A Letter to the Stars. Or alternatively titled: Co-Hosting Yet ANOTHER Blogathon?

A Letter to the Stars Blogathon 

Best of the Past | In the Mood | Frankly, My Dear

October 21 - 23 2012 

Wait, I'm co-hosting another blogathon? Wasn't it only a few months ago did I did this? No, it's not deja'vu, it's for real. You'd think I'd wait before throwing myself back into the blogathon pool again, but when one of my favorite people on here, Marcela, asked Nat and I to help her co-host her blogathon, how could I resist? Especially when it's such a particularly incredible idea.

One misfortunate of us Old Hollywood fans is that most of us will never get the oppertunity to write a gushy fan letter to our favorite star. I know  won't. (I did send a letter to Lauren Bacall for her birthday, however. But I'll never get to send fan mail to the other actress with the initials L.B. You know, the one that, to me, is the queen of everything. The one I worship to bits and pieces. Yeah, that girl.)

Okay, so here are the rules:

1. Just leave a comment here and let us know you're going to be writing to. No dibs on stars, it's okay if someone's already taken who you wanted to do, you can do them too.
2. The blogathon is taking place on October 21 - 23 (three days, three hosts. Get it?). All you have to do is, on the day you are assigned, write a letter to the star of your choice. It'd probably be a good idea to do your favorite, but hey, it's up to you. No hatemail, though okay? Just tell them why you love them, what are your favorite things about them, their favorite performances, even ask them questions I guess (though, if I were you, I would expect a response... okay, not funny). Anyways, any of the normal things you'd put into a fan letter, except you can't actually send it.
3. Post your letter and email the link to alettertothestars@hotmail.com
4. That's it! As the blogathon draws near, you will be assigned a date and a host. For the most part, this worked pretty well for Nat and I last time... If you have conflicts with the date, scheduling can fix it, just so you all know. But let us know if you're having too much conflict anyways and we can fix it up!

There are more banners over at Marcela's post so GO and look! Any questions? You can ask me or Nat, but Marcela's probably the best to ask as it's her idea. (And what a fabulous one at that.) That's pretty much all. I guess you're all scratching your heads wondering who I'm going to write to. I'll leave you all in suspense, but I'll give you a clue: she has red hair and a husband with an accent. ;)

Sunday Movie Review: "Penny Serenade" (1941)

PENNY SERENADE (1941) |★★★ 1/2

Penny Serenade (1941) stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant as Julie and Roger, a happy young couple who fall in love and get married. When a tragic circumstance results in Julie becoming sterile, the two look to fulfill their wishes to become parents in the event of an adoption, which gives way to unexpected joy and heartbreak. The story is told through a series of flashbacks provoked by a stack of Victrolas played by a nostalgic Julie as she reflects back on what she and Roger had and lost. Beulah Bondi costars as the the orphanage caretaker.

There were things I liked about this movie, and things that I didn't like as much. Over all, I thought it was an average but enjoyable film, and there's no drastic reason not to give this a viewing. 

It had been quite a while since I had seen one of Irene Dunne's movies - I remember watching more of her when I just began to watch old films, a handful of her best - Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), My Favorite Wife (1940), I Remember Mama (1948). She is always a pleasure to watch on screen, a warm and sweet actress with a terribly infectious smile. (I would like to think she's grossly underrated as well, I believe she never won an Oscar). The best thing about Irene was that she had a quick wit for comedy but finely tuned emotions for drama, and she gets to use both of them in this film. More of the latter but there are a few chances for her to show off a hint of her comedic flair, as well. She's enjoyable and endearing as Julie, breaking our hearts bit by bit, and you can hardly help but not sympathize with her.

There's no need to wonder what I thought of Cary Grant in this movie, because, of course, I thought he was perfect - but I do think that about anything he was ever in. (Cary Grant could try to sell me Oxy-Clean in an informercial and I would buy it, just because of him.) As he always is, he's witty, charming, and marvelous. He gets more of the witty lines than Irene, like when their adopted child begins to cry and he says flatly to Irene, "Well, make her stop!" 

