Category Archives: Musical Monday

Musical Mondays: “Thank Your Lucky Stars” (1943)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500.
To celebrate and share this musical love, I’m starting a weekly feature about musicals.

Poster - Thank Your Lucky Stars_01

This week’s musical:
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) –Musical Number 470

Starring:
All top Warner Brothers stars: Eddie Cantor, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, Ida Lupino, Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, John Garfield, George Tobias, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, Dinah Shore, Alexis Smith, Joan Leslie, Alan Hale, S.Z. Sakall, Edward Everett Horton,

Director:
David Butler

Studio:
Warner Brothers Studios

Plot:
“Thank Your Lucky Stars” is a movie with less of a plot and more musical numbers from the top stars of the 1940s.
The plot that runs between the musical numbers is about producers (played by S.Z Sakall and Edward Everett Horton) who want to put on a wartime charity event for soldiers. Egotistical Eddie Cantor, playing himself, takes over the production. Singer Tommy Randolph, played by Dennis Morgan, and his girlfriend Pat, played by Joan Leslie, try to get into the show and replace the real Cantor with a bus driver who looks just like Cantor (also played by Eddie Cantor). Zany comedic moments and confusion ensue as Eddie Cantor has to prove he is the real Eddie Cantor.
Stars who usually don’t appear in musicals perform in the film such as Bette Davis, Ida Lupino and Errol Flynn.

Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie are one of the few stars in "Thank Your Lucky Stars" who don't play themselves.

Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie are one of the few stars in “Thank Your Lucky Stars” who don’t play themselves.

Trivia:
-This is one of the few movies where Bette Davis sings- another film where she sings is “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.” She performs the musical number “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old.”

-During Bette Davis’s musical number, she jitterbugs with champion jitterbugger Conrad Wiedell. Davis never rehearsed the dance with Wiedell, because she was afraid she could only get through the dance once, according to the book “The Girl Who Walked Home Alone” by Charlotte Chandler.
 “Look, I’m not a movie star. I’m just some dame you picked up at the dance hall,” she told him.
She hurt her leg during the dance, and you can see she is limping at the end of the dance and rubs her leg but completes the number. Davis didn’t want to spoil the take, because she didn’t think she could do the dance again, according to Chandler’s book.
-This is the last of nine movies Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland star in together.
-Though not dubbed in every movie, Joan Leslie is dubbed by Sally Sweetland.
-Olivia De Havilland is dubbed by Lynn Martin.
-All of the stars were paid $50,000 for the film which was donated to the Hollywood Canteen, according to “Errol Flynn: The Life and Career” by Thomas McNulty.
-Errol Flynn proposed singing as the cockney bar patron, because he wanted to do something different, according to McNulty’s book.

Notable Songs and Highlights:
Almost every song in the movie is worth noting because so many unique performances from stars you usually don’t get to hear singing:
-Errol Flynn sings “That’s What You Jolly Well Get” as a braggart Cockney. Flynn does an EXCELLENT job. He dances and sings with ease and sells the song well, while being humorous at the same time.
-John Garfield sings “Blues in the Night.” Garfield is no crooner and the song is a bit rough. However, he gives it his all-while telling a story between the lyrics-and is very entertaining.
-Ida Lupino, George Tobias and Olivia de Havilland sing “The Dreamer.” Lupino and De Havilland sings as gum chomping, jitterbugging dames and make a hilarious trio with Tobias.
My only disappointment is that de Havilland is dubbed and it’s obvious. Tobias and Lupino sing well but their unpolished voices don’t mix well with the de Havilland’s dubbed voice.

-Hattie McDaniel belts out sings “Ice Cold Katie”
-Bette Davis sings “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old” and jitterbugs. The song was nominated for an Academy Award and became a hit because of Davis.
-Ann Sheridan sings “Love Isn’t Born” with a group of Warner Brothers starlets, including Joyce Reynolds. Her song is one of the best in the movie. Sheridan is a great singer was in a few musicals, though that isn’t what she’s known for.
My Review:
This movie is a delight!
If you are expecting a movie with a firm plot and a moral, this may not be for you. But if you want to laugh and smile, “Thank Your Lucky Stars” will do the trick. Every single musical performance brings a smile to my face, especially those performed by Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and John Garfield.
Movies that were basically musical reviews were not rare in the 1940s. Several World War II films took on a canteen-style approach with thin plots and dominate musical numbers such as Hollywood Canteen (1944), Stage Door Canteen (1943), Two Girls and A Sailor (1944) and Thousands Cheer (1943). Warner Brothers made a similar, but less appealing, musical review in the 1950s for the Korean War called “Starlift.”
“Thank Your Lucky Stars ” also gives you an education of who the top actors and actresses were at Warner Brothers Studios during the 1940s.
I own this movie via the Warner Brothers Homefront Collection which includes “This is the Army” and “Hollywood Canteen” released in 2008. If you don’t own it, I highly suggest it.

