Live Action Musical Movie Hall of Fame

I'm glad you liked The Pajama Game, especially the soundtrack. It's one of my favorites too. I also find myself rewinding "There Once Was a Man" and watching it a bunch of times too. (If you don't want to watch the whole movie to get to it, that scene is also on YouTube. )

About your second point, it's a very good point, but Sid's job was to stop the strike, and that's what he did. It bothered me a little bit the first time I saw the movie too, but I just pretended that there's a deleted scene after the closing credits where Sid turns him in after he stops the strike.

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OPEN FLOOR.

These are some of my favorite Doris Day movies. They're not all musicals, but I love every one of these movies.

It's a Great Feeling (1949)
Tea for Two (1950)
On Moonlight Bay (1951)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)
Calamity Jane (1953)
Teacher's Pet (1958)
The Tunnel of Love (1958)
Pillow Talk (1959)
That Touch of Mink (1962)
The Thrill of It All (1963)
Move Over, Darling (1963)
Send Me No Flowers (1964)
Do Not Disturb (1965)
The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
With Six You Get Eggroll (1968)

I'm sorry that you didn't like The Pajama Game, but hopefully you at least enjoyed some of the songs.

I disagree about John Raitt, (so much so that I watch a lot of his Broadway videos on YouTube), but we're all entitled to our opinions.

I don't blame Sid for firing Babe. She damaged the machine, and admitted to doing it intentionally, so it was her own fault that she got fired. What was he supposed to do? Just let her get away with it because they were dating? And he didn't hit on someone else because he liked the other girl. It was just his strategy to get her key so he could see the books and settle the strike. He still only liked Babe.

It's weird how some of you like movies with "knife crime, domestic violence, embezzlement and exploitation" when they're in horror movies, but when they're all comic mishaps, you no longer like the movies.

A singing congress trying to get the decleration of independence approved? That doesn't sound wierd at all.

Surprisingly enough, it works.

Following the efforts of John Adams trying to get a decleration passed Congress, and everyone else fighting him because they just think he's insufferable and nagging, new methods are called for. Thus the best character of the whole movie, Benjamin Franklin, steps up with a brand new idea; if they hate him so much, let someone else lead the charge. They center in on a delegate from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, who really reminded me of Hugh Laurie's king from Blackadder, the one who shouts Ha-roo all the time. Same level of intellect, I think.

I feel this movie lives and dies by it's script. For all the humour and songs, what is depicted are long sessions of govermental politics and discussion of minutia. Almost the entire last thirty minutes are spent going through the decleration, debating specific wording and turns of frase that could've been utterly boring if handled poorly. Instead we get one of the more bombastic and serious song, performed by the antagonsit of the piece, detailing the triangle trade and the protagonists role in said trading. This is a grueling process, wherein the fate of a nation and the role of a big part of this nations populous are decided. In the end the birth of that nation is put ahead of the fate of some of it's inhabitants, something that sits ill with our protagonists, but is deemed a necesary evil on the road towards indipendence.

And about the songs, being a musical they are of some import, they often come across as the lighter parts of the movie (previously mentioned song excluded) or as means for long distance comunication. Adams often speaks to his wife through letters, but as just reading said letter could get repettetive, they are instead acted out in song, a way for Adams to work out problems or just to lighten his troubled mind. As his wife known him best, she's the ideal one to speak to, though I was abit confused as to the time that elapses during these talks. They seem to be acted out in real time, like a conversation, but as he is writing and reading a letter, shouldn't several days pass as he send letters and awaits replys? It seems to take place more or less instantly, as he moves away from proceedings to talk to his wife, only to be called back to the same situation as if mere minutes or hours have passed. He's also seems to have taken his wife response in consideration when he then goes back to said proceedings, so I can't bring these actions into any semblance of logical time flow. I realize that this could just be a way for the filmmakers to compress time, but they give no indication that this is what they've done.

