Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Gene Kelly, I Got Rhythm

Last week, when I was stuck on the couch with a cold, I watched tons of old movies, including the 1951 classic, An American in Paris. When I need a pick-me-up, there are few things I like better than to watch Gene Kelly dance. And while I love his more serious pieces, I'm partial to the moments when it seems like he's just goofing around. Somehow, in the sillier pieces, the athleticism and originality seems all the more stunning (and of course, fun).

Gene Kelly: I Got Rhythm
(Sorry, I can't seem to embed it, so you'll have to click on the link.

Grab Bag Friday: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Over Memorial Day weekend, Kevin and I went to see Morgan Spurlock's new documentary, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. I have two things to say:

1. Morgan Spurlock is my hero.

2. If you haven't seen his TV show 30 Days, you must. The box set is out now which means you can rent it, buy it, or even watch episodes on Netflix Watch Instantly. Barring The Wonder Years, it's perhaps my favorite television series of all time.

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Trailer

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Dan in Real Life

Wednesday, I posted a Sondre Lerche song from the movie Dan in Real Life, so how could I resist posting a clip from the movie today?

This is one of those movies that I can watch over and over again and it's not because it's amazing or mind-blowing. It won't change your life. It's simply a sweet/funny/sad story about Dan, a guy who is trying to raise three daughters, have a career, and find a way to get on with his life after his wife passes away.

Yes, the fact that Steve Carrell is the lead is a huge reason this movie is so great. He is so pathetic and endearing and hilarious as Dan. But the thing that puts it over the edge for me is that it's a movie about family. I come from a family of six kids, and when you're all on top of each other in the same house, nothing is private. Everything is fair game for dinner table conversation and merciless teasing. I can't help but howl with laughter at the way Dan's family tries to get involved with his parenting, his work, and his love life. This clip (while a bit mean to poor Ruthie Draper) is a perfect example. The song cracks me up every time.

Dan in Real Life: The Ruthie Pig-face Draper Scene

Sondre Lerche: My Hands Are Shaking

Over the break, Kevin and I spent a fair amount of time on the couch in our pajamas watching movies. We pulled out old John Cusack chestnuts, black-and-white screwball comedies, and new documentaries. When it's snowing buckets outside, there's nothing better than being cozy inside with tea and Christmas cookies and a stack (or Netflix instant queue) full of good movies.

One of my picks was Dan in Real Life, which is one of my favorites of the past few years. Watching it again reminded me how much music can make a movie. Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche did all the music for the film, and I think it was a perfect match. I love the movie because it is lighthearted and silly, but with an underlying tension and sadness that feels very real. Kind of like this song exactly:

Sondre Lerche: My Hands Are Shaking

Grab Bag Friday: Vaudeville!

For the new book I'm working on, I get to do some research on the American vaudeville circuit. That means I get to read fun books like Trav S D's No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, a history of vaudeville that is relevant, packed with information, and entertaining all at the same time. It's amazing to me how many of our current corporations (Loews Theaters, for instance) and entertainment systems (agents, circuit touring) developed back in the 1800's and in some ways really haven't changed much since then!

Earlier this week, my friend Hannah sent me a link to the University of Virginia's vaudeville website (courtesy of the American Studies program), which is a treasure trove of fascinating information. What I especially love, though, is the movie page. You can play through a number of silent clips and even without sound you can get a feel for that ever-changing vaudeville stage.

I like this strange Frontier Flirtation especially. What an interesting tactic for fighting off pesky suitors!

And of course, who wouldn't pay to see a monkey playing a violin? I like how the horse gets revenge in the end.

Or two dude smacking each other with bags of soot and flour?

I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am! Oh, how I love book research!

Summer Blog Reruns: The Court Jester

Because I can never get enough Danny Kaye...

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: The Court Jester, originally posted March 28, 2008


(Fair Warning: Hyperbole will follow.) I was browsing over at Educating Alice, and she posted this clip from the 1955 Danny Kaye movie, The Court Jester. My family and I used to laugh ourselves to tears watching this movie. And I still hold that it is one of the most hysterical comedies of all time. And that Danny Kaye is perhaps the most hilarious comic of all time. That's right. Of all time. :)

Now, some of you who know me may argue that I have a somewhat, oh shall we say, specific sense of humor, but that's a discussion for another day...

Here's my family's beloved "Brew that is True" scene and some fun trivia about The Court Jester from IMDB:

• Unimpressed with him in tights, producers of the film made Danny Kaye wear 'leg falsies' to improve the shape of his legs. This adds a touch of irony when Hubert Hawkins offers the princess all of him, including his legs and calves.
  
