Favorite films: Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)

Here's a movie I love even though it's somewhat boring, with its visuals far outweighing the story. This is MGM's lavish star powered biopic of composer Jerome Kern (Robert Walker), who penned some of the most famous musicals of all time - Show Boat being the most well known. If you consider yourself a fan …

I’ve done a lot of dreaming with The Harvey Girls (1946)

George Sidney's The Harvey Girls combines my most beloved film genre - the musical - with my most dreaded - the western. What results is a splendid woman centered story about dreams, romance, civilizing the west (ah), and finding your place in the great big world. The Santa Fe California Limited of the Atchinson, Topeka …

Revisit: Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)

I read a blog post about Two Girls and the Sailor, where the author was underwhelmed by the film and disappointed that he had nothing to write about. It was just two hours of filler that he couldn't adequately review. But for me, writing about this film doesn't pose any problems at all. I love …

Favorite films: Thousands Cheer (1943)

MGM's extravagant, star filled musical is a tonic of good cheer that's very close to my heart. I watched it one night after some miserable days. Musicals always brighten my mood, so I hoped Thousands Cheer would do the trick. It did, and then some. Although the plot leaves a lot to be desired, the …

Summer Under the Stars: Van Johnson in Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)

"What has Gable got for me? Or Mrs. Johnson's blonde boy Van?" Once upon a time, these lyrics from "Prehistoric Man" in On the Town applied to me. I thought Van Johnson was about the most boring boy next door MGM ever imagined. But Van, reaching out from the grave, didn't want me to merely change …

Summer Under the Stars: Cyd Charisse in Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)

Cyd Charisse isn't usually lauded for her acting prowess. I'd be inclined to agree if I didn't love her so much. But since I do love her so much, there's a contrarian in me who doesn't readily accept this point of view. She was obviously more gifted as a dancer but there are times when …

Gotta dance!: the hypnotic magic of Girl Hunt Ballet

"Many people do not see a connection between science and dance, but I consider them both to be expressions of the boundless creativity that people have to share with one another." -Mae Jemison  Mae Jemison holds the distinctive honor of being the first black woman to travel in space. In addition to her many achievements (astronaut, …

The Restorative Power of Song, Dance, and Technicolor

Movies do a lot for us. Like books, they take us to new, unexplored lands. But unlike books, they also dazzle us with visuals, leaving images imprinted in our eyelids long after we've seen them. Movies entrance us, unseat us, make us laugh, make us cry. And then there are the movies that make us …

Favorite films: Anchors Aweigh (1945)

Thank God for escapist technicolor MGM musicals.   Anchors Aweigh is most famous for its animated sequence featuring the dazzling footwork of Gene Kelly alongside Jerry from Tom and Jerry. But, dear reader, that’s only one of this film’s many delights. From the moment the first scene opened, my one thought was: “Wow. Production value.” …