Easter Parade

[apolla]

I'm in the middle of watching Easter Parade right now and I have some thoughts.

- I do adore Fred Astaire, but he looks too old in this particular film for this particular leading lady. Fred always had a face like a craggy rockface, but he just looks wrong for the eternally youthful Miss Garland. Which is weird, because he actually seems older in this 1948 movie than in The Band Wagon some years later. Also, it's true that one Mr G. Kelly of Pittsburgh, PA was intended for the lead role, but broke his ankle. Skiing if I recall. Had he played the lead, it would be a very different film. Not better necessarily, but different. And he would've looked as fabulous next to Judy as he did in For Me and My Gal or Summer Stock.

- Ann Miller annoys me. I don't know why. I don't know if it's that to my untrained eye all she seems to do is just tap very very fast. I don't know if it's the nasty remarks she made about Marilyn Monroe a few years back. Then again, I can't dance to save my life, so all I'll say is that she's not my cup of tea. I like Eleanor Powell.

- Peter Sodding Lawford. I really can't stand him at all. I just... you know how sometimes there are people who set all your nerves on edge, make your teeth itch, your fists clench and your throat growl involuntarily? He is that. Has there ever been anyone in Hollywood endowed with less talent than him? He's an even worse actor than Natalie Wood was and about as charming as a rabid pitbull terrier.

-I know I said Astaire looks too old for Garland, but the dancing is still just brilliant. While the effects in dances like 'Stepping Out With My Baby' are cool, it's not like the man needs them- he had my attention anyway. When he dances, he doesn't look old at all.

-WHY did they cut out 'Mr Monotony'? It's a clever little song, Judy did it marvellously and she looks fab (that famous Get Happy costume a year or two early). I swear, I just don't get MGM sometimes.

It's an OK film. It's nothing compared to The Band Wagon. I'm still a Kelly girl but Astaire is cool too. I'm always going to be a Kelly girl, but I'm more of an Astaire fan than I was this time last week.

Last thing: where did the idea that Judy Garland isn't beautiful ever come from? I don't get it. Girl's beautiful. If only someone had thought to tell her. Worth a million Lana Turners.

Comments

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Judy was gorgeous. My favourite moment of Judy is when she's in messy clown make-up, and she's much older, and her hair is a total mess and she keeps making it stand on end when she runs her fingers through it in emotional bits. She sings that song and you feel *so much* through her. She goes beyond being gorgeous to being a powerful force.

But you know how I feel about Judy. *adores the woman*

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I should probably explain that this is footage of her at a concert singing "Send in the Clowns". I was up late partying last night- never mind me. LOL!

[apolla.livejournal.com]

I think I know the bit you mean. And who better than Judy Garland to sing Send In The Clowns?

I also have in my possession 'Anything You Can Do' with her and Howard Keel, recorded before she collapsed and MGM sacked her. Annie Get Your Gun would've been a classic, a fucking classic, instead of just a fluffy MGM footnote.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Poor Judy. It's MGM's fault she was such a mess. Those bastards really rode her. I've never heard the recording you speak of. I'm sure it's wonderful.

[apolla.livejournal.com]

I actually blame, wholeheartedly, her mother. SHE was the one that had Child Judy singing TORCH SONGS in smoky bars to grown men. SHE was the one that drove through the valley EVERY DAY to get that girl to auditions and stuff. SHE was the one. She was in my opinion, an even worse stage mother than Ginger Rogers' mother.

Could MGM have been kinder to a little girl? Yes. Could they have looked after their child (she was, after all, their child IMO) and treated her with care and respect, compassion and kindness? Absolutely.

But who should've been there from the beginning, fighting Judy's corner, saying 'no, you won't ride my daughter till she drops. You won't feed her drugs to keep her up and dancing'? Her mother.

Dear, wonderful, tragic Judy never had a fucking hope, not with a mother like that.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I didn't really know much about her Mum. I know she was a complete bitch, but - I guess I never absorbed the information. Poor Judy. :(

[apolla.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I'll see about sending you the song. I got it on iTunes, dunno if you have that. If you like, I can email it to you or something.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I have a gmail account. nlgroovegirl at gmail dot com. :)