Musical

The Bells are Ringing (1960)

The Bells are Ringing (1960)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Starring:

Dean Martin

Judy Holliday

Fred Clark    

Plot:

Ella Peterson is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who tries to improve the lives of her clients by passing along bits of information she hears from other clients. She falls in love with one of her clients, the playwright Jeffrey Moss, and is determined to meet him. The trouble is, on the phone to him, she always pretends to be an old woman whom he calls “Mom.”

Review:

For a brief time growing up we lived near an old video rental store and they had tons of musicals that I ended up loving. This was one of them. I was lucky enough to stumble across a DVD of it on my most recent trip to the McKay’s in Chattanooga (best used bookstore I’ve been too).

The songs aren’t up to Rogers and Hammerstein but what I really love is the story. Ella, Judy Holliday, is klutzy and sweet, so naturally she falls in love with playboy Dean Martin. It’s cute, but after my most recent viewing I think part of why I like it is nostalgia.

4/5

Easter Parade (1948)
I wish the Blu Ray had this cover

I wish the Blu Ray had this cover

Easter Parade (1948)

Director:

Charles Walters

Starring:

Judy Garland

Fred Astaire

Peter Lawford

Plot:

A nightclub performer hires a naive chorus girl to become his new dance partner to make his former partner jealous and to prove he can make any partner a star.

Review:

This is basically a dancing My Fair Lady, well more focused on dancing. Love Fred Astaire and Judy Garland and this is one of my favorite musicals.

Judy Garland’s character naturally falls in love with Fred Astaire, though, I’ll be honest I was always more into Peter Lawford.

Watching it again for the first time in years I was actually a little disappointed in Garland’s character. I wish she hadn’t fallen in love with him so quickly. That’s just my modern femaleness getting in the way. Just have to turn off my brain and absorb the romance, pretty music, and awesome hats. Love the clothes in this movie.

I liked how fiery she was at the end. I like my women with a temper. She also goes after him and doesn’t let him get away, so she wasn’t a damsel in distress, she got her man.

5/5

Annie (2014)

Annie

Annie (2014)

Director:

Will Gluck

Starring:

Jamie Foxx

Quvenzhané Wallis

Cameron Diaz

Plot:

A foster kid, who lives with her mean foster mom, sees her life change when business tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in.

Review:

I liked the story line and the way this movie was shot, but I liked the songs better in the original. The casting was good, though, to be honest Jamie Foxx wasn’t the best singer. I was also a little annoyed with the way they handled Hannigan.

***Spoilers***

At the end Hannigan has a change in heart and tells Stacks, Jamie Foxx, what she’s done and that the people taking Annie away aren’t her parents. I liked it better when Hannigan was a villain and didn’t change her character because Annie was so adorable. After how many years of being a horrible foster mother, this situation finally changes who you are? I don’t think so.

The movie was okay, but because of that I’m lowering it half a star.

2.5/5

Re-Watch: In the Good Old Summertime (1949)

In the Good Old Summertime

In the Good Old Summertime (1949)

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard & Buster Keaton

Starring:

Judy Garland

Van Johnson

S.Z. Sakall

Plot:

Musical remake of 1940 “Shop Around the Corner” by Lubitch.

Review:

IMDB’s plot is pretty spot on. I’ve watched the movie many times but never right after The Shop Around the Corner and there are a lot of repeated lines. The plot is the same, Veronica, Judy Garland, is kind of mean at times as well. The big changes are that it is set in a music shop and there is singing and dancing. None of the songs are anything major but Judy Garland is singing them so they’re nice to hear.

There is also the addition of another woman in Andrew’s, Van Johnson, life. He’s the character that Jimmy Stewart played in the previous movie. She pushes Veronica to feel jealous that there is someone else possibly receiving Andrew’s attention.

I like the movie a lot, but I like The Shop Around the Corner better.

4.5/5