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Reviews
Las Vegas Nights (1941)
Haunted by the ghost of Robert Woolsey
Though many seem to view this now as a Dorsey/Sinatra effort, the top billed man in the film was Bert Wheeler, so he was the one the audiences were coming to see. The Wheeler/Woolsey partnership is now an acquired taste (thank you TCM for giving me the chance to acquire it!), though in the 30's they were one of the top ranked comedy duos. But their humor was more risqué than other teams of the times, so their films didn't get a chance to find new audiences through TV replay.
According to the filmography this is Bert Wheeler's second solo effort after the death of Woolsey. His role here has grown up a bit: he's now a married man instead of a young lover, but his charm still has the same boyish quality as in his previous films.
But the interesting thing for those who have seen the previous films is to note how much the writers here must have had Woolsey still in mind. Hank Ladd serves as Bert's foil in this film and tries to put his own stamp on the part by being slick and oily, but one can easily imagine Woolsey delivering the lines, and his style and timing fitting them better.
If you've seen many of the W/W films then you'll also notice the re-use of a number of their old routines, though Ladd isn't the partner in all of them. It's interesting to see them pop up, and note the alterations.
Wheeler has good chemistry with Virginia Dale, and also with Moore and Cornell. Their song "Mary Mary Quite Contrary" is a pleasure. And Dale's "Dove Dance" is a hoot (sic).
Connie Haines joined the Dorsey band at about the same time that Sinatra did. This may be her first film appearance: it predates anything else currently listed in IMDb. She's a charmer, singing (uncredited) on "The Trombone Man Is The Best Man In The Band".
.... Which tune also has the obligatory Buddy Rich solo.
No, not the best of Woolsey's work, nor particularly inspired Dorsey, but still pleasant enough viewing.
Carolina Blues (1944)
One or two redeeming numbers
I like neither Kyser's screen persona nor his bland style of swing, so wouldn't ever recommend going to a film to see him. But he sometimes had a talent for pepping up his films with good specialty acts.
The show-stopper in this film is the "Mr. Beebe" number, featuring Harold Nicholas (without brother Fayard), supported by a number of other top black singers and dancers including The Four Step Brothers, Marie Bryant, June Richmond, and others I can't identify. Kyser's band with Ann Miller singing briefly introduce the number, then leave the set - typical for the era, the scene was clearly designed so that the black performers could be edited out when the film was shown in the south.
The disappointment is that all that talent, including Ann Miller, is given very little footage to show their stuff. Miller's only tap number is hacked by some dialog. Harold Nicholas is brilliant, but the other singers and dancers in the number only get to do quick cameos.
The Kyser personnel do get to do a couple of other cute numbers. Significantly, these occur informally, when Kyser isn't directing or arranging them.
Fausse alerte (1940)
very 40's style French comedy
No, this isn't a Josephine Baker vehicle, but neither is she just a cameo. It's an ensemble film, and she fits in well, adding her spirit and charm without upstaging any of the rest of the cast.
French sophisticated comedy was a different flavor from the American screwball comedy of the period, but just as funny if you understand the French outlook. More understated, more accepting of folly as the status quo.
Basically this is a Romeo & Juliette tale. The feud between the families arose because the father of the young man published research proving that the great-x-grandmother of the young woman had NOT had an affair with Napoleon. This was seen by mademoiselle's mama as besmirching the honor/sustaining-myth of her family. If this premise doesn't at least make you smile, then this isn't the film for you.
Being comedy rather than tragedy, of course the lovers manage, with the aid of Baker, a charming clochard (hobo), and a couple of air-raids, to finally bring the families together so they can marry.
Not a great film, but not a bad one either; a reasonable evening's entertainment if you like the Gallic take on life.
Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults (1997)
great dances
There are some wonderful dances on these two disks, NOT cut because they were in any way inferior material, but for other less admirable reasons. Well worth getting if you're a dance fan. I forget which are one each disk, but there are: (1) Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's two dances deleted from "Cafe Metropole". Fox promised to give him a chance to really show what he could do when not dumbing down his dancing to spotlight Shirley Temple, then double crossed him and cut the scenes from the film, apparently afraid that America still wasn't ready to acknowledge mature black talent. The tap scene is classic Bojangles, elegant and precise. But the other scene ... oh brother! he does a tap "Apache" dance (that 40s dance form where the man tosses the woman around the stage)! The combination of forms doesn't really work that well, but is worth watching just for its uniqueness. (2) The original "Shiek of Araby" scene from "Tin Pan Alley", cut because the Hayes office thought the costumes were too revealing. Since the movie isn't currently available for viewing in any form one can't tell how much remains in the released version, but the outtakes are (a) the original harem scene with those scanty see-through costumes (tame by modern standards), a decent production type number, (b) the Nicholas Brothers dancing as djinns: classic high-energy tap in their usual style (but without their usual tuxedos) (c) Betty Grable & Alice Faye also teasingly clad singing "Shiek of Araby" with Jack Oakie - fun! (3) Ginger Rogers doing a high energy charleston. I forget what it was cut from - maybe Roxie Hart? - but it shows off her dancing skill. (4) Betty Grable dance outtakes from "Springtime in the Rockies". She could also dance better than she's given credit for.
