Musical Monday: Reet, Petite, and Gone (1947)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Reet, Petite, and Gone (1947) – Musical #702

Reet Petite

Studio:
Astor Pictures

Director:
William Forest Crouch

Starring:
Louis Jordan & The Tympany Five, June Richmond, Milton Woods, Bea Griffith, Lorenzo Tucker, Pat Rainey, Vanita Smythe, David Bethea

Plot:
Sklyer Jarvis (Jordan) is on his death bed and remembering his lost love. He wants his son, bandleader Louis Jarvis (also Jordan), to marry Honey Carter (Griffith), the daughter of Skyler’s former girlfriend. The marriage is the only way Louis will inherit his father’s fortune. Unfortunately, Skyler’s unscrupulous lawyer (Tucker) tries to change Skyler’s will and keep the couple apart.

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Musical Monday: Ski Party (1965)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

ski partyThis week’s musical:
Ski Party (1965) – Musical #696

Studio:
American International Pictures

Director:
Alan Rafkin

Starring:
Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Deborah Walley, Yvonne Craig, Aron Kincaid, Michael Nader, Bobbie Shaw, Patti Chandler, Luree Holmes, Robert Q. Lewis, Steven Rogers, Mikki Jamison, Salli Sachse
Themselves: James Brown, Lesley Gore, The Hondells
Cameo: Annette Funicello

Plot:
Todd (Avalon) and Craig (Hickman) are unsuccessful with women, especially compared to campus hunk Freddie Carter (Kincaid). To better understand women, learn how Freddie wins women, and get closer to the girls they like —Linda (Walley) and Barbara (Craig) — Todd and Craig join a college ski trip. Part of this involves dressing up like English co-eds, Nora and Jane.

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Watching 1939: Everything’s On Ice (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

everythings on ice1939 film:
Everything’s On Ice (1939)

Release date:
Oct. 6, 1939

Cast:
Irene Dare, Roscoe Karnes, Edgar Kennedy, Lynne Roberts, Eric Linden, George Meeker, Wade Boteler

Studio:
RKO Radio Pictures

Director:
Erle C. Kenton

Plot:
Child ice skater Irene (Dare) is exploited by her chiseling uncle Felix (Karns) when he signs her up to perform at a resort in Florida. Felix is also trying to arrange romances with Irene’s older sister, Jane (Roberts), that seem to be financially profitable. Pretty soon, it becomes apparent that everyone is trying to use everyone else for money.

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Musical Monday: Thin Ice (1937)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

thin ice 2This week’s musical:
Thin Ice (1937) – Musical #701

Studio:
20th Century Fox

Director:
Sidney Lanfield

Starring:
Sonja Henie, Tyrone Power, Joan Davis, Arthur Treacher, Raymond Walburn, Sig Ruman, Alan Hale, Leah Ray, Melville Cooper, George Givot

Plot:
An international conference is held at the ski resort, Grand Hotel Imperial in St. Christophe in the Alps, where a pact will be signed. Prince Rudolph (Power) pretends to be ill to create tensions before the pact is signed and goes skiing. While on skis, he meets the hotel’s skate instructor Lili (Henie). The two fall in love without Lili knowing who he is.

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Musical Monday: Ring-A-Ding Rhythm (1962)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

rhing a dingThis week’s musical:
Ring-A-Ding Rhythm (UK Title: It’s Trad, Dad) (1962) – Musical #699

Studio:
Columbia Pictures

Director:
Richard Lester

Starring:
Helen Shapiro, Craig Douglas, Felix Felton
Themselves: Chubby Checker, Gene Vincent, The Brook Brothers, Gene McDaniels, John Leyton, Del Shannon, Gary U.S. Bonds, The Paris Sisters, The Dukes of Dixieland, Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, Ottilie Patterson, Acker Bilk and His Paramount Jazz Band, Terry Lightfoot and His New Orleans Jazz Band, Bob Wallis and His Storyville Jazzmen, Temperance Seven, Sounds Incorporated, David Jacobs, Pete Murray, Alan Freeman, Felix Felton

Plot:
The mayor (Felton) hates the jazz that the teens in town are listening to, and tries to ban the jukebox in the local coffee shop. Helen and Craig (themselves) plan a jazz festival to bring the adults around to that style of music. The pair travel around to different studios and night clubs to persuade disc jockeys and musicians to perform.

