we get a long sequence on Halloween night involving the two younger sisters (played by Margaret O'Brien and Joan Carroll) that really has little to do with anything else in the movie.  Then there’s the plot set in motion about half way through.  It could have been a great plot twist, but instead, it felt forced into the movie.

Really, it felt more like short stories only connected because they had the same characters.  Which can work, but in this case, didn’t really work for me.

The female characters are certainly the stars of this story, which is fine.  Obviously, I love female driven stories, just look at the many books I read and review here.  However, the male characters were so underdeveloped it hampered the story.  The Smith brother has so little to do I actually didn’t even figure out who he was for a while.  The father is a one note head of the family who will not be questioned.  And the love interests?  We don’t get to know them well enough to be invested in the romance.

While the dance numbers are fun, the songs themselves aren’t that memorable.  And I do have to question if teens, even in 1903, would have been that excited to dance to “Skip to My Lou.”  The exception to the forgettable songs is “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which was originally written for this film.  It’s one of my favorite Christmas carols, so it is fun to see it’s premier.

None of this is a reflection on the actors and actresses, who all do a good job with the material they have.  But there’s only so much they can do with a poor script.

I suspect that my take on the film is fueled in part by the fact that I didn’t see this until I was well into adulthood.  I’ve met people who absolutely love it, and it is because they have fond memories of watching it for years.  So there are people who love this movie.

Unfortunately, I’m not one of them.  I won’t be wasting my time watching Meet Me in St. Louis a second time.

Movie Review: Gypsy (1962)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Morality tale

Cons: More depressing than entertaining

The Bottom Line:

Overbearing mom

Obsession ruining lives

In depressing film

“Who Are You, Her Mother?”  “Yes.”

My quest to watch some more musicals I’ve heard of but never seen continued with Gypsy.  I wasn’t sure what I would think of this one when I sat down to watch it, but I was surprised at just how much I wound up disliking it.

The movie is inspired by the true story of Rose Hovick (Rosalind Russell).  She’s the mother of two girls, and she is driven to make them famous.  Fortunately, her younger daughter, June (Suzanne Cupito) is extremely talented, unlike her sister Louise (Diane Pace).  Working with promoter Herbie Sommers (Karl Maiden), Rose is able to form a touring stage show around June, but as the girls grow and times get hard due to the Great Depression, the market for that act begins to fade away.  Can Rose figure out a way to make her daughters (now played by Ann Jillian and Natalie Wood) famous again?

The reason I was concerned about this movie going in was because it is based on the true story of Gypsy Lee Rose, a stripper.  I figured for a 1960’s musical, it wasn’t going to show anything too risqué, and I was right.  I’m not sure I would show it to kids, but much of the adult content would probably go over their heads.  That part of the story doesn’t happen until very late in the movie, and I’m actually rather impressed with how they were able to handle it – we get what is happening, but it is all done with teases.

In many ways, this movie is a perfect example of a train wreck – you know you shouldn’t be watching, yet you can’t look away.  Now, let me be perfectly clear, I’m not talking about the writing, acting, singing, dancing, etc.   The acting from everyone is top notch, and there are some young performers in the cast.  Likewise, the cast does a great job with their song and dance numbers.

Instead, I’m talking about the story itself.  Rose takes being a stage mother and ups it tenfold.  This woman is insane, and you can see the end coming long before it arrives.  And yet, you can’t turn away, and you find yourself rooting for anything to happen to wake Rose up to what she is doing.  I’m not sure I completely buy the spin of the final scene, but I hope it is true.

So this isn’t one of those musicals that will leave you with a smile on your face and humming a tune as the final credits play.  I was actually left with a bit of a “Wow, what did I just watch” feeling.

Of course, the music itself isn’t particularly memorable.  Much of it revolves around the current stage show that Rose is working on, no matter which show that is.  There are a few songs that the characters sing to express their feelings, but they aren’t especially memorable, at least to me.  This is an early musical by Stephen Sondheim.  Given some of his other successes, I figured I would enjoy the songs more, but they just didn’t connect with me – probably because I was so focused on the train wreck happening in the story.

Whether intended or not, Gypsy really becomes a morality tale of the dangers of obsession.  As such, it is sobering, but I’m just not sure it is an enjoyable story.  I certainly have no plans to watch it again in the future.

Movie Review: Viva Las Vegas

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Light, fun romantic comedy musical

Cons: None worth dwelling on

The Bottom Line:

Romance, comedy

Wrapped up in fun songs in this

Charming musical

Flirty Fun in Vegas

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I look to entertainment mostly for an escape.  I want have fun.  Yes, I do enjoy some more serious books and movies, but it’s always a pleasure to find something that is just looking to be light entertainment.  That’s exactly what Viva Las Vegas is trying to be, and it succeeds in spades.

