brigadoon

the year: 1954

the genre: musical


the cast: Gene Kelly (Tommy Albright); Van Johnson (Jeff Douglas); Cyd Charisse (Fiona Campbell); Barry Jones (Mr. Lundie)


the plot: Americans Jeff and Tommy, hunting in Scotland, stumble upon a village - Brigadoon. They soon learn that the town appears once every 100 years in order to preserve its peace and special beauty. The citizens go to bed at night and when they wake up, it's 100 years later. Tommy falls in love with a beautiful young woman, Fiona, and is torn between staying or, as Jeff is encouraging him, going back to his hectic life in New York.


don't miss: the heather on the hill.


listen for: "It's the hardest thing in the world to give everything. Though it's usually the only way to get everything."


did you know: Cyd Charisse said that, of the several films she made with Gene Kelly, this was her favorite.


extra bonus points: if you know the two big names originally slated to play the leads - it would have made for a very different movie, I think!

silk stockings

the year: 1957

the genre: musical


the cast: Fred Astaire (Steve Canfield); Cyd Charisse (Ninotchka Yoschenko); Janis Page (Peggy Dayton); Petter Lorre (Commisar Brankov); Geroge Tobias (Commisar Markovitch); Jules Munshin (Commisar Bibinski); Joseph Buloff (Commisar Ivanov)


the plot: After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to complete their mission and to retrieve them. She starts out condemning the decadent West, but gradually falls under its spell, with the help of Steve Canfield, an American movie producer.




don't miss: the Ritz Roll and Rock.



listen for: "Be casual. Don't frighten him. Smile." "I haven't smiled in 30 years."



watch for: Peter Lorre in one of his few comedic roles.




also listen for: "I want to look somebody up. Does this office have a copy of Who's Still Who?"



count: the chemical reactions.

bits and pieces

No need to watch the whole movie, but you might enjoy this scene…

Gene Kelly dancing on rollerskates in It’s Always Fair Weather – complete with French subtitles -



Mitzi and Donald on deck in Anything Goes –



Fred and Ginger in The Berkleys of Broadway –



Dancing in the Dark from The Bandwagon –



Frank and Debbie in The Tender Trap –

singin' in the rain

the year: 1952

the genre: musical



the cast: Gene Kelly (Don Lockwood); Debbie Reynolds (Kathy Seldon); Donald O'Connor (Cosmo Brown); Jean Hagen (Lina Lamont)



the plot: It's 1927: Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are the darlings of the silent silver screen. Offscreen, Don, aided by his happy-go-lucky friend and piano accompanist, Cosmo Brown, has to dodge Lina's romantic overtures, especially when he falls for chorus girl Kathy Selden. With the advent of sound in motion pictures, it is decided to turn Don and Lina's new film into a "talkie" and a musical at that. The only problem is Lina's voice, which words cannot describe. Kathy is brought on to dub her speaking and singing voice in secret, and Don's on top of the world - until Lina finds out...


count: the number of takes before R.F. pulls the rug (er, cord) out from under Lina.


don't miss: the diction lessons. Rrrrooooound tones.


check out: Cyd Charisse's role as the dancer in the Broadway Melody number. That role gave MGM the impetus to finally star her in pictures. Her next film was The Band Wagon (1953), starring Fred Astaire.


listen for: "People"? I ain't 'people.' I am a - 'a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament.'"



also listen for: "Dignity. Always, dignity."



extra bonus points: if you can name the actress who played Zelda Zanders. She would later go on to star in The King and I and West Side Story.



did you know: Gene Kelly insulted Debbie Reynolds for not being able to dance. Fred Astaire, who was hanging around the studio, found her crying under a piano and helped her with her dancing.