Original subtitles

[STRUMMING UKULELE]

♪ DA DID-DIDDLE-OO ♪

♪ I'M SINGIN'

IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ JUST SINGIN' IN

THE RAIN ♪

♪ WHAT A GLORIOUS

FEELING ♪

♪ I'M HAPPY AGAIN... ♪

- [FRANK SINATRA] - THE YEAR IS 1929.

THE SINGER, CLIFF EDWARDS,

ALSO KNOWN AS UKULELE IKE.

THE FILM, HOLLYWOOD REVUE.

- IT IS THE FIRST - ALL-TALKING,

ALL-SINGING, ALL-DANCING

MOVIE EVER MADE.

♪ EVERYONE

FROM THE PLACE ♪

- ♪ COME ON - WITH YOUR RAIN ♪

♪ I'VE GOT A SMILE

ON MY FACE ♪

- ♪ I'LL WALK - DOWN THE LANE... ♪

- IN THE YEARS - THAT FOLLOWED,

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

WOULD BECOME

A THEME SONG FOR MGM.

♪ SINGIN'

IN THE RAIN ♪♪

[HUMMING

[SINGIN' IN THE RAIN]

IN THE 1930s,

JIMMY DURANTE GAVE US

THIS RENDITION.

♪ DA DA YA DA ♪

♪ YA DA DA DI DUM ♪

YOU... YOU WROTE THAT

THIS MORNING?

YEAH. IT'S SOMETHING

THEY REMEMBER.

YEAH. I REMEMBER IT

ALREADY.

♪ I'M SINGIN' IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ OH, I'M SINGIN'

IN THE RAIN ♪

- ♪ WHAT A GRAND, - WHAT A GLORIOUS FEELING ♪

♪ I'M HAPPY AGAIN... ♪

IN THE 1940s,

JUDY GARLAND

DID IT HER WAY.

♪ SO DARK UP ABOVE ♪

♪ THE SUN'S IN MY HEART ♪

- ♪ I'M GETTIN' READY - FOR LOVE ♪

♪ THE STORMY CLOUDS CHASE ♪

♪ EVERYONE FROM THE PLACE ♪

- ♪ AND COME ON - WITH THE RAIN ♪

♪ I'VE A SMILE ON MY FACE ♪

♪ I'LL WALK DOWN THE LANE ♪

♪ WITH A HAPPY REFRAIN ♪

♪ AND SINGIN' ♪

♪ SINGIN' ♪

♪ I'M SINGIN'

IN THE RAIN ♪♪

IN THE 1950s,

GENE KELLY, DEBBIE REYNOLDS,

AND DONALD O'CONNOR

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

IN WHAT MANY CALL

THE BEST MUSICAL EVER MADE.

♪ SINGIN' IN THE RAIN ♪

- ♪ JUST SINGIN' - IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ WHAT A GLORIOUS FEELING ♪

♪ WE'RE HAPPY AGAIN ♪

♪ WE'LL WALK DOWN... ♪♪

IF YOU'RE WONDERING

WHAT HAPPENED IN BETWEEN,

WELL, SIT BACK AND RELAX.

YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

IT'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME

SINCE I FIRST CAME

TO THIS PLACE,

AND MGM IS CERTAINLY NOT

THE SAME STUDIO,

- AND HOLLYWOOD'S - NOT THE SAME TOWN,

BUT THE FILMS WE MADE HERE

ARE STILL AROUND.

SOME STUDIOS CAN CLAIM

- THEY MADE - THE FINEST GANGSTER FILMS

- OR THE GREATEST - HORROR MOVIES,

BUT WHEN IT CAME

TO MUSICALS,

MGM, THEY WERE

THE CHAMPIONS.

MUSICALS WERE FANTASY TRIPS

- FOR THE AUDIENCES - OF THEIR DAY.

- FOR INSTANCE... BOY MEETS GIRL, - BOY LOSES GIRL,

BOY SINGS A SONG

AND GETS GIRL.

THE PLOTS WERE THAT SIMPLE.

