Die Girls

This would have been an enjoyable film without the enchanting comic actress Kay Kendall, but with her it's hilarious. It's a musical comedy version of "Rashomon"; a trial for libel where all the principals give wildly different versions of the same events. Gene Kelly, Taina Elg, and even Mitzi Gaynor are all fun, but it's Kendall who carries the show. She is one of those rare performers who can make you laugh with just a look on her face, but when given something like a drunk scene she can make you weep with laughter. Who cares if she could neither sing nor dance. Good score, too.

Sadly, Kendall made only two more films before her untimely death, what a loss to the world.

Gene Kelly's last MGM musical is oddly obscure, seldom mentioned in the same breath as his earlier classics such as 'Singin' In The Rain' or 'On The Town'. Let it is a very enjoyable movie which sticks in the mind long after you have watched it.

Kelly heads a very strong cast, full of familiar faces such as Patrick McNee (of 'The Avengers' fame) and that old smoothie Leslie Phillips, who you seldom associate with the Hollywood musical. The stand out of course is the marvelous Kay Kendall, who steals the picture (Kelly himself is a bit subdued in this picture).

Even though the Cole Porter songs here are a bit under-par, the script is strong and the movie is expertly directed by George Cukor and the movie itself deserves to be better known.

As the glory days of M-G-M as Hollywood's preeminent manufacturer of musical treasures entered the sunset years, this very stylish bit of fluff, under George Cukor's very astute guidance, graced the CinemaScope/Metrocolor screen. Cole Porter contributed a score quite a bit more slender than his best, with only one standout, "Ca c'est l'Amour" briefly delivered by Taina Elg. Gene Kelly wasn't permitted any extensive opportunities to display his more athletic dancing skills, possibly because Jack Cole seems to have been the sole credited choreographer. Some viewers, reading other IMDb comments on this one, were rather annoyed by the Rashomon-like structure of John Patrick's very clever, in my view, screenplay. But it's all quite sophisticated, at least for 1957, and the "Ladies In Waiting" production number, in which Porter indulges his penchant for the risque, is hilariously reprised as the story progresses, making naughty use of the three leading ladies' attributes.

Robert Surtees lensed the entire production within the confines of M-G-M's soundstages but, with Cukor's favorite collaborator, Hoyningen-Huene, helping to apply the visual gloss, the whole enterprise is much more elegant looking than Hollywood's usual musical output. Orry-Kelly won a well-deserved Oscar for his color costume design, with one gorgeous gown worn by Mitzi Gaynor that probably accounts for most of the votes cast in his favor.

Finally mention must be made of Henry Daniell's drily witty incarnation of a judge whose patience is sorely tried by the frivolity of the case before him and, of course, Kay Kendall's terrifically funny romp as Lady Wren. What a loss to the cinema when she died so suddenly. Her fans, and I am certainly in their forefront, do so regret her early departure. (If you add this one to your video library, the widescreen DVD is the only way to do it.)

