haines his way

05/24/2002:
"THE 200 BLOWS"

Well, dear readers, get out the trumpets, crash the cymbals, beat the drums ‘cause here comes our 200th notes. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, today’s notes are number 200 and I think that calls for a celebration, don’t you? I think that calls for all of you to blow on your trumpets 200 times. Most of all, it is time to serve up the cheese slices and ham chunks and shrimp bits on toast, it is time to put on our pointy party hats and colored tights and pantaloons and to dance the Hora with wild abandon. Can you believe it? Every day for 200 days I have written these here notes. That is a lot of words, a lot of sentences, and a lot of paragraphs. We have talked about everything under the sun, unless the sun hasn’t been out, and on those days we’ve talked about everything that wasn’t under the sun. We’ve talked about DVDs, CDs, thong underwear, coprophilia, we’ve had partial Stories, we’ve talked about musicals, we’ve run the gamut, damn it. And by gum and by golly and by George and by Danny and buy bonds we will continue to do so until the cows come home, and let me tell you if the fershluganah cows haven’t come home by now they are never coming home. Most of all, we have become Hainsies/Kimlets, and we, we are family, dear readers, and no one, and I mean no one, can take that away from us. We have become popular with the populace (well, most of the populace – I’m sure we have occasional visitors with whom we are not popular), we have become hip, with it and most especially, cool, man, real cool. We have seen the traffic double in recent months. In fact, we’ve had to put in a new lane so that we could have everything the traffic will allow, which is also the name of my friend Klea Blackhurst’s brilliant cabaret show. You’ve posted your thoughts and feelings on a variety of topics, and also on a Hollywood Reporter of topics. We brook no fools or simpletons here at haineshisway.com and we also brook no trout. Has anyone noticed that in honor of today’s 200th notes that I have now written the longest paragraph in the history of haineshisway.com? Even Mr. Mark Bakalor has been with it in the last week and he is to be commended for creating a lovely site that is easy to navigate and which has all manner of hidden pleasures if you but look for them. Not only can you come here and read these here notes every single day, but you can hear our very own handy-dandy The Broadway Radio Show with our very own handy-dandy Mr. Donald Feltham. Donald does a wonderful job and if you haven’t been tuning in, do so because you are missing some terrific shows. You can peruse photos from the Guy Haines Archive. You can order your very own haineshisway.com products (soon to be joined by Nudie Musical and Benjamin Kritzer products) – said products are beautifully made (I know, because I purchased all of them and will continue to do so when the new products become available, hopefully as of Monday) and you simply must have them because they are simply too too. You can purchase signed copies of The First Nudie Musical DVD and also signed copies of my very own novel, Benjamin Kritzer, both of which come out at the end of June (and if you haven’t preordered don’t you think that you should – don’t be errant and truant, because what I order is based on what you order, and one could conceivably run out and then where would you be, that’s what I’d like to know). By the way (BTW, in Internet lingo), I’ve talked to both DVD company and publisher company, and I will most likely have book and DVD early, so you’ll actually get them before others will, at least that’s the plan, although as we all know, things occasionally change. Has anyone noticed that this has now not only become the longest paragraph in the history of haineshisway.com, but one of the longest and most unseemly paragraphs ever? I feel it’s time we do something about that, don’t you, dear readers?
There.
Well, now we’ve had the longest and the shortest paragraphs and we are the better for it. Have you blown your trumpets two hundred times? Have you danced the Hora whilst wearing your pointy party hat and your colored tights and pantaloons? You must dance the Hora or else we cannot move on to the Vanilla Pudding Dance.
One thing that has remained a constant in all 200 notes, is the necessity and need to click on the Unseemly Button. I feel without the Unseemly Button we would be Lost in Space or Lost in Boston, I feel that the Unseemly Button is an integral part of the Way Things Work. Besides, we all know that Mr. Mark Bakalor is waiting to bitch-slap us from here to eternity if we don’t click on it, so let’s click on it posthaste, thereby putting the old kibosh on the old bitch-slapping.