THE MUSICALS

OF THE 1930s, '40s, OR '50s

MAY NOT TELL YOU WHERE

OUR HEADS WERE AT.

THEY TELL YOU

WHERE OUR HEARTS WERE AT.

AND ALL OF THIS

LOVABLE NONSENSE

BEGAN BACK IN 1929

WHEN THE SILENT FILM

HAD BECOME A THING OF THE PAST

AND SOUND WAS THE KING.

♪ DON'T BRING A FROWN

TO OLD BROADWAY ♪

♪ YOU'VE GOT TO CLOWN

ON BROADWAY... ♪

BROADWAY MELODY OF 1929

- WON AN OSCAR - FOR THE BEST PICTURE THAT YEAR,

AND MGM WAS OFF AND RUNNING

WITH A NEW FORMULA FOR SUCCESS.

CHARLES KING

AND A LINE OF SLIGHTLY

OVERWEIGHT CHORUS GIRLS

WERE THE BEGINNING

OF A NEW MOTION-PICTURE ART FORM

- THAT WOULD CAPTIVATE AUDIENCES - FOR YEARS TO COME.

- ♪ ON THE GREAT - WHITE WAY ♪

♪ THAT'S

THE BROADWAY MELODY ♪

♪ NO SKIES OF GRAY

ON THE GREAT WHITE WAY ♪

♪ THAT'S THE BROADWAY MELODY ♪♪

WITHIN A FEW SHORT YEARS,

THE MUSICAL

HAD COME OF AGE.

THE PRIMITIVE STAGE SHOW

HAD NOW BECOME

A CINEMATIC SPECTACULAR.

HERE, FRANK MORGAN,

RAY BOLGER, NELSON EDDY,

AND A CAST OF THOUSANDS

WATCH ELEANOR POWELL DANCE

IN ROSALIE.

[MEN'S CHORUS]

♪ ROSALIE ♪

♪ HAVE MERCY ♪

♪ ROSALIE, ROSALIE,

DON'T DECLINE ♪

♪ MAKE MY LIFE THRILLING ♪

♪ AND TELL ME YOU'RE WILLING

TO BE MINE ♪

♪ ROSALIE, MINE ♪♪

[APPLAUSE]

♪ WHEN I'M CALLING YOU ♪

- THE MOST SUCCESSFUL - SINGING TEAM

- IN THE HISTORY - OF MOTION PICTURES...

- NELSON EDDY - AND JEANETTE MacDONALD

IN ROSE MARIE.

♪ WILL YOU ANSWER,

TOO? ♪

♪ THEN I WILL KNOW ♪

♪ OUR LOVE WILL COME TRUE ♪

♪ YOU'LL BELONG TO ME ♪

♪ I'LL BELONG TO YOU ♪

IN 1936, THE GREAT ZIEGFELD

WON AN OSCAR

FOR THE BEST PICTURE

OF THAT YEAR.

VIRGINIA BRUCE

AND A GANG OF LOVELY LADIES

- CLUTTERED UP HOLLYWOOD'S - BIGGEST STAIRCASE,

- AND SOMEWHERE - IN THAT LOVELY MOB,

- YOU'LL FIND DENNIS MORGAN - SINGING A SONG.

