The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

No, I wasn't expecting these two this high either.

I really didn't care much for Yankee Doodle Dandy. I have something written about it that I will post here in a while, but yeah... your typical enjoyable biopic, just not something I was that drawn to.

I've heard mostly good things about That Thing You Do!, but I've never taken the jump.


SEEN: 21/70
MY BALLOT: 7/25

That Thing You Do! is lovely. It's just great fun. The cast is overpowered to its demands, which leads to that breezy Ocean's Eleven feel, where talent outsized to the task, rather than stooping to it, just elevate the whole thing instead. Which is not to say it's not well-written, too. It's very well-written, with genuine drama and a lot of wit.

And, of course...the music. Fantastic stuff. Holds up as music, which should hardly be surprising since the title song was written by the late Adam Schlesinger, an actual musician known for his effortlessly catchy pop songs.



One of those films I loved when I was younger, and love as much or more even after having seen many, many more films.

It was #5 on my list.

That Thing You Do! is cute and I considered it for my ballot, but ended up cutting it. I haven't seen Yankee Doodle Dandy.

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With war looming in the horizon of the US during the early 1940s, films were used as a vehicle to try to boost American morale and foster support for the military. One of the best examples of this is Michael Curtiz' biopic Yankee Doodle Dandy. The film follows the life of Michael Cohan (James Cagney), an American entertainer, playwright, composer, and singer that became known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". Starting with his birth on the 4th of July, the film follows Cohan's growth as an entertainer from his early hits with his family as The Four Cohans, to his rise as a successful stage actor.

Before starting this TCM course on musicals, I didn't even know this was a biopic. Regardless, I had been reluctant to check this out, mostly because I wasn't up for an excessively jingoistic, "America rules" film. To my surprise, I didn't think the film fell into much patriotic excesses. Sure, it's made to put America's image on a pedestal, but that's the story, and being loosely based on a real life story, helped ease the subject for me. The thing is that it was far more sober than I was expecting.

My main issue with the film is that I wasn't that drawn to it. I would've preferred that some of the relationships in the film would've been fleshed out more, most notably Cohan and his father (Walter Huston). But also, Cohan's relationship with partner Sam Harris (Richard Whorf), and even with his wife Mary (Joan Leslie), could've been more fleshed out. Cagney is pretty good in the role, portraying the real evolution of Cohan from a cocky young man to a more mature and introspective adult man. However, the film seemed more worried on checking pivotal moments off a list, to take the plot from A to B, instead of letting things flow more organically.

I still enjoyed the film to some extent. Curtiz' direction is a plus, and all of the performances are solid. The musical numbers were fun, although not that memorable (with all the musicals I've been seeing this month, I've had a handful of songs stuck in my mind, but I can't even remember one from this film). After watching 9 musicals during last month, this one is far from my favorite, but put in perspective against the cultural backdrop of the times, it is a worthy and necessary watch.

Grade:

Now that we've hit the seventh pit stop (30), here are some stats:

Decade Breakdown

• 1920s = 0
• 1930s = 6
• 1940s = 5
• 1950s = 12
• 1960s = 6
• 1970s = 8
• 1980s = 8
• 1990s = 5
• 2000s = 6
• 2010s = 12
• 2020s = 2

No 1950s entries in this last batch, which allows for the 2010s, who had two (2) entries, to tie at the top with 12 entries each. Strong showing by the 1940s, with three (3) taking it up to 5 entries, and the 1970s, with two (2) taking it up to 8 entries.


Recurring Directors

• Vincente Minnelli = 4
• Ben Sharpsteen = 3*
• Wilfred Jackson = 3*
• Michael Curtiz = 2
• John Carney = 2
• David Hand = 2*
• Hamilton Luske = 2*
• Milos Forman = 2
• John Musker & Ron Clements = 2
• Stanley Donen = 2
• Vincente Minnelli = 2
• Tim Burton = 2**
• Coen Brothers = 2

Michael Curtiz joins the list with today's Yankee Doodle Dandy. He had already placed White Christmas at #82. John Carney also joined the list early in this batch (Sing Street and Begin Again). But as mentioned earlier, Vincente Minnelli still reigns, with four (4) total entries.

* I reiterate an earlier post from today, regarding the logistics of some early Disney animated films that featured people like Ben Sharpsteen and Wilfred Jackson as co-directors of either the whole film or sequences from it.

** Tim Burton shared directing credits of Corpse Bride with Mike Johnson.

Two (2) more animated entries with Snow White and Fantasia to bring the total up to 12.

Updating my predictions...

1. 100%
2. 100%
3. 100%
4. 90%
5. 100%
6. 95%
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8. 100%
9. 30%
10. 20%
11. 100%
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15. 35%
16. 85%
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. 100%
19. 100%
20. 95%
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22. 5%
23. 20%
24. 0%
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

Watched both Yankee Doodle Dandy and That Thing You Do with YDD my #7 pick. TTYD was in heavy rotation in my house for quite a spell. And Steve Zahn became one of those actors you always take note of no matter what project he's in.

I planned on rewatching Yankee Doodle Dandy as its been almost two decades since my one time viewing. So I can't really say much about it except I sure wish it was filmed in technicolor. I've not seen the other one of course

I raved about Cagney's performance in the the last great performance thread enough - which everyone is totally paying attention to! seriously guys, stop it! - but the movie itself was...eh? typical biopic formula... shoudn't have been this high imo.

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HEI guys.