Movie Review: For Me and My Gal (1942)

Hello, movie lovers!

Gene Kelly is one of my favorite old time actors, and today I am going to be reviewing the first movie that he was ever in! He and Judy Garland are playing two stage performers trying to make it to the "big stage". It is the movie For Me and My Gal (1942)! But don't get this confused with the 1932 movie Me and My Gal starring Spencer Tracy. These are two different films!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

For Me and My Gal (1942):

Based on: a true story about vaudeville actors Harry Palmer and Jo Hayden.
Two acts get together, trying to make it to Palace Theatre, the top spot in New York. Through different circumstances they find themselves growing to love each other. War strikes and they have to fight being selfish and decide what is right and how to help in the great struggles. But is it too late?

Genre: Musical, Drama.

Length: approx. 104 minutes.

Costumes: 8.

Script: 10, no bad words!

Crew:

Directed by: Busby Berkeley.

Written by: Richard Sherman, Fred F. Finklehoffe, Sid Silvers, & Howard Emmett Rogers.

Starring:
Judy Garland as Jo Hayden.

Gene Kelly as Harry Palmer.

George Murphy as Jimmy K. Metcalf.

Martha Eggerth as Eve Minard.
Stephen McNally as Mr. Waring.
Ben Blue as Sid Simms.
Richard Quine as Danny Hayden.
Keenan Wynn as Eddie Milton.
Lucille Norman as Lily Duncan.

Cinematography: 9.

Cinematography by: William H. Daniels.

Music: 10, I love seeing Gene Kelly and Judy Garland sing together! They are so sweet. My favorite is probably "For Me and My Gal". Makes sense, right?

Music by: Roger Edens.

Quotes: 9. "You only live once, you know."

Notes: This movie was made during World War II, but it was actually set in World War I.

Storyline: 7, there is smoking, some drinking, death, and a little bit of war violence. It is really well done!

Good For: Musical fans.

Age Range: I have always loved musicals, so I think most kids would love this, too!

Overall Score: 8.5!

I have reviewed this for Pure Entertainment Preservation Society's Favorite Code Film Blogathon, which is part of #CleanMovieMonth85! It is two days late, because this summer has been super busy for me, but Tiffany said that it would be fine if I was a little late.

My thoughts:
When PEPS announced this blogathon, I immediately knew that I wanted to review this film. I first saw this last August and I loved it. I had recently learned about the Motion Picture Production Code (1934-1954), and I noticed some things in here that were handled really well, which probably wouldn't have been if it was made in any other time.
Gene Kelly is one of my favorite actors (he is in my favorite movie of all time, Singin' in the Rain [1952]), so I was really excited to see his first movie. He plays the character Harry Palmer so well. In this there are times when he is a con and you don't like him, but other times he is so sweet you can't help loving him. He fights in battles that we have all experienced: selfishness and fear. No one wants to go to war when their whole life is a head of them, but with Jo's help, Harry fights against his faults and tries to do good.
This movie was actually one of my favorites that I saw in 2018!

Thank you so much to the Brannans, who run PEPS, for hosting this! Check out all of the other entries HERE. Also check out their website to learn more about the Code!

Thanks for reading! Have you seen this?

MovieCritic

The "Meet-Cute" in My Favorite Movie: Singin' in the Rain

Hello, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Because it is in fact Valentine's Day, Phyl at Phyllis Loves Classic Movies is hosting (what is hoped to become an annual thing) The Meet-Cute Blogathon!

I don't watch many romances (actually, I do, but I couldn't think of anything else), but I did decide to talk about my favorite for this blogathon. I have already reviewed it HERE (I felt obliged to link to it, but please don't click it. It was the second movie I reviewed on this blog and I didn't have a system down yet), but I want to just talk about the certain scene. Because of that...

Spoiler Alert! If you haven't seen the movie Singin' in the Rain, do not read any more! Also, if you haven't seen it this won't make any sense.

"I need the right setting."

You can watch it yourself here:

What I like:

1. Don Lockwood made his career as a stuntman, and that shows through here because he climbed the trolley and jumped into Kathy's car trying to escape.
2. That he used the line his best friend Cosmo Brown said to him earlier: "We movie stars get the glory, I guess we have to take the little heart aches that go with it."

Him, being dramatic.

3. How Kathy is a little annoyed that he scared her so she makes up the story of only seeing him in one movie.
4. All the facial expressions!