IF ANYONE COULD AFFORD TO FILM

THIS EXTRAVAGANT NUMBER TODAY,

PERHAPS IT WOULD LOOK

SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

♪ JUST LIKE

A HEAVENLY RHAPSODY ♪

♪ SHE CAPTURES YOU

RIGHT FROM THE START ♪

♪ JUST LIKE

A BEAUTIFUL MELODY ♪

♪ SHE'LL PLAY ON THE STRINGS

OF YOUR HEART ♪

♪ A PRETTY GIRL ♪

♪ IS LIKE A MELODY ♪

♪ THAT HAUNTS YOU

NIGHT AND DAY ♪

♪ JUST LIKE THE STRAIN ♪

♪ OF A HAUNTING REFRAIN ♪

♪ SHE'LL START UPON

A MARATHON ♪

♪ AND RUN AROUND YOUR BRAIN ♪

♪ YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ♪

♪ SHE'S IN YOUR MEMORY ♪

♪ BY MORNING, NIGHT,

AND NOON ♪

♪ SHE WILL LEAVE YOU ♪

♪ AND THEN ♪

♪ COME BACK AGAIN ♪

♪ SHE WILL COME BACK AGAIN ♪

♪ A PRETTY GIRL

IS JUST LIKE A PRETTY TUNE ♪

♪ SHE'S IN YOUR MEMORY ♪

♪ BY MORNING, NIGHT,

AND NOON ♪

♪ SHE WILL LEAVE YOU ♪

♪ AND THEN ♪

♪ COME BACK AGAIN ♪

♪ A PRETTY GIRL

IS JUST LIKE A PRETTY TUNE ♪

♪ BEAUTIFUL MELODY ♪

♪ A PRETTY GIRL ♪

♪ IS JUST LIKE ♪

♪ A PRETTY TUNE ♪♪

THE LAST OF THE BIG BLACK-

AND-WHITE PRODUCTION NUMBERS,

- STARRING ELEANOR POWELL - AND FRED ASTAIRE,

COLE PORTER'S MUSIC,

THE SETS AND THE CAMERA WORK,

THE DIRECTION BY NORMAN TAUROG,

THE INCREDIBLE TAP-DANCING

BY THESE TWO...

WELL, IT ALL SEEMED

TO COME TOGETHER

IN BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940.

YOU CAN WAIT AROUND

AND HOPE,

BUT I'LL TELL YOU,

YOU'LL NEVER SEE

THE LIKES OF THIS AGAIN.

[APPLAUSE]

♪ DON'T BE AFRAID ♪

♪ YOU'LL

MAKE THE GRADE ♪

- ♪ WHY, - YOU CAN SING ♪

♪ AS GOOD

AS BING... ♪

AND HERE, THE OLD PRO

JAMES DURANTE

- GIVES A NEWCOMER - A FEW POINTERS

IN IT HAPPENED IN BROOKLYN.

SING IT, DANNY.

MAKE ME

PROUD OF YOU.

O.K., NICK. STAND BACK.

♪ IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE

WITTY OR SMART ♪

SMILE.

♪ LONG AS IT COMES

FROM THE HEART ♪

KEEP GOING.

♪ IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE

CLASSIC OR ART ♪

GREAT!

- ♪ LONG AS IT COMES - FROM THE HEART ♪

- THIS KID - IS BRILLIANT.

♪ I'LL GIVE 'EM THAT,

I'LL GIVE 'EM THIS ♪

♪ I'LL STRUT AWAY ♪

BOY, YOU CAN'T MISS!

- ♪ JUST PUT A STAR - ON MY CHART ♪

- THEY WON'T NEED THIS - ANYMORE.

♪ 'CAUSE THE SONG'S GONNA

COME FROM THE HEART ♪

DON'T WORK CHEAP!

♪ ON OPENING NIGHTS ♪

♪ YOUR NAME IN LIGHTS ♪

- ♪ WHY, - WE WON'T STOP ♪

- ♪ TILL YOU REACH - THE TOP ♪

♪ WE'LL ORDER OUR MEALS

A LA CARTE ♪

THAT'S EXPENSIVE!

♪ IF THE SONG

COMES FROM THE HEART ♪

- ♪ WE'LL BE - TREMENDOUS ♪

♪ IF THE SONG

COMES FROM THE HEART ♪

- ♪ THEY'LL HOLLER - "BRA-VO" ♪

♪ IF THE SONG ♪

♪ COMES FROM THE HEART ♪

♪ HEART ♪♪

THAT'S JUST A SAMPLE

OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON

FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS.

THE WORK WAS HARD,

BUT IT WAS GREAT FUN,

- BECAUSE THE PEOPLE - YOU WORKED WITH

- REALLY KNEW WHAT - THEY WERE DOING.

- IT WAS SAID - THAT THROUGH THOSE DOORS

- PASSED THE MOST FAMOUS STARS - IN HOLLYWOOD.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE

WILL ARGUE ABOUT IT.