Have I mentioned that this is our 200th notes and that we should all be blowing our trumpets two hundred times?
Yesterday, I picked up the two Percy Faith albums and I was in Percy Faith heaven all the livelong day and even some of the livelong night. These are beautiful remasterings, with great sound, great arrangements and, of course, great music. One of them has Porgy and Bess coupled with The Most Happy Fella – that CD is in mono but still sounds full and lush and beautiful. The other has Subways Are For Sleeping coupled with Do I Hear a Waltz? and that one is in great stereo. Whoever engineered these albums was brilliant – I have spent my whole career as a producer trying to get albums to sound this good, and these guys were doing it without the technology that we have today. Every instrument is crystal clear and in your face, the way I like it. I had every one of these albums as a sprig of a twig of a tad of a youth, and I sometimes loved them more than the actual cast albums. Mr. Faith is a national treasure, in my opinion (IMO, in Internet lingo) and I am thrilled that there is a label with enough intelligence to reissue them.
Last night I finally got around to watching The Pajama Game on DVD. While I like the score very much, I’m really not too fond of the film, it’s not nearly as good as the film of Damn, Yankees! Part of the problem is John Raitt, who I’m sure was wonderful on the stage, but who is very stiff in the film and just one of those unlucky performers the camera doesn’t really take to. Doris Day, on the other hand, is delightful, as is Eddie Foy, Jr. Carol Haney is, sadly, another performer the camera doesn’t cotton to, or even silk to. But the Steam Heat number is brilliant and worth watching the entire movie for. And I do love the song, Hey There – what a beautiful beautiful melody Mr. Richard Adler wrote, and what a simple lovely lyric Mr. Jerry Ross put to the beautiful melody. I noticed that in the chorus is an impossibly young Harvey Evans. In any case, the film seems very disjointed, as if they left out quite a bit of the book – I’ve never seen the show on stage, so that might just be the case, as the film runs 101 minutes, and the show most certainly must have had a longer running time than that.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? BTW (by the way, in normal lingo), I am behind in shipping out our sparkling prizes but I will get them out this weekend. Oh, I am feeling so very festive, aren’t you? It’s hard not to feel festive when one is wearing a pointy party hat and colored tights and pantaloons.
Let us not get complacent, however. We simply cannot get complacent, because who would want to be a stupid word like complacent. Let us tell our friends and lovers about haineshisway.com. Let us share haineshisway.com with the world and environs, because we want to keep growing in popularity so that soon we will be able to take over the Internet as the most popular site of all, even more popular than the various and sundried sites devoted to the art of tying knots in amusing shapes.
Well, since it is our 200th notes, I thought it only right that we have a Meltz and Ernest song, one of their most poignant and heartfelt songs. It is called To Whom It May Concern. I have always loved the word “whom”, it was so brilliant of someone to simply add an “m” to “who”. But if we say “to whom” and the answer is “to you” shouldn’t it really be “to youm”? Oh, well, here is the Meltz and Ernest song in its entirety.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Music by Hinky Meltz Lyrics by Ernest Ernest
I am writing this letter
I’ll be mailing this letter
You’ll be reading this letter
And what could be better
Than that?
To whom it may concern,
I love you.
To whom it may concern,
I care.
To whom it may concern I just adore you
I want some more you
And so I’m writing this letter for you…
To whom it may concern,
You slay me.
To whom it may concern,
It’s true.
To whom it may concern I’m simply smitten
And I’ve been bitten
And that is why you are reading what I have written
Oh, whom,
You’re marvelous – divine.
Oh, whom,
Can I ever hope that you’ll be mine
Mine
To whom it may concern,
I need you.
To whom it may concern,
I really do.
To whom it may concern I say sincerely
That you are merely
The one I’m thinking of.
To whom it may concern,
Signed, “Love, love, love, love
Love”.
Isn’t that a beautiful love song? That is just a classic Meltz and Ernest song and ranks with their finest, at least in my honest opinion (IMHO, in Internet lingo). Of course, that song had a fine recording by Helen Mellon with Sid Selwyn and the Selwyn Two.
Well, dear readers, it is time for me to take the day, to do the things I do, but most of all it is a time for singing, a time to celebrate, a time to blow our collective trumpets two hundred times, a time to beat the drums ‘cause here comes thoroughly modern hainsies/kimlets now. Today’s topic of discussion: What are you favorite movie dance numbers (from original film musicals – not film versions of Broadway shows)? I’ll start: Never Gonna Dance and Pick Yourself Up from Swing Time, Fit as a Fiddle and Singin’ In The Rain from Singin’ In The Rain, I Got Rhythm from An American In Paris, Shine on My Shoes from The Band Wagon (I know – but it really isn’t like the show at all, is it?), Raising the Barn from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, well, that should get us going. Your turn.

