Ziegfeld Girl
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Movie Reviews of Ziegfeld Girl
Movie Review: SPARKLING NEW TRANSFER OF A STELLAR STAR FILM VEHICLE!
Summary: 4 Stars
"Ziegfeld Girl" is not one of MGM's greatest musical achievements so much as it is one of their biggest rip offs. The plot wreaks of faint formaldehyde right down to its stolen montage sequence from "The Great Ziegfeld" (1936) that supplants Virginia Bruce from the top of that film's revolving staircase with Judy Garland in a blonde wig. What a sham! If the film had absolutely no merit at all this would be an easy review to write. However, "Ziegfeld Girl" is a blessed with a stellar cast including Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr and Ms. Garland, as well as Tony Martin, Jackie Cooper and Edward Everett Horton. The film also has two lavish set pieces all its own, the rather maudlin, though eye-popping "You Stepped Out Of A Dream" with the entire cast parading down a gigantic spiral staircase and "Minnie From Trinidad", a Garland standout with a tropical theme that is both light, humorous and melodic. Garland also has the outstanding solo ballad, "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" though this is sung with only modest accompaniment and an uninspired stage backdrop.THE TRANSFER: In keeping with Warner's commitment to the classics, "Ziegfeld Girl" looks remarkably pristine on DVD. The gray scale is perfectly balanced. Contrast and black levels are right on. Some scenes suffer from age related artifacts. There are also minute traces of edge enhancement but nothing that will terribly distract. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
BOTTOM LINE: "Ziegfeld Girl" is for fans of Judy Garland. It's not an outstanding musical but will nevertheless entertain.
Movie Review: Enjoyable Backstager
Summary: 4 Stars
If you overlook the dreary Hedy Lamarr plot, there's a lot to savor in this picture:
Garland's singing, of course, which includes an early and very funny bit of self-parody when she belts the "showstopper" version of "I'm Only Chasing Rainbows." Note the look on Garland's face when papa/vaudeville veteran Charles Winninger orders her to "Give it all you've got!" Judy seems about to say, "Well, you asked for it..." My only disappointment is that she is assigned the negligible tune "Minnie from Trinidad" as her 11 o'clock number.
Lana Turner's performance as a gone-to-hell-in-a-handbasket showgirl/boozer. Campiest moment in the film is when JUDY is assigned to keep Lana sober! Lana's final promenade down the stairs (to yet one more reprise of "You Walked Out of a Dream") is worth the price of the DVD -- this is what star quality is all about.
There are also some very funny bits from Edward Everett Horton and Eve Arden -- which made me wonder why La Arden didn't turn up among all the other ladies in THE WOMEN, lensing at Metro about the same time as this pic.
Oh, and one other thing: do you notice that this film has almost the identical plot to VALLEY OF THE DOLLS -- with Lana in the Neely O'Hara part?
Movie Review: Manque de français
Summary: 4 Stars
Tous ces films m'intéressent au plus haut point, mais je ne peux les acheter, car il n'y a pas de trame sonore en français. Je cherche depuis des semaines un endroit ou je pourrais faire un commentaire sur cette anomalie qui m'empêche de jouir de ces magnifiques films. Tous les films de Doris Day entre autres. Tous les films des années 50 et bien d'autres. Je dois prendre mes renseignements sur le site américain et commander mesure le site canadien. Le site canadien indique que les films sont en anglais, même s'ils sont aussi en français. C'est une erreur importante. Vous perdez beaucoup de vente. J'ai répertorié une centaine de films que j'aurais achetés s'il y avait eu une trame sonore en français.Voulez-vous faire parvenir mon commentaire à la personne qui s'occupe de ces choses.
Merci.
Marcel Lamothe
m.lamothe@hy.cgocable.ca
Movie Review: Great Musical
Summary: 4 Stars
I watched this movie over the weekend and fell in love with it. Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner, and the great Judy Garland light up the screen. The lavish musical numbers, georgeous costumes, and old Hollywood glamour make this a "can't miss" event.Movie Review: OVERLONG STORY BUT THE MUSIC IS GREAT!
Summary: 3 Stars
I am a great fan of the MGM musicals. This is an entertaining vehicle and Judy Garland's numbers "Minnie from Trinidad" and "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" are stellar!! Judy could do anything!!! They are worth rating the movie 5 stars for them alone. However, those numbers are not all there is to the movie. The film is overlong telling the stories of three girls (Garland, Lamarr and Turner)who enter into the Ziegfield realm. Lamarr is simply there for decoration, Judy, of course is there for the talent, and Turner in a surprisingly good dramatic role is there for the soap opera element. Jimmy Stewart is given top billing here but he is completely wasted and he and Lana Turner have absolutely no chemistry together. His screen time averages to less than 15 minutes. The story drags and is overlong. However, the musical numbers make up for the flaws in the story which is nothing more than trite soap opera drivel. The DVD is high quality, great picture and sound.
If you're a fan of Garland or Turner, buy this DVD. You won't be disappointed. As I said, Garland is worth anything in anything she does. And Turner proves she can act.