The musical "Les Girls" (1957) is curious, I suggest for many reasons. It has three leading ladies, only a few very good musical numbers and a plot that is heavy on satirical comedy, with four distinct sections. It is also embedded within a trial about libel and takes part very largely indoors; yet it is arguably filled with clear 'action' from start to finish. John Patrick's screenplay I find clever and the dialog perhaps very good. Vera Casparay's story gave us three different versions of mostly the same events, with a subtle shift forward in time each time. Director George Cukor used shots from heights and clever low angles to give an extra dimension to what otherwise might have been boring indoor shots (in less-capable hands). The film produced by Saul Chaplin and Sol Siegel looks lovely in Technicolor and seems sumptuous as well as convincing throughout, I suggest. The cinematography by Robert Surtees, acting as director of photography, the vivid art direction by Gene Allen and William A. Horning and the set decorations by Richard Pefferle and the great Edwin Willis complement the well-matched art direction very well indeed, in my opinion. Among the film's musical numbers, "Ca C'est L'Amour", "You're Too Too" and the rope ballet seemed the most memorable moments to me. Orry-Kelly's wardrobe and costumes and the musical department's contributions stand out; Jack Cole and Alex Romero are credited with the choreography, no doubt with ideas from the star Gene Kelly. In featured roles, Jacques Bergerac, Henry Daniell as the judge, and Leslie Phillips and Patrick MacNee all make very strong impressions with little to work with. The three ladies in the act "Barry Nichols and Les Girls", are Kay Kendall, Taina Elg and Mitzi Gaynor. Kendall deserves an Oscar for her range of comedy and dramatic moments in the film, by my standards; Mitzi Gaynor is a good dancer and delivers both a decent characterization and some fine one-liners without being vocally strong. Taina Elg is the surprise--by turns charming, mischievous and intelligent; her accent perhaps harmed her opportunity to play more comedies within a shrinking 50's movie industry. Kelly is believable throughout and perhaps has never danced better. This film that retails the interplay among four interesting people on "the road" in Europe in the 1950s is undoubtedly both beautifully directed and professionally mounted. It has, I say as a writer, discreet charm, some nice comedic and emotional moments and a pace that director Cukor and the cast never allow to falter. It deserves more credit than it has ever been given, and I believe awards for some of its finest achievers' work exhibited herein.

Gene Kelly was one of the most talented and charismatic performers in classic musicals, some of his dance routines being among cinema's most jaw-dropping. And George Cukor was a fine director with a filmography that contained a number of favourites.

Both have done better films than 'Les Girls', in fact everybody involved pretty much has, but the film is definitely well worth watching and is entertaining in its own right. To me, what came off least successfully is the story, which is basically a musical version of Akira Kurosawa's 'Rashomon' (except that film handled its story structure much better). It is certainly intriguing, and it is difficult to resist its often risqué and disarming nature, but it does struggle at times to sustain momentum and material for a running time that feels over-stretched, making the latter half pedestrian narratively. And while interesting the flashback structure doesn't always feel as smooth as it could have been, some of it clumsy and disorganised.

Cole Porter's songs have been criticised for reasons that are understandable. None of the songs are bad, Porter was too good a composer/song-writer to write bad music, and are reasonably pleasant, but this is not one of Porter's better song scores. Pleasant enough, but nowhere near as memorable or as inspired, apart from some witty and naughty lyric-writing (though there are instances where they are over-shadowed by some distracting stage business in the choreography), as they could have been, disappointing for a great composer/song-writer who should have gone out on a high note but didn't. Jacques Bergerac is also insipidly dull in a role with practically nothing to it, basically the sort of role that's there for the sake of being a plot device but nothing more.

Despite how this all sounds, 'Les Girls' does have a number of merits that it is difficult to be too hard on it. The best assets are the production values and the performances of the ladies. 'Les Girls' is simply a stunning-looking film, the colours are eye-poppingly ravishing, the sets are lavish, the costumes are beautifully chic and the cinematography often dazzles. The ladies manage to steal the show under those who most would naturally see the film for (Kelly, Cukor and Porter). Particularly note-worthy is the perfection that is Kay Kendall, who is charming and hilarious and would have had a bigger career if it hadn't been cut short so early and tragically. Mitzi Gaynor also has fun with her role and makes the character sympathetic too, while Taina Elg is suitably sultry.

Kelly is always watchable, and dances with charisma and his usual polish and technical meticulousness in routines that, while not exactly career highlights, do show off how incredible a dancer he was, even if his character is one of his least endearing (though he does bring wit and charm). Cukor makes the most of the production values and there is enough elegance and lightness of touch, but it does seem in the early parts especially that he wasn't in complete control, or entirely trust or was comfortable, with the material. The script is wonderfully witty and also has a risqué boldness and sexiness.

On the whole, not a great film, and doesn't see the enormously talented people in front of and behind the camera doing the best work of their careers, but absolutely worth watching for the production values and Kendall. 7/10 Bethany Cox