Clips of MGM's musical films from the 1920s through the 1960s, together with commentary by Hollywood stars, provide a reasonably good overview of that studio's contribution to the genre. Stars include Fed Astaire, Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli, Mickey Rooney, and others. The film begins with a written statement: "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a series of musical films whose success and artistic merit remain unsurpassed in motion picture history." That is thoroughly debatable. But the film is not about debate or objectivity but praise for the studio's efforts; viewers are expected to agree.
"Musicals were fantasy trips for the audiences of their day", intones Frank Sinatra, the first commentator, clearly reading from cue cards. What he really thought is unknown. Most of the musicals from that era were gaudy, extravagant, flamboyant, garish, and escapist. But they did have talent. Jeanette MacDonald's singing, Fred Astaire's dancing, Esther William's swimming, Ann Miller's tap dancing are examples of terrific skill and showmanship, so much so that, by comparison, today's "stars" seem hardly more than opportunistic talking heads.
It's not all self-promotion. Viewers get a taste for some notable flops, like when Joan Crawford "tries" to dance; she was wise to stick to dramatic acting. Then there are all those silent film stars whose later efforts didn't work out too well, as technology transitioned to talkies.
Probably my favorite segment is a big dinner at which actors sit at rows of tables. As the camera pans down the long rows, some familiar faces include: Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Young, Angela Lansbury, Red Skelton, Walter Pidgeon. But other faces were not at all familiar to me; wish the director had inserted everyone's name as the camera passed by.
My main complaint is the studio's canned script, gushing over its accomplishments. Still, the film offers a good historical perspective of the musical film genre. And to see all those talented people, very few of whom are still with us, is great fun.
"Musicals were fantasy trips for the audiences of their day", intones Frank Sinatra, the first commentator, clearly reading from cue cards. What he really thought is unknown. Most of the musicals from that era were gaudy, extravagant, flamboyant, garish, and escapist. But they did have talent. Jeanette MacDonald's singing, Fred Astaire's dancing, Esther William's swimming, Ann Miller's tap dancing are examples of terrific skill and showmanship, so much so that, by comparison, today's "stars" seem hardly more than opportunistic talking heads.
It's not all self-promotion. Viewers get a taste for some notable flops, like when Joan Crawford "tries" to dance; she was wise to stick to dramatic acting. Then there are all those silent film stars whose later efforts didn't work out too well, as technology transitioned to talkies.
Probably my favorite segment is a big dinner at which actors sit at rows of tables. As the camera pans down the long rows, some familiar faces include: Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Young, Angela Lansbury, Red Skelton, Walter Pidgeon. But other faces were not at all familiar to me; wish the director had inserted everyone's name as the camera passed by.
My main complaint is the studio's canned script, gushing over its accomplishments. Still, the film offers a good historical perspective of the musical film genre. And to see all those talented people, very few of whom are still with us, is great fun.