Regarless of this break in the time continuum, this is an entertaining watch with funny characters, music that stays in the mind and a crash course in american history (correctness or not withstanding). It was a fun film (if a bit too long) and I'm glad to have seen it.

Good nom, Vamp!

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So, this was the first time I ever rewatched Mary Poppins. I know I've seen it before but I can't really recall precisly when. I must have been quite young, anyway, because I'd completely forgotten about the animated parts of this. And what I did remember seems to have been relegated only to the very arrival of Mary, as I could recall the scenes of the cluttered room, but little else except for Superfragilisticexpialidocious (took me three tries to spell that right).

Anyway...this was amazing. It's a fun experience, coming back to a movie you've not seen in forever, discovering think you'd forgotten and reliving the moment you remembered. For me, this movie has less to do with the children, their parents and even Mary to some extent, and more with Bert, played by Dick Van Dyke. Fine, it's Mary who got the power and sets gets the fantastic stuff started, but it's more or less continuesly Bert who gets the ideas and, working with the kids, gets Mary to make it happen.

A sidenote, but a thing that stood out to me that makes me curious, yet I'm not sure as to if I'd really want to know the answer to: What is Mary Poppins? Is she a witch? A Fairy God-nanny? A lesser known, minor pagan Deity? An anti-thesis to IT, spreading joy to children rather than luring them underground and devouring them?

EDIT:
(As I said that, I ment it as a joke, but seeing as we're getting a remake of IT this year, and a Mary Poppins remake/sequel next year, I see possibilties. A shared Stephen King/Disney universe, anyone?)
EDIT ENDS

Back to it, Burt being the driving force of the movie. If we look at the things Mary plans to do with the kids, we get the following: Cleaning room by singing, taking them to the park, running errands, visiting a sick relative (?). Not too interesting, apart from the magical cleaning. But when they incounter Bert, this is what actually happens: Diving into a painting and spending an afternoon in a animated world (loved the animated farm animal quire), getting to levitate thanks to a laughter-sickness that Bert gets and then drives them to laughter, going up a chimney and meeting the chimney-sweeps. He even takes Mary herself on a romantic walk and performs for her along with a group of serving penguins, the best dance number in the movie, except for the chimney-sweeps routine which is ridiculously high-energy. Van Dyke must have an astonishing amount of energy to pull this off, seeing as he held his own against dancers that were 10 years his juniors.

Beside that, there isn't much for me to say. I loved the movie and I will find it very wierd if this doesn't crack the top three on the final ranking.

Great nom, Gideon

When you watch this, and then hear that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were praised as being one of the all-time great movie duos, I can get that. Every time they were on screen together, either dancing or acting, you can feel the chemistry. They simply work great together, be it dancing in sync or talking. Their dialouge have something of a beat to it, at times it's almost a fencing match, trading fast lines and generally doing with ease what many never achieve despite years of effort (not saying that they didn't put alot of work into it, only that they manage to do it better that most could ever dream of). It so sad, then, that they don't have a better story to act in.

The whole plot seems to rely on one single thing throughout: dumb luck. And this is the one thing that keeps Astaire's character afloat, he just happens to be lucky, be it at cards, dice, roulette, love or life in general. He never has to take responsibility for any of the lies he tells, or the hurt he causes, they just sort themselves out. And I know it's a light-hearted comedy, where nothing major should get in the way of our hero getting the girl, but still, this is a weak story, saved only by the charm of the leads, and sometimes not even by them. The scene at New Amsterdam is one of the biggest sins (not counting the ending) where Pop spills the beans, it seems, because the writers couldn't be asked to come up with a better way for Rogers to find out. This after Pop's spent the entire scene trying to keep it in. The character is portrayed as being somewhat dim-witted, but here he seems to have lost what few IQ points he had alltogether.