The movie tells the story of race car driver Lucky Jackson (Elvis Presley).  He’s planning to enter a race leaving from Las Vegas, and he’s there earning the money to buy an engine to go into his new car.  His chief competitor, Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova) is there as well, and the two are talking when they meet Rusty Martin (Ann-Margret).  Rusty gets them to help with her car, but then vanishes before either man can get so much as her name.  The two set out to find her, but by the time they do, Lucky’s money is gone.  Forced to take a job as a waiter doesn’t prove to be too bad because it gives him time to woo Rusty.  Or will Elmo win her heart instead?  Will Lucky have an engine for his car in time for the big race?

Let’s be honest, you can probably guess at least some of what happens along the way just based on my teaser.  This isn’t a terribly original movie if you are familiar with romantic comedies.  But you know what?  That’s okay.  This is a fun movie with character you want to root for.  Yes, even Elmo.  Oh, you don’t want to root for him to win a race or win the girl, but he is still a likable foil and not a true villain.

It also helps that Elvis and Ann-Margret have chemistry.  The film sizzles when they are on screen together.  Again, you are rooting for the two of them to get together.  As is often the case with a romantic comedy, the film brushes a few issues under the rug in the rush to the ending, but that’s okay.  What is here works.

And part of that is the acting.  The entire cast is obviously having fun together, and it pulls us into the story they are telling.

With Elvis and Ann-Margret as the leads, I’m sure it’s no surprise that this is a musical.  In addition to the famous title track, we get a variety of songs throughout.  There are no true show stoppers with tons of choreography, but that’s okay because the songs are fun.  There are a few done as part of shows, but there are also songs that the characters sing in “real life.”  As much as I do find the title track fun, my favorite song by far was “The Lady Loves Me.”  It is such fun, you can’t help but laugh as Lucky and Rusty sing back and forth to each other.

This movie came out in 1964, and it is a throwback to a simpler, more innocent time.  There is very little if any innuendo (I can’t remember any off hand).  The romance is extremely chaste.  And yet, we are rooting for the characters and having a great time.  It’s also the time when someone can be in the pool in one shot and have perfectly styled hair and basically dry clothes in the next, which takes place thirty seconds later.  That may be unintentional humor, but it is still fun none-the-less.

I completely enjoyed watching Viva Las Vegas because it has lost none of its charm.  Next time you are in the mood for a light romantic comedy, I definitely recommend you track this one down.

Movie Review: Mame

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Lots of fun

Cons: Rushed ending, Lucy’s uneven performance and weak singing

The Bottom Line:

Enjoyable parts

But ending is too abrupt

And the star is weak

More Mixed Than I Was Expecting

I’d heard the reviews for years – the movie musical Mame wasn’t that good.  But, being the I Love Lucy fan that I am, I’d still always been curious about it since it stars Lucille Ball.  I finally set down to watch it, and I can see flaws, but not that ones you usually hear.

The movie is set in the 1920’s and focuses on Mame Dennis (Lucille Ball).  Single and rich in New York City, her life is one carefree party until the day her orphaned nephew Patrick (Kirby Furlong) shows up on her doorstep.  She quickly falls in love with her ward, and does her best to raise him right.  However, her best and society’s standards are two very different things.  Will she be forced to change her lifestyle?  And what will happen when the market crashes in 1929?

Most of the critics pick on Lucille Ball, and they aren’t completely wrong.  Parts of the movie are comedic, and she is perfect at those scenes.  In fact, some of what happened would have felt at home in an I Love Lucy episode.  She pulls off some of the more serious scenes, but there are a couple of scenes that she can’t quite pull off.  The worst part of her performance is her singing.  While she can’t sing, she refused to let them dub her vocals.  The singing it patched together from many different studio takes.  While it isn’t bad, it isn’t nearly as strong as the singing of her co-stars.

And she has some impressive co-stars.  Bea Arthur and Jane Connell reprise their roles from the Broadway production.  Robert Preston plays Mame’s love interest.  And a young Bruce Davison plays Patrick when he reaches adulthood.

Mame lives a very wild lifestyle, and Patrick gets influenced by that at a young age.  This is a PG rated movie, but adults of young kids still might want to watch it first for a couple of scenes in the first half.

Honestly, I was mostly enjoying the movie.  There are some very funny scenes, and I was really growing to like the characters.  While the songs aren’t especially memorable, there are still some fun song and dance numbers.