As a pair, they are adorable, especially with the addition of a small baby, then it's almost too much. I like the idea of how the film is told through a sentimental journey of memories brought on by a "serenade" - the title song is "You Were Meant For Me," and if that sounds familiar, it probably is: it was also used in Singin' in the Rain (1951). There are cute scenes and sweet scenes. But the movie also drags a bit too long and it ends in yet another tragedy that seemed completely unnecessary. In the end, it comes off looking a little too sappy and heartbreaking. 

The pairing of Dunne and Grant was done twice before: The Awful Truth (1937) and My Favorite Wife (1940), both of which, as I mentioned before, I have already seen. Out of the lineup Serenade comes off as the most average but it's still an enjoyable movie with warm performances. I would say that the film's main fault is trying to be too sad (which is often the case with movies like this), and it eventually feels as if it's harnessing itself to our heartstrings and tugging until it tears. Whatever can go wrong for this couple seems to, which works for a while but then ultimately is a bit too corny. Still; it's most certainly not a bad film and you could definitely give it a watch all the while!

On the Subject of Ingrid Bergman

If you've been reading my blog for a while yet, it's probably no news to you when I say that I love plenty of actresses. I'm always discovering new favorites, altering my list, and forever trying to emulate these ladies because there's a part of me that aspires to be a little bit like each of them. My favorite, far and away (thus this should give you a idea of how much she means to me), is, obviously, Lucille Ball. But after that it's hard for me to rank them in a chronological order. It's like trying to pick between your children, okay?

However, if I really had to pick a second favorite, it would probably be the lady I'm writing about today: Ingrid Bergman.

Today would be her 97th birthday - and it is also the 30th anniversary of her death. It's exactly what it means; she died on her birthday. I think it would be pretty terrible to die on your own birthday (and, alas, there's only one day to celebrate Ingrid rather than two), but all the while, it seems quite neat and particular and special - so it's no wonder it happened to Ingrid. Isabella Rossellini thinks it was "just like Mama to die on her birthday" because she was "very orderly, and it was a tidy thing to do."

There are so many things I love about Ingrid, I wouldn't even know where to begin to tell you. I believe I have seen more movies of hers than any other actress (as so many of Lucy's B movies are hard to find). I'm in awe of her as an actress, and respect her as a human being. So here's a post to celebrate my second favorite star on the occasion of her birthday - and the anniversary of her death. It's cliche, and you saw it coming, but how can I not say it? Here's looking at you, kid.

Happy birthday, Ingrid

[ and rest in peace! ]

Inspirational - because I have learned quite a few things from Ingrid and the way she lived her life. For one, there is the passion for her occupation and how much she genuinely enjoyed her work. "If you took acting away from me, I'd stop breathing!" she once declared, and I'm pretty sure she would have. And for another, she lived honestly, always, with no regrets, and I'd like to be that way too.  

Natural - Ingrid Bergman was the most natural actress in Hollywood. When she first arrived in this country, David O. Selznick wanted to pluck her eyebrows, cap her teeth, and change her name ("how about Barrymore?" he suggested). But Ingrid, forever true to herself, would have none of it. Selznick had to think of a different way to market/typecast her, so she became the "natural goddess," wearing little to no makeup on screen and appearing most often in wholesome, saintly roles, so much so that the public saw the private Ingrid as one and the same. Thus, they were all the more shocked and scandalized when their St. Ingrid of Stockholm had a love affair with her Italian director in 1950. But she was natural - natural at acting, and natural in her beauty. 

Gorgeous - Well, I'm pretty sure this one needs little to no explanation. All you have to do is take one look at her and get the general idea. She was very nearly perfect looking, and I love how tall she was, making her less than conventional amongst the petite starlets of the day. Stories about how her famous male co stars, like Humphrey Bogart and Yul Brynner, having to stand on lifts when doing love scenes with her never fail to make me grin! 

Resilient - I have told this story on here before, but I think it is one that best demonstrates Ingrid's love and passion for her craft; and what resilience she had. By the time she was working on her final project, a biopic of the life of Golda Meir - this would win her a posthumous Emmy - she was deep into the stages of her cancer, and her arm had swollen up to the point where Ingrid had dubbed it her "big, overgrown, ugly, sick dog." Meir used to often make the gesture of crossing her face with her two arms, and this was televised and seen around the world, but Ingrid could not physically lift up her right arm. Though she had been assured she did not need to do it, Ingrid knew the part would not be complete without it, so the nights before she had to film she would have to suspend that arm in the air so the fluid would go down and she would be able to do the simple task of raising her arm. She would do this all night long, and she wouldn't sleep, but she would do it, and she did. That's how devoted and resilient she was.