Replies: 43 Unseemly Comments

Just to let everyone know that the new Broadway Radio Show will be up on Sunday.
I will be joined by songwriter Wayne Moore as we listen to his 12 favorite showtunes -- it's quite an interesting list.
Then, next Sunday, in honor of the Tony Awards, we listen to many of the nominess, including, if all goes as planned, some recordings that have yet to be released to the public!
So, tune in!
Posted by Donald @ 05/24/2002 10:43 AM PST

Re: Percy Faith. Percy, while not an engineer per se, was integrally involved in microphone placement, "baffle" placement, and the whole recording process. He was a genius at making sure his complex inner lines were heard just the way he wanted them. Another reason his albums have been such treasured favorites of mine.
Many moons ago, you suggested we could keep readers apprised of upcoming events, so I would like to invite any/all Hainsies/Kimlets who enjoy jazz to journey to Portland for the third annual Portland Spirit Sunday Jazz Brunch series, which features me and a bunch of internationally acclaimed jazz artists. Full details can be found at my homepage linked to my signature below, and, as an added treat, once you're there, scroll down and click the link to the second page and you will see a handy-dandy pic of our very own BK at our wonderful get together at Jerry's Deli in Encino.
Posted by JMK @ 05/24/2002 10:44 AM PST

Two unseemly comments??? That is not nearly enough unseemly comments on such a celebratory day. And do check out JMK's website - there's actually quite a normal photo of me (normally I do not like photos of me) and as a bonus you will notice that I am wearing my haineshisway.com baseball hat.
Posted by bk @ 05/24/2002 11:24 AM PST

I have two favorite dance numbers, both from Gene Kelly's "It's always fair weather". One is the rollerskating number,l and one is the number where all three men dance with trashcan lids on their feet.
Another favorite dance number is from a Bollywood movie called "Kabhie Kushie Kabhie Gham" and the number is called "You are My Soniya". It is very campy and wonderful. I recommend that people run out to your local Indian grocery store and rent this movie.
Posted by Mattso @ 05/24/2002 11:25 AM PST

As previously extended, happy two hundredth bk’s notes II to you!
Favorite musical numbers? I have a bunch. Here are a few:
“Get Happy” in Summer Stock (1950)
Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling in Royal Wedding (1951)
“Be a Clown,” “Good Morning,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” and “Broadway Rhythm” in Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Posted by freedunit @ 05/24/2002 11:41 AM PST

Taking out the Broadway shows turned into musicals certainly shortens the list for me plus the fact that one of my list is also on Mr. B. Kimmel's list . Here's a short list
Good Mornin' (Singin' in the Rain)
Make 'em Laugh (Singing in the Rain)
Shine on Your Shoes (The Bandwagon)
Busby Berkeley's dance on the dime from 42nd St.
I am off to Washington, DC this weekend to see both Company (Lynn Redgrave as our favorite lunch lady) and Sweeney Todd (Brian Stokes Mitchell and Christine Baranski) at the Kennedy Center! I'm so excited. I will post on my return with well reasoned and eriudite (I hope) opinions on both.
Posted by Ben @ 05/24/2002 11:46 AM PST

