WHAT MUSICALS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[Uncle Stevie]

Jack Favell you are singing my tunes. I love all the movies you are watching and have them all.

I would like to reccommend the Lily Pons flick "I dream Too Much" (1935) I love this movie with a very young Henry Fonda. Lily sings wondefully and she, while not a raving beauty, is as cute as a bug. This is the movie where Lily sing the Bell Song from Lakme. A magnifiscent performance.

[JackFavell]

I've seen I Dream Too Much already... Lily has such a pleasant gamine quality, not what you'd expect from an opera singer at all.

[charliechaplinfan]

When I join a rental service again I'll rent Maytime and Rose Marie, I promise.

I know how you feel about the Lubitsch musicals, Lubitsch movies in general and runing out of new ones, his touch is sublime. One Hour With You is a comical take on The Marriage Circle, I much prefer the later version, it's got Chevalier plus the humour lifts it away from any lasting cynicism.

I feel a little the same way about Chevalier's musicals as I do about Lubitsch, I haven't managed to collect them all, some are only meant to have Chevalier to recommend them, I could watch him sing for hours. In his later films he still dominates the screen, I wasn't watching Gary Cooper in Love in the Afternoon or Audrey for that matter. Gigi wouldn't be half the film without him, despite Louis Jourdan being very handsome in this one and Leslie Caron in her best role. I want to watch Fanny again, the cast is so great and the originals so strong, watching it the first time after seeing the trilogy first, Marius and Fanny paled in comparison to the originals, Charles Boyer made his own mark as Cesar but Raimu is the greatest thing about the trilogy but Chevalier is better than the original Panisse. He doubted his skills as an actor, I don't know why.

A last note on Chevalier, I have loads of different music loaded up on my ipod, I want them to grow up appreciate all kinds seeing as talent show manufactured bands seem to be the thing at school, so hopefully they will have an open mind but if asked to chose, Joe wants happy, cheeky music and that means Chevalier.

[intothenitrate]

It's been a while since I saw Love in the Afternoon, but I do remember being really impressed by Chevalier's acting chops in that one. I think he grew a lot since his pre-code musical days. Or maybe it was the influence of Wilder (arguably Lubitsch's heir).

How's your health, CCF?

[charliechaplinfan]

Not great, I'm still waiting to see my doctor but the emergency doctor I saw confirmed that it was ME/chronic fatigue. I've been fighting the illness since October but recently it's become more restricting than less. I was doing OK easing myself back into life, despite Libby's health issues but a couple of weeks ago I woke up and couldn't get out of bed, since then normal life and dealing with the kids has been taxing.

The films help, I'm glad my hobby is one that doesn't need a lot of energy.

Chevalier is one of the great stars of the precodes yet it took me ages to discover him as a precode film star, I was taken aback by his naughty persona in these films plus the fact he was 40 when he started with these movies and doesn't look a day over 30.

Jeanette MacDonald didn't like Chevalier thinking him too old and too crude and he didn't much like her finding her temperamental and too much of a diva. He signed to MGM to do The Merry Widow with the distinct promise that she would not star opposite him, only the studio changed it's mind as soon as the ink was dry on the contract. I think in all their films they are a great contrast, she's quite haughty not knowing quite what is good for her but not being too haughty that she never finds out. Chevalier's characters never channge, she has to change for him in their flims together.

The Smiling Leiutenant is a great movie too, Miriam Hopkins is as well suited to Lubtisch as Chevalier is and Claudette Colbert makes a lovely violin player. Lubitsch makes the best use of his supporting players in all his films.

[Fossy]

Last night I revisited San Francisco (1936)

I enjoy this show very much, but as I watched I could not help thinking how some singers seem to present individual songs better than others.

In San Francisco Jeanette sings “A Heart That`s Free”, a song sung by Deanna Durbin in the movie “100 men And A Girl (1937) and In the movie “Two Weeks With Love” (1950). Although Deanna is probably my favourite singer I feel that the Jane Powell version of this song is best. Perhaps because of the better presentation.

Ciribiribin was sung by Grace Moore in the movie “One Night Of Love” (1934) and by Kay Armen in the movie “Hit The Deck” (1955). Despite improvements in visual and sound over the 21 years between them I prefer the Grace Moore version.

Quando M`en Vo is another sung in a few movies, by Deanna in “It`s A Date (1940), by Grace in the movie “I`ll Take Romance” (1937) and by Jane Powell in the movie “Nancy Goes To Rio” (1950). These were all so good That I find it hard to say which I prefer. Perhaps the Grace Moore version as it is presented as part of the opera, while Deanna and Jane present it as a song.

The coloraturas Lily Pons and Kathryn Grayson can also be compared for their versions of “ The Bell Song”.

[Uncle Stevie]

Fossy, you hit me in the heart of my movie loves. I am a big fan of all those ou spoke of, as you know.

As I was wandering through my stars of musicals I was wondering who sang for the dancers and actors. Did Cyd Charisse, Esther Williams, Ann Miller, June Haver, Betty Grable, Ginger Rogers, and a host of others actually sing in the movies? We know the singers did like Kathryn Grayson, Jane Powell, Jeanette MacDonald, Grace Moore, Lily Pons, Judy Garland, Deanna Durbin, and others were there because of their singing prowess.

Is there a list of singers for singers?

[charliechaplinfan]

Cyd Charisse was dubbed in Silk Stockings. I'm pretty sure Ginger Rogers sang her own songs. I'm not sure about the others.

[JackFavell]

Vera Ellen supposedly had a voice like a frog, but I like her deep tones.

June Allyson had another deep voice that I find fits her personality, she is someone I haven't always liked much, but lately I find her very good.

I adore Ray McDonald's untrained voice.... he's wistful and boyish sounding.

[pvitari]

Ginger Rogers and Betty Grable both did their own singing. Ginger had been on Broadway before she was in movies.

Here's a list of who dubbed who... the page address provided by my pal Max, He Who Knows All There Is To Know About Stage and Movie Musicals. He's a human encyclopedia on the subject.

http://www.barbaralea.com/Dubbers/dubberslist.html

[Uncle Stevie]

Thank you for the fantastic list. I printed it out (double sided) for my archives.

Thank you again for the list


Uncle Stevie

[Fossy]

A great list. I was preparing a list, but I give up now. This list is far more comprehensive. One interesting thing I noticed. I was sure I read somewhere that in the movie " A Date With Judy" (1948) Elizabeth Taylor was dubbed by Jane Powell.

[charliechaplinfan]

That looks quite a list, I'll check it properly later, these are the kind of titbits I love.

I got to thinking about Fanny, I wish they'd have made it a musical like the stage production, if only to hear Chevalier. Until looking at the list I thought three of the principles could sing, Chevalier, Boyer and Caron but Caron was dubbed in Gigi. I've no idea if Horst Buchholz could sing or not.

[Rita Hayworth]

Today on TCM - I watched on my favorite all time actresses - Rita Hayworth in Tonight and Every Night with co-stars Lee Bowman and Janet Blair.

It was grande - I love the dancing, the romance, the setting in London during the Blitz in WWII, and the magnificent stage props and all.





Here's some of the images in that movie - Rita Hayworth is so unreal - so gorgeous - that I find her to be the most
electrifying movie starlet of all times. The dance numbers in this movie was great; and I know its has a silly romance thing
going - but, during 40's Hollywood made movies like this to give our Servicemen something to forget during the terrible WWII that fought on all corners of the world.

I love TCM.

[charliechaplinfan]

That's quite a comprehensive list Paula. I can see even Arthur Freed himself dubbed someone. Interesting reading, thanks.