Eddie Cantor in the "Thank Your Lucky Stars" finale

Eddie Cantor in the “Thank Your Lucky Stars” finale

Check back next week for Musical Monday.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page for the latest updates or follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet.

Musical Mondays: Something for the Boys (1944)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500.
To celebrate and share this musical love, I’m starting a weekly feature about musicals.

something for the boysThis week’s musical:
Something for the Boys (1944) – Musical number #469

Starring:
Vivian Blaine, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Michael O’Shea, Perry Como, Shelia O’Ryan

Director:
Peter Seiler

Studio:
Twentieth Century Fox

Plot:
Three cousins find they are heirs to a southern plantation in Georgia. The cousins couldn’t be more different: singer Blossom Hart (Blaine), defense worker Chaquita Hart (Miranda) and con man Harry Hart (Silvers). The mansion isn’t quite what they expected and they turn it into a home for the wives of soldiers who are stationed at a nearby Army base. To help raise money for the home, they put on a show and Blossom meets and falls in love with soldiers Rocky Fulton (O’Shea).

Trivia:
-Ethel Merman starred in the original Broadway production that opened on Jan. 7, 1943 and ran for 422 performances.
-Judy Holliday can be spotted in a brief role six minutes into the film. This is her third film.

Judy Holliday in a brief role in "Something for the Boys" (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen Cap by Jessica P.)

Judy Holliday in a brief role in “Something for the Boys” (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen Cap by Jessica P.)

-“Something for the Boys” is one of four films Vivian Blaine and Carmen Miranda were in together. The other films included “If I’m Lucky” (1946), “Doll Face” (1945) and “Greenwich Village” (1944).

Notable Songs:
-Carmen Miranda sings “Batuca Nega” and “Samba-Boogie.” Any Miranda performance in a film is notable for her energy and colorful outfits.
-Phil Silvers performs the song “Southland.” Though he’s from New York, it seems to be a running tradition in Silvers’s films to sing songs about the South. His songs are similar to songs Al Jolson would sing.
-We get to hear songs from popular 1940s singer Perry Como, who performs “In the Middle of Nowhere” and “I Wish We Didn’t Have to Say Goodnight.”

Perry Como singing "I Wish I Didn't Have to Say Goodnight" to Cara Williams. (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Perry Como singing “I Wish I Didn’t Have to Say Goodnight” to Cara Williams. (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Highlights:
-A running joke in the movie is that Carmen Miranda has carborundum in her tooth filling from working as a machinist. Because of this, she always hears the radio, whether it is on or off. It’s pretty silly but a unique joke. At one point in the film, they use her to send Morse Code.

Due to Carmen Miranda's short wave radio tooth-she is being used to send Morse Code. Also pictured-Michael O'Shea, Vivian Blaine, Phil Silvers. (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Due to Carmen Miranda’s short wave radio tooth-she is being used to send Morse Code. Also pictured-Michael O’Shea, Vivian Blaine, Phil Silvers. (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica P.)

-Judy Holliday says one line six minutes into the movie. Her line explains the problem Miranda may be having with carborundum in her teeth.
-Seeing Vivian Blaine star in the film. Blaine is an energetic, beautiful and talented performer who I enjoying seeing in any film. It’s a shame she is not as well remembered as other 20th Century Fox actresses.
-Jimmie Dodd of Mickey Mouse Club fame can be spotted 51 minutes into the film as a “gambling soldier.”

Vivian Blaine singing "Eighty Miles Outside of Atlanta" (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Vivian Blaine singing “Eighty Miles Outside of Atlanta” (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screen cap by Jessica P.)

My review:
“Something for the Boys” is a light but fun musical filmed during World War II. It is in color, has catchy songs and gorgeous costumes, but it somehow falls short of other Fox musicals that starred Betty Grable or Rita Hayworth.
There are some very silly jokes such as Carmen Miranda’s short-wave-radio-tooth, but it’s entertaining nonetheless. My only complaint is that I find Phil Silvers annoying and Michael O’Shea to be a weak leading man.
It’s not a well-known film with a cast of stars who are fairly forgotten today, with the exception of Carmen Miranda and Phil Silvers.
However, it’s a glittering and colorful musical comedy that will brighten a lazy afternoon.

Carmen Miranda performing "Samba-Boogie" (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Carmen Miranda performing “Samba-Boogie” (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica P.)

Check back next week for Musical Monday.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page for the latest updates or follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet.