5. "You expect every girl you meet to fall in a dead faint at your feet!" You go Kathy! That was a lesson he needed to learn!

6. "Farewell, Ethel Barrymore, I must tear myself from your side!"

Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie, you must!! It is my favorite movie of. all. time!

Thank you so much to Phyl for hosting this! Make sure you go read about all of the other meet-cute moments, HERE.

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Brigadoon (1954)

Hello!
I am participating in Love Letters to Old Hollywood's Van Johnson Blogathon!! Yes, I know this happened days ago, but I am still having my say even though I am late.

It was funny, I saw this last year, but I thought, "I don't even know who that is." Then this year I watched The Last Time I Saw Paris. "Oh, so that's who that is!" I exclaimed. Thinking about it, I had watched two movies before that with him, and I am here to review the first Van Johnson movie I saw!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so.

Brigadoon (1954):

"...And you're lost in a beautiful forest.."
Two hunters are walking around Scotland one misty morning when they stumble across Brigadoon, a town that only appears every 100 years, but each time it appears it is just the next day from when it appeared last. Today, there is to be a wedding! Tommy and Jeff, the hunters, decide to fully enjoy the day because it is the only time they will ever see this place.

Genre: Musical, Romance.
Length: approx. 108 minutes

Costumes: 9.
Script: 8, "I've been wanting to do that all day."
Crew:
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
Produced by: Arthur Freed
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner
Starring:
Gene Kelly as Tommy Albright

Van Johnson's facial expression here is the best.

Van Johnson as Jeff Douglas
Cyd Charise as Fiona Campbell

Virginia Bosler as Jean Campbell
Jimmy Thompson as Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple
Hugh Laing as Harry Beaton
Barry Jones as Mr. Lundie
Albert Sharpe as Andrew Campbell
Elaine Stewart as Jane Ashton
Eddie Quillan as Sandy
Tudor Owen as Archie Beaton
Owen McGiveney as Angus
Dee Turnell as Ann
Cinematography: 7.

Cinematography by: Joseph Ruttenberg
Music: 8.
Music by:
Alan Jay Lerner
Frederick Loewe
Conrad Salinger
Notes:
Cyd Charise was so tall she is always barefoot in this movie so it doesn't look like she is taller than Gene Kelly.
Quotes: 7, "You've noticed that, have you?"

Storyline: 6, There is some kissing, death, drinking, smoking, and suggestive things.
Good For: Musical lovers.
Overall Score: 7.5

Thank you so much to Love Letters to Old Hollywood for hosting this! Make sure you go check out the other entries, HERE.

I am so sorry this is late, I am having a problem with being on time this year. I hear by promise I will not be late anymore. And you can hold me to that.

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic 

Imaginary Review: a later Wizard Of Oz (1941)

Hello Everyone!

Today I will be "reviewing" a rewritten version of the movie The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The original Wizard of  Oz was made in 1939.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1941):

Shirley Temple as Dorothy

This movie, surprisingly enough never got famous, even with it's all-star cast! The original was just too great! But, this is pretty good.

Based on the book by L. Frank Baum. Dorothy Gale's house gets stuck in a cyclone with her inside, and whisks her off to the land of Oz. The only way to get back is to go to the wizard Oz, the great and powerful. Along the way she picks up friends who want something that maybe Oz can give to them. But then it is just the original story.

Costumes: 6, they aren't as good as the original, they are a little boxy and copying the original a bit too much.

Ginger Rogers as Glinda

Script: 5, once again, it isn't as good as the original, you can see why it never caught on.
"I can not understand you ever Sir Lion."
Crew:
Directed by:  Leo McCarey
Produced by: Frank Capra
Starring:
Shirley Temple as Dorothy Gale*
Fred Astaire as Hickory/Scarecrow

Donald O'Connor as Hunk/the Cowardly Lion
Ginger Rogers as Ginda
Charles Ruggles as the great Oz.
Music: 7, it's good, it has a song called "The Jitterbug"*, but the rest were weird jazzy tunes.
Music by: George Gershwin
Quotes: 8, "Oh! How I want to go to my homeland!"

Fred Astaire as the Scarecrow

Storyline: 9, it is closer to the book in some ways, for instance, it has the field mice. But it doesn' have the same feeling the original gives you.
Overall score: 7.

Charles Ruggles as Oz.

Just kidding! I am participating in Diana and Connie's Imaginary Film Blogathon!

