Vincente Minnelli

Bells are Ringing (1960)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Bells are Ringing (1960)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Betty Comden

Adolph Green

Starring:

Judy Holliday

Dean Martin

Fred Clark

Eddie Foy Jr.

Jean Stapleton

Blurb:

A Brooklyn answering service operator becomes involved in the lives of her clients, including a struggling playwright with whom she begins to fall in love.

Thoughts:

This is the first movie on my list that is a comfort watch. Bells are Ringing isn’t as good as any of my previous films. Most people probably haven’t heard of it, and I completely understand if people don’t like it. The songs are good, with Dean Martin singing most songs would sound good. There’s nothing remarkable about the dancing. Judy Holliday is pretty funny. The story is dated but entertaining as long as you turn your brain off.

It’s a nostalgia watch for me. I used to rent a VHS copy of Bells are Ringing from my local video store. They had some random musicals, and this happened to be one of them. I was surprised when it was released on DVD and downright shocked to see that it’s on Blu-ray.

It was nominated for a couple of awards. It won one. It did not come even close to making back its money and took a pretty significant loss. It was a movie adaption of a stage production. Really, the biggest thing of note that I’m aware of is that it was Judy Holliday’s final film before she died of breast cancer a few years later.

I like Bells are Ringing and if you’re looking for a musical recommendation and trust my judgment, by all means, try it out. It’s available to rent on Amazon Prime, or if you feel like paying $2 more, you could even own it.

Meet in St. Louis (1944)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Meet in St. Louis (1944)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writer:

Irving Brecher

Fred F. Finklehoffe

Starring:

Judy Garland

Margaret O’Brien

Mary Astor

Lucille Bremer

Leon Ames

Tom Drake

Marjorie Main

Harry Davenport

Henry H. Daniels Jr.

Joan Carroll

Blurb:

Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.

Thoughts:

Something I learned in my most recent re-watch of Meet Me in St. Louis was that in the sixties, they tried to make a TV Show based on the movie. The pilot was on my blu-ray, and I managed to watch about seven minutes before stopping. It was… interesting.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas comes from this movie. Along with several fantastic songs that have not made it into our lexicon but make the film a pleasure to listen to. There are also a few fun dance numbers. It’s a classic musical that has Judy Garland at her best.

The Smith family is prone to drama, and seeing each of them, at some point, succumb to its draw is amusing. The older girls are obsessed with boys. The younger girls are obsessed with violence and death. The father has a bit of a temper and can be hyperbolic at times. The mother and son seem to be the least dramatic, but even they have their moments. As a family, they’re bursting with character, and there are very few moments that lag.

I am a fan of musicals, as you’re about to see if you continue following my blog. This is one of my all-time favorites and remains to be even after all these years.

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