esrosedotblog

KELLY!

Today's movie: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS(1951); NYT1000best; 7 Oscars; Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron (her first movie); Vincente Minnelli directed; we sat and, at times, wept at the golden years when musicals were full and happy and abundantly satisfying. Kelly was an artist of considerable skill in the three key areas: dancing, singing, and acting. Here he brings all three together in tight focus. All the music is Gershwin and not all the obvious hits! Oscar Levant appears as the best friend and plays some mean piano; perhaps for the last time on film or anywhere, as he soon lapsed into his neurotic haze. They always needed a piano guy and after that it was Jose Iturbi and the like.

The ballet stuff is a bit forced for me and, had he been alive, I am not sure Gershwin would have thanked them for the hash they made of his Suite of the same name. It is a good thing that Minnelli, Kelly, and Caron distract us with the show. But, if Gershwin had been alive, he would have done it for them. So we have to do with second best. It is all great stuff and well worth a 5 out of the Netflix5; a home run.

We are going to see Gene Kelly again in SINGING IN THE RAIN, another 1000Best; thought by many to be the best musical ever, hence best Kelly film ever. I do not know. I would love to see the man in anything, anywhere, any time. We both have a huge cinecrush on him. We notice everything. His clothes are always perfection. Watch his pant cuffs (up or down) and white sox. He rolled the pants up and showed the sox to make us watch his feet. When he is with others, try to watch their feet. It is impossible, even when they are all doing the same step. When the cuffs are down, we watch his body; a whole different thing.

Incidentally, he was the only musical star that was a hunk. They tried to put some non-dancer/singers, who were lookers, into leading roles or as walkers for the women; Fernando Lamas comes to mind; but that was clearly for the look not the talent. Name any of the other male hoofers who look as good as Kelly; I mean sexy. See? I told you. I am told that a lot of women thought Astaire to be sexy. It must be a hetero thing. For me, he always has to work against 'type'. He often succeeds but, as often, flops at the end of the dance into the old shlemiel look. Not that there is anything wrong with looking like a shlemiel, if you are one; but he was not supposed to be.