Cubs Fan

“Yankee Doodle Dandy” for personal nostalgia—first musical I remember watching on the late, late show with mom. ”Singin’ in the Rain”—love the joy/humor in the O’Connor and O’Connor-Kelly dances. ”White Christmas”—Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen...enough said.

1. We don’t even need to enter the Oval Office before we feel patriotic, passing all those presidential portraits as we climb the stairs with Cagney. What struck me inside the Oval Office was the proliferation of nautical props. The walls are covered with paintings of ships in battle, there’s a model ship on the mantelpiece, and the president has a nautical-looking clock on his desk. All of these ships far pre-date WWII, but are reminders of past American victories in battle. And, of course, there are flags everywhere: waving everywhere in the flashback, standing in a stately manner in the corner of the president’s office, and even pinned to George M’s lapel. 2. When George M comments that “You’re a Grand Old Flag” was a “good song in it’s day”—it’s “day” being WWI (you know, the war we already won)—the White House gentleman responds, “...and it still is today, good as it ever was!” (You know, just like the USA is, good enough to win another war). 3. The frame supplied by this scene gives context to the film, not only introducing the man who is the focus of the story, but also introducing the themes of the film. Had it begun with the parade and the voice-over remained, it would have seemed awkward (who is this person talking to and why?). Had it begun with the parade and left out the voice-over, the audience would take a while to find the focus of the film. As a child and young man in the film (sorry for leaving this particular scene), Cohan is portrayed as brash and arrogant and the audience could take a while to warm up to the character. However, because of the frame, viewers know that although Cohan begins with those flaws, he ends up a successful yet humble man whose accomplishments lead him to a seat a few feet away from the president.

1. This scene at least began with an “anything you can do I can do better” feel to it, so that portrayed the battle of the sexes. However, it wasn’t long before Fred and Ginger were just dancing together, albeit wonderfully well. The battle of the sexes theme is there, but mildly. 2. It was interesting to look specifically at Ginger Roger’s character. She’s clearly rich, as is Fred, talented, as is Fred, and independent, as is Fred. She has her own career and is not waiting around for a man to make her life complete. The equality of the woman in this scene makes it different from others of the era. 3. While the characters in these musicals are wealthy and therefore do not reflect their audience in that way, they DO offer strong and independent female characters which reflect the large number of women taking jobs for the first time, and perhaps even becoming primary breadwinners for their families.

1. The Lubitsch touch, specifically with the garter and the gun, made me feel like I was watching a,silent movie—focus for a long moment on the visual just before the intertile appears. Each “touch” provides a moment of humor for the viewer. They certainly indicated the the character was not new to the game of seducing rich men’s wives, especially the collection of revolvers 2. The mix of French and English dialogue was interesting. We’re so accustomed to subtitles for foreign dialogue that NOT having it Intrigued me. The specific “pop” sound of the revolver, revealing its harmless nature, took the viewer from suspense to relief. 3. Finding humor in disparaging the rich, escapism (allowing a general viewer into the upper class for an hour or two.

1. The canoe scene is very reminiscent of every Astaire-Rogers pairing: boy meets girl, girl resists,... But the saloon scene offers more. Without having seen the film, we have no idea what circumstances have led her to sing in this place where she is clearly a fish out of water, but we do know that his interest in her has progressed from a basic flirtation to concern for her well-being. 2. I have only seen clips of their films in the past. He is so unattractively “stiff” all of them that I never sought out full films. 3. First scene: sweet and innocent flirtation, no touching for this newly-met couple, but she has a little more backbone than one might find in the typical non-musical female character of the era. Second scene: “good girl” McDonald is painfully out of her element in the seedy saloon—and the good girl makes her escape quickly when the other singer’s dance takes a sexual/sensual turn.