Then I hit the final act.  Mame does something in the name of protecting Patrick that really crossed a line for me.  Yet, the ending is so rushed after that we don’t get to see any of the fallout she would have received.  We go from Patrick being furious with her to the final scene without any transition to show us how he forgave her.  It is very jarring.

Maybe if I had seen a stage production of Mame, I would see even more reasons why the movie is bad.  But judging it just based on the movie itself, it is a film with many fun moments ruined mostly by a very rushed ending.

Movie Review: Man of La Mancha

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Inspiring message

Cons: Dark and sad along the way

The Bottom Line:

Great literature

As uplifting musical

With a dark journey

Impossibly Somber Yet Uplifting

I first saw the movie version of Man of La Mancha in high school, then a few years ago I saw the stage play.  I’ve had a mixed reaction to it both times I’ve seen it, so when I sat down to watch the movie again, I hoped to figure out why.

The movie is a musical retelling of the story of Don Quixote, but with a twist.  We first meet his author, Miguel de Cervantes (Peter O’Toole) as he is being arrested for mocking the Spanish Inquisition.  When he and his manservant (James Coco) are cast in a dungeon, Cervantes has to figure out a way to keep his fellow prisoners from destroying his chest of costumes and props, but especially his manuscript.  And so he starts to tell them the story of Don Quixote and his faithful squire Sancho Panza (also Peter O’Toole and James Coco) with various prisoners taking on other characters in the story.

Don Quixote is a nobleman who has lost his mind, thinking he is a knight on a noble quest.  After fighting giants (windmills), he lands at an inn he thinks is a castle and meets a maid he thinks is the fair lady Dulcinea (Sophia Loren).  Are his delusions harmless?  Or will he return to reality?

I must admit that I don’t know the true tale of Don Quixote, so I can’t tell what they left out of the book or how they twisted stuff together for this adaptation.  I can tell you that the story presented here works.  Outside an overly long prologue getting Cervantes thrown in jail, the film is well paced with enough events happening to keep us engaged in both stories.  Yes, we do jump back to the jail every so often, but the result works for the story.

This musical is best known for “The Impossible Dream,” which is an inspiring ballad as Don Quixote attempts to explain his mission to Dulcinea.  Personally, I find myself humming “Don Quixote” the most when I think of this film.  What the musical doesn’t have is big dance numbers.  The rest of the songs are good, but nothing that really sticks out to me.

But back to how I started this review.  You may have figured out by now that I love upbeat stories and happy endings.  This movie leaves more open than it resolves, and what little it resolves isn’t happy.  And yet, I still find it inspiring.  Ultimately, I think the reason it works is the message that one person can make a difference in the life of one other person just by believing in them.

However, the journey to get there isn’t always pleasant.  This movie earns its PG rating.  Dulcinea is quite obviously a prostitute when Don Quixote first spots her, not that we are told in explicit terms.  The movie does a good job of hinting at some of the more somber parts of the story without showing them, something that truly impresses me.  Still, parents will want to know about that before they let their kids watch it.

Ultimately, Man of La Mancha inspires us to go out and help those around us.  Is there anything better in a work of art?

Movie Review: Guys and Dolls

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Lots of fun, great songs and dances

Cons: Slow beginning, two leads aren’t strong singers

The Bottom Line:

A big musical

Lots of fun along the way

Overcomes slow start

“If You Can’t Attract Sinners, No One Can.”

Thanks to a friend who loves musicals and a local theater we both enjoy, I’ve started seeing more musicals on stage in the last few years.  One of those was Guys and Dolls, but I must admit I didn’t remember much of it.  I did remember enjoying it, so I decided to sit down and watch the movie version.  I’m so glad I did.

The movie takes place in New York City and revolves around two couples.  Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) and Adelaide (Vivian Blaine) have been together for years, even though Nathan won’t marry her.  He keeps putting it off in favor of running his underground craps game.  The problem is, he has to keep moving the location so the police don’t find him and shut him down for illegal gambling.  Enter Sy Masterson (Marlon Brando), who is willing to bet on anything and everything.  Nathan needs money to rent the location for his latest game, and he hopes to get it by making a bet with Sy.  That bet?  That Sy can’t get a woman to go with him to Havana for dinner.  But it’s not just any woman.  Nathan picks Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons), a woman who has dedicated her life to savings sinners, like Nathan and Sy.

Naturally, Sarah wants nothing to do with Sy when he comes into the mission where she works.  Will Nathan win the bet?  Will he and Adelaide ever get married?  Will Sarah’s view of Sy soften?

I’ll admit, it takes a little bit for the story to get going as the movie introduces the main characters and the various sidekicks.  However, once the story gets going, it is a very fun ride.  There are quite a few funny lines that made me smile and laugh.  The story itself is fairly predictable, but this is definitely a case where I was having so much fun I really didn’t care that I could guess where the story was going to wind up.