Musical Mondays: “Second Chorus” (1940)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500.
To celebrate and share this musical love, I’m starting a weekly feature about musicals.

second chorusThis week’s musical: 
“Second Chorus” (1940) – Musical #169

Starring:
Paulette Goddard, Fred Astaire, Artie Shaw, Burgess Meredith, Charles Butterworth

Director:
H.C. Potter

Studio:
Paramount Pictures

Plot:
Danny O’Neill (Astaire) and Hank Taylor (Meredith) are seventh year college students who flunk on purpose to continue playing the trumpet in their college jazz band.
They meet Ellen Miller (Goddard) who becomes their manager for the band. And when band leader Artie Shaw (as himself) hires Ellen, Danny and Hank scheme and double cross each other to get into Shaw’s band.

Trivia:
-Astaire and Meredith are both supposed to be college students. Though they were supposed to be in college for seven years, they were both much too old to be students. Astaire was 41 and Meredith was 33.
-Meredith and Goddard were married at one time, but no during this film. The two actors didn’t get married until 1944.
-Billy Butterfield dubbed Meredith’s trumpet playing and Bobby Hackett dubbed Astaire’s. If you play a musical instrument or were ever in band, it’s pretty obvious that neither is playing. They are pretty terrible at faking it.

Artie Shaw and his band performing in "Second Chorus."

Artie Shaw and his band performing in “Second Chorus.”

Notable Songs:
-No song really stands out, though you do get to hear Artie Shaw and his band perform several time. This is another example of having the opportunity to hear a popular band leader of that time period.

Highlights:
-Goddard and Astaire dance together in the song “Dig It.”


-A good comedic moment for Goddard is when she talks to varying groups of people to sell the Astaire and Meredith’s bands. She talks to proper old women, thugs and teenagers-acting like she is one of them with each.

-Astaire works in a Russian restaurant and plays in the restaurant band, dressed as a Cossack. He does the Cossack dance while (pretending) to play the trumpet.

Astaire, dressed as a Cossack, does the Cossack dance while playing the trumpet. (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screencap by Jessica Pickens)

Astaire, dressed as a Cossack, does the Cossack dance while playing the trumpet. (Comet Over Hollywood/ Screencap by Jessica Pickens)

-The finale includes Astaire directing a band while tap dancing and eventually while tap dancing and playing the trumpet. Far-fetched but fairly entertaining.

Astaire leaps while directing Artie Shaws band and tap dancing in the finale of "Second Chorus." (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica Pickens)

Astaire leaps while directing Artie Shaws band and tap dancing in the finale of “Second Chorus.” (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen cap by Jessica Pickens)

 

My Review:
This is a fairly enjoyable film but one of Fred Astaire’s more forgettable movies. However, I would rank it better than the Astaire and Joan Fontaine musical, “A Damsel In Distress.”
Also, for a Fred Astaire musical, he had far fewer musical numbers than usual and the film seemed more like a vehicle to highlight Artie Shaw and his band.
The thing that bugged me the most were how badly Meredith and Astaire faked playing the trumpet. Bad form, puffing of cheeks, one hand playing. I guess that comes from being in the band for several years.
Also, though Astaire and Meredith are good actors, I would say Paulette Goddard acted circles around them both and was the best part of the movie.

Astaire, Goddard and Meredith in "Second Chorus"

Astaire, Goddard and Meredith in “Second Chorus”

Check back next week for Musical Monday.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page for the latest updates or follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet.

Musical Mondays: “Thrill of a Romance” (1945)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

thrill posterThis week’s musical:
“Thrill of a Romance” (1945)- Musical #502*

Studio:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Director:
Richard Thorpe

Starring: 
Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Frances Gifford, Henry Travers, Spring Byington, Lauritz Melchior, Tommy Dorsey and his band

Plot:
Pretty swimming teacher Cynthia Glenn (Williams) is swept off her feet by wealthy Robert Delbar (Carelton Young) who charms her in a whirlwind romance. After a short time, Cynthia and Robert are married and head to a resort for their honeymoon.
However, after only being married a few hours, Robert abandons his new bride for a business deal, leaving her alone on her honeymoon. As she mopes about being left alone, World War II hero, Major Thomas Milvaine (Johnson) sweeps in to cheer her up.
All of this happens on a glittering backdrop of Technicolor outdoor scenery, swimming sequences and musical performances from big band leader Tommy Dorsey and opera singer Lauritz Melchior.

Trivia:

Van Johnson and Esther Williams. This is my favorite outfit Esther wears in the film.

Van Johnson and Esther Williams. This is my favorite outfit Esther wears in the film.

-“Thrill of a Romance” is the first of four full-length films Esther Williams and Van Johnson made together. But this wasn’t their first film together. Williams has a brief part in “A Guy Named Joe” (1943) with Johnson. Their other films include “Easy to Wed,” “Duchess of Idaho” and “Easy to Love.”
-A young girl plays the piano and sings and is supposed to be Tommy Dorsey’s daughter in the film.  The girl isn’t Dorsey’s daughter and is actress Helene Stanley playing Susan Dorsey in the film. However, he did have a daughter named Susie in real life.

