Fou de girls

Put aside any preconceptions about "Mickey and Judy" movies. In fact, put aside the film entirely. It's watchable, but who cares? The reason to see this film is for the fantastic arrangements of some of Gershwin's best songs.

Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine, soon to be famous for their score for "Meet Me in St. Louis," gave the Gershwins' score (their best show), the five-star treatment with fantastic vocal arrangements - though I'm sure Roger Edens also had a hand in there.

What you get are versions that make these great songs sound even better. "Bidin' My Time," which can be a sleeper if done badly, turns into a rich counterpoint between Judy and a male quartet. "Embraceable You" is given an easy, lightly swinging full choral arrangement after Judy has her turn, and "I Got Rhythm" is taken over the top with Tommy Dorsey and the "Six Hits and A Miss" backing Judy perfectly.

But the piece de resistance is Dorsey's arrangement of "Fascinatin' Rhythm," presented first as a typical swing arrangement (and a great one at that), and then with Mickey playing (appearing to play, actually), a piano solo a la Gershwin's "Variations on I Got Rhythm," complete with hand-crossing and all George's piano tricks - fantastic! Add to this Judy's painfully tender version of "But Not For Me," June Allyson's debut performance of "Treat Me Rough," and you have one of the best film scores ever. ("Bronco Busters," unfortunately cut from the film, is available on CD - in stereo, as are all the tracks.)

If you are a Gershwin fan, this film is a treasure. Thank god they didn't throw out the best songs, as was done a few years earlier when Rodgers & Hart's equally impressive score for "Babes In Arms" was butchered for that film. I guess you had to be dead before your work was treated with respect in Hollywood!

The plot is virtually the same as in all the other Garland/Rooney movies: Rooney is a ladies man (stop laughing!)and, to tame him, is sent to a dude ranch out west. There he meets mail carrier and (it seems) cook Judy Garland. She hates him, he loves her and after all the predictable complications occur they fall in love leading to the big, elaborate number.

The plot is predictable but the movie is still a lot fun. The script is sharp and quite funny; Garland and Rooney always played off good against each other; a very young Nancy Walker has a bit role and is hilarious whenever she's on screen and it moves fairly quick.

Also seeing Rooney and Garland so young and full of life is always great and the songs are good. There are no real bad ones but "Embracble You" and "I Got Rhythm" are standouts. And the final number is just incredible (although I question the cowboys shooting off round after round of ammunition).

A great little musical. Worth seeing.

I ignored this movie for years thinking it was just another over-exuberant essay in the over-abundant MGM collection of sappy adolescent musicals. I'm glad that listening to an English revival of the original musical finally motivated me to watch it, because some of the best musical numbers ever put on film are here. Busby Berkeley started as the director but was replaced for supposedly tyrannical behavior. His production numbers appear at the end and are quite amazing, choreographing "I've Got Rhythm" with guns and bullwhips. All the numbers on this movie are quite exceptional, in particular "Biding My Time" one of the Gershwin brothers' finest and most surprising tunes, but also "Treat Me Rough" and "Could You Use Me". And the arrangements are some of the best I've ever heard, anticipating the harmonies of the Hi-Los and the Four Freshmen by a decade and a half. Judy has never looked prettier nor sung as purely and Mickey pulls out all the stops without (well, almost) going over the top. He even plays a terrific piano solo, with Tommy Dorsey! I never get tired of watching this movie. It's an explosion of pure pleasure.

Lively musical, but what else can you expect from those two sparkplugs, Garland and Rooney. Actually, Rooney is more restrained than usual which helps. Garland is in fine form, especially with the Embraceable You number, which is also very well staged and choreographed. I like the western setting, unusual for an A-musical, but it works. However, the curtain-closing I Got Rhythm appears over-done, especially the six-gun fusillade. Then too, those marching phalanxes of cowboys and girls are unmistakably Busby Berkeley at work. The plot's a typical Let's Put on a Show, only this time it's to rescue a college's floundering enrollment. The show's also a good excuse to parade around a lot of statuesque beauties, but who's complaining. Too bad, this was the dynamic duo's last pairing— together they certainly light up the screen.

The plot's ridiculous. Garland and Rooney are young and magical. Seeing Tommy Dorsey's orchestra at work is wonderful.

The movie's finale is a musical number, "I Got Rhythm", directed by Busby Berkeley. As with all the great Berkeley musical scenes, it's a unique vision. The camera moves and staging are masterful. Transcendent, even. I'd love to be a fly on the wall while this scene was being thought up and worked on.

Something I haven't seen commented on: Rooney's radio impressions, given while he and Garland wait to see the governor. Kinda fun. Mickey channels his inner Robin Williams.

Despite the plot absence, put this on your must-see list if you're serious about developing cinematic literacy.