Interesting - Or, rather, for lack of a better adjective starting with I, her life was interesting! I've read her life story multiple times and it's never a dull moment. She had a great personality, one that seemed warm and kind, and she seemed like she'd be fun to be around. Especially those stories about her in the 1940s, when she was a young star in Hollywood, and she enjoyed pulling pranks. Her husband often thought this was childish of her, but of course, that didn't stop her. I love the story about her and her Gaslight costar Joseph Cotten going to a Hollywood party, except they dressed up as the maid and the butler. She did have an affair with Victor Fleming, and on Halloween one year, she swept into his house dressed up in a ugly witch's costume, throwing bags of candy into the laps of his daughters. AND, she died on her birthday! Tell me that isn't interesting or particularly special?!

Darling - Well, okay, before you laugh this was one of the better adjectives I could find starting with D! Besides, anyone who knows me a little will know that it's just one of my favorite words, okay? And Ingrid was just that. Darling. In absolutely all sorts and kinds of ways. So yes, I'm going to go with darling for this one, because she definitely was. I mean, have you seen those incredibly adorable closeups of her?

Brilliant - As in a brilliant career. Everyone makes stinkers, everyone must, and trust me, she did. (Of course her performances were always that: brilliant!). But she also made so many fabulous films in Hollywood; so many of my favorite films are Ingrid movies. Notorious. Gaslight. The Bells of St. Mary's. Spellbound. But, most appropriately, there is Casablanca - and I think because of this movie she will live in on film eternally. Patricia Clarkson once narrated a tribute for her for TCM, and in it she says, "After all, you never heard anyone say, who was that girl in Casablanca?"

Elegant - Of course, just because she was one of the more natural beauties in Hollywood doesn't mean that she couldn't be just as elegant or glamorous as the rest of them. How about the party scene in Notorious (1946)? She has on that long, black gown and the way she carries herself in it so regal. In reality, she was a pretty classy lady herself. She speaks with such grace and the perfect drop of candor in all her interviews. I've seen many from the late 60s or early 70s where she is asked if the film industry is getting better and better, but she begs to differ: "they were better in the old days." Her explanation for this is exactly how I feel about old films. One would wonder what Ingrid - who, for her time, was considered 'notorious' - would think of some movies today.

Romantic - Because, I think, Ingrid did romance better than anyone else in Old Hollywood. After all, when Humphrey Bogart was asked about Casablanca (1942), he easily credited his performance to Ingrid, saying "when the camera moves in on that Bergman face and she's saying she loves you, it would make anybody feel romantic." And, of course, the many romantic scenes in Notorious cannot be forgotten, most especially that famous kissing scene between her and her husband Cary Grant where they skirt the three second law on kisses. She played different characters but she was always best, perhaps, when playing a woman in love. 

Global - Ingrid did all kinds of foreign films. She started out her career in her native Sweden, also doing one German film, and when America sent her packing thanks to her affair with Roberto Rossellini, she did movies in his native Italy, as well as France. She played roles that travelled to all parts of the world and experienced a handful of different cultures, like the Chinese missionary in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) and the Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in The Woman Called Golda (1982). You can't help but grasp the feeling that Ingrid had a openness to experiencing many different ways and walks of life. And she definitely returned to her Swedish roots - one of her final film roles was Autumn Sonata (1978), completely in Swedish with Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann. 

Multilingual - This ties in with the latter, and it's honestly one of the things I admire most about her because I muddle through learning the alphabet in French. (This is also coming from the girl who took five years of Spanish in elementary school and wouldn't be able to say more than "Hola.") Guess how many languages Ingrid spoke? FIVE. Her native Swedish, English, French, Italian, and German. She learned German as a child from her aunt (and excelled in this class at school!), and picked up English, French, and Italian over the years. I can hardly imagine being fluent in FIVE different languages. How incredible is that?!

Actress - This one is obvious, and she was truly one of the best. The very best. When you watch her on screen, you can believe anything she does or says. When I watch her in any film, whether it's amazing or really terrible, I'm in awe of her brilliance, of how she can bring small things to a performance to make it believable, how she was a master at drama but could also be incredibly witty and funny. I love her as a human being, obviously, and as an actress just as much. I really have yet to find a performance of hers that I found so-so. Her work in Gaslight (1944)? Really and honestly one of the most worthy Oscars given. 