HERE'S ONE OF THE MOST LOVELY

AND TALENTED OF THOSE STARS,

MISS ELIZABETH TAYLOR.

I WAS 10 YEARS OLD

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO MGM,

AND I SPENT MOST OF THE NEXT

18 YEARS OF MY LIFE

BEHIND THE WALLS

OF THAT STUDIO.

AS A YOUNG GIRL GROWING UP

IN THAT STRANGE PLACE,

IT'S HARD TO RECALL

WHAT WAS REAL AND WHAT WASN'T.

PERHAPS MY MOST VIVID MEMORIES

WERE OF MGM MUSICALS.

JUST TO STAND THERE

ON THE SET

AND WATCH THE SINGING

AND THE DANCING...

IT WAS LIKE FANTASY

COME TRUE.

TOTAL INNOCENCE,

LOVELINESS.

♪ I LOVE A MELODY

OF SPRING ♪

♪ LILACS IN BLOOM ♪

♪ BIRDS

ON THE WING... ♪

I MADE MY MUSICAL DEBUT

WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD

IN A FILM CALLED CYNTHIA.

I WAS CERTAINLY NO THREAT

TO JANE POWELL OR JUDY GARLAND,

AS YOU WILL SEE.

♪ FOR LIFE IS A DEAR

AND JOYOUS THING ♪

♪ WHENEVER I HEAR ♪

♪ THE MUSIC ♪

♪ OF ♪

♪ SPRING ♪♪

MAYBE THAT EXPERIENCE

HELPED GIVE ME

THE ENORMOUS REGARD

THAT I HAVE FOR MUSICAL TALENTS.

AND BELIEVE ME, AT MGM,

I SAW THE BEST.

♪ EVERY HONEYBEE ♪

- ♪ SIGHS WITH - JEALOUSY... ♪

FOR INSTANCE,

IF LENA HORNE WAS IN A MOVIE,

THEN IT ALMOST HAD TO BE

FROM MGM.

♪ HONEYSUCKLE ROSE ♪

♪ WHEN WE'RE PASSING BY,

FLOWERS DROOP AND SIGH ♪

♪ AND I KNOW

THE REASON WHY ♪

♪ YOU'RE MUCH SWEETER,

GOODNESS KNOWS ♪

♪ HONEYSUCKLE ROSE ♪

♪ I DON'T BUY SUGAR ♪

♪ YOU JUST HAVE TO

TOUCH MY CUP ♪

♪ YOU'RE MY SUGAR ♪

♪ IT'S SWEET

WHEN YOU STIR IT UP ♪

♪ WHEN I'M TAKING SIPS

FROM YOUR TASTY LIPS ♪

♪ SEEMS THE HONEY

FAIRLY DRIPS ♪

♪ YOU'RE CONFECTION,

GOODNESS KNOWS ♪

♪ YOU'RE MY HONEYSUCKLE ROSE ♪

[PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC]

♪ YOU'RE MY HONEYSUCKLE ROSE ♪♪

[APPLAUSE]

♪ 'CAUSE IT'S ONE ♪

- ♪ THREE STRIKES, - YOU'RE OUT ♪

♪ AT THE OLD BALL GAME ♪♪

WHEN FRANK SINATRA

AND GENE KELLY TEAMED UP

FOR A SERIES OF FILMS,

- THE RESULTS - WERE IRRESISTIBLE.

- THIS IS ONE - OF THEIR BEST...

TAKE ME OUT

TO THE BALL GAME.

♪ THOU SWELL, THOU WITTY ♪

♪ THOU SWEET, THOU GRAND ♪

♪ WOULDST KISS ME

PRETTY? ♪

♪ WOULDST HOLD MY HAND? ♪

♪ BOTH THINE EYES

ARE CUTE, TOO ♪

♪ WHAT THEY DO TO ME ♪

♪ HEAR ME HOLLER ♪

♪ I CHOOSE A SWEET

LOLLAPALOOZA IN THEE... ♪

JUNE ALLYSON,

MGM's MOST POPULAR

MUSICAL SWEETHEART,

IN RODGERS AND HART'S

WORDS AND MUSIC.