First of all Happy 200. Second my favorite dance number is anything in THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT.
In regards to your comment on THE PAJAMA GAME, please note that Adler did not do music and Ross lyrics. They colaborated on both. Mr. Adler confirmed this in the discussion group after the Encores presentation.
Also, very little of the book was cut for the film. The difference is that several musical numbers were eliminated for the film: Sid's "A New Town Is A Blue Town"; Hines and the female chorus's "I'm A Time Study Man"; both versions of "Her Is" (Prez and Gladys, Prez and Mae) and the Jealousy Ballet in Act II.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/24/2002 11:50 AM PST

Favorite made-for-film dance numbers must include:
"Lonesome Polecat" from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
"Lullaby of Broadway" from (was it) Golddiggers of 1935
and
both Miss Piggy's tap dance number and water ballet from The Great Muppet Caper. As Charles Grodin says, "What a woman!!"
Posted by Phil Crosby @ 05/24/2002 12:30 PM PST

Phil - have you seen the new Denny's commercial with Kermit and Piggy -- tell me why is Miss Piggy ordering a grand slam -- very disturbing! OY..anyway
HAPPY 200, dear writer Bruce...
Here are my faves:
1. Never out fox the fox from The Court Jester
2. Singin' in the Rain
3. the street scene in the movie TAP with Gregory Hines
4. The whole final show sequence in White Christmas
5. the street scene in FAME
6. Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling in Royal Wedding
7. Gene Kelly's rollerskating #
8. Mel Gibson in What Women Want
9. Rat Scat - The Muppets Take Manhattan
10. Barn raising dance from 7b47b
11. Whenever you're away from me from Xanadu
some guilty pleasures in there..and some dance #'s from non-musical movies that have musical #'s in them...
Posted by Craig @ 05/24/2002 12:52 PM PST

I knew I would think of more. I cannot believe I am about to add it, but unabashedly I add:
“Old Time Rock and Roll” in Risky Business (1983)
Posted by freedunit @ 05/24/2002 01:01 PM PST

They don't do a whole number, but I particularly like the tap-dancing elephants in 'The Tall Guy'.
Posted by Stephen Farrow @ 05/24/2002 01:27 PM PST

Happy 200th!! We've been out celebrating this morning.
Very nice picture on JMK's site. I also have a wonderful picture of BK with Dear Reader Sandra at the Cinegrill.
Posted by Laura @ 05/24/2002 01:34 PM PST

Dance numbers I love to watch over and over again:
Two from Fred Astaire's RKO days -- "Bojangles of Harlem" and "The Yam!" I can't quite recall which film titles the numbers were from.
From MGM musicals:
"Drum Happy" from "Easter Parade"; and the opening number -- "Swing Trot" -- in "The Barkleys of Broadway" (this number was placed under the titles -- and then revealed, IIRC (another Internet lingo reference) in its entirety in "That's Entertainment III."
From "It's Always Fair Weather" -- "I Like Myself" (the rollerskating number) and "Baby, You Knock Me Out" (Cyd Charisse and the boys in the gym).
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" -- "The Barnraising"
"The Band Wagon" -- "The Girl Hunt Ballet" (written for the film -- not from the Broadway musical of the same name).
"An American in Paris" - Ballet of same title.
"Mary Poppins" - "Step in Time"
"Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" sequence from "Moulin Rouge"!!!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/24/2002 01:34 PM PST

Long live haineshisway.com
!!!!
Favorite movie dance
numbers:
Barn raising -- Seven B. For
Seven B.
Shaking The Blues Away --
Easter Parade.
Step In Time -- Mary Poppins.
Fortuosity -- Happiest
Millionaire.
Waiting For My Dearie --
Brigadoon.
If The Rain's Got To Fall -- Half
A Sixpence.
and The Hora Dance --
Haineshisway.com Does
Broadway.
Plus, everything & anything by
Fred and/or Gene !
Posted by francois @ 05/24/2002 01:40 PM PST

P.S. Congratulations to BK on this milestone date! May the the anticipation of the next 165 days fill you with great glee and giddiness.
And if Craig can cop to the guilty pleasure (my words, not his) in saying he likes "Whenever You're Away From Me" from "Xanadu," then so can I. I will say I heard it on LP before I ever saw the film...and I imagined it as a much better number than it ultimately was, but it's still fun.
And the best dance number that never was SHOULD have been to "Sounds of the City" from BK's top choice for worst film to absolutely adore -- "Cant' Stop the Music." I always imagine either a disco palace or Central Park just filled with people dancing orgiastically.
Alas...
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/24/2002 01:40 PM PST