Part of the reason I was having so much fun is the music.  There is plenty of singing and dancing here, and those numbers are wonderful.  While this movie may feature the most unique craps game ever filmed, it fits the movie, and the choreography is wonderful.  That’s just the highlight of several other great numbers over the course of the film.

And the cast is fantastic.  They doing a great job at bringing their characters to life and drawing us into the story.

This is despite the fact that Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons aren’t singers.  Yet, in a surprising move, they still did their own singing.  It works, but that is definitely a weakness of the film.

I was a bit concerned about the fact that Sarah is a Christian trying to save sinners.  This could have been turned into a case of mocking Christians.  I didn’t feel that film crossed the line.  It could have been more respectful, but it could have been much worse as well.

I’m glad I’ve now watched the movie version of Guys and Dolls.  No matter how you see it, this is a fun musical I definitely recommend you see.

Movie Review: Love Me or Leave Me

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great acting, some good songs…

Cons: …that slow down a story that is hard to watch

The Bottom Line:

Story of singer

Unhealthy relationship

Great performances

“I’ll Make a Deal with You, Barney.  You Don’t Tell Me Your Sad Stories; I Won’t Tell You Mine.”

I always wonder just how close to reality as film is when it is based on a true story.  Or, in the case of Love Me or Leave Me, a “fictionalized account.”  Either way, this movie wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be.

The movie was inspired by the story of Ruth Etting (Doris Day).  She’s trying to start a career as a singer in 1920’s Chicago.  While piano player Johnny Alderman (Cameron Mitchell) is willing to give her the lessons that would help her, it is mobster Marty Snyder (James Cagney) who is going out of his way to give Ruth what she wants.  The problem is, his interest in Ruth isn’t necessarily healthy.  Will it be good or bad for Ruth?

I spent much of the movie cringing, wanting to scream to Ruth to get away from Marty.  You just know he’s no good and no good for her.  I rarely enjoy watching characters doing things you know aren’t going to end well, so that made this movie hard to watch.

Meanwhile, there is the fact that this is a musical.  Now, I usually enjoy musicals, but I prefer it when the songs are advancing the story.  Here, most of the songs are Ruth’s performances on the stage.  It’s hard to complain since that means we get to listen to Doris Day sing.  She really was a talented singer.  But the problem was there are enough of them that I got bored long before the end.

It probably didn’t help that I wanted the movie to end so I could find out what happened to the people and the songs were just slowing it down.  If I sat down to watch just the performances, I would probably enjoy them.

None of this is on the actors, who are all phenomenal.  James Cagney got an Oscar nomination, and it’s easy to see why.  Doris Day was expected to be nominated as well, and she would have deserved it; it was too bad she was passed over.  The rest of the cast is just as great.

And it’s not that the movie is horrible.  I was pulled into the story.  I just didn’t find it as entertaining as I had hoped.  I found it more average.  But I can see why others would enjoy Love Me or Leave Me.

Movie Review: Cabaret

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Liza Minnelli wows

Cons: Most of the characters are too shallow to like

The Bottom Line:

Berlin musical

Great performances but has

Shallow characters

I Guess I Just Don’t Get It

Having heard about Cabaret for years, I decided to take a chance and watch the movie.  I was expecting to have some issues with it, which I did.  But the entire thing is so bizarre that I can’t see why it gets the praise it does.

The story centers around Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli), an American who has landed a job singing and dancing at a cabaret in 1930’s Berlin.  The story gets going when she meets Brian Roberts (Michael York), an Englishman who has just rented the room next to hers.  He’s come to Berlin to teach English to anyone who will hire him.  While he insists he is gay, the two slowly begin to fall in love.  However, their relationship is complicated when they meet Maximillian van Heune (Helmut Griem).  Meanwhile, we get glimpses of what is happening in Germany at the time as the Nazis grow stronger.  Meanwhile, we also see the acts at the cabaret as led by the Master of Ceremonies (Joel Grey).

If, like me, you are used to all the main characters having songs they sing over the course of the story, be prepared to adjust your expectations.  All but one of the songs here is set in the cabaret, and some of the main characters don’t sing at all.  It makes for a different musical, and I had to adjust my expectations accordingly.  Having said that, much of the story takes place outside the cabaret, so many of the musical numbers felt forced. We’d go back to the cabaret for a number that was commenting on the action like a highly ironic Greek chorus, but it just didn’t work for me.  Or the song is playing while we are watching something else on screen with flashes to the performance back at the cabaret.