♪ TWO ROOMS AND KITCHEN ♪

♪ I'M SURE WOULD DO ♪

♪ GIVE ME JUST A PLOT OF ♪

♪ NOT A LOT OF LAND ♪

♪ AND ♪

♪ THOU SWELL, THOU WITTY ♪

♪ THOU GRAND! ♪♪

EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE

COLLEGE MUSICAL...

GOOD NEWS,

STARRING JUNE ALLYSON

AND PETER LAWFORD.

THOSE SURE WERE

THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

♪ THE BOY, GARCON ♪

♪ GETS GIRL, LA FILLE ♪

♪ THAT'S GOOD, C'EST BON ♪

♪ THE SHOW, FINI ♪

♪ THE MORAL TO THIS TALE

IS LEARN TO PARLEZ VOUS ♪

♪ SEND HER A BILLET-DOUX ♪

♪ TELL HER

HER EYES ARE BLUE ♪

THEY SURE ARE BLUE.

♪ JE VOUS ADORE

MEANS I LOVE YOU ♪♪

WHAT WONDERFUL YEARS

THOSE WERE AT MGM.

ONE DAY I REMEMBER MEETING

- A TERRIBLY HANDSOME YOUNG MAN - FROM ENGLAND.

HE'D JUST STARTED WORK

AT THE STUDIO.

NATURALLY, I FELL

WILDLY IN LOVE WITH HIM.

I STILL ADORE HIM.

HE'S STILL ONE OF MY CLOSEST

AND DEAREST FRIENDS...

PETER LAWFORD.

[COLLEGE CHEER]

THIS BUILDING,

OR WHAT'S LEFT OF IT,

WAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS,

TAIT COLLEGE IN GOOD NEWS.

YOU MIGHT SAY THAT JUNE ALLYSON,

MEL TORME, AND I

GRADUATED FROM HERE.

WE WERE ALL UNDER CONTRACT

TO MGM IN THOSE DAYS.

- THE STUDIO - PRETTY MUCH TOLD US

WHAT PICTURES

WE WERE GOING TO APPEAR IN.

- THEY PUT US - IN DRAMAS, COMEDIES,

AND IN MY CASE...

AND DON'T ASK ME WHY...

AN OCCASIONAL MUSICAL.

AS A SINGER OR DANCER,

I WAS ILL-EQUIPPED TO COMPETE

WITH ASTAIRE OR KELLY,

BUT WE DID

WHAT WE WERE TOLD TO DO.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO MGM,

THE WORLD WAS AT WAR.

FOR THE GIs OVERSEAS

AND THE AUDIENCES HERE AT HOME,

- MUSICALS WERE A VERY SPECIAL - KIND OF ESCAPE,

BOTH DURING THE WAR

AND AFTERWARDS.

THE FILMS WE MADE HERE

HAD A CERTAIN STYLE...

- A LOOK - THAT WAS UNMISTAKABLE.

- WHETHER IT WAS THE DIRECTING - OR THE WRITING

OR THE SCENERY,

COSTUMES, THE LIGHTING,

I DON'T REALLY KNOW,

BUT SOMEHOW, YOU COULD ALWAYS

TELL THAT IT WAS AN MGM MOVIE,

ESPECIALLY THE MUSICALS.

ALL RIGHT. CUT IT.

PRINT IT, JANE.

ALL RIGHT. TAKE ME

INTO NUMBER ONE.

O.K., NUMBER ONE.

O.K., EVERYBODY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE ROLLING.

SPEED.

ACTION.

- [PETER LAWFORD] - THE STUDIO

- WAS CONSTANTLY - EXPERIMENTING,

- CONSTANTLY SHOWCASING - NEW TALENT...

- FOR INSTANCE, DEBBIE REYNOLDS - AND CARLETON CARPENTER

IN TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE.

