Miss Judy is back... It's no secret that Judy's life got difficult towards the end of her time at MGM, which was an endless push-pull between her trying to take control of her health and well-being and the studio wanting her back at work. Judy was fired from two movies in 1949--Annie Get Your Gun and The … Continue reading Judy’s Last MGM Movie
Stage To Screen: Babes In Arms
We all know that before there was Rodgers and Hammerstein there was Rodgers and Hart, and their 1937 hit, Babes In Arms became Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney's third movie and first musical together, not to mention the first of their famous barnyard musicals. It was also Arthur Freed's first official producer credit and Busby Berkeley's first … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Babes In Arms
Happy Again and Again: The Filmography of “Singin’ In the Rain”
The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love... Who can forget Singin' In the Rain? Who can forget Gene Kelly dancing down the street singing the title song? It is magic. Pure film and pure magic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAI6hhsDNxc The 1952 movie is far from the only time the song has been featured on the … Continue reading Happy Again and Again: The Filmography of “Singin’ In the Rain”
That’s Entertainment
One of the distinctive things about the Freed Unit at MGM was that they didn't just mine Broadway for film material; Arthur Freed brought Broadway talent to Hollywood. One of these was Tony-winning actor, dancer, and choreographer Michael Kidd. Born Milton Greenwald to Russian Jewish refugees on August 12, 1915, Brooklynite Kidd briefly studied engineering … Continue reading That’s Entertainment
Seven Reasons To See “Singin’ In the Rain”
I have seen 1952's Singin' In the Rain more times than I can count. I grew up on this movie. However, as blogging would have it, I never thought I would review it because everyone and their brother reviews it. Yet here I am. It's been a lonnnnng time since I've watched the film, and I … Continue reading Seven Reasons To See “Singin’ In the Rain”
Marrying In Haste
World War Two was a heady time, and on-the-fly decisions weren't uncommon. Like getting married, for instance. 1942 has one of the highest marriage numbers on record in the United States. Some of these couples had been together for a while, but whirlwind courtships weren't unheard of. Sometimes called "gangplank marriage" or "shoving-off marriages," they … Continue reading Marrying In Haste
Taking Up Room 