Notable songs:
-Tommy Dorsey plays one of his famous songs, “Song of India.” Aside from that song, it’s always fun to hear big band music in films, especially since that would have been the “pop standard” of that time period.
-Famous Danish opera singer Lauritz Melchior performs several songs in the film. This is notable since he was influential as an opera singer.

Highlights:
-Young Jerry Scott hiding on the terrace singing “Please Don’t Say No, Say Maybe.”
-Van Johnson lip syncing (though he can sing in real life) as Lauritz Melchior sings “Please Don’t Say No, Say Maybe.”
-Esther Williams swimming with Van Johnson

Esther and Frances Gifford.

Esther and Frances Gifford.

My review:
Not only is “Thrill of a Romance” my favorite Esther Williams film, but it is a perfect example of a mid-1940s MGM musical.
It’s not the type of musical where people break into song because they are so full of emotion they can’t speak. It is more a romantic story with a backdrop of musical performances.

Esther and Van dancing to Tommy D

Esther and Van dancing to Tommy D

The film has a beautiful set, gorgeous costumes, catchy songs and vibrant, young actors.
MGM films always have that something extra special, and while there are a lot of special things about this movie-Esther Williams and swimming sequences stand out.
Louis B. Mayer liked to add class and culture to his films. While some musicals would have contemporary musicians featured, such as Tommy Dorsey in this one, he also featured classical performers in his films. This could vary from pianist Jose Iturbi or opera singer Lauritz Melchior, in the case of this film.
Though this movie may be dismissed as sugar coated, I always find it thoroughly enjoyable.
It will make you want to visit the resort they are staying at–and you will want Williams’s wardrobe. I don’t believe she wears more beautiful clothing in any of her other films.
It’s one of those films that if you are down, it will immediately lift your spirits.

*Though I saw this musical over eight years ago, I discovered I had never put it down on my musical list. Egads!

You can find my Esther Williams tribute here. Williams passed away at the age of 91 on June 6, 2013.

Check back next week for Musical Monday.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page for the latest updates or follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet.

Musical Mondays: Rose of Washington Square (1939)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.

In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500.

To celebrate and share this musical love, I’m starting a weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
“Rose of Washington Square” (1939)- Musical #462

roseStarring:
Alice Faye, Tyrone Power, Al Jolson, William Frawley, Joyce Compton

Director: 
Gregory Ratoff

Studio:
Twentieth Century Fox

Plot:
Set in the 1920s, Rose (Faye) and Ted (Jolson) dream of becoming singing stars. While Ted’s career takes off, Rose works her way up while singing in speakeasies. Then Rose meets and falls in love with gambling, con-artist Bart (Power). Bart has trouble with the law but somehow keeps his troubles away from her. When Rose is discovered by Ziegfeld and makes it big on Broadway, she and Bart marry but he disappears because of trouble with the law.

Trivia:
The plot of this film strongly resembled Fanny Brice’s relationship with Jules W. Arndt Stein. Faye even sings Brice’s signature song “My Man.”

Alice Faye as Rose falls in love with gambler Tyrone Power who plays Bart.

Alice Faye as Rose falls in love with gambler Tyrone Power who plays Bart.

Brice sued 20th Century Fox for $750,000 and the studio settled with Brice for an undisclosed amount, according to the Biography documentary on Alice Faye.

The publicity made “Rose of Washington Square the biggest musical hit of 1939.

Notable songs:
-Al Jolson sings his signature songs “My Mammy,” “Toot, Toot, Tootsie” and “California, Here I Come”

-Alice Faye sings Fanny Brice’s signature ballad “My Man”

Highlights:
-Louis Prima has an appearance playing the trumpet as Alice Faye sings. Not only is it always great to have a Prima appearance in a film, but Faye later married Phil Harris who performed with Prima in Disney’s “The Jungle Book.”

-When Alice Faye sings “Rose of Washington Square” specialty dancers Igor and Tanya perform a dizzying dance. Also dancers sing and dance as they smoke a cigarette, toss the cigarette and another appears in their hand.

"Rose of Washington Square" cigarette dancing

“Rose of Washington Square” cigarette dancing

My review:
Alice Faye once said, “My voice was deeper than the plot” of many of her movies and this applies to “Rose of Washington Square.”

I love Alice Faye and will watch her in anything, but my favorite part was getting to see her perform with Louis Prima. Though Jolson was in black face, it was interesting to see him perform several of the songs that made him famous.

The movie was released during Hollywood’s best year, has a stellar cast and well-known songs, but it lacks something. Aside from the Brice vs. 20th Century Fox publicity, it is a run of the mill singer-trying-to-make-it-big musical.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page, follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet or e-mail at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com

Weekend One-Hundred: Musicals 301-400

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Betty Grable and June Haver in “The Dolly Sisters”

Several of you requested to see my musical list, this is the last of the musicals on the list-in the order I watched and recorded them.  This list goes from October 2007 to March 2010. Enjoy!