And who can forget "Portabello Road" from Bedknobs & Broomsticks!
Posted by Craig @ 05/24/2002 01:44 PM PST

oh.. another guilty pleasure-
The opening song "Carrying the Banner" in NEWSIES
Posted by Craig @ 05/24/2002 01:48 PM PST

Happy 200th Herr Bruce!!It's amazing that you've been on the
BRUCE CURB for 200 sessions.
Favorite Dance Numbers:
PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
1.Bank Number
2.Christopher Walken Dance at the Bar.
3.Vernel Bagneris Dance number
LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST
1.CHEEK TO CHEEK
2.THERE's NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS
THE RED SHOES BALLET
FRED ASTAIRE dancing on the ceiling to YOU'RE ALL THE WORLD TO ME from ROYAL WEDDING
JAMES CAGNEY dancing to GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROADWAY in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
GENE KELLY and the kids dancing to I'VE GOT RHYTHM in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
Posted by Arnold M.Brockman @ 05/24/2002 01:49 PM PST

"The Broadway Ballet" -- "Singin' in the Rain"
"Why Am I So Gone (about that gal)" -- "Les Girls" (ballet number with Gene Killy and Mitzi Gaynor
"Make the Black" (Pirate Ballet) -- "The Pirate"
"Nina" -- "The Pirate" (and this is also a favorite for its lyrics -- very droll rhymes).
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/24/2002 02:01 PM PST

Shoot! Shucks! Scheise!
"MACK the Black" -- vice "Make"
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/24/2002 02:01 PM PST

Brava, Bravo, and bravisimo! And isn't it a lovely day here in Annapolis, Maryland?
I think that To Whom It May Concern is my favorite Hinky & Meltz song of all time. (Wasn't there discussion of a cd? Is that happening? Or maybe I should save all of my questions for As Bk Day?)
My favorite dance numbers:
Get Happy
The Barnraising
Shall We Dance? (I don't care if it's not really a number, I love love love that scene in the movie)
Who's Got the Pain?
Singing in the Rain
Mandy (Oh, the brouhaha in my house during this number. When I had chicken pox I watched White Christmas over and over and over...)
Okay, that's enough. Ta.
Posted by Lolita @ 05/24/2002 02:55 PM PST

"Bachelor Bills" from The Creature Wasn't Nice, of course, of course.
Posted by Bachelor Bill...Not @ 05/24/2002 03:33 PM PST

Happy 200! Can we have hummus too?
Posted by Kerry @ 05/24/2002 03:38 PM PST

And yes, JMK does have a nice site. Bruce and JMK both look cute.
Posted by Kerry @ 05/24/2002 03:38 PM PST

Wiping out Broadway musicals makes this list easier and yet harder. Always the way.
"Pick Yourself Up"- Sheer joy
"Never Gonna Dance"- Haunting
Both from "Swing Time"
"Something's Gotta Give"- from Daddy Long Legs
"Singin' In the Rain"
"Good Morning"
"Broadway Rhythm"-- Singin' In the Rain
Oh, and "Be A Clown" AND "Fit as A Fiddle"
"Let's Face the Music and Dance" from Follow the Fleet
"I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket"- ditto
"Stiff Upper Lip" from Damsel in Distress
"From this Moment On"- Kiss Me Kate (I've included this since it was added for the movie)
Anything with Charlotte Greenwood (even if it was always the same thing)
"Say It With Firecrackers" Holiday Inn
"Begin the Beguine"- Broadway Meldoy of 1940
And if swimming counts, "By A Waterfall" from "Golddiggers of 1933"
And for sheer bizarreness (is that a word?) the "Polka Dot Polka" and "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" from The Gang's All Here
And yes, the Barn Raising from Seven Brides
Posted by Kerry @ 05/24/2002 03:50 PM PST