Notorious - Before you think that using this adjective as a way to end off a post filled with so much affection for her is meant to be negative, believe me, it's not! Nor is it meant to be a pun! I mean this in a positive way. Being notorious to a particular group of people is not always a bad thing. At the time people may look down their noses at you, but later on you'd realize that being notorious was something you had to do. I'm referring to her scandal with Roberto Rossellini in 1950, of course. The way people treated her at the time was incredibly terrible. Was it really nessescary to take to the floor of the U.S Senate to condemn her?! I think it was because Americans thought of her as such a saint, scrubbed with soap, that when she went out and did something as outrageous get pregnant by her Italian director, it drove them wild. It was as if she had turned on them. Thankfully, she was forgiven - and publicly apologized to - but it still must have been a hell of a time for her. Perhaps what she did was notorious, but rightfully so. She was not the public's slave, and she lived honestly. I suppose she could very easily have covered up the scandal (as Loretta Young had done a few years before when becoming pregnant with Clark Gable's love child), but she didn't. I guess you could say there was a little feminism showing in her in this action, too. It was her private life, and her body, and she did what she pleased.

“Do you know what I especially love about you, Ingrid, my dear? I can sum it up as your naturalness. The camera loves your beauty, your acting, and your individuality. A star must have individuality. It makes you a great star. A great star.”

- George Cukor 

Gene Kelly Centennial | Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)

This is an entry for the Gene Kelly Centennial Blogathon, hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association, to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of Hollywood's best hoofers (Gene's actually birthday was the 23rd). Go here to read the rest of the very fabulous entries. Thank you to the CMBA for hosting!

***

I was a little late to the party when signing up for this blogathon, and needless to say, the best of Gene's films had already been grabbed. So unfortunately, this will not be the astute opportunity for me to ramble on endlessly about my love and affection for one of my favorite movies, Singin' in the Rain (1952). Instead I have chosen for a less well known vehicle from earlier on in Gene's career, Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) - it is, alas, no where near the perfection of Singin' in the Rain, but it does costar Lucille Ball, my favorite of all people, and thus I have chosen it to discuss today. 

Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) is the story of a hat check man who is in love with the beautiful nightclub headliner at the club he works for. She, in turn, has the hearts for a poor dancer, who reciprocates her affection, but she knows she must marry for money. The hat check man strikes it rich by winning the Irish sweepstakes, and asks his crush to marry him, which she agrees to, even though she doesn't love him. The moral of all of this is brought to light when the new heir gets slipped a mickey and dreams his is in 18th century Versailles, in which he is King Louis XV, adamantly pursuing Madame Du Barry.  

Lucy practicing one of her dance routines
for the movie backstage

The film was more of a prominent milestone in Lucille Ball's career rather than Gene's. She was cast as the nightclub star May Daly/Madame Du Barry in what was her first film at MGM. She had failed to reach star status at RKO (though she had garnered the title as queen of B movies), and everyone knew - Lucy included - that MGM was her last chance to become an established movie star. As her introduction to the MGM corral of actors (after all, MGM had "more stars than the heavens"), she was cast in this film, which had been a successful Broadway play starring her good friend Ethel Mermen. It was called out to be a lush, Technicolor production, with a roster of songs by Cole Porter. To give Lucy a new image, MGM's chief hairstylist to the stars, Sidney Guilaroff, dyed her hair a stunning shade called "Tango Red", that popped on the Technicolor print, but Lucy herself was not quick to like in real life. (Lucy, born a brunette, had been dyed a Harlow blonde, then a strawberry blonde, which gradually darkened to mahogany brown). Critics were quick to call her "Technicolor Tessie," and declared no actress had looked better in color. Needless to say, Lucy kept this shade for the rest of her life.

This was the second film for budding star Gene Kelly, who obviously played the down on his luck hoofer, Alec Howe. Though only a year younger than his on screen love interest, Lucy had a list of films under her belt whereas this was only the second in what would prove to be a legendary show business career. (One could argue that both Gene and Lucy struck it big in the early 50s, Gene in his most well known film Singin' in the Rain - in '52 - and Lucy a year earlier with I Love Lucy.) Before this, Gene had made his screen debut with For Me and My Gal (1942), which he had made alongside bona fide star Judy Garland. Red Skelton is the third and final co-star, as the lucky hat check man Louis Blore.

