Show Boat (1951)

Show Boat (1951)

MGM

September 24, 1951

Musical, Historical Comedy, Historical Drama

DVD
D

I exclaimed, "Oh, no, Howard Keel!"  And then we cut to the happy slaves picking cotton.  Even the costumes are ugly.  But, um, it probably isn't as sexist as some of Keel's other movies?

This is based on the Kern & Hammerstein stage musical, which in turn is based on the Edna Ferber novel.  George Sidney directed.

Pal Joey

Pal Joey

Columbia

October 25, 1957

Musical?

DVD
D+

Sinatra is obnoxious when he's not singing, being not only predictably sexist but even gratuitously racist (to a woman of course), yet the glimpse of '50s San Francisco is mildly interesting.  George Sidney directed.

Kiss Me Kate

Kiss Me Kate

MGM

November 26, 1953

Musical

DVD
C

Bumped up because of the scene-stealing first Ann Miller number.  This is based very loosely on Taming of the Shrew.  George Sidney directed, three years after Annie Get Your Gun.

Annie Get Your Gun

Annie Get Your Gun
MGM
May 17, 1950
Musical, Historical Comedy, Romance
DVD
C-

I was mildly shocked by how much I didn't like-- not hated, just didn't like-- the first quarter hour of this movie, from the badly sung opening number to Annie's slackjaw insta-love for Frank.  I enjoyed the production my high school did (or maybe it was a rival high school, my memory is a little fuzzy after 35 years), and of course there are some classic songs.  I'm going to put the blame on director George Sidney, since performances are off and shots are poorly set up.  I almost went with a D+, but I like the costumes, and the source material is hard to totally screw up.  Still, this is not a classic.