301.) Strike Up the Band (1940)
302.) You Can’t Run Away From It (1956)
303.) Follow the Boys (1963)
304.) Shipmates Forever (1935)
305.) Sweeny Todd (2007)
306.) Pot O’ Gold (1941)
307.) On the Avenue (1937)
308.) That Night in Rio (1941)
309.) My Wild Irish Rose (1947)
310.) The Gang’s All Here (1943)
311.) Road to Hong Kong (1962)
312.) The Pleasure Seekers (1964)
313.) Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
314.) The Fabulous Dorsey’s (1947)
315.) Torch Song (1953)
316.) Blue Skies (1946)
317.) The Merry Widow (1934)
318.) Pajama Party (1964)
319.) Kid Nightingale (1939)
320.) My Sister Eileen (1955)
321.) Smilin’ Through (1941)
322.) Las Vegas Nights (1941)
323.) Reveille with Beverly (1943)
324.) Winter A-Go-Go (1965)
325.) So This is Love (1953)
326.) That’s Right, You’re Wrong (1939)
327.) Excuse My Dust (1951)
328.) Across the Universe (2007)
329.) Robin and His Seven Hoods (1964)
330.) Jam Session (1944)
331.) The Benny Goodman Story (1954)
332.) The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
333.) The Dolly Sisters (1945)
334.) Guys and Dolls (1954)
335.) Syncopation (1942)
336.) West Point Story (1950)
337.) Fun in Acapulco (1963)

“Li’l Abner”: One of the worst musicals I’ve ever seen

338.) Roustabout (1964)
339.) Stage Mother (1933)
340.) Viva Las Vegas (1964)
341.) The Great Caruso (1951)
342.) The Jazz Singer (1927)
343.) Interrupted Melody (1955)
344.) The Great Waltz (1938)
345.) A Song to Remember (1945)
346.) One Night of Love (1934)
347.) G.I. Blues (1960)
348.) George White’s Scandals (1945)
349.) Rose Marie (1954)
350.) An Alligator Named Daisy (1955)
351.) Li’l Abner (1958)
352.) A Star is Born (1954)
353.) Around the World (1943)
354.) Let Freedom Ring (1939)
355.) Chasing Rainbows (1930)
356.) Vagabond Lovers (1929)
357.) When Boys Meet Girls (1965)
358.) The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
359.) The Gay Desperado (1936)
360.) Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
361.) Crooner (1932)
362.) Red, Hot and Blue (1949)
363.) Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941)
364.) The Big City (1948)
365.) Marianne (1929)
366.) Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
367.) Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934)
368.) One Hour with You (1932)
369.) I’ll Cry Tomorrow (1955)
370.) Artists and Models (1937)
371.) Grounds for Marriage (1951)
372.) I Married an Angel (1942)
373.) Slightly French (1947)
374.) New Moon (1940)
375.) Playmates (1941)
376.) You’ll Find Out (1940)
377.) Music in Manhattan (1944)
378.) Carolina Blues (1944)
379.) Cabin in the Sky (1943)
380.) Mad About Music (1938)
381.) Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939)
382.) About Face (1952)
383.) Going Wild (1930)
384.) Rock, Rock, Rock (1956)
385. Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1931)
386.) Hot Heiress (1931)
387.) Daughter of Rosie O’Grady (1950)
388.) Sally (1929)
389.) Hearts Divided (1936)
390.) Time Square Lady (1935)
391.) Swing Fever (1943)
392.) Orchestra Wives (1942)
393.) Song of the Islands (1942)
394.) That Lady in Ermine (1948)
395.) She’s Working Her Way Through College (1952)
396.) Sunnyside Up (1929)
397.) Say One for Me (1959)
398.) Band Waggon (1940)
399.) Scrooge (1970)
400.) Coney Island (1943)

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Weekend One-Hundred: Musicals 201-300

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“Umbrellas of Cherbourg”- Candy colored beautiful film. Yes, its all singing in French, but its one of the most beautiful musicals Ive ever seen.

Several of you requested to see my musical list, so for the next four weekends I will post 100 of the musical on the list-in the order I watched and recorded them. This list goes from Ocober 2005  till roughly Ocober 2007.  Enjoy!

