Christy_S

Love Love Love!! This always makes me want to get up and do the dance around the room.

I adore Danny Kaye! This is my favorite musical number from Merry Andrew. There was a small part of it in the video posted above. I dare you not to dance in your seat while you watch it. ?

I watched that last night also. I adore that movie! My favorite part is when he climbs up to her room after she saves his life (swoon). ? Yes, Men in Tights is Mel Brooks and in a totally different category, so it's a great watch when I'm in a silly mood.

TIGHT tights! I could start quoting lines from that movie, but then I'd never stop. LOL

I'm joining the Seven Brides Dislike Club too (although I'm really sure there is a better name for it). I love Howard Keel and Jane Powell and Russ Tamblyn, but that movie did absolutely nothing for me. To each his own, though! I've been impressed so far at how friendly people have been on these boards. It's very refreshing (unless I've missed some unpleasantness - in that case, don't tell me).

Like many have commented, I was absolutely terrified of the witch and the flying monkeys as a little girl. They used to give me nightmares! That didn't stop me from watching, though. Favorite Part: Bert Lahr's tail

I have met people who will refuse to watch a movie because it is in black and white. They are seriously missing out! Some friends and I used to have a movie club, and we would get together every few months at someone's house to eat, visit, and watch a movie. Whoever was hosting was the one to choose what movie we would watch. I was determined to make a point, so I chose "The Ghost and Mrs Muir." They loved it, of course, and I had a nice "I told you so" moment.

I love watching Eleanor Powell dance. Her dancing is more geared to a long musical number, like in Born to Dance. I didn't get bored watching her. Comparing her to Ruby Keeler feels a bit like apples and oranges. A lot changed in Hollywood between 1933 and 1936. Keeler is more of a hoofer, as has been said. I also thought of James Cagney while I was watching her clip in the notes. Yes, her dancing is more "heavy," but I still found it charming in its own way. It isn't as polished as Powell, but it is still interesting to watch. That being said, I don't think I would want to watch it for as long as the Powell number took. The amount they gave us in that scene was just enough without making me want to fast forward. Basically, I enjoyed watching both of them.

I just saw that in Born to Dance, Eleanor Powell's singing was dubbed but Jimmy Stewart's wasn't. Interesting...

1. What do you notice about the Lubitsch touch? How do the props, the dialogue, and the staging help you understand the character of Alfred (Maurice Chevalier)? The breaking of the fourth wall sets a lighthearted tone from the beginning. At first I thought that the lady was his wife or girlfriend, and the extra garter showed that he is a philanderer. Then there is a switch in perspective as he reveals it is her husband at the door! I can see the influence of silent films in the way that important objects, such as the gun and garter, are brought to the forefront through closeups. Also, the movements and facial expressions of the cast are somewhat exaggerated. 2. Based on this scene, what are some of the things you notice about the scene’s use of sound? Describe a specific sound or line of dialogue you hear and what you think it adds to the scene’s effectiveness. I noticed that there is very little background music. There is only the violin when there is some suspense involved. Also, the fact that they spoke French but still conveyed exactly what was going on is also reminiscent of the silent films. 3. What themes or approaches might you anticipate from this clip in other Depression-era musicals? The use of lavish and large sets as well as luxurious fabrics and costumes.

Clark Gable singing in Idiot's Delight was a hoot! I'm also glad he stuck to drama, but what a gift to the universe that was. As for Jimmy, his singing is most unfortunate, but if he sang to me I would not complain one bit!

I have heard that also. If the accounts I've heard of Mayer are true, I would believe he could say something like that.

1. What do you notice about the interaction between the characters in these two scenes? Please give specific examples. The clips are not actually in the order that they appear in the movie. The second clip occurs before the first one. The second one is where Bruce and Marie see each other for the first time. That scene used to always make me uncomfortable because I was embarrassed for her. As I got older, however, I realized how funny Jeanette was so I appreciated it more. Marie is so used to everyone walking on eggshells around her, it is fun to see her eyes opened to the fact that she can be upstaged. I love the expressions on his face as he watches her, realizing who she is and wondering what she is doing there. The scene in the boat is one of my favorites. I love how we as the viewers see the emotions on her face, but he can't. And Nelson in that Mountie uniform. As Dolly Parton would say, "He really melts my butter!" 2. If you have seen either or both of these actors in other films or television shows, please share your perceptions about them. When I was a little girl, my dad had an LP set of operettas. I used to dance around the living room to the "Totem Tom Tom" from Rose Marie. So, when I was about 11 or 12, my dad brought home a VHS of this movie. At first I was put off by it being black and white, but soon I was hooked. I have seen every movie they made together and some they did separately. I absolutely love the two of them, especially together. They had such a chemistry on screen (rumored off screen as well). 3. What do these clips tell you about the male/female relationships as they are depicted in the films during this era? What norms might you expect are supported under the Hollywood Film Code? Taking just these clips into mind, the male is the one doing the pursuing/wooing. He follows her from the saloon after she is embarrassed, and he sings to her to try to win her affection. As for the code, I agree that it seems they were trying to convey a "good girl" vs "bad girl" message in the saloon scene. You have tight-dress-wearing Gilda Gray, who attaches herself to Sergeant Bruce as soon as he comes in and only leaves his table when her boss makes her. But alas, he only has eyes for buttoned-up Marie, the good girl who plays hard to get and who he pursues out of the building.