This musical was definitely pushing the envelope for the 1970’s.  If it were released today, I’m sure it would be rated PG-13.  There is lots of talk about sex and the innuendo is extremely thick in most of the songs.  I was expecting that going into the movie, so, while I didn’t like it, I know this is on me.

My biggest issues with the movie, however, is the characters.  I liked a couple of supporting characters and their sub-plot was nice.  However, the main characters weren’t really that likeable.  I started out liking them, but as the movie progressed and we saw just how shallow and self-absorbed they were, I grew to dislike them.  I was glad to be done with them when the movie was over.

Now, this isn’t the fault of the cast.  They are all fantastic at bringing their characters to life.  I have to give a special shout out to Liza Minnelli.  Wow!  I couldn’t look away when she was on the screen; her singing, dancing, and acting were also phenomenal.  Her song “Maybe This Time” is a highlight.

Once again, I find I’m the odd voice out on a popular musical, but Cabaret just isn’t for me.

Movie Review: White Christmas

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun romantic musical comedy set at Christmas

Cons: None for me, but I enjoy romantic musical comedies

The Bottom Line:

Show to save the inn

Leads to romance, songs, and dance

Fun Christmas movie

“The Crooner is Now Becoming the Comic.”

I think I’d seen White Christmas once many years ago, but I’m not completely sure about that.  Last year, I decided it was time to sit down and watch it again, so I recorded it from TV and did just that.  I immediately fell in love with it.

The story revolves around Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye), friends from World War II who have become successful song and dance performers turned procuders after the war ended.  There’s just one problem – Bob is driven to keep the show fresh and keep bringing in a new audience while Phil would like a little down time to enjoy life.  Phil’s plan involves getting Bob married.

Enter the Haynes sisters, Betty and Judy (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen).  Through a series of events, the two duos wind up meeting and traveling to an inn in Vermont, which is having an unusually warm December.  The Haynes sisters have been booked to perform at an inn there, but there is no one around since there is no snow on the ground.  The inn is owned by Bob and Phil’s old commanding officer (Dean Jagger).  Will the seeds of romance bloom while they try to help the general?

Really, I could summarize my review with one sentence – this is a musical romantic comedy set at Christmas.  If that sounds appealing to you, you’ll probably love it.  If the idea makes you shudder, you should probably skip the movie.

Fortunately, that sounded like fun to me, because I really enjoyed it.  Yes, the plot is fairly predictable, including the usual misunderstandings and people jumping to conclusions.  Yet it is fun.  I really liked the characters, which helped.  I was rooting for all of them to end the movie happy.  A few things seemed to be wrapped up rather quickly.  Out of left field in some cases.  But since I was expecting the endings the characters got, I’m not that upset by it.  Honestly, I found some of the tropes are still around today in modern Christmas movies.  Again, that’s not a bad thing if you enjoy them and know that’s what you are getting going in.

The actors are all wonderful.  You can tell they are clearly having a great time working on this picture.  Whether it is a serious scene or a comedic moment, they hit all the beats perfectly.

And the songs and dance numbers!  The movie was built around the music of Irving Berlin, which included the already popular title song.  Since the leads are all involved in show business, some of the numbers are just us watching the rehearsals for the show they are planning to put on.  That’s right, not every song contributes to the story.  Those numbers can be a bit out there, but that’s okay overall because the choreography is fun and well worth watching.

This movie represents the kind of big budget musicals that aren’t made any more.  No, it isn’t filled with special effects or stunts, but it is filled with lavish costumes and sets.  Yes, you can tell the outdoor sets are really in a studio somewhere, but they still look wonderful.  The details are just fantastic.  Yes, the styles are from the 50’s, but they still look great.

I’m glad I gave this film a second chance.  I’m definitely interested in watching White Christmas again in the future.  It might even become a movie I look forward to viewing each December.

Movie Review: Million Dollar Mermaid

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Entertaining story, great water choreography

Cons: Romance storyline isn’t that good

The Bottom Line:

Real life swimmer

Swimming scenes are wonderful

Romance not as good

Esther Williams Swims Through This Swimmer Biography

I’ve long heard about Esther Williams and her musicals involving her swimming.  I’ve always been intrigued, so I decided to give Million Dollar Mermaid a chance, not knowing much about it.  I mostly enjoyed it, although I did have some issues with it.

This movie is actually a story of Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (Esther Williams).  As a child in the 1900’s, she had polio, so she couldn’t dance or play with the other children.  She would sneak away every afternoon and taught herself to swim in the nearby lake.  When her father, Frederick (Walter Pidgeon), learned about it, he encouraged her.  She quickly showed she had great talent, winning local competitions.  Frederick wants it to remain a hobby for her, but when his music conservatory shuts down and the two find themselves without any funds in London, it’s Annette’s swimming that saves the day, thanks to James Sullivan (Victor Mature), a promoter they met on the boat to London.  Will that success translate in the United States?