201.) Hollywood Hotel (1937)
202.)Sing Your Worries Away (1942)
203.) Stage Struck (196)
204.) Ship Ahoy (1942)
205.) Up in Arms (1944)
206.) Broadway Melody of 1936 (1936)
207.) Joker is Wild (1957)
208.) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
209.) Step Lively (1944)
210.) Sky’s the Limit (1943)
211.) Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
212.) Pal Joey (1957)
213.) Kid from Brooklyn (1946)
214.) The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
215.) Mother Wore Tights (1947)
216.) Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936)
217.) The Chocolate Soldier (1941)
218.) April Showers (1948)
219.) A Hundred Men and a Girl (1937)
220.) San Francisco (1936)
221.) Rose-Marie (1936)
222.) A Song is Born (1948)
223.) Greenwich Village (1944)
224.) Pin Up Girl (1944)
225.) Dames (1934)
226.) Good Times (1967)
227) Balalaika (1939)
228.) Broadway Rhythm (1944)
229.) Girl Happy (1965)
230.) Footlight Parade (1933)
231.) My Gal Sal (1942)
232.) Dancing Lady (1933)
233.) Fashions of 1934 (1934)
234.) Maytime (1937)
235.) Camelot (1967)
236.) The Bamboo Blonde (1946)
237.) The Goldwyn Follies (1938)
238.) Little Nellie Kelly (1940)
239.) Belle of New York (1952)
240.) Star! (1968)
241.) Merry Andrew (1958)
242.) Naughty Marietta (1935)
243.) Damn Yankees! (1958)
234.) Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)
235.) Emperor Waltz (1948)
236.) The Kissing Bandit (1948)
237.) The Merry Widow (1952)

Betty Grable in “Mother Wore Tights”: Heartwarming and nostalgic

238.) The Singing Marine (1937)
239.) Wonder Man (1945)
240.) Get Yourself a College Girl (1964)
241.) Hold On! (1966)
242.) Ready, Willing, and Able (1937)
243.) Walk the Line (2005)
252.) Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964)
253.) Hootenany Hoot (1963)
254.) Five Pennies (1959)
255.) Student Tour (1934)
256.) Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms (1938)
257.) Poor Little Rich Girl (1936)
258.) That Midnight Kiss (1949)
259.) Swing High, Swing Low (1937)
260.) Lady Be Good (1941)
261.) Music in My Heart (1940)
262.) The Girl of the Golden West (1938)
263.) It Happened In Brooklyn (1947)
264.) We’re Not Dressing (1934)
265.) Flirtation Walk (1934)
266.) Broadway Hostess (1935)
267.) Old Man Rhythm (1935)
268.) Let’s Make Music (1941)
269.) Born to Sing (1942)
270.) Two Guys From Texas (1948)
271.) Al Jolson Story (1946)
272.) Bitter Sweet (1940)
273.) Down Argentine Way (1940)
274.) My Blue Heaven (1950)
275.) Deep in My Heart (1954)
276.) Joy of Living (1938)
277.) Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
278.) Bikini Beach (1964)
279.) Meet Miss Bobby Socks (1944)
280.) Three Little Words (1950)
281.) Inspector General (1949)
282.) Eve Knew Her Apples (1945)
283.) Broadway Gondalier (1935)
284.) Colleen (1936)
285.) Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
286.) Young Girls of Rochfort (1968)
287.)Little Miss Broadway (1938)
288.) Beach Party (1963)
290.) Let’s Fall in Love (1933)
291.) How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)
292.) Sweethearts (1938)
293.) Wonder Bar (1934)
294.) Three For the Show (1955)
295.) Jive Junction (1943)
296.) Clambake (1967)
297.) Summer Holiday (1948)
298.) Muscle Beach Party (1964)
299.) Billie (1965)
300.) Let’s Do It Again (1953)

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Weekend One-Hundred: Musical list 101-200

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"Blues in the Night"-Love Prisiclla Lane but this movie was a tad boring and furstarting because of her no good husband.

Several of you requested to see my musical list, so for the next few weekends I will post 100 of the musical on the list-in the order I watched and recorded them. This list goes from July of 2004 till roughly August or September of 2005.  Enjoy!

101.) Night and Day (1946)
102.) Shall We Dance (1937)
103.) Best Foot Forward (1943)
104.) Meet the People (1944)
105.) Date with Judy (1948)
106.) Roberta (1935)
107.) Fiesta (1947)
108.) Easy to Love (1954)
109.) Skirts Ahoy (1952)
110.) Jupiter’s Darling (1955)
111.) High Society (1956)
112.)Broadway Melody of 1929 (1929)
113.) Music For Millions (1944)
114.) Panama Hattie (1942)
115.) Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter (1968)
116.) It’s a Date (1940)
117.) Neptune’s Daughter (1949)
118.) On Moonlight Bay (1951)
119.) Holiday in Mexico (1946)
120.) Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
121.) The Gay Divorcee (1934)
123.) Going to Hollywood (1933)
124.) Born To Dance (1936)
125.) Happy Go Lovely (1951)
126.) Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
127.) Perils of Pauline (1947)
128.) Lullaby of Broadway (1951)
129.) April in Paris (1952)
130.) Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)
131.) Shine on Harvest Moon (1944)

"Shine on Harvest Moon"-Great Warner Brothers film. Dennis Morgan is dreamy and Ann Sheridan is beautiful