Guilty Pleasures
Living Together, Growing Together (Lost Horizon)
There's Room For Everyone (Pete's Dragon)
Happy Endings (New York, New York)
Me Ol' Bamboo (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Smile)
Springtime For Hitler (The Producers)
La Resistance (South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut)
Take Off With Us (All That Jazz)
We Got Annie and Let's Go to the Movies(Annie)
Milkshake (Can't Stop the Music)
Xandu (Xandu)
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 05/24/2002 04:00 PM PST

Lovely, lovely lists all. I am so out-of-breath from doing the Hora, let me tell you that. Oh, and don't forget we have a handy-dandy Unseemly Trivia Contest tomorrow.
Posted by bk @ 05/24/2002 04:26 PM PST

I love all of Fred and Ginger, natch - but my number 1 favorite dance number was "Isn't This a Lovely Day" from TOP HAT....
Posted by Anita @ 05/24/2002 05:51 PM PST

I knew I forgot something. Annie! and also Oliver!
So here is a bit more:
We Got Annie and You're Never Fully Dressed from Annie, plus Consider Yourself, I'd Do Anything, and You've Got to Pick a Pocket from Oliver...
Posted by Lolita @ 05/24/2002 05:55 PM PST

LolitaSEL, rules say no Broadway adaptations. Do you not just hate rules? I hate them! The two question numbers are two of my all-time favorite. I think “Who’s Got the Pain?” is one of the best dance numbers ever photographed. How could a person not love Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse at the peak of their talents sharing their fun? That one song alone is worth any admission or purchase. Actually, I do consider “Shall We Dance?” a dance number—a fully integrated, character-driven one. It is a beautiful, magnificent, spine-tingling number. Everybody polka!
Posted by freedunit @ 05/24/2002 06:53 PM PST

I'll have to agree (guiltily) with Michael on "Take Off WIth Us" and "Milkshake."
I think I'll have to add Doris Day doing "Shakin' the Blues Away" from Love Me or Leave Me (which also has some great orchestrations by Percy Faith)
Posted by Kerry @ 05/24/2002 08:32 PM PST

Well, Mr. K, it seems that memories do need jogging at my age. In the back of my mind since I got the Subways
Are for Sleeping CD has been the fact that "Ride Through the Night" got a lot of radio airplay back when the show opened and I was in college.
That would be... duh, Percy Faith. Right? Why did it take so long for that to register with me? I loved that version.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/24/2002 08:49 PM PST

“Take Off With Us” in All That Jazz is a favorite. I thought this was just about dance numbers. I did not realize that the rules allowed for the inclusion of favorite sex. I favor sex, and that was a favorite.
Doris Day “Shakin’ the Blues Away” in Love Me or Leave Me—is that the blue dress? I need to catch up on her career. I am really only familiar with The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Pajama Game (1957), Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960), and With Six You Get Eggroll (1968). I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed her in The Pajama Game, which itself I enjoyed.
Posted by freedunit @ 05/24/2002 09:58 PM PST

I, too, enjoyed Doris Day in "The Pajama Game." In fact, I really love the film.
My quibbles are with the "Racing With the Clock" number. They should've let the ladies do it naturally without speeding up the sound. That took me out of the film and into some cartoonish zone.
I have seen a very excellent amateur production of the show and the John Raitt part requires little more than a good voice. Actually, the film fleshed out the character a bit more than did the show, IIRC.
I don't know why, but every time I see "The Pajama Game," I almost always want to watch "Bells Are Ringing" -- sensational film, I think. The soundtrack LP is a magnificent recording in all respects -- even the mono LP had amazing sound, but the stereo LP is extraordinary. That Andre Previn conducting of the wonderful MGM Orchestra/chorus lends quite a bit of magic to the proceedings.
Yes, as I recall, "Shakin' the Blues Away" was in that blue dress (cover of the Columbia LP and the CD). Day also shines brightly in her Universal work -- "Pillow Talk," "That Touch of Mink," "Lover Come Back," plus "Midnight Lace" and her return to the MGM musical sound stages in "Billy Rose's 'Jumbo.'"
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/24/2002 10:31 PM PST

