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icepixieSpending an hour reading about the 1920s on Wikipedia totally counts as research for my Millay paper, doesn't it?
*sigh*
I don't know, y'all. I want to write this paper, and I think it'll turn out well (even if it doesn't, there are fewer than thirty pieces of scholarship on her, so it's not like I have a lot of competition), but I've been really, really easily distracted over the past week or so. Often that's been by grading, which I guess is a good thing, although if I read one more paper on sex ed, I think I may murder something.
Often this distraction has been in the form of Netflix's instant watch feature. I RUE THE DAY they implemented it.
That said, some thoughts on a few movies. You will undoubtedly have already guessed whom they star.
Shall We Dance:
The part in "They All Laughed" where Ginger does about twelve underarm (technically "finger") turns in a row rings really true to me. The Petrov character is exactly the kind of cocky bastard who would make his partner keep doing turns for freaking ever because hey, he's the lead, and he controls what steps they do. To that type of character, this is hilarious.
I had NO IDEA "You say potato, I say potahto" came from this movie! I thought it was just a Louis Armstrong song! (Um. And I see why no one ever remembers Ginger's verse. That lyric was...forced.) I also have incredibly vague memories of the roller skating dance that follows, so I think I might've seen that part a long, long time ago. Like maybe it was featured on Sesame Street or something.
"They Can't Take That Away From Me." Do I need to say anything else? I'm pretty sure that's my favorite part of the film. *swoons*
The Gay Divorcee
"Night and Day" is hot (and beautiful, but...seriously, there's a reason he offers her a cigarette at the end of it). "The Continental" is interminable (but cute when Fred and Ginger are dancing it, which sadly is not nearly often enough to make a twenty-minute production number fly by). The paper doll-and-record player trick is funny. The rest of the film makes me want to beat my head against a wall. (I just don't appreciate farce. Never have, never will.)
Barkleys of Broadway
...Color is nice? Yeah, except for the fabulous tap rehearsal number they do, this doesn't do much for me.
Carefree
Fred makes a less-than-convincing psychiatrist, but Ginger is hilarious as a screwball comedienne. I did find the sustained send-up of Freud amusing, and the plot was actually plotty for once, which I appreciated. (I know, I know, the point is the dancing. Dammit, I still like words. And plots.) I really liked the hypnosis dance, although I read an article analyzing the films from a gender studies POV (um...use the MLA bibliography while I still have access? Er.) that kind of put a damper on it--the author wrote quite a bit about how the earlier dances were between equals, and this one shifts the balance of power Fred's way in a rather uncomfortable manner, and now I'm less enamored of it. Still, that lift at the end is fantastic, and the concept, divorced from the plot, is very creative. I also liked the string of lifts in "The Yam."
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Storywise, this was refreshing--finally, we see what happens after Fred wins Ginger over. And they were adorable as a couple; I don't know that I bought them as struggling financially (though again, that was a refreshing change of pace from their usual characters), but I very much bought that they were utterly, sappily, adorably in love with each other. Three moments in particular that I liked:
1. They've just found out that they haven't been hired as a dance team; as Ginger valiantly tries not to cry, Fred murmurs, "Dance with me," and gently leads her out onto the "floor" of their apartment. Described, it doesn't sound like much, but it was very sweet. (Doesn't hurt that Maggie, who totally steals the show, comes in to make them an offer right after!)
2. They've just been asked to dance for the Duke, and as they stand up, Ginger gets a stricken look on her face and says, "I've forgotten everything!" Fred grabs her hand and kind of tugs a little, saying, "No...come on, dance with me." (Um. I may enjoy that phrase kind of a lot. It's pretty much my bulletproof dialogue kink. "I'll follow you" [in the sense of following in a dance] is close behind it.) Then they go out and are their amazing selves. Again, so sweet, and her feeling like she'd forgotten everything rang really true.
3. He's on leave from the war, and they're doing a sort of Romeo and Juliet "Nooooo, the lark is singing and we must part!" scene on the balcony of their apartment. Ginger starts talking about the war; he tells her they've agreed not to mention it, and she says (approximately), "I know, but the sun's coming up, and soon you'll have to go back, and we won't see each other for a long time." There's some more dialogue, and throughout, Ginger is totally selling it. Okay, so maybe there are a few too many "Oh, Vernon!"s throughout the rest of the movie, but I can see why she won the Best Actress Oscar a few years later.
