Musical

Thousands Cheer

by tfraymond
October 30, 2013July 19, 2024

Thousands Cheer (1943) starring Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson

Thousands Cheer is a musical romance, set in the U.S.A. during World War II. The first half of the movie deals with Kathryn Roberts (played by Kathryn Grayson). She’s a concert singer who is retiring from the stage to work on putting on shows for the Army, to help morale. This is also designed to let her bond with her father, an Army colonel. Whom she hasn’t seen since she was a baby, after her parents’ divorce.

Excuse My Dust

by tfraymond
March 4, 2012June 14, 2022

Excuse My Dust (1951) starring Red Skelton, Sally Forrest, MacDonald Carey, William Demarest

William Demarest as love interest's father

Excuse My Dust is a musical vehicle for Red Skelton, set in 1895, that deals with the issues of progress and the resistance to it. It stars Red Skelton as Joe Belden, a young inventor who’s determined to build a “horseless carriage”. This complicates things, since he’s in love with Liz Bullitt (Sally Forrest), whose father (played by William Demarest, best remembered for his role of Uncle Charlie on My Three Sons) runs the local livery stable, and sees the “horseless carriage” as a threat to his livelihood.

Ship Ahoy - a musical comedy starring Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton, Bert Lahr, Virginia O'brien

Ship Ahoy [Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton]

by tfraymond
February 26, 2012August 24, 2022

Ship Ahoy (1942) – Red Skelton, Bert Lahr, Eleanor Powell, Virginia O’Brien

Ship Ahoy is a very funny musical-comedy-romance from MGM that begins with Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz) in one of his rare film appearances playing Skip Owens. Skip has fallen hopelessly in love with stage dancer Fran Evans (Virginia O’Brien). She is about to leave for Manila along with the Tommy Dorsey band and the rest of her troupe. The troupe is headlined by Tallulah Winters (Eleanor Powell). Tallulah is a talented dancer who is taken to see a government agent. He wants her to smuggle a magnetic mine to their people in Manila.

Three Little Words

by tfraymond
February 22, 2012March 23, 2024

Three Little Words (1950) starring Red Skelton, Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Arlene Dahl

Three Little Words is a long-time favorite movie of mine, for several reasons. First, I’m a large fan of the comedy of Red Skelton, and he’s given plenty of room to work his comedy, both physical and verbal. Likewise, I’m a fan of Fred Astaire, and I love to watch him dance. And he has his own very good sense of humor, that plays against Red’s very well. And thirdly, I’m a fan of well-done musicals, and Three Little Words definitely counts in that regard.

Texas Carnival (1951) starring Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, and Keenan Wynn

Texas Carnival [Red Skelton]

by tfraymond
February 19, 2012December 4, 2021

Texas Carnival (1951) starring Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, and Keenan Wynn

Texas Carnival is an interesting musical, comedy and romance that s a little bit different. It has 4 very different stars Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, and Ann Miller. They have four different strengths, and each of them has opportunity to showcase their talents.

Red Skelton has several very funny moments clowning around.
Esther Williams has one extended swimming sequence.
Howard Keel sings his heart out in several songs.
Ann Miller is showcased in two different dancing routines.

movie review of Lovely to Look At (1952) starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton, Ann Miller

Lovely to Look At, starring Red Skelton, Howard Keel

by tfraymond
February 19, 2012February 19, 2023

movie review of Lovely to Look At (1952) starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton, Ann Miller

Lovely to Look At is a combination romance, musical, comedy, and fashion show — no, really. It’s the story of three Americans (Al Marsh played by Red Skelton, Tony Naylor played by Howard Keel, Jerry Ralby played by Gower Champion). They’re looking for financial backers for the Broadway show they want to put on … unsuccessfully. They are out of options, when Al’s Aunt Roberta dies. She left him with partial ownership of a fashionable Paris dress shop.

Neptune's Daughter (1949) starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Red Skelton, Betty Garrett, Keenan Wynn

Neptune’s Daughter – Ricardo Montalban, Esther Williams, Red Skelton

by tfraymond
February 17, 2012April 20, 2022

Neptune’s Daughter (1949) starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Red Skelton

Neptune’s Daughter is a laugh out loud funny romantic musical comed. Which I enjoyed immensely. Although the movie stars the beautiful (and aquatic) Esther Williams and the dashing Ricardo Montalban (one of my favorite actors), the movie comes to life when Red Skelton is onscreen.

Bathing Beauty

by tfraymond
February 17, 2012March 28, 2024

Movie review of Bathing Beauty (1944) starring Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Basil Rathbone

Synopsis of Bathing Beauty

In Bathing Beauty, Swim instructor Caroline Brooks (Esther Williams) angrily returns to her teaching job at a New Jersey girls school when her brand new marriage to songwriter Steve Elliott (Red Skelton) is disrupted by scheming show producer George Adams (Basil Rathbone). In order to speak with his estranged bride, Steve forces admission to the college, which has never been legally declared “all female”. To rid the campus of him, Dean Clinton places Steve on two weeks’ probation, during which time she plans to hit him with 100 demerits and mandatory expulsion. Steve also encounters heavy resistance from faculty, students and a distant Caroline, who wants their marriage annulled.