I knew nothing about Annette Kellerman before watching this movie, and I’m sure much of what I “learned” here was changed to make a better movie.  From the little research I have done, I do know that some aspects of her life made it into the film, including being arrested for indecency at a beach in Massachusetts for daring to wear a one piece bathing suit.  How times have changed in the last 120 years.

The musical aspect is different from what I was expecting.  The characters don’t sing.  Oh, there is a scene with some passengers on a ship singing a song in a group at night, but that’s it.  However, there are some very elaborately choreographed numbers involving Annette swimming above and below the water.  Considering she is credited with the popularity of synchronized swimming, that certainly makes sense.  Most of these sequences are near the end of the film, with bits of story around them.  I enjoyed them, and if you enjoy stuff like that, I’m sure you will to.

The movie came out in 1952, and it definitely shows.  There are some scenes that are obviously filled with special effects.  Likewise, the acting style is dated.  Once I got into the film, I really didn’t mind either one.

What bothered me more was the romance.  Like in many musicals, there is a huge romance here between Annette and James Sullivan, who she married in real life.  No, that’s not really a spoiler since it is obvious early on that they will wind up together, even though the film tried to make us wonder about it.  And, as I was watching, I was thinking how romantic the story was.  But then the movie ended, and my brain turned back on.  The way the two treat each other is pretty bad, actually.  If this is the idea of romantic we’ve gotten in our heads because of Hollywood, is it any wonder that so many people have bad ideas about relationships?  The real people were married for years in real life, so I hope they had a better basis for a happy relationship than this film portrayed.  And yes, I know you need conflict even in a romantic movie, but this could have at least been resolved better.

Still, this is a charming movie, and if you are a fan of water choreography, you really need to watch Million Dollar Mermaid.

Movie Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Some genuine laughs from a talented cast

Cons: Feels like it is trying too hard; cuts out many songs from the stage version

The Bottom Line:

Farce plus musical

Doesn’t quite deliver fun

Feels like should be more

Looking for a Comedy Tonight?  You’ve Come to the Right Place

I’ve long heard of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  It’s always been on my “I’ll watch it someday list,” but when TCM movies decided to air it, I figured that was a great chance to catch the film.

As you might have suspected from the title, this musical takes place in ancient Rome.  We are introduced to Pseudolous (Zero Mostel) a slave who is constantly in trouble for trying to run away.  However, he gets a chance to earn his freedom when his master’s son, Hero (Michael Crawford) falls in love with a beautiful Virgin he sees in the window of the brothel next door.  Unfortunately, this woman (Annette Andre) has been sold to another man who is on his way there in just a couple of hours to claim her.  Can Pseudolous figure out a way to get her for his master and win his freedom?

This movie is really something you don’t see very often, a farce and a musical.  Now, I enjoy a good farce, so when I realized what this movie was, I was hoping I was in for a treat.  Instead, I found the movie uneven.  At times, I was laughing at some of the lines and the events as they unfolded.  At others, however, I felt like the movie was trying too hard.  A perfect example of this is the chariot chase scene at the end.  I’m sure it was added for the movie, but it doesn’t quite work.

I was actually surprised at how few songs there are in the movie.  Apparently, afraid that audience were tiring of big screen musicals, the studio demanded most of the songs from the Broadway show be cut.  I know, right?  The movie clocks in at just under 1 hour 40 minutes as a result.  Since the music was written by Stephen Sondheim, I would love to hear more of it here.

The cast certainly does well with what they have to work with.  In case you are wondering, yes, this is THAT Michael Crawford in the very supporting role of Hero here.  Comedy legends Bustor Keaton and Phil Silvers are also in the cast.

Since part of the plot revolves around the brothel and the goings on there, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn part of my problem involved some humor that I didn’t appreciate.  I’m sure it was quite risqué for 1966, but even though it is tame by today’s standards, I could have done without it.

Still, I’m actually very curious to see the stage production.  I have a feeling the story will flow better with all the songs included.  And I’ve often found that farces in particular and comedies in general don’t translate well from the stage to the screen.  I think I might like it better if I can see it on stage sometime.

I’m not sure if my expectations were too high or if the movie missed the mark that much.  Maybe both.  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be either.  I know the movie has its fans, and I can see why, but I don’t think I’ll be watching this one again.