- ♪ ABA DABA DABA - DABA DABA DABA DAB ♪

- ♪ SAID CHIMPIE - TO THE MONK ♪

- ♪ ABA DABA DABA DABA - DABA DABA DAB ♪

- ♪ SAID THE MONKEY - TO THE CHIMP ♪

- ♪ ALL THEY NIGHT LONG - THEY'D CHATTER AWAY ♪

- ♪ ALL DAY LONG - THEY WERE HAPPY AND GAY ♪

♪ SWINGING AND SINGING ♪

- ♪ IN THEIR - HONKY-TONKY WAY ♪

- ♪ ABA DABA DABA DABA - DABA DABA DAB ♪

- ♪ MEANS MONK, - I LOVE BUT YOU ♪

- ♪ BABA DABA DAB - IN MONKEY TALK ♪

- ♪ MEANS CHIMP, - I LOVE YOU, TOO ♪

- ♪ THEN THE BIG BABOON - ONE NIGHT IN JUNE ♪

- ♪ HE MARRIED THEM, - AND VERY SOON ♪

♪ THEY WENT UPON

THEIR ABA DABA HONEYMOON ♪♪

- [LAWFORD] - ELIZABETH TAYLOR STARRED

IN A DATE WITH JUDY,

ONE OF THE FIRST IN A NEW WAVE

OF TEEN-AGE MUSICALS,

MOST OF THEM PRODUCED

BY JOE PASTERNAK.

- THAT ISN'T ELIZABETH'S VOICE - YOU'RE HEARING.

MGM KEPT HER TOO BUSY

TO REHEARSE AND RECORD.

- HER CO-STAR, JANE POWELL, - QUICKLY BECAME

ONE OF THE STUDIO'S

MOST POPULAR YOUNG TALENTS.

♪ AS AN OLD NATIVE-BORN ♪

♪ CALIFORNIAN WOULD SAY...♪♪

♪ IT'S A MOST

UNUSUAL DAY ♪

♪ THERE ARE PEOPLE

GREETING PEOPLE ♪

♪ THERE IS

SUNSHINE EVERYWHERE ♪

♪ THERE ARE PEOPLE

GREETING PEOPLE ♪

♪ AND A FEELING OF SPRING

IN THE AIR ♪

♪ IT'S A MOST

UNUSUAL TIME ♪

♪ I KEEP FEELING

MY TEMPERATURE CLIMB ♪

♪ IF MY HEART WON'T BEHAVE

IN THE USUAL WAY ♪

♪ THEN THERE'S

ONLY ONE THING TO SAY ♪

♪ IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL ♪

♪ MOST UNUSUAL ♪

♪ MOST UNUSUAL DAY ♪♪

HERE SHE COMES!

YAY!

♪ WHOO, WHOO, WHOO-OO ♪

♪ HEY, JIM, YOU

BETTER GET THE RIG ♪

♪ WHOO, WHOO, WHOO,

WHOO-OO ♪

- ♪ SHE'S GOT A LIST - OF PASSENGERS ♪

♪ THAT'S PRETTY BIG ♪

♪ AND THEY'LL ALL WANT LIFTS

TO BROWN'S HOTEL ♪

♪ 'CAUSE LOTS OF THEM BEEN

TRAVELIN' FOR QUITE A SPELL ♪

♪ ON THE WAY

TO CALIFORN-I-AY ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA ♪

♪ CHOO CHOO CHOO ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA ♪

♪ CHOO CHOO CHOO ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA ♪

♪ AND THE SANTA FE ♪

- [LAWFORD] - THE HARVEY GIRLS,

DIRECTED BY GEORGE SIDNEY,

STARRED JUDY GARLAND

AND RAY BOLGER,

AND THIS OSCAR-WINNING SONG

WAS WRITTEN BY HARRY WARREN

AND JOHNNY MERCER.

♪ IN THIS DAY AND AGE,

GIRLS DON'T LEAVE HOME ♪

♪ BUT IF YOU GET A HANKERIN'

YOU WANT TO ROAM ♪

♪ OUR ADVICE TO YOU

IS RUN AWAY ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON,

TOPEKA ♪

♪ AND THE SANTA FE ♪

[CHEERING]

BOARD!

