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Reviews
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1960's (2009)
big disappointment
I have had great expectations about the TV series, because I adore Hollywood musicals but felt disappointed. I could not understand the choice of subjects and stories about them. The authors paid a lot of attention to some honored artists, but some artists are not paid attention at all. It seems the creators meticulously removed almost any mention of Frank Sinatra from music history. They said a few words in a series of 40's and forgot about him until the end of the series of the 60s. Sinatra was one of the ten box-office actors of the 50-60s. He was a singer the number one in the 50's and number two in the 60's. He starred in 15 musicals and received a Golden Globe for the musical 'Pal Joey'. His songs was nominated 7 times for Academy Award for Best Original Song in musicals and they got 3 of them. Even when they spoke about 'Robin and the 7 Hoods' it seems it was done to say something nasty about The Rat Pack. They are taking the time for an unsuccessful movie 'Let's Make Love' with Marilyn Monroe and her death, bad movies with Elvis. But nothing about 'High Society', 'The Joker Is Wild', 'Pal Joey'. They paid a huge time to Gene Kelly. He certainly was a brilliant dancer, choreographer and director. But Sinatra starred in 3 great box-office musicals with Kelly. Nothing about Sinatra. They said Marlon Brando was singing in 'Guys and Dolls' but nothing about Sinatra. The said about Louis Jourdan and Maurice Chevalier in 'Can-Can' but almost nothing about top-billed Sinatra. He starred with Jane Russell, Shirley MacLaine and Debbie Reynolds, that were hosts. Almost nothing about Sinatra. Great disappointment.
The World in His Arms (1952)
I like it!
Fascinating movie! I felt pleasure in this story. Though at first I did not want to watch it. I'm the Russian and I believe Hollywood makes fables about Russia as it had turned out with this movie. There were a trite Russian tavern, cossacks, balalaikas, the plaintive Russian songs, the funny Russian aristocracy. There were some Russian names sounding strange for the Americans. The Americans do not know that the Russians have a name and patronymic. The Russian countess is not too bad, even it was possible to keep noble pallor and some aristocratic manners. The countess' servant was speaking in Russian almost without accent. Though the countess' dresses were in a British manner. But above all it was LOVE. And Alaska, sold to the USA, played not such large role. Certainly, it was impossible for the Russian, Orthodox countess got married with the Catholic American in a church. And Marina Selanova and Prince Semyon wanted to get married into strange place that was absolutely not similar to an orthodox temple. But it did not irritate me. It would be better, if this movie was made in Russia. But sometimes I believed this movie was made in Russia. I believe Gregory Peck was the best choice for this role. The American steadfast captain and the Russian charming countess were beautiful couple. With what other American could the Russian countess fall in love? Jonathan Clark looked very well and manly. He was smart, just, thoughtful and slightly imprudent. The final scene was dazzling beautiful and it had no equal even DiCaprio's Titanic. I saw this scene at picture and decided to watch this movie and I did not regret. I'm so sorry it was not released on DVD. But in Russia it is easy to buy VHS. We like it!