You could probably tell because some of the photos are in color, and some aren't. I based it off of the fact that they were going to have Shirley Temple as Dorothy Gales, and that they filmed a musical number called "The Jitterbug" but they didn't put it in, it is a fun thing! (Check it out HERE! It isn't the best video, but you can get the idea.) Then I put in a bunch of "big time" stars. I hope
that this is an okay entry, I had a lot of fun! The pictures I, once again, did on Tate Kids Dot Shop.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a true blue Judy Garland Wizard of Oz fan, but I wanted to play to try out what it would be with Shirley Temple!

Thank you so much for reading! Thank you so much Diana and Connie!

MovieCritic

A Celebration of Classic Hollywood Movie Review: An American in Paris

Hello again!

Once again I am here to show you a review for Rose at An Old Fashioned Girl's Celebration of Classic Hollywood. I know, I'm sorry I'm doing this on the last day. I got busy. Anyway:

An American in Paris:

This is a 1951 musical, about an artist, Jerry Mulligan, who served in in the army for WWII in Paris, France, and now is living in Paris and is an artist for a living, well sort of, he doesn't like to sell them because he won't see them again. One day, Milo Roberts, a wealthy daughter of a suntan lotion salesman, takes an interest in him and wants to sponsor him. They go out to dinner and Jerry meets Lisa, and falls in love with her, but someone else is. There is a 17 minute ballet session preformed by The American in Paris Ballet, which can be a little much the first time you watch it, but the second time it is great! So it's a tale of mixed love in the "City of Love" Paris.
Genre: Musical, Romance.

Costumes: 6, there are a few skimpy costumes in the number, "I'll Build A Stairway to Paradise" but besides that, they are mostly good. My favorite is this one:

I'm so sorry I couldn't find a better picture!

Script: 6, there are a few references to things, but it is okay. "Back in America, they said I have no talent, they might be saying the same thing here, but it sounds better in French."
Crew:
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
Produced by: Arthur Freed
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner
Starring:
Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan
Leslie Caron as Lisa

Ouch!

Oscar Levant as Adam
Georges Guétary as Henri "Hank" Baurel
Nina Foch as Milo Roberts

Music: 9, this has great music that will get you singin'! My favorite is "I Got Rhythm."
Music by: George Gershwin
Music Lyrics by: Ira Gershwin
Musical Direction by: 
Johnny Green
Saul Chaplin
Quotes: "Oh Adam! You always call at the wrong moment."
Notes: If you see it in colour, Milo's car keeps changing from green to teal to both.
Storyline: 8, There is a bit of smoking, but the storyline is pretty good!
Overall Score: 7!

Thank you so much Rose for hosting this! It has been so fun!! Go check it out Here!!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Singin' in the Rain

"Good Mornin'" Everyone!!
Today I am reviewing one of my favorite movies of all time, Singin' in the Rain!
For anyone who has seen this movie I don't know how it couldn't be a favorite.

Singin' in the Rain (1952):

 

This is a really fun movie that is great for everyone! Once again, this is one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME, so make sure to tell me your opinion too!!! 
This movie follows the actor Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and the movies going from silent to "talkies"! That is all I am going to say for now!
Genre: Musical, Romance.
BONUS: What shape is Lena Lamont's beauty mark?
Costumes: 9 There are some really nice costumes in here.
Favorite Costume: Lena's with the "Flowers"
Script: 10! There are so many great quotes in here!!! "Cos, call me a cab!"

Crew:
Directed by:
Gene Kelly
Stanley Donen
Produced by: Arther Freed
Screenplay and Story by:
Betty Comden
Adolph Green
Cast:
Gene Kelly, "Dignity, always Dignity."
Donald O'Connor
Debbie Reynolds
Jean Hagen
Millard Mitchell
Cyd Charisse
Favorite Actor: Donald O'Connor, I like the that his blue eyes really appear on screen.
These are the best actors for this movie!! They are doing the play version of it in our town and I can't go see it because how could you picture a different Lena Lamont, or Cosmo Brown!??
Music: 10!! 
Favorite dance number: Wow, this is really hard, I would have to say, I can't decide.
Good Quotes: 10! "Alright, you're a cab."
Story: 10! There are a few weird parts in the "Broadway Rhythm" section. Anyone who has seen this probably agrees with me. Tell me what you think!!!
Overall rating: 9!

Now, "I will rip myself away from you!"
Have a glorious day!

MovieCritic