Movie Review: Pitch Perfect 3

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Fun moments, singing, character wrap ups

Cons: Fat Amy’s sub-plot, commentators

The Bottom Line:

Reunion and tour

One last time with characters

Still average film

“We Never Do Anything with Dignity.”

Since I wasn’t a huge fan of the first two movies in the Pitch Perfect franchise, why did I come back for Pitch Perfect 3?  I found some things I enjoyed in the first two movies, and a chance to catch the movie on TV made it too tempting to pass up.  I’m glad I satisfied my curiosity.

It was three years between Pitch Perfect 2 and Pitch Perfect 3, and it’s also been three years for the characters.  Beca (Anna Kendrick) is finding that her dream job of producing music isn’t going nearly as well as she hoped it would.  When she reunites with the rest of the Bellas, she finds their lives aren’t going well either.  So when they get a chance to do one final tour together overseas for the USO, they jump at the chance.  Even better, there is a competition to it, but they are up against bands that use instruments.  Can they come out on top?

If you’ve seen the first two movies, you pretty much know what to expect here.  The group will embarrass themselves.  Everyone will count them out.  And they will forever be the underdog.  Fortunately, they manage to do this without being so completely embarrassing or resorting to bathroom humor here.  That was a plus for the movie.

On the minus side, there is the sub-plot for Rebel Wilson’s Fat Amy.  She is by far my least favorite character in the franchise (which is ironic since she and Beca are the only ones I even remember when the film is over).  Fortunately, they have toned down her character here, but her sub-plot was pretty ridiculous.  I rolled my eyes at that more than anything else.

A close second are music competition commentators (seriously, that’s a thing?) played by Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins.  They are the same one note, one joke characters they’ve always been.  Fortunately, they don’t get that much screen time because they were very annoying when they were on screen.

One last complaint.  I missed Skylar Astin and his character.

What did I enjoy?  Once again, the music is wonderful.  I could listen to these ladies sing for hours.  If they released a movie of just them singing, I’d watch it over and over again.

There are some fun moments and laughs along the way.  It’s not as clever or funny as it thinks it is, but there are definitely moments I enjoyed.

And the characters got a good send off.  Even though these aren’t my favorite movies, I still appreciated how character arcs were wrapped up.

Keep in mind my complaints are with the script, not the acting.  This cast is wonderful at bringing their characters to life and making us believe that what we are watching could happen.

No, this franchise doesn’t go out on a high note, but Pitch Perfect 3 does a decent job of wrapping these characters up and sending them into the next chapter of their lives.  If you are a fan of the franchise, you’ll appreciate it.  If you aren’t, nothing here will change your mind, but if you made it through the first two, you’ll be glad you watched this one, too.

Movie Review: Disenchanted

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Some performances elevate a poor script

Cons: The songs; poor story overall

The Bottom Line:

Missing first’s magic

This sequel disappoints me

Watch it if you must

“Oh Giselle, What Have You Done?”

The first time I saw Enchanted, I fell under its spell.  I have at various times been both excited and worried about the development of Disenchanted, the sequel.  Okay, fine, mostly excited.  Unfortunately, it turned out that there were some good ideas in there in search of a movie.

It’s been a few years (but not as many as it has been in real life), since we last saw Giselle (Amy Adams), Robert (Patrick Dempsey), and Morgan (now played by Gabriella Baldacchino).  In that time, Giselle is finding that even finding true love doesn’t mean you have a happily ever after.  Thanks to a new baby, they’ve outgrown their New York apartment, so Giselle has spearheaded a move to the suburbs, specifically Monroeville.

The move is rough, especially since their fixer upper isn’t quite fixed up yet.  Morgan doesn’t want to try to make new friends in a new school, and Robert is realizing what a grind the commute back to the city will be.  Meanwhile, Giselle is finding that Malvina (Maya Rudolph), who runs their new town, isn’t as friendly as she first appears.

All this leads Giselle to wish that their lives were a fairytale.  The next morning, she is thrilled to discover that her wish has come true.  That is, until she begins to discover the side effects of her wish.  Can it be reversed?  What are the consequences if it becomes permanent?

What made the first movie so much fun is that Disney was essentially spoofing itself.  There were lots of in jokes and winks to the cliches of the fairytales they are most famous for.  Giselle as a fish out of water in the real world expecting it to be the way she was used to was a riot, as was the reactions of the other characters when they witnessed her doing what she thought was normal.  The songs were fantastic, too, briming with humor.

Much of that is missing here.

As I said at the start, there are some good ideas here.  I’m not going to spoil them for you, but I was delighted when I realized where they were going with things.  Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t capitalize on them as well as it could.  Yes, there were parts that were amusing, but nothing that was truly funny.