132.) Three Smart Girls (1936)
133.) Look for the Silver Lining (1949)
134.) Something in the Wind (1947)
135.) It Started With Eve (1941)
136.) First Love (1939)
137.) Can’t Help Singing (1944)
138.) Stage Door Canteen (1943)
139.) Hollywood Canteen (1944)
140.) Rosalie (1937)
141.) The Story of Irene and Vernon Castle (1939)
142.) Sunny (1930)
143.)Cinderella (1957)
144.) Cinderella (1964)
145.) Cinderella (1997)
146.) Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
147.) Road to Morocco (1942)
148.) Road to Utopia (1946)
149.)Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
150.) It’s Always Fair Weather (1955)
151.) Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
152.) Looking for Love (1964)
153.) Down to Earth (1947)
154.) French Line (1954)
155.) Follow the Fleet (1936)
156.) Road to Singapore (1940)
157.) Road to Bali (1952)
158.) Bundle of Joy (1956)
159.) Rich, Young, and Pretty (1951)
160.) Flower Drum Song (1962)
161.) Vogues of 1938 (1937)
162.) Moon Over Miami (1941)
163.) Springtime in the Rockies (1942)
164.) Gypsy (1962)
165.) Girl Crazy (1943)
166.) ‘Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
167.) I Love Melvin (1953)
168.) Bye, Bye Birdie (1963)
169.) Second Chorus (1940)
170.) Farmer Takes a Wife (1953)
171.) Tea For Two (1950)
172.) Honolulu (1939)
173.) DuBarry Was a Lady (1943)
174.) By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)
175.) The Opposite Sex (1956)
176.) I Dood It (1943)
177.) The Stork Club (1945)
178.) Too Many Girls (1940)
179.) Pigskin Parade (1936)
180.) I’ll See You in My Dreams (1951)
181.) Tonight and Every Night (1945)
182.) Presenting Lilly Mars (1943)
183.) Yolanda and The Thief (1945)
184.) Lucky Me (1954)
185.) Court Jester (1955)
186.) Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry (1937)
187.) Listen Darling (1938)
188.) Thousands Cheer (1943)
189.) Give a Girl a Break (193)
190.) Reckless (1935)
191.) Blues in the Night (1941)
192.) Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938)
193.) Pennies from Heaven (1936)
194.)Damsel in Distress (1937)
195.) Sweet Adeline (1934)
196.) Desert Song (1953)
197.) Four Jacks and a Jill (1942)
198.) Going Places (1938)
199.) Here Comes the Groom (1951)
200.) Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1949)

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Weekend One Hundred: Musical list 1 through 100

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Several of you requested to see my musical list, so for the next four weekends I will post 100 of the musical on the list-in the order I watched and recorded them. Also remember, 30 or 40 are ones I had already seen before I started the list. This list goes from September or October of 2003 to July of 2004. Enjoy!

I wasn’t all that impressed with “Carousel,” very dramatic and depressing.

1.) West Side Story (1961)
2.) South Pacific (1958)
3.) Blue Hawaii (1961)
4.) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
5.) Singing in the Rain (1952)
6.) Sound of Music (1965)
7.) Annie (1982)
8.) American in Paris (1951)
9.) Summer Stock (1950)
10.) For Me and My Gal (1942)
11.) Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
12.) Wizard of Oz (1939)
13.) The King and I (1956)
14.) Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
15.) Music Man (1962)
16.) Chicago (2001)
17.) The Pirate (1948)
18.) Anchors Away (1945)
19.) Kiss Me Kate (1953)
20.) Gigi (1958)
21.) White Christmas (1954)
22.) Holiday Inn (1942)
23.) Billy Rose’s Jumbo (1962)
24.) Duchess of Idaho (1951)
25.) In the Good Ole Summertime (1949)
26.) Young at Heart (1954)
27.) Grease (1978)
28.) Babes in Arms (1939)
29.) Show Boat (1951)
30.) 42nd Street (1933)
31.) Easter Parade (1948)
32.) Funny Face (1957)
33.) Cover Girl (1944)
34.) Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
35.) Romance on the High Seas (1948)
36.) My Dream is Yours (1949)
37.) It’s a Great Feeling (1949)
38.) Paint Your Wagon (1969)
39.) Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
40.) Victor/Victoria (1982)
41.) Babes in Toyland (1961)
42.) Mary Poppins (1964)
43.) Harvey Girls (1946)
44.) Summer Magic (1963)

I really enjoyed “Annie Get Your Gun.” It was my favorite for awhile.