Aside from that, as I said, the movie lives and dies by its characters, of which it has some good ones. Helen Broderrick, playing Mabel, was the one character who continuesly got me to smile throughout the movie. Her dry humor and the matter-of-fact delivery of her lines was a funny contrast to Pop's bumbling about getting himself and Astaire into trouble. Of the four main players, he's by far the weakes in my mind, while still being one of the more kindhearted ones. The troupe performing with Astaire in the beginning can go **** themselves, as can the entire cast when they do the same thing again at the end of the movie. I really didn't like the ending, if that hasn't come across. Everything just falls into place through no part of the characters and everything is ok. Which is not ok with me.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters. Astaire and Rogers are good, they have chemistry both on and off the dance floor and the dancing is amazing. I liked Mabel, was annoyed at times by Pop, but what brought the movie down for me was the plot itself, along with the weak ending.

A mixed review, but in the end I think I'll remember it more for the good bits than the bad. Nice to see another Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie, anyway, but it's nothing I'd come back to again.

Interesting pick though, Nostorio_Miklos.

Well I didn't hate it. I just couldn't buy into the story and some of the characters. There was still a lot to like about it.

In fact that's one of the reasons I like these halls of fame. Movies where in any other context you might dismiss them, I find myself looking for the good and bad and it gives not only a more balanced view of the film, but an appreciation for good aspects of film making even in films that are otherwise not great. There's something to like about most films.

True. But I thought there could have been more of a dilemma about it, and the way he did it instantly in front of everyone was kind of mean.

Yeah, got to love all those horror movies about embezzlement

It's an interesting point. Perhaps it's about the level of seriousness with which its treated. Or perhaps not. There's plenty of humourous films about dark things. Maybe its more about a consistency of tone, and the fact that in The Pajama Game, the way the workers are defrauded is presented as a happy ending - if there'd been a wink at the camera in the end, some kind of acknowledgement that this was just dodgy dealing, part of the 'game', perhaps it wouldn't have been jarring at all. Don't take it as a dig at the Pajama Game, though, there's a similar odd part of Les Demoiselles de Rochefort where everyone laughs about a horrific murder. I think it is a tone thing.

yeah i saw it but remained silent .

Citizen im just watching Calamity Jane, well not really watching, for now im just looking for songs. Doris is beautiful. I love her when she is smiling and what she's doing with eyes while singing. She's so happy there like a child. Just Blew in from the Windy City

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Dammit, I thought I changed that after I double-checked. Sorry Nestorio_Mikos, will fix right now.

enjoyed your reviews, @Clazor. Astaire and Rogers really do have a great chemistry together and its only recently I've watched Rogers on her own. Her comedic timing equals her dancing prowess.
Haven't seen 1776 since I was young but looking forward to it.
And its been a decade or more since Mary Poppins and I like your question about what she is. As a kid I simply thought of her as a good witch.

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FINALLY getting around to posting this--




The Pajama Game

What a working stiff has to do just to get a 7 1/2 cent raise!!

Found some of the discussions about this pretty funny. There is some wild little scenarios played out regarding domestic violence and a knife wielding husband and embezzling bosses that throw fun shindigs. . . Ahhh, AMERICA!
For me, the one spot that got me to pause, rewind, play, once, twice, look up the lyrics to be absolutely sure; was in a favorite song of many here: "There Once Was a Man" with the lines of comparison that included: Like a dope fiend loves their dope Holy Hannah!!
Considering the mood and energy of this movie, for some reason that lil line hit me funny like the proverbial fart in a church.

Anyway, I really did enjoy this movie though I seemed to be a little so-so on some of the dancing. I enjoy Fosse, but somehow it felt like he was being restrained, somehow. As if what was originally planned out was banned and he went with something a little more. . . for the lack of a better word -- tamer, or perhaps, less sexual.
This happened for me through every number. There was something beneath the moves that wanted to come busting out and was not permitted to.
I'd have to rewatch to see if that remains the same for me.

I also agree with many that Doris was pretty incredible and downright nummy in her role and the leading man; Raitt seemed a but lackluster beside her. She really outshines him in this.