  
• Danny Kaye's daughter, Dena Kaye, said for the rest of his life, when people recognized Danny in a restaurant, they would walk up and spout the entire "brew that is true" speech.
  
  
• Basil Rathbone was a world-class fencer and it was due to his efforts that the hilarious fencing scene was filmed without injury. He later admitted that several times he was almost skewered by Danny Kaye's sword.
  

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer

It's been a while since I've dipped into the Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault, but since it looks to be a nice, rainy weekend here in Maine, I think it's time to pull out a good old 1940s screwball comedy.

I thought I'd seen just about every Cary Grant movie there is, but Kevin and I stumbled across The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer a couple years ago and laughed our heads off. The movie, written by Sidney Sheldon (creator of the TV series I Dream of Jeannie) won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay back in 1947 and I can certainly see why. It's a riot.

Cary Grant plays a bachelor who lectures about art and is something of a playboy. Through a series of barely plausible events (but who cares!), Grant finds himself obligated to date a love-struck high school girl (Shirley Temple) for a week until her infatuation with him wears off. The fabulous Myrna Loy plays Ms. Temple's protective older sister, a judge who is watching Grant's every move. Let the hilarity begin.

The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer is a silly, very funny movie that definitely stands the test of time, if you ask me. It's got all kinds of great physical comedy, and Cary Grant is at his comic best. The more Shirley Temple's character tries to act sophisticated and worldly, the more he puts on a gooney, adolescent front. Like in this clip, for instance, where he meets her parents:

You Remind Me of a Man...

Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye: Sisters

In preparation for the holidays, here is the most hilarious scene from one of my favorite Christmas movies, White Christmas. Just looking at Danny Kaye in that get-up is funny enough, but his facial expressions kill me. What a genius.

I can't wait to see all my sisters (& brother!) over the next month! Hooray!

Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye: Sisters

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Gene Kelly's Film Debut

When I was stuck at home sick this week, I watched a great Gene Kelly movie that I'm stunned I'd never seen. I don't know if it was the decongestant, but I got *completely* caught up in it and even cried into my tissues at the end.

Turns out, For Me and My Gal was Gene Kelly's debut movie. And what a debut! He plays an aspiring vaudeville star who teams up with a girl singer (Judy Garland). Their dream is to perform at The Palace in New York and get married after their first matinee.

Of course, things go awry, and in a very odd plot twist, poor old Gene gets snubbed for draft-dodging. In fact, this movie (with it's "Buy American War Bonds" ad at the end) is so patriotic, I wondered at one point if it could have been designed strategically for recruiting purposes. In any case, it's a great movie with lots of good music and stellar dancing.

Here's the scene where they do their first dance together. Sigh. I love Gene Kelly.

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: The Aristocats

One of my music students is in a local theater production of The Aristocats this weekend, and I can't wait to see it! Growing up, this was one of my favorite Disney movies.

Let me elucidate...this is a story about a fancy-schmancy family of cats who get saved from kidnappers by a low-life alley cat and his jazzy cohorts. They all sing together and become friends. What's not to like?

Especially with great music like this (I can *still* sing every line by heart). Break a leg, Rowan!

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: The Point

Another rainy day here in Maine...perfect for the Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault.

I can count on my left hand the number of people I've met who are as in love with The Point as I am. My brother is one, and he may not count since he's related. Yes, it's dated. Yes, it's 1971-trippy. But Harry Nilsson's sweet, intelligent story and dreamy music work together so well, they transport you to another world. The Point makes my Top 10 movie list any day of the week.

Now let me hip you to reality. This movie is a must-see. Round-headed Oblio is born in a kingdom where every thing has a point. For a while, his parents try to hide his roundness by giving him a pointy hat to wear, but eventually, poor Oblio is outed in a game of Triangle Toss. He and his dog Arrow are banished to the Pointless Forest, where they meet all kinds of strange and wonderful characters who help Oblio rethink what it means to have a "point."

To this day, I can sing almost all of the songs by heart, and "Are You Sleeping" very nearly made it onto my lullaby album. (I guess it'll have to wait for volume two.) Here is one of my favorites, "Think About Your Troubles." This scene is right after Oblio and Arrow get banished to the Pointless Forest:



And The Rock Man was always one of my favorite characters. I love his opening line. "You been goofing with the bees?" I think my bro and I both went through stages of wanting to be just like The Rock Man when we grew up. I like to think a little of it has stuck. :)

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Designing Women

One of the redeeming things about being laid up with a brutal cold is that you get to lounge on the couch and watch goofy old movies. Kevin and I rented Designing Women this week, and I must say, it was a highly satisfying viewing experience.

