Musical

Tea for Two

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August 10, 2018January 2, 2022

Tea for Two (1950) starring Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Eve Arden, Billy De Wolfe, S.Z “Cuddles” Sakall

Synopsis of Tea for Two

An aspiring actress takes a bet that she can answer “no” to every question for 24 hours. If she can, she’ll win the opportunity to finance and star in her own Broadway musical. Based on the 1920’s stage play and film, “No, No, Nanette”. The score features songs by George & Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Al Dubin and Harry Warren.

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August 10, 2018January 2, 2022

It Happened in Brooklyn (1947) starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante, Gloria Grahame

Synopsis of It Happened in Brooklyn

“Everybody is miserable in Brooklyn!” declares Anne Fielding, a pretty music teacher. It may start out that way, but Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Jimmy Durante, and Peter Lawford bring plenty of music, romance, and laughter to New York’s most colorful borough. Anne (Grayson) has to teach music because her opera career started off on the wrong note. Army private Dannie Miller (Sinatra) is too shy to let anyone hear him sing. Jamie, an English duke’s grandson (Lawford), is too stuffy to fit in. And Nick, the janitor (Durante), has never known love. But they all discover anything is possible if they believe in each other and the spirit of Brooklyn.

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June 12, 2018February 10, 2024

For Me and My Gal (1942), starring Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, George Murphy

For Me and My Gal is a good many things — an ode to vaudeville, with some excellent song and dance routines, a “boy meets girl” movie, the film debut of Gene Kelly, a patriotic movie — and a very good movie overall. Frankly, what’s most refreshing about For Me and My Gal is that the protagonist is a flawed person. His flaws lead to his problems, and whose overcoming them leads to character growth.

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April 17, 2018March 30, 2024

Easter Parade (1948), starring Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Ann Miller

Synopsis of Easter Parade

On the day before Easter in 1911, Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) is crushed when his dancing partner and girlfriend (Ann Miller) refuses to start a new contract with him. To prove that he doesn’t need Nadine, Don acquires a new, innocent protegee named Hannah Brown (Judy Garland). He vows to make her a star in time for next year’s Easter Parade.

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March 31, 2018January 3, 2022

Oliver! (1968) starring Mark Lester, Ron Moody, Oliver Reed, Shani Wallis, Jack Wild

Synopsis of Oliver!

Musical version of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” adapted from the stage hit, 1968 Best Picture Oscar.

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February 4, 2018September 22, 2021

Ziegfeld Follies (1945) starring William Powell, Red Skelton, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Lucille Ball, Lena Horne, Kathryn Grayson and many more

Ziegfeld Follies is an attempt at recreating the spectacle of Flo Ziegfeld’s famous Broadway shows … And so the film is a series of unrelated musical and comedy routines. They’re unconnected except by the narration of the ghostly Flo Ziegfeld (played by William Powell) as he sits back in Heaven, thinking of the spectacles that he could create with then-current stars. The various acts include:

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February 3, 2018June 4, 2024

Neptune’s Daughter (1949) starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Red Skelton, Betty Garrett, Keenan Wynn

Neptune’s Daughter is a laugh out loud funny romantic musical comedy, which I enjoyed immensely. Although the movie stars the beautiful (and aquatic) Esther Williams and the dashing Ricardo Montalban (one of my favorite actors), the movie comes to life when Red Skelton is onscreen.

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January 1, 2018September 24, 2023

Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) starring Robert Walker, Van Heflin, Paul Langton, Dorothy Patrick

A fictionalized biography of composer Jerome Kern, that begins with a short version of his famous Show Boat musical, with much of his life told in flashback, including his partnership with Oscar Hammerstein. It’s historical accuracy is poor, but Till the Clouds Roll By makes up for it with numerous musical numbers by the great singers of the day.

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December 17, 2017June 29, 2024

On Moonlight Bay (1951), starring Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp

Synopsis of On Moonlight Bay

On Moonlight Bay is about a family that moves to a small Indiana town. Their tomboy daughter begins a romance with the neighbor across the street, who bears radically unconventional views on love and money.