A lot of great songs,"Racing With the Clock" was one of my favorite and made for a great opener along with I'm Not at All in Love" are on the top of the pile.
"Hernando's Hideaway" had a fantastic Latin feel to it and it was bugging the HELL out of me where I had heard it before and found that, a short few years back, Debelah Morgan used that very melody for her song "Dance With Me"

In closing, a very fun, high energy film and one I'd never would have seen if not for this nomination; THANK YOU gbg

The Young Girls of Rochefort

I’ve heard of this but I had never seen it before. And it was just complete luck that it happened to be on TV around the time of this HoF. I really didn’t know what I was going to be in for and that probably made this the most interesting one for me because it was the only nomination that I had never seen before.

Let me just say that right off the bat that it made me exceptionally happy to see George Chakiris in this. As opposed to West Side Story, this gave him more of a chance to sing (I think he has a pretty decent voice – I even own an LP of his ) and it gave him the opportunity to dance more. I think he is a really, really, really good dancer. And this could showcase that a bit more because we really never do get to see him dance enough.

As for Gene Kelly, I was disappointed in his appearance. I didn’t care for the fact that there wasn't a little bit more dancing from him, and I have no idea why he was dubbed.

This was a bright, old-time type of musical. And I really liked that about it. What was another disappointment for me was the fact that there was no big finale to it. For the sort of musical this was, I fully expected a big number at the end.

Like I said, it was a bright film. Very colorful. It did have that old-fashioned movie musical vibe to it. And I really liked that about this movie. It was a nice change to other musicals produced around this time, which seem to not be as “happy”.

I knew some of the music, but I honestly don’t know how. Yet, I really didn’t mind that either. This film turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me. There were some things that I didn’t fully grasp in the story. So if this ever comes on TV again, I will most definitely have to watch it just to make sure about what I may have missed in it. And I honestly don’t want anyone to help me with what I don’t understand because I WANT to watch it again. I want to see it for myself what I managed to inadvertently ignore.

But I think this was a good movie, good musical and a good way for me to start this HoF.

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Oh, I was kind of dreading writing something about this one.

I see that others remember this film from their childhood and that helps them to still have some fondness of this film to this very day. Well, that really isn’t the case for me.

I saw this movie as a kid (it seemed to be something that my brothers didn’t mind – although I think that was because they were more into the creepiness of the Child Catcher). I HATED this movie as a kid. I first saw it when I was fairly little. Then I saw it later when I was an older kid. I still hated it. I thought it was terribly boring. Then I saw it as a teenager – I was determined to like it. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t like it. I made the decision then to NEVER watch the movie again. Well, little did I know that I would someday be on this thing called the internet where a website exists in which people participate in forced film-watching.

I am really not a big fan of this at all. Maybe my thoughts that I had as a kid keep influencing how I feel about it now, but I absolutely did NOT like Pinocchio when I was a kid. And when I watched it for the Animated Musical HoF, I loved it. So that can’t be the problem.

I don’t know. I just don’t think this will ever be one that is really for me.

The choreography is good. The music is very good. I like “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” enough. “Toot Sweets” and “Hushabye Mountain” are OK. But, truth be told, the two best songs that came out this musical for me happen to be “You Two” and “Me Ol’ Bamboo”. I always did like those songs, but it was also the inspiration for this song and this one. That made the two best songs even better.

I love Dick Van Dyke. He was good in here. I wasn’t overly impressed with Sally Ann Howes, though. She just seems like a cheap imitation of Julie Andrews. I didn’t think the kids were too good either.

I wish I liked this movie more. It seems to have a big fan base. I just don’t. I feel bad about saying it, but this isn’t ever going to be a favorite of mine. And I am sorry to say that because I would like to like it. I just don’t seem to be able to.

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

Enjoyed it! Visually sweet with color splashes that coordinate with each scene. My raspberry beret is off to the art director! I just loved the look of this film, even the buildings received a Monet make over.

