Amore provinciale

I think this musical is highly underrated. Yes the plot is not particularly original, but how many are original. The plot and acting are not a strong point, but it's a musical. To me this is better than half the Astaire Rogers musicals which I do love. The singing by Nat King Cole and Jane Powell are superb. Plus there are so many wonderful character actors in this like SZ Sakal, Billie Burke and Chill Wills. Their comedy is really great. The dances are by Busby Berkeley and music by Andre Previn. How can you ask for more? It should be remastered and get higher reviews by the critics. I was overwhelmed by the Take me to Broadway number by Bobby Van. This is the best Ann Miller I have seen. She did at least two fabulous tap dancing numbers including a splashy flamenco dance near the end.

The plot to "Small Town Girl" is very sweet...and I enjoyed it. The dancing to "Small Town Girl" is amazing...and I marveled at it. But the film simply had too much in the way of singing that I found it, after a while, to be a bit exhausting.

The story is set, naturally, in a small town. A rich and entitled jerk (Farley Granger) goes speeding through the neighborhood in his car and is caught and brought before the judge (Robert Keith). Amazingly, Richard is NOT contrite and acts very haughty and entitled....and as a result he's sentenced to 30 days in jail. What's next? See the film.

The two dance numbers that simply blew me away was Ann Miller dancing among musical instruments where the bodies and heads of the performers are hidden. It's really hard to describe...you just need to see it. The other, and even more amazing scene is where Bobby Van is hop-dancing...again, it's hard to describe but you have to see it. Add to that Cuddles Sakal as well as Nat King Cole (as himself) and these alone are reasons to watch the film....even if the songs are a bit too many and not exactly memorable.

It's just too bad more people didn't appreciate Bobby Van when he was around. I've never seen him before, but I certainly will remember his energy and incredible footwork. Where are they now? 50 years seemed to have taken away the fun of making a entertaining musical. Watching rappers and boy bands has diminished our appreciation of what dance was all about. Donald OConnor, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye all had desire that is lacking in movies now. Perhaps the cycle will return and will get away from Gangsta rappers and back to a style of entertainment that celebrated life rather than threaten it. Great work Bobby... Too bad I missed you. ......Wayne

Jane Powell gets to try a role first done by Janet Gaynor in a musical remake of Small Town Girl. Though she has top billing the best numbers in the film are given to Bobby Van and Ann Miller.

Playboy Farley Granger goes whizzing through Jane's small town and interrupts the church service. The cops clock Farley at 85 miles an hour and he's arrested and hauled before Judge Robert Keith. Farley's passenger is fiancé and musical comedy star Ann Miller. They're in a big rush to elope.

As it turns out the Judge is Jane's father and Farley's attitude earns him 30 days in the joint. Jane also has a boyfriend in Bobby Van, the son of the local department store owner, S.Z. Sakall. Of course she takes one look at handsome Farley and she shifts her romantic gears.

The big number that everyone remembers from Small Town Girl is Take Me to Broadway where Bobby Van acts like a human pogo going through the entire town or at least one very big MGM soundstage. The original film had James Stewart in Van's part and was considerably smaller.

Robert Taylor was in Farley Granger's part and wasn't quite as haughty or arrogant as Granger plays it here. Yet in both cases you can see why the small town girl thought Prince Charming arrived.

Small Town Girl is not the best MGM musical done, nor is it the best of Jane Powell's films for MGM. But it's entertaining enough.

Does anyone know any behind the scenes info about the dance number "Take Me to Broadway" as performed by Bobby Van in this movie? It is comprised of several minutes of hopping. For example, did he do it in one take? Did he have to have special shoes that had major cushioning inside? Whose idea was it to have him perform a dance that consisted only of hopping? As someone who has suffered from shin splints, I think this choreography would make him a prime candidate for that or some other kind of injury as a result of this dance. Did he do special warm-ups? This just struck me as I watching the film on May 21, TCM channel. Some people will think it odd to focus on this, when the major dance number is Ann Miller's, but I just got to thinking . . .