I can see I will have to watch It's Always Fair Weather (1955) from the top, because I turned on TCM1 and first there was Gene Kelly drawing a crowd on a New York City street by tap-dancing in roller skates (even in New York City, people notice that) and then there was Dolores Gray in a nightclub performing "Thanks a Lot, But No Thanks" while literally dynamiting her would-be suitors off the stage (sample lyrics: "Thanks for losing your mind / But I've got a guy who's Clifton Webb and Marlon Brando combined") and I just want to know what the rest of the musical looks like. Cursory internet research indicates it was a commercial flop whose cynical theme of post-war disillusion played weirdly with its exuberant dance numbers, but none of that sounds to me like a reason not to find out.
For better or worse, it turns out that I recognized Dolores Gray from seeing Kismet (1955) during the period of my childhood when I watched all the movie musicals available to me, including the ones I can probably never watch again.2 When I went looking for her other work, I found this performance of "I'm Still Here." The presentation format looks like the Tonys, but Yvonne de Carlo originated the role of Dorothy in Follies (1971) on Broadway, so it must be the Oliviers—Gray played the role in the first West End production in 1987. And she knocks the song out of the park. I know it's identified with Elaine Stritch, but Gray might be my definitive version.
[edit] My mother just sent me Donald O'Connor dancing in roller skates. This world is a beautiful place.
1. I am spending the night in Lexington so as to be able to shovel out my mother in the morning. The current forecast thinks it's going to snow until Tuesday.
2. Fortunately for people who want to watch just the barn-raising dance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), it's on YouTube.
For better or worse, it turns out that I recognized Dolores Gray from seeing Kismet (1955) during the period of my childhood when I watched all the movie musicals available to me, including the ones I can probably never watch again.2 When I went looking for her other work, I found this performance of "I'm Still Here." The presentation format looks like the Tonys, but Yvonne de Carlo originated the role of Dorothy in Follies (1971) on Broadway, so it must be the Oliviers—Gray played the role in the first West End production in 1987. And she knocks the song out of the park. I know it's identified with Elaine Stritch, but Gray might be my definitive version.
[edit] My mother just sent me Donald O'Connor dancing in roller skates. This world is a beautiful place.
1. I am spending the night in Lexington so as to be able to shovel out my mother in the morning. The current forecast thinks it's going to snow until Tuesday.
2. Fortunately for people who want to watch just the barn-raising dance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), it's on YouTube.
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