The above mentioned are also supported by Virginia O'Brien, a fairly underrated actress in her own right.  Jo Stafford can be spotted as a member of the "Pied Piper" bind, as well as Ava Gardner for a second or two as a perfume girl, and Lana Turner makes a guest appearance as a part of one of Red Skelton's singing sketchs.

Despite the pretty impressive cast, and the cosmetic milestone this was for Lucy, the film ultimately fails to hit the mark (despite doing well at the box office), and I don't think it was a movie that neither Lucy or Gene could look back at and fondly remember. In fact, it might as very well have been one they tried to forget. Though it would for Lucy (because of her hair color change), this movie would also hold no later prominence for the birthday boy, Gene. But as contract players must, both were cast in this film with no questions asked.

This is actually, believe it or not, a movie I own on DVD - it's a part of TCM's Lucille Ball collection. When I offered to my dad the chance to watch this again in preparation of this post, he absolutely refused. And I can't blame him, because this is a real turkey. There are some pros to this film but there are tons of cons, too. (Because, even I couldn't get myself to sit through this again).

You might put the first problem of this film in the plot, which is pretty kooky. There's nothing wrong with "fun nonsense" movies, but sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, and this time around it's a case of the latter. This film is actually decent until Red Skelton gets konked back in time where he appears as King Louis XV and Lucy as Madame Du Barry, the king's notorious mistress. There are some interesting scenes, like one in which Red's King Louis chases Lucy's Du Barry around a bedroom, which includes a shot of them jumping around the bed (which, was, in fact, a trampoline - a scene Lucy didn't very much enjoy shooting as it gave her nausea!). As you can imagine, this was a number that went under the close eye of the Hays Code Office; but this film is the squeaky clean all around besides (though, according to my Lucy at the Movies book, the play was a bit raunchier and was sanitized a little before being transferred to the screen).

A promo shot for Du Barry, 1943

I think after the main cast gets shot back to Versailles in the 1700s, the film actually becomes pretty unwatchable, or at least, that's how I remember it. Still, the plot is ridiculous anyways and you couldn't put the fault in any of the cast. Obviously, everyone on here knows what I think of Lucy and I think pretty highly of Gene Kelly and Red Skelton, too - all very talented actors, and they do the best they can.  Ultimately, they are misused. Gene doesn't even get to dance as much as he could've!

So while we can conclude this is certainly not a five star movie, there are a couple of good things about this movie, too. As I said above, the actors give it their best shot. Lucy looks so gorgeous in this. It's always hard for me to pick what was period was the height of her beauty, but this would be one of the top contenders. She sports a blonde wig upon her DuBarry transformation, however, shows off her new hair color in the rest of the film, and the critics weren't kidding when they raved about the new 'Technicolor tessie.' Really, the closeup shots of her as Gene professes his love with a song are killer.

The songs in this movie are by Cole Porter and while it might not be the best work of the famed songwriter, the numbers in here are certainly decent. The most notable is probably "Friendship," the happy song-and-dance number sung by the three title actors at the end of the film. Gene obviously did his own singing, but Lucy was dubbed for all the numbers in this film by Martha Mears - with the exception of this song, for which she did her own singing. The song would also later be used on the episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy and Ethel preform on television for their women's club benefit. They sing the song while they shred each other's identical dresses to pieces!  (It should be added that, unfortunately, a great deal of music from the stage play was emasculated.)

I looked long and hard to find any particularly interesting backstage stories to liven up this post about a very mediocre movie, perhaps about Lucy and the birthday boy, but I could come up with nothing. Gene Kelly, though still in the early stages of stardom, is one of the few truly notable costars Lucy worked with before she had her success in television. He and Lucy would work together three more times. In the same year, they both made appearances in Thousands Cheer, a variety film that lacks plot but is made up of skits and sketches. Then, once again in Ziegfield Follies (1946), a similar film filled with an assortment of routines, but they are in separate skits and don't share any screen time together. (Lucy is in only in it for a few minutes, but I did watch the whole movie and it was interesting - some skits are better than others; there's some nice singing by Lena Horne, Judy Garland does a fun routine that mocks Greer Garson's ladylike image, and a very notable piece where Gene and Fred Astaire dance together!). Gene Kelly also directed Lucy in her short stint in his film A Guide For the Married Man (1967). (And as for Lucy and Red Skelton - when Red won the Emmy in '52 for Best Comedian or Comedienne, he said, "You gave it to the wrong redhead tonight.")