♪ ALL ABOARD ♪

♪ WHOO-OO ♪

♪ I CAN'T BELIEVE

I'M HERE AT LAST ♪

♪ WHEN YOU GO TRAVELING,

IT'S NATCH FOR YOU ♪

♪ TO TAKE THE ATCHISON,

TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE ♪

♪ I CAN'T BELIEVE

THAT ANYTHING ♪

♪ WOULD GO SO FAST ♪

♪ THEN YOU PULL

THAT THROTTLE ♪

♪ WHISTLE BLOWS ♪

- ♪ A-HUFFIN' - AND A-PUFFIN' ♪

♪ AND AWAY SHE GOES ♪

♪ ALL ABOARD

FOR CALIFORN-I-AY ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON ♪

♪ ON THE ATCHISON ♪

- ♪ ON THE ATCHISON, - TOPEKA ♪

- ♪ ON THE ATCHISON, - TOPEKA ♪

- ♪ ON THE ATCHISON, - TOPEKA AND ♪

- ♪ ATCHISON, TOPEKA - AND ♪

- ♪ ON THE ATCHISON, - TOPEKA ♪

♪ AND THE SANTA FE ♪♪

BY THE 1950s,

THE MOVIE MUSICAL

WAS REACHING A LEVEL OF

INVENTIVENESS AND SOPHISTICATION

THAT WAS PRETTY HARD TO TOP,

EVEN BY TODAY'S STANDARDS.

- BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS - LIKE THAT,

AND HERE'S SOMEONE

TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT,

AND HE'S PRETTY HARD

TO TOP, TOO...

MR. JAMES STEWART.

IN THE LATE 1920s

AND EARLY '30s,

THESE 200 ACRES

OF REAL ESTATE

WERE A SCENE OF PANIC,

PANDEMONIUM.

SOUND PICTURES

HAD REPLACED SILENT FILMS

VIRTUALLY OVERNIGHT.

THE ONLY ACTOR IN TOWN

THAT WASN'T WORRIED

WAS RIN TIN TIN.

AS LONG AS HE COULD BARK,

WELL, SOUND WAS

NO THREAT TO HIM.

FOR MGM

AND THE REST OF HOLLYWOOD,

THERE WERE

GLOOMY DAYS AHEAD.

SOME OF THE BIGGEST

SILENT STARS

SPOKE WITH THICK

FOREIGN ACCENTS.

OTHERS HAD A LISP

OR TALKED THROUGH THEIR NOSES.

THE EARLY MICROPHONES

SEEMED TO

EXAGGERATE THE FLAWS

THAT SILENT FILM HAD HIDDEN.

AS QUICKLY AS

THE SOUND STAGES WENT UP,

CAREERS COLLAPSED.

- THE STUDIO HEADS - WERE DESPERATE.

WHERE WOULD THE NEW STARS,

- THE NEW PERSONALITIES, - COME FROM,

THEY WONDERED?

- WELL, THE ANSWER - WAS OBVIOUS...

FROM THE THEATER,

FROM BROADWAY.

THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE

SUDDENLY BECAME

A PASSPORT TO HOLLYWOOD,

EVEN IF IT MEANT NO MORE

THAN A FEW WEEKS

OF SUMMER STOCK.

OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

A STEADY STREAM OF HOPEFULS

MARCHED THROUGH THE GATES

OF EVERY STUDIO IN TOWN,

INCLUDING MGM.

I SHOULD KNOW.

I WAS ONE OF THOSE HUNGRY

YOUNG ACTORS FROM THE EAST.

- EVERYTHING - ALL RIGHT?

O.K., FRED.

HOW ARE THE CAMERAS?

ALL READY.

- BOB, HOW ARE - YOUR LIGHTS?

- ALL SET, CHIEF, - WHENEVER YOU ARE!

- GOOD. - HOW'S THE MUSIC?

- [JAMES STEWART] - MUSICALS WERE THE MOST - POPULAR COMMODITY

IN THE EARLY '30s,

AND THEY WERE CRANKED OUT

AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE.