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Watching 1939: Twelve Crowded Hours (1939)

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1939 film:
Twelve Crowded Hours (1939)

twelve crowdedRelease date:
Feb. 23, 1939

Cast:
Richard Dix, Lucille Ball, Allan Lane, Donald MacBride, Cy Kendall, John Arledge, Granville Bates, John Gallaudet, Murry Alper, Allan Lane, Bradley Page, Dorothy Lee, Addison Richards, Frank Faylen (uncredited), Kay Sutton (uncredited), Blue Washington (uncredited), Dorothy Lovett (uncredited)

Studio:
RKO Pictures

Director:
Lew Landers

Plot:
When his editor is murdered, reporter Nick Green works to solve the murder. To make matters worse, the murder may involve the brother of his girlfriend, Paula (Ball).

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Musical Monday: The Eddy Duchin Story (1956)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

eddy duchinThis week’s musical:
The Eddy Duchin Story (1956) – Musical #697

Studio:
Columbia Pictures

Director:
George Sidney

Starring:
Tyrone Power, Kim Novak, Victoria Thompson, James Whitmore, Rex Thompson, Mickey Maga, Frieda Inescort, Shepperd Strudwick, Gloria Holden, Larry Keating, John Mylong
Themselves: Xavier Cugat

Plot:
Starting in 1927 until his 1951 death, the film follows pianist and bandleader Eddy Duchin (Power). It shows his rise in fame and marriage to his wife, Marjorie Oelrichs (Novak). When a tragedy occurs in his family, Eddy grieves alone and is separated from his son Peter (Maga, Thompson) for many years. He works to rebuild their relationship.

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Watching 1939: Waterfront (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

1939 film:
Waterfront (1939)

waterfront

Release date:
July 15, 1939

Cast:
Gloria Dickson, Dennis Morgan, Marie Wilson, Larry Williams, Ward Bond, Sheila Bromley, Arthur Gardner, Aldrich Bowker, Frank Faylen, George Lloyd, Charles Trowbridge (uncredited)

Studio:
Warner Bros.

Director:
Terry O. Morse

Plot:
Quick tempered Jim Dolan (Morgan) is the president of the dockworker’s and is constantly fighting. His temper periodically lands him in jail and keeps him at odds with his girlfriend Ann (Dickson). Jim turns over a new leaf but runs into trouble when his brother is killed.

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Musical Monday: The Gene Krupa Story (1959)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

gene krupa posterThis week’s musical:
The Gene Krupa Story (1959) – Musical #332

Studio:
Columbia Pictures

Director:
Don Weis

Starring:
Sal Mineo, James Darren, Susan Kohner, Yvonne Craig, Susan Oliver, Lawrence Dobkin, Celia Lovsky, Bobby Troup, Shelly Manne, Gavin MacLeod (uncredited), Arthur Walsh (uncredited)
Self: Red Nichols, Anita O’Day, Buddy Lester, Ruby Lane

Plot:
Biographical film on drummer Gene Krupa (Mineo). The film shows Krupa’s conflict with this family over becoming a musician, struggling as a musician in New York City, and then breaking it big as a solo drummer. The film also depicts his downfall when Krupa is arrested for his substance abuse.

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Musical Monday: The Five Pennies (1959)

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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 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

five penniesThis week’s musical:
The Five Pennies (1959) – Musical #254

Studio:
Paramount Pictures

Director:
Melville Shavelson

Starring:
Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel Geddes, Harry Guardino, Bob Crosby, Bobby Troup, Tuesday Weld, Susan Gordon, Ray Anthony, Shelly Mane, Ray Daley, Blanche Sweet (uncredited)
Themselves: Louis Armstrong

Plot:
A biographical film on cornet player Loring “Red” Nichols (Kaye). It shows Nichols rise to fame as he creates the successful Five Pennies band, which specializes in playing Dixieland jazz. But at the top, Nichols abruptly retires due to a family emergency.

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