My favorite movie color, the deep turquoise, it's everywhere. My favorite set, the cafe where mom served French Fries with a cheery dissipation, despite having lost the love of her life because she didn't like his last name....oui, that's fickle Catherine Deveau....woowoo! hey it rhymes. Does she have screen presences or what! I hardly noticed her twin sister when Catherine was in the scene, sorry but it's true. Though my favorite girl in the film wasn't even young, it was the twin's mom. I can't remember her name, but she was so lively and lit up the screen. I really liked her and cared more for her storyline than anyone elses.


And I see Bernado actually survived the knife fight and moved to France, where he lost his artificial tan and learned to be dubbed. The guy get's around I noticed him right away as I had just seen him in West Side Story. He's real good here, and a smooth dancer too. It was neat seeing Gene Kelley but he was a bit underused in this film.

Oh, and I don't know why but the waitress in the cafe was interesting even though we never really get to know her, she seemed to have a story of her own.

Lots of fun lines in the movie, but the funniest part was when the gaiety turns dark with talk of carving up a murdered woman to stuff her in a box! Very cleaver of the director, or is that clever? Just when the audience needs a break from all that squeaky clean fun, the movie introduces a killer at large. I liked that too. I liked everything about the movie.



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Swing Time

Years and years ago I went through a phase of being an Astaire and Rogers junkie. So I had to make sure I saw every one of their films.

This was always one of the ones that I liked the best (Shall We Dance is still my favorite).
If you aren’t too well-versed in the musicals of the 1930’s, this may be too simplistic in terms of story. So I can understand if others might not enjoy it as much for that reason, but it still works because I don’t think any of these films are meant to be much more than pure entertainment in the form of a little romance, some light comedy and a song and dance. That is OK.

The dancing is lovely and the music is just fine, of course (especially “Pick Yourself Up” and “The Way You Look Tonight”). I am a very big fan of Jerome Kern’s music, anyway. And I thought I was correct that this is the movie where Ginger washes her hair but the shampoo is so perfectly molded around her head when she goes out to see him. I don’t know why that is funny to me, but it is.

How I just loved the cars and the clothes of this era! Just beautiful! The girl in me has to come out now. I have always been in love – since I was a really little kid – with the way that the dresses looked in those old musicals when the women would dance. So jealous of them for getting the opportunity to wear something like that and then dance in it.

It isn’t a deep musical by any means, but it is still good. It is just something nice and light to enjoy.

I'm looking forward to Girls of Rochefort. Watched a few minutes near the beginning when it first showed up on TMC and I've been curious to see it ever since.
ENJOYED the write up

The Pajama Game

Now, I will be honest and say that this was never one of my favorites. Did I audition for it? Of course. I wanted to be in a show with a good chorus number. Was it ever a goal of mine to be in this show? No. I never really cared all that much.

This is another one where I owned the cast recording, but I hadn’t seen the film in years. So, yet another one that I didn’t know how I would feel about it now.

This is one where I am mixed about the music. I was never one that was a fan of “Hey There” or “Steam Heat” or “Hernando’s Hideaway”. On the other hand, I really, really like “Seven-and-a-Half Cents”, “There Once Was a Man”, “I’m Not At All in Love”, “Small Talk” and “Once-a-Year Day” (I especially like that one). The choreography is fine, but it is what you would expect from Bob Fosse. He is one where you can definitely tell the dancers are dancing in his style.

The story is very light. Almost so much so that I don’t understand how it sustained any sort of stage run. A lot of time I can see where something would be better suited on stage rather than be adapted for the movie screen. But in the case of The Pajama Game, despite having originated on stage, I think it is better suited for being a movie musical.

I am one who didn’t mind John Raitt in here. To be honest, I am not one of his biggest fans, but I thought he was fine in here (he is recreating his role from the stage production). He has a pretty good voice and I thought he was OK as Sid. Doris Day was fine, of course, but isn’t she usually?