No, no, not those permed women with their interior design hijinks that dominated our televisions in the 80's. This is a 1957 comedy with two of my favorite actors: Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck. How could you go wrong?

The basic plot is that Marilla (Lauren) and Mike (Gregory) meet on vacation on the West Coast, fall madly in love, and get married on a whim. When they return to their home town of New York, they find (hilariously) that they have two completely different lives.

I was going to describe the plot and post the original trailer here, but it spoils far too many plot lines. There were so many fun surprises in this movie, it's got to be better to just rent it and start it up cold. Suffice it to say that Gregory Peck is a comic genius. Lauren Bacall is glamorous and wry. The ending (which the 1957 The New York Times review called "in somewhat doubtful taste") had me laughing so hard it hurt my throat (what that says about my taste could be a discussion for another day).

Kevin's verdict? He definitely liked it, but he thought watching me gasp, cringe, and guffaw through the whole thing was more fun than the movie. That's about par for the course at my house.

Where The Wild Things Are

My friend Robin recently posted a link to this trailer, and I immediately thought...is it true? Is it true?

It *is* true! There is going to be a movie of Maurice Sendak's classic picture book, Where the Wild Things Are. (How did I miss this bit of information?)

Now, I have the same wary feeling about this that I had when I heard they were making a film of The Lord of the Rings. Excited, because it could be a brilliant interpretation of a book I adore, and nervous because it could just as easily be a full-fledged disaster.

What do you think? Can Spike Jonze successfully transfer Max's wild rumpus to film?

Here's a short blurb from the LA Times.

I have to admit, the trailer looks pretty awesome.

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Elf

Over the last few years, Elf has slowly made its way onto my list of favorite Christmas movies. It's that perfect blend of fish-out-of-water, mistaken identity, and slapstick humor that I love in a comedy.

If you haven't seen it (and you *should*), Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human who has been adopted and raised by Santa and his elves. When he leaves the North Pole for the first time to look for his birth father...well, I'll just say that hilarity ensues!

Here are three of my favorite clips for your Friday enjoyment:

Buddy arrives in New York City:



Buddy gets a job at a department store "North Pole":



Buddy meets the department store's "Santa":

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: That Darn Cat

In honor of my beautiful brand new niece, Hayley Elsa, I thought I'd highlight another of my favorite Hayley Mills movies. (If you missed the last one, check out Summer Magic...it's a gem.)

That Darn Cat was Hayley Mills' last movie with Disney, and Dean Jones' first. To be fair, I'm completely biased from the get-go because along with Fred MacMurray (who is not in this film) these may be my favorite Disney actors of all time. I'll tell you right off, it's not an academy award winner. But if you are looking for something light and goofy with a solid story and a whole lot of hilarious physical comedy, That Darn Cat is definitely worth a watch.

The hijinks start when a cat belonging to Hayley Mills (Patti in the film) follows a bank robber to an apartment where a woman is being held hostage. The woman scratches "Help me!" onto the back of her watch and puts the watch around the cat's neck. Patti finds the watch, calls the FBI, enter Dean Jones and, well...to give you a taste, here's the original Disney trailer:

Grab Bag Friday: Brain Melt

Last night, Kevin and I went to a fascinating lecture on the difficult problem of school reform by Diane Ravitch (Research Professor of Education at New York University and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.)

Then, we went home and watched the Vice Presidential debates and thought about the current and future repercussions of the economic bailout and Bush's foreign and domestic policies.

This morning, my brain is mush.

You know, how some mornings just feel like this:

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Here Comes the Groom

It's been a rainy week here in Maine, and there's nothing like grey, drizzly days to put me in the mood for old movies. So here's a very special one from my movie vault for you.

When I was a kid, Frank Capra was the only movie director I knew by name. And I devoured his movies. I loved his dramatic stories of community, love, and decency triumphing over individual greed. I loved his screwball comedies. I loved the family dynamics and the big, teary-eyed finales. I remember inviting friends over in junior high to watch movies and being somewhat shocked that they had never heard of Meet John Doe or You Can't Take it With You. And I have to say, they were probably equally stunned (and dismayed) that I was suggesting we watch them!