The ending might have jerked a few tears. *sniff* (Also, was there a more appropriate year for this film to come out than 1939? I think not. Seemed like they knew it, too.)
The general criticism about this movie is that the dancing is necessarily a let-down, as Fred and Ginger are recreating the style they blasted wide open in their earlier movies. Valid criticism, to be sure, although this type of dancing does have a small point in its favor because I can actually imaginemyself normal people doing something like the steps--and they are doing steps for a good portion of it, not just one-time-only choreography. (Also, I love that lift they do in the waltz sequence. If only her dress were not so hideous.)
Oh, and one awesome thing: in the Tango sequence, they totally do the swishies step we learned! I love that step! I had no idea it was so old, but apparently it is, and it's fabulous.
Follow the Fleet:
So I've checked out a few books, and I find that the critics all seem to hate on this movie. I LOVE it. For me, "Let Yourself Go" is exceeded melodically only by "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and is completely infectious. I've been humming it for a few days now. Plus, the dance competition scene where they outclass everyone is awesome (they totally take Lindy Hop and turn it on its ear, and it's amazing). The slapstick rehearsal sequence is both hilarious and, when they're singing the song at each other, still terribly sweet despite the corniness because they obviously mean every word. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is incredible in its dramaticism.
Yes, the plot with the sister and the cad of a sailor is boring, but is also eminently speed-through-able, and the characters Fred and Ginger play in this one are, I think, my favorites of all of them that I've seen so far. They're so down-to-earth and likeable. I had a hard time caring about what characters like Dale and Jerry did other than dance; I kind of want to write fic about Sherry and Bake attempting to juggle marriage and a dance act. (Having them be old flames is also nice; there's none of the falling-in-love-at-first-sight crap, and the requisite engagement at the end is much more believable.)
Bonus: a really young, really blonde Lucille Ball is highly sarcastic and entertaining. (And in black and white, looks a whole lot like Ginger Rogers, to the point where I thought it was Ginger in the casino pantomime at the beginning of "Face the Music," until she came out in a different costume.)
And for kicks, have a link to a hysterically droll review of the film from the 1936 New York Times.
Swing Time, Roberta, and Flying Down to Rio are next on my list. Then I think I'll have seen them all.
Right. WORK, ARGH.
*sigh*
I don't know, y'all. I want to write this paper, and I think it'll turn out well (even if it doesn't, there are fewer than thirty pieces of scholarship on her, so it's not like I have a lot of competition), but I've been really, really easily distracted over the past week or so. Often that's been by grading, which I guess is a good thing, although if I read one more paper on sex ed, I think I may murder something.
Often this distraction has been in the form of Netflix's instant watch feature. I RUE THE DAY they implemented it.
That said, some thoughts on a few movies. You will undoubtedly have already guessed whom they star.
Shall We Dance:
The part in "They All Laughed" where Ginger does about twelve underarm (technically "finger") turns in a row rings really true to me. The Petrov character is exactly the kind of cocky bastard who would make his partner keep doing turns for freaking ever because hey, he's the lead, and he controls what steps they do. To that type of character, this is hilarious.
I had NO IDEA "You say potato, I say potahto" came from this movie! I thought it was just a Louis Armstrong song! (Um. And I see why no one ever remembers Ginger's verse. That lyric was...forced.) I also have incredibly vague memories of the roller skating dance that follows, so I think I might've seen that part a long, long time ago. Like maybe it was featured on Sesame Street or something.
"They Can't Take That Away From Me." Do I need to say anything else? I'm pretty sure that's my favorite part of the film. *swoons*
The Gay Divorcee
"Night and Day" is hot (and beautiful, but...seriously, there's a reason he offers her a cigarette at the end of it). "The Continental" is interminable (but cute when Fred and Ginger are dancing it, which sadly is not nearly often enough to make a twenty-minute production number fly by). The paper doll-and-record player trick is funny. The rest of the film makes me want to beat my head against a wall. (I just don't appreciate farce. Never have, never will.)
Barkleys of Broadway
...Color is nice? Yeah, except for the fabulous tap rehearsal number they do, this doesn't do much for me.
Carefree
Fred makes a less-than-convincing psychiatrist, but Ginger is hilarious as a screwball comedienne. I did find the sustained send-up of Freud amusing, and the plot was actually plotty for once, which I appreciated. (I know, I know, the point is the dancing. Dammit, I still like words. And plots.) I really liked the hypnosis dance, although I read an article analyzing the films from a gender studies POV (um...use the MLA bibliography while I still have access? Er.) that kind of put a damper on it--the author wrote quite a bit about how the earlier dances were between equals, and this one shifts the balance of power Fred's way in a rather uncomfortable manner, and now I'm less enamored of it. Still, that lift at the end is fantastic, and the concept, divorced from the plot, is very creative. I also liked the string of lifts in "The Yam."