45.) Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
46.) Hans Christian Anderson (1952)
47.) The Singing Nun (1966)
48.) You’ll Never Get Rich (1941)
49.) Calamity Jane (1953)
50.) Silk Stockings (1957)
51.) Gentlemen Marry Brunets (1955)
52.)There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954)
53.) Brigadoon (1954)
54.) My Fair Lady (1964)
55.) Royal Wedding (1951)
56.) The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
57.) On the Town (1949)
58.) Fiddler on the Roof
59.) Nancy Goes to Rio (1950)
60.) Luxury Liner (1948)
61.) Bathing Beauty (1954)
62.) Seven Sweethearts (1942)
63.) Hit the Deck (1955)
64.) Three Daring Daughters (1948)
65.) Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937)
66.) You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
67.) Oklahoma! (1955)
68.) Texas Carnival (1951)
69.) Words and Music (1948)
70.) Good News (1947)
71.) Two Weeks With Love (1950)
72.) Bells are Ringing (1960)
73.) Barkleys on Broadway (1949)
74.) Bandwagon (1953)
75.) Pagan Love Song (1950)
76.) Small Town Girl (1953)
77.) Athena (1954)
78.) Show Boat (1936)
79.)Dangerous When Wet (1953)
80.) Les Girls (1957)
81.) Easy to Wed (1946)
82.) This Time For Keeps (1947)
83.) Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
84.) A Chorus Line (1985)
85.) Two Sisters From Boston (1946)
86.) Toast of New Orleans (1950)
87.) Carousel (1956)
88.) The Pajama Game (1957)
89.) The Red Shoes (1948)
90.)The Glass Slipper (1955)
91.) The Glenn Miller Story (1953)
92.) Young Man With a Horn (1950)
93.) Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
94.) Flying Down To Rio (1933)
95.) Swing Time (1936)
96.) The Girl Most Likely (1957)
97.) Carefree (1938)
98.) Varsity Show (1937)
99.) Top Hat (1935)
100.) State Fair (1945)

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Celebrating 8 years, 400 musicals

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Betty Grable and Hermes Pan doing the “Kindergarten Conga” in “Moon Over Miami” (1941)

It all began in Coach Chamness’ World History class in the fall of 2003 during my 9th grade year.

The previous spring, I saw “West Side Story” for the first time and was hyperventallatingly obsessed with the movie. From that I went on a musical binge watching every musical that was on television.

While I wasn’t listening in class, I began a list of every musical I had ever seen.  It began with ones like “Blue Hawaii“, “Singin’ In the Rain,” “The Sound of Music” and continued.  After that, every time I saw a musical, I wrote it down on my folded up, worn piece of spiral notebook paper that I kept in a drawer in our den.

I’m not sure what made me decide to make the list. I think it was because I was seeing so many musicals I wanted to remember all the ones I’ve seen. I saw several thanks to TCM Musical Month in October 2003 which opened doors to “The Broadway Melody” (1929) and  “Footlight Parade.”

Jane Powell singing in “Nancy Goes to Rio”-remake of the Deanna Durbin movie “It’s a Date”

Looking through my musical list is almost like reading a memoir of my life, because I remember nearly what I was doing during every movie: Happily, blissfully watching the Jane Powell movie “Three Daring Daughters” on a beautiful spring day while my dad painted the house. Crying and being sad while watching “Chorus Line” after having my first break-up with a boyfriend.  Sneaking cookies and sitting by the Christmas tree while watching “The Daughter of Rosie O’Grady.”

The list started with about 50 musicals that I had already seen and today I have hit 400 musicals.  It’s a little crazy, I’ll admit. I sit and think back to all the musicals and it doesn’t feel like I’ve seen that many-and looking through the list I can’t remember what some of them are. I think I have literally seen all (or most) of the MGM musicals.

The first 10 musicals on my list were:
1.) West Side Story (1961)
2.) South Pacific (1958)
3.) Blue Hawaii (1961)
4.) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
5.) Singing in the Rain (1952)
6.) Sound of Music (1965)
7.) Annie (1982)
8.) American in Paris (1951)
9.) Summer Stock (1950)
10.) For Me and My Gal (1942)

The last 10 on my list are:
390.) Time Square Lady (1935)
391.) Swing Fever (1943)
392.) Orchestra Wives (1942)
393.) Song of the Islands (1942)
394.) That Lady in Ermine (1948)
395.) She’s Working Her Way Through College (1952)
396.) Sunnyside Up (1929)
397.) Say One for Me (1959)
398.) Band Waggon (1940) (An English film)
399.) Scrooge (1970)
400.) Coney Island (1943)

It’s funny to look at those two lists: the first 10 are mostly classic musicals that theater students and film fans have seen. The second list is a random list of musicals, unknown to many and have no correlation with each other at all.

I’ve seen alot of wonderful musicals, and I’ve seen a lot of terrible ones.  My least favorites have been “Kiss Me Kate” (1954), “Kismet” (1955), “Yolanda And The Thief” (1945) and “Down to Earth” (1947)- just to name a few. Some of my favorites have been “Romance on the High Seas” (1948),  “Rose Marie” (1936), “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964) and “Music for Millions” (1943).

The list will continue to grow with mostly Fox musicals like Alice Faye and Betty Grable. With 400 musicals under my belt, there is still alot to go!

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