As for Gene Kelly himself, unfortunately, this wasn't one of his better films - and so it's probably silly I chose this movie to discuss on his 100th. All the while, Gene is definitely a performer I love. He was an incredible dancer and watching him preform, he in as an art all by himself. He was very initiative when choosing his routines, and his good looks and charm made him appropriate for more sultry dance moves that Hollywood's other premiere dancer, Fred Astaire, strayed from. He also influenced so much of modern dance; Michael Jackson credited Kelly's influence numerous times. That little scar on his cheek? I've always loved it, because it added a certain degree of ruggedness and a dash of allure. Some say that Astaire was more elegant or debonair, but I think they were two entirely different dancers and it isn't very fair to compare them; they were both beautiful in their craft. And besides, Gene Kelly's lines were just as neat and pretty as Astaire's.

Gene Kelly was fabulous and I adore him to bits. This film may not be incredible, but plenty of his other movies were: first and foremost, Singin' in the Rain, but also Anchors Aweigh (1945), On the Town (1949), and An American in Paris (1951) (amongst many others, I'm sure.) So here's a big happy centennial birthday to one of Hollywood's best. Thanks for the dances, Gene (and all my apologizes for the numerous times I diverted this post over to Lucy, but I think it's okay because you worked with her enough to know how incredible she was!).

Happy 100th birthday, Gene Kelly. 

Favorite Filmmakers | Vincente Minnelli

Continuing with a director whose films I often turn to when I'm in the mood for something I can rely on to cheer me up or make me smile. To read previous installments of this series, go here. 

***

VINCENTE MINNELLI (1903 - 1986)

I don't know why, but whenever I write up one of these posts I always feel like I have to explain certain exclusions from my list. It's probably annoying. However, I do want to add in here that I did not forget Gigi (1958) or leave it out because I haven't seen it. I actually have, and I'm going to be blunt by saying it's really one of the most ridiculous movies I've seen. I don't understand how Vincente Minnelli could have directed it. But then again, I'm really alone on this opinion because Gigi did, after all, win Best Picture. Oh, well. 

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS  | 1944 | Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Tom Drake

I did a review of this film not too long ago, so I won't talk about it very much, but it's one of those movies that I can watch over and over. It's a film that I can always turn to to cheer me up, and it's one of my favorite musicals. Judy glows during the whole, glamorous Technicolor production. On a TCM special, Margaret O'Brien said working with Judy on this movie was a pleasure because she was really in love with Vincente Minnelli at the time, and she was in one of her best periods. 

THE CLOCK | 1945 | Judy Garland, Robert Walker 

This is a really cute movie I watched for the first time last December, and I enjoyed it a lot, actually. Robert Walker plays the All American soldier on leave for two days and he runs into an adorable Judy Garland. They fall in love, and a wartime romance ensues with some of the usual and unusual complications, as well as impulsive decisions. I'm not always that keen about directors directing their wives, but from what I've seen, whenever Vincente Minnelli directed Judy it turned out pretty fantastic. This film has just the right dashes of comedy, drama, and sugar. On all of my 'favorite filmmakers' lists, I've been trying to add one less known work to the list and this would definitely be it for my Vincente Minnelli list. A sweet, enjoyable movie you ought to catch if you get the chance.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE | 1950 | Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Bennett

One of the best comedies MGM produced in the 1950s, a very truly funny movie. The plot is very simple, Elizabeth Taylor is "daddy's little girl," and when she announces her engagement to her boyfriend, it's too much for her father, Spencer Tracy, to handle. Spencer Tracy's Stanley Banks character must realize all the financial, organizational, and worst of all, emotional pains that come with being "the father of the bride." Joan Bennett plays his supportive wife, Ellie. This is another movie that would cheer you up just by watching it. Spencer Tracy is pretty much perfect as Stanley Banks, he was rather good at satire, and I couldn't imagine any other actor playing the role. All the other actors fall just as easily into place. This was one of Elizabeth's "transition" roles, and the character suits her very well. A hilarious, cute, and even relatable film that sure's to make you smile. (Its sequel, Father's Little Dividend - which was released just a year later based on this movie's success - is pretty good, too).

