'3BlackChicks Review...'
ON THE TOWN (1949) Not Rated; running time 98 minutes Genre: Musical IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0041716 Written by: Adolph Green, Betty Comden (based on the Broadway play) Directed by: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly Music by: Leonard Bernstein, Roger Edens Choreography by: Gene Kelly Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Vera-Ellen, Alice Pearce, Bern Hoffman DVD standard features: "Pan And Scan" (non-widescreen); scene access; Languages & Subtitles: English, French DVD special features: theatrical trailer; cast & crew notes
Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsonthetown.html
I have to admit, I've been fooled all these years. Here I've been, in all my naivete, believing that all the gobs and dames in these 40's musicals wanted, was a chance to get a few chaste smooches in before they fell in love with the gob/dame of their dreams.
Then a hot hoochiemama by the name of Betty Garrett changed all that for me.
The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**): Small town Navy boys Gabey (Gene Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra), and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) have a 24-hour pass in New York, and are out to see the sights. Sights like Ivy Smith (Vera-Ellen), Hilde Esterhazy (Betty Garrett), and Claire Huddesen (Ann Miller) will do just fine, thankyewverramuch.
Okay, okay...when the boys see a poster for Miss Turnstiles, aka Ivy Smith, Gabey is enchanted and sets out to meet the famous (or so he thinks) Miss Turnstiles to ask her out on a date that night. "In a city of four million women", he actually *does* find Ivy, then loses her, then finds her again, then...well, you get the picture. Chip and Ozzie have their hands full, too: Ozzie pursues Claire, an anthropologist who'd like to study *his* bones...and Chip finds himself being pursued by Mae West's little sister, Hildy.
The Upshot: On the surface, ON THE TOWN doesn't seem all that deep - just another Boy Gets Shore Leave Boy Looks For A Hookup Boy Meets Girl Boy Falls For Girl The End kinda flick - but there's more to "OTT" than meets the eye. Besides its Oscar-winning musical score, "OTT" broke new ground as the first musical to be filmed partially on location; and the difference shows. The opening scenes establish a great, realistic look at New York from a tourist's eyes (and from a historical point of view, makes one marvel at how much the NYC skyline has changed over the years). I also liked the use of the "clock" to countdown the hours left for the Navy boys, a technique used better, and more sparingly, here than in some modern-day films.
But for me, the kicker in this movie was Betty Garrett as the lusty Brunhilde Esterhazy. To be sure, Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra continued their charming ANCHORS AWEIGH ways, and for the first time since AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, I haven't wanted to pop Kelly's Girl upside the head; I found Vera-Ellen quite pleasing here, and I loved her voice. The Comic Relief - Jules Munshin as fifth-wheel Ozzie, Ann Miller as his girl Claire, and especially Alice Pearce as the Hilde's lonelyhearts roommate Lucy Shmeeler - were also good in their supporting roles. But Garrett added some sho'nuff serious spice to this tale, to the point where I was wondering if they'd have a scene with Hilde and Chip crawling out of a Navy locker a la STRIPES. woolaud.
I suppose I could overanalyze many of the plot points of this and other typical 40's musicals, from a 00's point of view. I could discuss the Peter Pan syndrome many of Kelly's characters seem to exhibit, dish on how Sinatra's skinny-boy-Guys often got smacked around by Dolls, cogitate on the whys and wherefores of all the various and sundry floosies that inundated these musicals, yada yada blah blah blah. But where's the fun in that? Besides, in a time where we are oversaturated with talk show hosts, therapists, and thespians creating a societal hodgepodge of dysfunctions for us to wallow in
[aww SOMEbody oughta give me an AMEN]
I said, in a time where we are oversaturated with talk show hosts, therapists, and thespians creating a societal hodgepodge of dysfunctions for us to wallow in, I don't at all mind looking back at a time when an announcer breathlessly exclaiming that this movie was "twice as gay as ANCHORS AWEIGH!", wouldn't be cause for a riot.
The Numbers: A few of the numbers in ON THE TOWN rank up there with my all-time musicals favorites:
"Prelude" This number's not actually listed, and the person that's featured isn't credited - but Bern Hoffman as the sleepy dock worker singin' the early mornin' blues, was a great way to segue to...
"New York, New York" It's most def a helluva town. The sailors sing the praises of New York, their eyes filled with it. A great number, made moreso by the location shots; it wouldn't have been the same on a set.
"Miss Turnstiles" Though I liked the similar I'm Every Woman dance in "Paris" better, I did like the acrobatic male dancers in this number; good choreography by Kelly once again.
"Prehistoric Man" Ugh. The less said, the better.
"Come Up To My Place" Excellent number, both in phrasing and in setting words into action. As I alluded to above, I was left with no doubt in my mind what Hilde planned for Chip up in her place. My boy gonna get wo' out...
"On The Town" I can't praise this number enough; featuring the entire sextet, I finally had to have someone take the DVD remote away from me so I'd stop "rewinding" the disc back to the beginning of this track.
"Count On Me" Nice comedic ensemble piece; even Miss Lonelyhearts got in on the action.
"A Day In New York" This Kelly-standard tell-the-story-in-ballet number doesn't have the polish of his better, later works, but I liked the beautiful, swelling music, and co-director Kelly's use of light and shadow.
I am so glad I grew up with an appreciation for musicals; Gene Kelly definitely expressed himself best when he danced, and I'm glad I got a chance to witness it, even if only after the fact.
DVD Thingies: Having already seen the ON THE TOWN theatrical trailer during ANCHORS AWEIGH, I was less impressed by its inclusion in this DVD, especially because "OTT" lacked a couple other extras that "Anchors" had. But I was impressed by the mood-inducing dock sounds in the "OTT" menu. What can I say; I'm easily amused.
Bammer's Bottom Line: If nothing else, ON THE TOWN finally convinced me that Sex existed in the movies long before they had a rating for it (and an MPAA against it). Back then, they were just more subtle about it than the current batch of cinema artistes. I can diggit.
ON THE TOWN: (rating: greenlight): The team of Kelly and Sinatra are two for two with ANCHORS AWEIGH and ON THE TOWN; next up-at-bat: TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME.
Rose "Bams" Cooper Webchick and Editor, 3BlackChicks Review Entertainment Reviews With Flava! Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001 EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com http://www.3blackchicks.com/
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