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On the TownRating:
Release Date: 02 May, 2000 Retail Price: $19.98 OUR Price: $17.99 You SAVE: $1.99! Cast: Complete Cast (11 total) |
On the Town Reviews
Toast of the Town
Even though this is not the musical in which Gene Kelly dances with Jerry the mouse, the 1949 film ON THE TOWN still has much that is cartoonish about it--and that's not a bad thing. It is cheerfully outlandish, in the way all the best animated cartoons of the era were. It's one unlikely or downright absurd event after the other, and like a good Bugs Bunny short, the audience knows that suspension of disbelief goes without saying. We delight in the absurdity.
The story of three sailors on 24-hour leave and the NYC gals they pick up during their various misadventures should logically be fast-paced, which the film certainly is, or even a little frenzied, which it is not. Despite the crawling time-line, which should theoretically make the viewer feel as though time's a-wastin', the action almost seems suspended in time, rather than weighted down by it. It's the old romantic notion of one day lasting forever. And in such a magical setting, who needs to sleep? And there can't possibly be truly serious consequences for a lady cab driver failing to turn in her car for the next shift or for that matter for destroying a dinosaur at the Museum of Natural History.
All that absurdity opens up a world of anarchic fun--just as in the best cartoons--and even the most staid of audiences can briefly escape into this loony world of antics with no consequences and true love found at the drop of a sailor's cap.
And it's all done to a great Comden-Green and Bernstein score (much taken from the Broadway play of the same name on which it is based) and handled with aplomb by its talented cast. The casting is near perfect, with Kelly and Frank Sinatra heading an able cast of singers, dancers and comic actors. Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen shine in their dance numbers, and Betty Garrett and Alice Pearce are remarkable for their comic--as well as their musical--timing. Probably the only disputable casting would be that of Sinatra as a somewhat nerdy, control freak. But it's nice to see him out of the "ring a ding ding" mode for once.
ON THE TOWN's great entertainment--and like so much of the entertainment of the era expresses a joy and optimism that now seems (sadly) naive to us today.
A previous reviewer noted, in fact, that the film was emblematic of the post-WW II optimism that dominated American culture in the late 40s and early 50s. That's for sure. This is a world in which sailors can get in a bit of trouble (on leave) but are not about to get blown up (on duty). And it's also a world, in which invoking military honor and sacrifice can get excuse a bit of nautical mischief.
Probably the sole bit of sobering realism is the fact that when the gobs and the gals say goodbye at the dock the next morn, they don't promise to stay in touch. Not even Gene and Vera, who have declared true love.
The audience members can draw their own conclusions. But with all this free floating optimism how can they conclude anything other than a romatic reunion--for all three couples?
We can suspend our disbelief on that point too.
On The Town 1949
New York , New York , its a wonderful town -especially when sailors Gene Kelly (1912-1996) , Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) , Jules Munshin (1915-1970) have a 24-hour shore leave to see sighs..and when those sights include Ann Miller (1923-2004) , Betty Garrett (1919- ) , and Vera-Ellen (1921-1981) . Co-directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen (1924- ) , based on the broadway hit . On the town changes the landscape of movie musicals , opening filmaker?s eyes to what could be done on location and when brilliant location and Studio production numbers are blended , it could be -as here -embulient , up-and-at-?m perfection . The Bronx is up and the batterys down , butno one can be down after going on the town . Super,Super Musical , your see a wonderful performance and how N.Y looks in 1949 and buildings and people have gone long time ago , it?s a time capsule for nostalgic tours . Transfer in Ultra-Resolution Quality picture . Recommended
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