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Storywise, this was refreshing--finally, we see what happens after Fred wins Ginger over. And they were adorable as a couple; I don't know that I bought them as struggling financially (though again, that was a refreshing change of pace from their usual characters), but I very much bought that they were utterly, sappily, adorably in love with each other. Three moments in particular that I liked:
1. They've just found out that they haven't been hired as a dance team; as Ginger valiantly tries not to cry, Fred murmurs, "Dance with me," and gently leads her out onto the "floor" of their apartment. Described, it doesn't sound like much, but it was very sweet. (Doesn't hurt that Maggie, who totally steals the show, comes in to make them an offer right after!)
2. They've just been asked to dance for the Duke, and as they stand up, Ginger gets a stricken look on her face and says, "I've forgotten everything!" Fred grabs her hand and kind of tugs a little, saying, "No...come on, dance with me." (Um. I may enjoy that phrase kind of a lot. It's pretty much my bulletproof dialogue kink. "I'll follow you" [in the sense of following in a dance] is close behind it.) Then they go out and are their amazing selves. Again, so sweet, and her feeling like she'd forgotten everything rang really true.
3. He's on leave from the war, and they're doing a sort of Romeo and Juliet "Nooooo, the lark is singing and we must part!" scene on the balcony of their apartment. Ginger starts talking about the war; he tells her they've agreed not to mention it, and she says (approximately), "I know, but the sun's coming up, and soon you'll have to go back, and we won't see each other for a long time." There's some more dialogue, and throughout, Ginger is totally selling it. Okay, so maybe there are a few too many "Oh, Vernon!"s throughout the rest of the movie, but I can see why she won the Best Actress Oscar a few years later.
The ending might have jerked a few tears. *sniff* (Also, was there a more appropriate year for this film to come out than 1939? I think not. Seemed like they knew it, too.)
The general criticism about this movie is that the dancing is necessarily a let-down, as Fred and Ginger are recreating the style they blasted wide open in their earlier movies. Valid criticism, to be sure, although this type of dancing does have a small point in its favor because I can actually imagine
Oh, and one awesome thing: in the Tango sequence, they totally do the swishies step we learned! I love that step! I had no idea it was so old, but apparently it is, and it's fabulous.
Follow the Fleet:
So I've checked out a few books, and I find that the critics all seem to hate on this movie. I LOVE it. For me, "Let Yourself Go" is exceeded melodically only by "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and is completely infectious. I've been humming it for a few days now. Plus, the dance competition scene where they outclass everyone is awesome (they totally take Lindy Hop and turn it on its ear, and it's amazing). The slapstick rehearsal sequence is both hilarious and, when they're singing the song at each other, still terribly sweet despite the corniness because they obviously mean every word. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is incredible in its dramaticism.
Yes, the plot with the sister and the cad of a sailor is boring, but is also eminently speed-through-able, and the characters Fred and Ginger play in this one are, I think, my favorites of all of them that I've seen so far. They're so down-to-earth and likeable. I had a hard time caring about what characters like Dale and Jerry did other than dance; I kind of want to write fic about Sherry and Bake attempting to juggle marriage and a dance act. (Having them be old flames is also nice; there's none of the falling-in-love-at-first-sight crap, and the requisite engagement at the end is much more believable.)
Bonus: a really young, really blonde Lucille Ball is highly sarcastic and entertaining. (And in black and white, looks a whole lot like Ginger Rogers, to the point where I thought it was Ginger in the casino pantomime at the beginning of "Face the Music," until she came out in a different costume.)
And for kicks, have a link to a hysterically droll review of the film from the 1936 New York Times.
Swing Time, Roberta, and Flying Down to Rio are next on my list. Then I think I'll have seen them all.
Right. WORK, ARGH.
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 02:34 am (UTC)And ooo but 1939 was probably THE best year for movies ever.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 04:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 03:56 am (UTC)I feel you. I *love* the paper I'm supposed to be writing right now -- it's a post-structuralist (<3) take on one of my favorite pieces of all time (<3). And yet... I'm on Facebook. Meh.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-16 10:46 pm (UTC)