But there is one little known Frank Capra comedy that has a special place in my heart. In Here Comes the Groom, Bing Crosby plays Pete Garvey, a journalist who adopts two orphans while on assignment in France. When he returns to the States, he has five days to win back his ex-fiancee Jane Wyman (who is now engaged to another man) or he will have to give up the children.

This movie can *still* make me laugh until my sides hurt. There's something about the combination of the slapstick comedy, the orphans, Bing Crosby's charm, Jane Wyman's endearing practicality, and the music (be prepared for a great Louis Armstrong appearance!) that is absolutely timeless. As far as I know, Here Comes the Groom can only be found now in a double-feature DVD set with "Just for You" (another Bing Crosby/Jane Wyman flick).

And here's a little secret for any Songwriting for Kids enthusiasts out there. You know how "We Always Leave 'em Singing?" Well, that little gem comes straight from this movie. You'll just have to watch it to find out!

Here's a clip of Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman singing In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening:

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: The Court Jester

(Fair Warning: Hyperbole will follow.) I was browsing over at Educating Alice, and she posted this clip from the 1955 Danny Kaye movie, The Court Jester. My family and I used to laugh ourselves to tears watching this movie. And I still hold that it is one of the most hysterical comedies of all time. And that Danny Kaye is perhaps the most hilarious comic of all time. That's right. Of all time. :)

Now, some of you who know me may argue that I have a somewhat, oh shall we say, specific sense of humor, but that's a discussion for another day...

Here's my family's beloved "Brew that is True" scene and some fun trivia about The Court Jester from IMDB:

• Unimpressed with him in tights, producers of the film made Danny Kaye wear 'leg falsies' to improve the shape of his legs. This adds a touch of irony when Hubert Hawkins offers the princess all of him, including his legs and calves.
  
  
• Danny Kaye's daughter, Dena Kaye, said for the rest of his life, when people recognized Danny in a restaurant, they would walk up and spout the entire "brew that is true" speech.
  
  
• Basil Rathbone was a world-class fencer and it was due to his efforts that the hilarious fencing scene was filmed without injury. He later admitted that several times he was almost skewered by Danny Kaye's sword.
  

Grab Bag Friday Movie Vault: Charade

Since I brought up the classic Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant movie Charade, now I'm dying to see it again. This is one of those great films that is deliciously dated but never grows old. A mystery with plenty of intense suspense and drama, that manages to be light and funny and romantic at the same time.

One of the reasons I love old movies is because they unfold slowly, so you get to soak it in and take your time enjoying everything about it. Even with all the nail-biting suspense (and yes, I jump out of my chair at least once every time I watch it...Walter Mathau is *such* a creepy villain!), Charade has perfect, quiet, funny moments between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn (like the one below).

And the 60's spy-classic feel of this film is worth it all. The "aha" moment at the end is just as cheesy and charming and enjoyable as the Henri Mancini music, the credit animation, and Audrey Hepburn's goofy grin when she exclaims "Marriage license?!" (one of my favorite movie endings of all time). I love this movie so much, I haven't been able to bring myself to watch the remake yet...has anyone out there seen it yet?

Away From Her: Sarah Polley, Alice Munro

So I finally got around to seeing Away From Her, Sarah Polley's film adaptation of Alice Munro's story The Bear Came Over the Mountain, and I just wanted to give you the update.

The short of it is I think Sarah Polley, in her directorial debut, did a great job with the film. The morning after I watched Away From Her, I poured myself a cup of tea and re-read The Bear Came Over the Mountain, just to see how they compared. The slowly unfolding, quiet power of the story definitely exists in the movie. There are moments in the film where Polley uses Alice Munro's phrasing and descriptions (word for word) in her character's speech. Some of the storyline has been expanded and elaborated on for the film, but not too much, and not in a way that seems overbearing or contrived. For instance, the character of the nurse has been split into two characters for the film, which I think actually works quite well and allows us to both hate the system (the hospital administrator) and appreciate the care and concern of individuals (the nurse). Visually, the movie is stunning.

So all in all, I would definitely recommend Away From Her, but be warned: I started crying about 28 minutes in. This is a movie about a couple dealing with Alzheimer's, and it's heartbreaking. Still, somehow, it gives you a sense that even with all our flaws and small and large mistakes, and even with all the unexpected complications life throws our way, love really can endure and carry on, even if imperfectly.

Did you see it? What did you think?

Here are some links to interviews with Sarah Polley and Alice Munro, and reviews of Away From Her.