We could have Doris Day Day next!
Posted by Kerry @ 05/25/2002 12:38 AM PST

Blast Ron and Craig for bringing up two of my fave dance numbers, "Step In Time" and "Portobello Road," before I had a chance.
The question about Ethan Mordden's writings about Broadway history has me digging out all his works from my bookshelf. His latest volume, "Open a New Window: the Broadway Musical in the 1960's," is very good, as are the other volumes so far, covering the '20s, '40's, and '50s. My only quibble is that he tends to ignore lyricists compared to composers. On the other hand, he's got two more histories on the way, covering the '30s and '70s. And his take on the '30s may include the Hollywood influence during that decade, when so many writers and performers were shuttling back and forth. (Isn't cross-pollination fun?)
Mordden is also the author of several works of fiction, including four volumes of stories known as the "Buddies" cycle.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/25/2002 01:14 AM PST

I had a similar reaction to “Racing With the Clock.” It was a disappointment, and it should have been done better. Funny enough, as much as I love Judy Holliday, I was not thrilled by the motion-picture Bells Are Ringing. But maybe it is time to watch it again and give it another chance. It might just be that like certain foods Dean Martin disagrees with me.
Is there any chance we could have a Doris Day morning or a Doris Day night? Day and night would make a dandy pair.
Posted by freedunit @ 05/25/2002 07:22 AM PST

Oh....was that Dean Martin?
I never paid him that much attention! I'm always lost in the glow of Holliday....and the fine supporting work of Jean Stapleton!
[G]
Actually, Martin did some fine film work. His shortcomings in this film, IMO, are more than made up for by the "Just in Time" number on the park set. It's kinda tough imagining Holliday swooning over him, but she does fall in love with his voice first....and love is a crazy thing.
My thanks to Kerry for mentioning a number I find magnificent but totally forgot:
"Begin the Beguine" -- "Broadway Melody of 1940" -- probably THE finest tapping on film!
Also from that film -- "Don't Monkey With Broadway." Astaire and Murphy do this number with such speed and -- ummm -- a sort of detachment...hoping it might lead to something if anyone important would ever see them. As if a trained eye could see them for five seconds and not see genius at work. A wonderful conceit. Love the film's mistaken identity hoo-haw. Frank Morgan's bumbling producer a tour de farce.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/25/2002 07:46 AM PST

Another afterthought (hey! I live in California -- we have both aftershocks AND afterhoughts):
While the dancing isn't particularly spectacular, the "You Were Meant For Me" number on the sound stage in "Singin' in the Rain" -- when Kelly and Reynolds are dancing to a sprightly orchestration -- weaves a magical spell that makes it one of my favorite film moments.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/25/2002 08:04 AM PST

“Begin the Beguine” in Broadway Melody of 1940 is yet another wonderful dance number. It is terrific.
I almost lised “You Were Meant for Me” in Singin’ in the Rain, but when I realized I could have listed every number in the movie, I stopped at three. I also love “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love.”
Posted by freedunit @ 05/25/2002 08:15 AM PST

What's this?
It's 10:11 a.m. and no new column?
BK -- WAKE UP! It's a brand new day!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/25/2002 10:10 AM PST

In Kerry's list she mentioned 'By A Waterfall' as being from The Golddigggers of 1933. Wrong Kerry. We have just finished screening this marvellous film at our cinema and 'By a Waterfall' definately wasn't one of the numbers. Featured were: 'We're In The Money' by Ginger Rogers, 'My Forgotten' man by Joan Blondel and 'I'm Going to Sing a Glad Song' by Dick Powell, amongst others which were the production/dance numbers.
There were a string of 'Golddiggers' films featuring the fabulous choreography of Busby Berkely - '33 was his first (for Warner Bros). Can someone post a definitive list of them all and their musical numbers?
And I have just discoverd a 'Berkely's on Broadway' - is this related?
Garry
Posted by Gary @ 03/24/2003 04:02 PM PST

Doesn't anybody come to this site anymore???? Last post before mine a year ago!!!
Posted by Gary @ 04/11/2003 02:46 PM PST

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