I’ve also got to say, the movie had a slow start.  You know where it is going, and I get that it had to set some things up, but I kept waiting for us to get to act 2 and the real start of the story.

As I said, the first worked so well because it was spoofing Disney so perfectly.  That was all missing here.  There are a few wink and nod moments I enjoyed, but it lacked the same level of smart spoofing.

Then there are the songs.  Only one is memorable and fun.  The rest are actually pedestrian.  I appreciate that they let the entire cast have songs this time around, but the songs just weren’t that good and didn’t add much to the movie.

Yes, there were a few things I liked.  Amy Adams is fantastic once again.  There are some great scenes that really allow her to show off her acting, and she is perfect at it.  Maya Rudolph is likewise fantastic.  And Gabriella Baldacchino is good at giving us hints of the Morgan we already know while making her a teenager.  I’ll admit, I found some of the cast a little annoying, but I have a feeling that was how they were told to play the characters.  No, Patrick Dempsey wasn’t one of them – he just wasn’t given that much to do.

The other thing that I really liked was that, while Morgan is a teenager and not the wide-eyed girl we met in the first movie, they don’t make her a complete stereotype.  Yes, there is some of that in there, but they worked hard to make us understand her and why she was feeling the way she was.  And, while she doesn’t always get along with Giselle, she still clearly loves her stepmom.  It was a refreshing change from so many teens we see in pop culture.

When I watched the first movie, I was smiling and laughing the entire time.  It ended, and I left the movie theater wishing I could watch it again.  This one?  I’d rather just watch the first again instead.

I know lots of fans who will rush out to watch Disenchanted like I did.  It’s just a shame that the movie doesn’t live up to the fun of the first movie.

Movie Review: The Pajama Game

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun if predictable musical

Cons: One third act plot point isn’t funny like it’s supposed to be

The Bottom Line:

A labor dispute

Filled with romance and music

Few flaws; mostly fun

“Would You Send the Grievance Commit Up to See Me?”

I know that, in addition to her acting, Doris Day was known for her singing.  While her character’s singing was a plot point in The Man Who Knew Too Much, I had never seen a full-blown musical she was in until I sat down to watch The Pajama Game.  While I had some issues with it, I enjoyed it overall.

This movie takes us to the Sleeptite Pajama Factory.  The workers are trying to get a seven and a half cent an hour raise (hey, it’s the 1950’s), and the head of the union is Babe Williams (Doris Day).  Things get complicated when the factory hires a new shop superintendent, Sid Sorokin (John Raitt).  The instant chemistry between them is undeniable, as much as they try to deny it.  But will them being on two different sides of the coming labor dispute get in the way of their romance?

I knew nothing about this movie before I sat down to watch it.  For example, this was a stage musical, and many of the cast were in the original Broadway production, Doris Day being one of the few cast members brought in for the movie.  Behind the scenes, the duo who wrote this is also responsible for the musical Damn Yankees.

That trivia aside, how is the movie?  Overall, I enjoyed it.  There is a lot of singing and dancing here, so if you like musicals, that’s a good thing.  That’s not a surprise when they take a stage musical and make a movie that is roughly an hour forty-five minutes.  But there are so many fun songs here, from “I’m Not at All in Love” and “Small Talk” to “There Once Was a Man” and “I’ll Never Be Jealous Again.”  I was surprised to see two songs I knew from other places pop up here, “Hernando’s Hideaway” and “Steam Heat.”

Unfortunately, with the emphasis on songs and dances, the story and characters do suffer a little.  Specifically, I felt like some of the supporting characters and their relationships were short changed, and I had to work harder than I should have to understand them.

Naturally, the plot is filled with the complications and misunderstandings you’d expect in a romantic comedy musical from the period.  I’m not saying that is a bad thing since I was having fun as we worked our way through these plot points.  I did feel the ending glossed over a few things, but I’m not complaining too loudly.

With all the dancing, I’m happy to say that the choreography is great.  I was smiling as I watched many of the numbers.  At times it got a little much, but that was a minor point.

I’ve read some criticism of the acting.  Everyone loves Doris Day’s performance, and it is easy to see why.  She’s great.  But some people feel the cast members who were brought over from the Broadway performance were stiff.  I’m a little surprised by this since I didn’t see it.  I was having fun and got lost in the story, so I guess I’m not too picky when it comes to acting.

On the other hand, I found one third act plot really bothered me.  It was supposed to be funny, but I found the jealous boyfriend rather creepy.  Not sure if it is me or just something that hasn’t aged well in the sixty-five years since the movie came out.

Still, if you are looking for a fun musical, I definitely recommend The Pajama Game.  You’ll have fun with this one.