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS | 1951 | Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron

The title says it all. Gene Kelly plays just that: an American in Paris, who falls for a pretty French girl played by Leslie Caron. As luck would have it, his friend complicates the situation by going for her as well. It's been a while since I saw this movie, at least two or three years, but I do remember enjoying it a lot and I had to include it on this list. I pretty much associate Vincente Minnelli with musicals, and this is one of the best examples why. (Of course, I do like Meet Me in St. Louis a bit better...) This is filled to the brim with wonderful songs and fabulous dance routines, executed beautifully by Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly is a true entertainer is this as he always was. I have a bit of a stigma on Leslie Caron because of Gigi (1958), but I probably should drop it because I enjoyed her in this (and Father Goose, as well). The bottom line is if you love lush musicals, there's no doubt you'll love this film.

THE LONG, LONG TRAILER | 1953 | Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz 

So here's a bit of trivia for you: Desi made a bet with MGM writer Benjamin Thau (who had handled the Arnazes' departure from MGM in 1946) - if The Long, Long Trailer could not outgross Father of the Bride, which, up until that point was MGM's biggest comedic box office smash, then the Arnazes would take a $25,000 cut from their quarter of a million fee. But, if The Long Long Trailer DID outgross Father of the Bride, the Arnazes would get an additional $50,000. Thau was so confident he had a clause written up in the contract. Of course, the film did indeed garner more cash than Father of the Bride. Lucy and Desi at the time were, after all, two of the most popular people on the planet (1953 was the year of Little Ricky's birth and I Love Lucy was at the height of its fame - a really fabulous year for these two.). This movie landed up being the seventeenth most popular picture of the year. Lucy and Desi play newlyweds, Tacy and Nicky, who buy a trailer to live in and honeymoon in it on their way to Colorado. As excepted, all sorts of complications fall into place that threaten their marriage. Their characters in this are very similar to that of Lucy & Ricky Ricardo (though I must say, Tacy isn't as wacky), and some liken this to a Lucy episode stretched into a film. Perhaps, but it's still a very hilarious film, the dialogue crackles, both Lucy and Desi do tons of great physical comedy. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, Lucy's wardrobe is the epitome of 50s fashion, Lucy and Desi's rapport/chemistry is perfect. Another movie I've seen over and over, one I just enjoy a lot. How could you not love watching Lucy & Desi "breeze along with the breeze"? Everything about this film is just the poster child for the 1950s and its glamour. Vincente Minnelli himself described this as a "painless" movie to make. (Little Liza hung around her father's set and Lucy played with her; about twenty years later, she and Desi, Jr. were dating!)

TEA AND SYMPATHY | 1956 | Deborah Kerr, John Kerr

This is also a movie I discovered rather recently, but love a lot. (This was when I had a very crazy Deborah high earlier this year, and saw tons and tons of her movies all at once.) Deborah plays Laura Reynolds, the wife of a "manly" camp instructor (of sorts), Burt. He has explained to her many times that she is not supposed to give anything more than "tea and sympathy" to the boys there, but she can't help be troubled by Tom Lee (played by John Kerr), a sensitive seventeen year old boy who is different than his peers, so much so to the extent where they have labeled him "sister boy." Laura lands up endangering a lot of things when she helps Tom find who he really is in side. This was a play and what would seem a great flight risk to take to the big screens in 1956, especially considering one of the main themes of this movie is homosexuality. I haven't seen a version of the play, but Minnelli did a fantastic job in my opinion of transferring such a controversial story into a film. Of course, it was Deborah Kerr who took the challenging, daring role of Laura Reynolds on - and as usual, she was absolutely fabulous. John Kerr was also very believable as the confused seventeen year old boy. But over all, a lot of credit goes to Vincente Minnelli for being able to make this movie in 1956.

***

So, that's my list. (I give a very honorable mention to The Bad and the Beautiful). How about you - what are your opinions on the movies I chose/your favorite Vincente Minnelli movies? Leave me some comments, I love to hear! :)