All-in-all, it isn’t a bad film. It is one that is the kind that you can typically find me watching on a lazy Sunday afternoon. And I was glad to see it nominated because it is something different than what you might expect to see nominated in such a HoF as this.

Godspell

Oh, Godspell.

Is it one of my favorite films? No. Will it ever be? No. As for religious-based musicals, I much prefer Jesus Christ Superstar. And I am a big fan of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. But when it comes to Godspell, I think it isn’t as interesting to me because I want something that feels more like a story considering what we are dealing with here. I just am not overly fond of Jesus suddenly appearing in NYC dressed kind of like a clown until he is crucified on a fence.

Now, I am not saying that it can’t be a good film – or stage show, for that matter. I just don’t feel about it the same way as others do. I know this musical has a huge following. Sometimes I wish I knew what it was like to really like something that I just don’t. I want to know what it is that other people see that I don’t.

Having said that, Godspell has some really good music in it. I own the original cast recording. And I am really familiar with it all. “Bless the Lord”, “All the Good Gifts”, “Light of the World”, “Day By Day” and “Save the People”. I do have a favorite, though. That honor goes to “Prepare the Way of the Lord”. Oh, do I love that one! Those 6 words repeated over and over should be kind of annoying, but, for me, it is one of the most enjoyable songs to listen to. And I really do listen to it. If I am ever in the mood for this music, that song is definitely on repeat. I can’t get enough of it.

This is a bright, easy film, but even though it isn’t really one that I am a big fan of, it will still get some points from me for the music and Lynne Thigpen.

Mary Poppins

I considered nominating this one, but mainly because it was one that I hadn’t seen in a long time. I wanted to see if I still liked it as much as I always did.

This is another one where people have been talking about their childhood in reference to this film. I just can’t seem to be able to do that. I saw this as a kid. Multiple times. It seemed to be one that was featured enough on The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights on ABC. But when I think of musicals that I associate with my childhood, they are Oklahoma, Singin’ In the Rain and West Side Story. Three odd films for a little kid to absolutely love, but there it is. I have never given Mary Poppins a thought when it comes to any special feeling I would have towards that film when connected to my childhood. I don’t know if that is strange or not, but that is how it is.

Let’s just get it out in the open right now. I couldn’t care less about Dick Van Dyke’s accent. I love him so much that he can do no wrong. He is one of my favorite people. And I still enjoy his performance. Then I have the absolutely wonderful Julie Andrews. I am just so in love with the way she looks in this film. It is insane. And the two of them together…..

I have to say that I always wanted them to end up together in there. I love them as a couple so much! They are, probably, my absolute favorite film couple. They work well together and they look incredible together. Two people that are so attractive, I think, and I…well, they are the sort of screen couple that I wish would’ve been a couple in real life.

Now, I never read the story. So I could never compare to that, but I do like the story in the film well enough. I love the colors and the costumes and the sets. Just the overall look of the film is quite lovely. If I had one complaint, it would be the time spent in the drawing. That takes a little longer than I would like it to. Otherwise, it is a fine film.

The music is absolutely classic. We had to sing so many of those songs in music class in school. The ones that were sung most often were “A Spoonful of Sugar”, “Chim Chim-Cher-ee” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (of course!). But my personal favorites have always been “Feed the Birds”, “Jolly Holiday” and the fantastic “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”.

Do I still like this film as much as I did before? I suppose. It is really the only Live Action Disney film that I ever really did like. And I think a couple of the things that make me still enjoy watching it are the music and the performances of Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. So it is still a good film. But it is one that I think I don’t want to watch all the time like I used to. I think it is one that is better experienced after a break for awhile. I think it can be appreciated more that way. At least I think I appreciate it more by not making a habit out of watching this one.



By the way, I don’t care what anyone says, I swear that little girl looks like Conan O’Brien. I have been saying it for years.