Saturday, November 23, 2013
Bigger not better
Some Broadway productions should never be brought to Hollywood. Today's Bob Fosse film was a great vehicle for Gwen Verdon, the ferociously talented dancer who made it her life's triumph. But this disastrously overblown film version depends on the talents of Shirley MacLain which are just not big enough to sustain it. Overly long, tedious musical numbers, too much New York City scenery, weak acting and, worse, dancing, simply sink the film to a 2 out of Netflix5. Did I name the film? It was Sweet Charity (1969). They wouldn't take Verdon, no marquee sparkle. It would have been better to leave it alone. Overcompensating from the beginning with a weak star, Fosse creates a monster movie with no redeeming musical value at all. Hardly a glimmer of what made it a stage success. Talent. Too bad. Lots of FF.
We had a lot of rain today for us. And we were happy to have it. It washes the dust off and delays watering for awhile. Besides that, it has been cold. Not cold-cold that we were running away from but the kind that has desert rats run for the fleece jackets and, in the morning at least, wear the jeans.