Give a Girl a Break (1953)
Reverts to a gentler tempo
This is a little gem for those wanting a bit of relaxed entertainment. Unfortunately it came in a period when Kelly/Donen were setting a new standard for big production and very rapid pacing, so it was out of fashion and ignored. Everyone is charming; Marge and Gower Champion are at their peak, Bob Fosse is just hitting his stride (amusing that his screen persona was so charmingly little-boyish, in contrast to the dark angular sexiness of his later stage choreographies), and Debbie Reynolds is pixie-ish as ever. Helen Wood was not a great actress, but she was necessary to provide an additional dance flavor (see below).
To differ from another reviewer, I think that Kurt Kaznar was perfect for the Leo Belney part, at least as it was written. He carries off being totally suggestible, changing opinion instantly, and having an equal conviction in each new attitude.
Though they don't make a big deal about it, the film was mirroring a real conundrum facing Broadway directors at that period: what kind of dance to use? Tap was still around but on its way out; a kind of jazz-ballet blend was becoming mainstream; the avant-garde was a more dramatic and angular "modern" dance. Which would the public go for in the next show?
Ups and Downs (1937)
Hal Leroy's usual legomania + young June Alyson
This is another weakly plotted vehicle, existing mainly to showcase Hal LeRoy's wonderful legomania tap dancing. If you already like Hal LeRoy then I've said enough; if you've not yet seen him then this isn't a bad place to start (though the numbers here aren't as good as they are in Rhythmyitis or Picture Palace), particularly since it's one of the few Leroy films currently viewable (available as an extra on the DVD of "Stage Door").
This short also marks the first screen appearances of both June Allyson and Phil Silvers. Silvers isn't given much to do, and only shows hints of the zaniness he would eventually develop. June Allyson appears incredibly young, a tad gawky, and already projecting her typical warm charm. Unfortunately she's not in LeRoy's class as a dancer; instead of firing up his energy she somewhat holds him back when they're dancing together.
Still, all in all, well worth renting the DVD just to watch this short.
Swing Fever (1943)
but even if you don't care for Kay Kyser ...
From the contrarian viewpoint, this is the only Kay Kyser film I've seen yet that I've found watchable. Kyser plays a character other than his usual "Kay Kyser, goofy band leader" -- not a complete change, but just different enough to make him tolerable. And, while it's Kyser's band, someone else has apparently arranged the music so it actually swings and has some oomph for a change.
The script is as thin as usual for this sort of musical, but passable. Marilyn Maxwell's part doesn't require much acting, but she's a treat when she's on screen. And her singing, which is excellent, is a hoot for the vintage musicals connoisseur to watch - one song she does Mae West, later she puts on a bit of Ginger Rogers.
Lena Horne's "You're So Indifferent" is a pleasure - in a minimalist bluesy mode, unlike so much of what she did at MGM.
Down to Earth (1947)
unusual dancing
From the dance fan's perspective this film has one particularly unusual number. The long "Greek Ballet" - end result of Terpsichore's meddling, done in the out-of-town tryout, is a marvelous send-up of Martha Graham and the modern dance movement of the period in general. Very unexpected in a popular star vehicle, particularly because it's fairly long and doesn't really feature Hayworth or Platt very prominently. One wonders how Cole got away with doing it and keeping it in the film. Well worth watching.
The contrast with the original "Kiss of the Muse" dance, and the (abbreviated) final show version of the Greek ballet makes an enlightening statement about "highbrow art" vs. entertainment.
It's a shame that Adele Jergens didn't get more opportunites to dance in films. She does a marvelous job as the first Terpsichore in the over-the-top "Kiss of the Muse" number. Marc Platt's dance skills were also underutilized - he's in all the numbers, but the choreography don't really make any demands on his skills.
Princesse Tam-Tam (1935)
don't focus on Baker
The key to fully enjoying this film is to forget for a few minutes that it's a vehicle for Josephine Baker, and view it as a French version of a screwball comedy. Apart from the grafted-on Pygmalion theme, the script is really about war between husband and wife.
From that perspective it's really as good as than many similar films produced by Hollywood during the same era. The viewer can then have fun comparing the Gallic take on the theme with the American and English approaches.
The production dance number is clearly an imitation of Busby Berkeley, and nowhere near as lavish. But enjoyable enough in its own rights. Again, the fun is in comparing the French choreographer's way of doing things with Berkeley. And ... think about it for a minute ... did French chorus lines at that (or any) time really have tap dancing?
Then go back to thinking about Josephine Baker. It's a shame she didn't get to dance more, but the dance to Sous Le Ciel and the Samba in the final number were quite good.