MOST OF THEM REALLY

WEREN'T VERY GOOD,

BUT IF AUDIENCES SUFFERED,

THEY DIDN'T COMPLAIN.

THE REAL VICTIMS

WERE THE DRAMATIC ACTORS.

THE STUDIO PUSHED

NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THEM

INTO MUSICAL ROLES.

♪ IT MUST BE YOU ♪

♪ WHO CARRIES ME

AWAY... ♪

HERE, AN UNCOMFORTABLE

ROBERT MONTGOMERY

TRIES HIS BEST.

♪ FOR WHEN YOU'RE NEAR ♪

♪ THERE'S MUSIC

IN MY SOUL ♪

♪ WHICH FADES

EACH TIME WE PART... ♪♪

BOB MONTGOMERY WAS ONLY ONE

OF MANY MGM CONTRACT PLAYERS

FORCED TO SING AND DANCE.

IN THE FRANTIC SEARCH

FOR MUSICAL STARS,

MANY WOULD BE CALLED,

BUT FEW WOULD SUCCEED.

- HERE'S ONE - OF MY FAVORITES,

AND I KNOW YOU ALL

LIKE HER, TOO,

- BECAUSE SHE'S - THE PERSONIFICATION

OF YOUTH AND BEAUTY

AND JOY AND HAPPINESS...

JOAN CRAWFORD.

- ♪ DID YOU EVER - SEE SOMEBODY ♪

♪ WHO COULD LOVE SOMEBODY ♪

♪ MUCH AS I LOVE YOU? ♪

HUH? DID YA?

- ♪ YOU'RE THE KIND - OF SWEET SOMEBODY ♪

♪ WHO COULD LOVE SOMEBODY ♪

HOW ABOUT ME, TOO? HUH?

♪ OH, MY,

YOU'RE THE ONE I CRAVE ♪

♪ I COULD BE YOUR SLAVE ♪

♪ HONEY, LET ME RAVE ♪

♪ GOT A FEELING FOR YOU ♪

♪ CRAZY 'BOUT YOUR SMILE ♪

♪ BOP BOP ♪

♪ FREE AND EASY STYLE ♪

♪ YOU'RE A LOVIN' CHILD ♪

♪ GOT A FEELING FOR YOU ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

- ♪ LIKE YOUR - TURNED-UP NOSE ♪

♪ LIKE YOUR THESE

AND THOSE ♪

♪ FROM YOUR HEAD

TO YOUR TOES ♪

♪ GOT A FEELING FOR YOU ♪

- ♪ BA BA DA - DA DA BUM ♪

- ♪ DID YOU EVER - SEE SOMEBODY ♪

♪ WHO COULD LOVE SOMEBODY ♪

♪ MUCH AS I LOVE YOU? ♪

- ♪ YOU'RE THE KIND - OF SWEET SOMEBODY ♪

♪ WHO COULD LOVE SOMEBODY ♪

- ♪ COULD YOU - LOVE ME, TOO? ♪

♪ OH, MY ♪

♪ YOU'RE THE ONE I CRAVE ♪

♪ I COULD BE YOUR SLAVE ♪

♪ HONEY, LET ME RAVE ♪

♪ GOT A FEELING FOR YOU ♪

- ♪ BA DA DA DA - DA DUM ♪♪

- WHAT'LL YOU EVER BE? - WHAT'LL YOU EVER DO?

HOW WILL YOU KNOW

IF YOU DON'T TAKE A CHANCE?

- [STEWART] - JEAN HARLOW,

THE BLONDE BOMBSHELL,

- TRIED OUT HER MUSICAL ABILITIES - IN RECKLESS.

♪ I WANT TO LIVE, LOVE,

LEARN A LOT ♪

♪ I'LL LIGHT MY CANDLE,

AND I'LL BURN A LOT ♪

- ♪ YOU'LL HAVE - SOME BAD SHOCKS ♪

♪ HARD KNOCKS ♪

I'M ON MY OWN

IF I BRUISE.

- ♪ AND THERE'LL BE - SMILES, TEARS ