ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[Fran]

Synopsis from Ihatemusicals.com:

Brad hates musicals. He really, really, really hates musicals. But his fiance Melissa lives for them. His contempt for musicals threatens to tear them apart, until one night Melissa makes a wish, and Brad is horrified to discover that whenever he opens his mouth, he bursts into song!

[memento]

[oilgun]

Synopsis from Class Act: Set in 19th Century California under Spanish rule. Farcical musical-comedy about a bandit who always "leaves his mark" by kissing the prettiest girl in any group he robs. When he dies, his son (Frank Sinatra) is called in to take his place. Frank has been studying Hotel Management in Boston, but dutifully returns to California to take his father's place. When he finds out who his father was and what he's expected to do he's is not overly enthusiastic, but takes his father's place reluctantly (a spoof of "El Zorro"?).

On his first and only heist he and the gang rob a stagecoach with the Governor's daughter (Kathryn Grayson) aboard. Though Frank is completely enchanted, he is too shy to kiss the girl, and she returns home to sing "What's Wrong with Me?" completely upset that the Kissing Bandit (apparently) didn't find her pretty enough to kiss.

Meantime, the King of Spain has sent Count Belmonte (Carleton G. Young) and General Torro (Billy Gilbert) to collect the taxes long overdue from the Governor. Learning of this, J. Carrol Naish and Frank Sinatra hijack the two travelers, tie them up in Naish's inn and take their place. They ride to the governor's palace to collect the taxes and the girl. Things are going well enough until the real Count Belmonte manages to escape and show up at the palace.

Really fun film with a wonderful cast. Kathryn sings "Love Is Where You Find It," Frank sings "Siesta," Sono Osato sings and dances a very provocative "I Like You," and Ricardo Montalban, Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller dance the "Dance of Fury."

The film begins with, "Long ago, when California was a colony of Spain, it was customary to deliver the mail by horse. However, after a great many complaints, the Post Office decided to put a man on the horse. Then the service became somewhat better."

Photo coming soon.

Synopsis from Ihatemusicals.com:

Brad hates musicals. He really, really, really hates musicals. But his fiance Melissa lives for them. His contempt for musicals threatens to tear them apart, until one night Melissa makes a wish, and Brad is horrified to discover that whenever he opens his mouth, he bursts into song!

OMG, that sounds like a hoot! 

[Fran]

[MaineWriter]

I just saw the San Francisco Opera presentation of Madame Butterfly on Sunday, so it seemed appropriate to play this here.

[southendmd]

IMDb:  One of Broadway's most brilliant songwriters, Cole Porter (1891-1964) worked hard to present an unflappable image to the world--but in truth he was a tremendously complex man, a homosexual who lived with wife Linda Lee Thomas in a marriage of convenience, subject fits of depression, and suffering horrific pain in the wake of a horseback riding accident which left him crippled at the peak of his career. Add to this the fact that his lyrics were often censored for film, radio, and records and it seems very odd that 1940s Hollywood would attempt a biography. What they did, of course, was fictionalize it to the max, reducing the story of his life to a mix of backstage musical and domestic drama--and transforming the tiny and waspish Porter and his icy bride Linda into handsome Cary Grant and lovely Alexis Smith. The result is pure nonsense, of course, but when you tack in a host of Porter classics--fantasy it might be, but it is entertaining enough to watch.

Grant is no singer, but he has considerable charm, and Smith is as always extremely attractive. The supporting cast is remarkably strong, featuring the likes of Jane Wyman, Eve Arden, Dorothy Malone, and Alan Hale--and rare screen appearances by Monty Woolley and Mary Martin, who deliver knockout performances of "Miss Otis Regrets" and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" respectively. The DVD transfer is reasonable, and although the bonuses are pure fluff they are amusing. While it may be short on fact with a story little more than pure melodrama, the music and performers make NIGHT AND DAY a reasonably pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7UwoPT_Xd4[/youtube]

Cary Grant singing! You're the Top with Ginny Simms (1:35)

[oilgun]

From Class Act (www.classicmoviemusicals.com): Delightful fable about a department store statue of Venus that's brought to life by a window dresser's kiss. Ava Gardner is radiant as the goddess of romance, who returns to spread love throughout the world. Co-stars Robert Walker, Dick Haymes, Eve Arden. The Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill songs include "Speak Low" and "The Trouble with Women".



==COMMENT==
The inspiration for Mannequin, I assume?

[MaineWriter]

Cary Grant singing! You're the Top with Ginny Simms (1:35)

And playing the piano with a cigarette in his hand, and smoking while singing! Oh for Pete's sake!

L

[southendmd]

And playing the piano with a cigarette in his hand, and smoking while singing! Oh for Pete's sake!

L

And why is there a grand piano on the lawn?

[MaineWriter]

And why is there a grand piano on the lawn?

Why indeed? This is why I love old movies, though. If you actually think about them, they are totally ridiculous. LOL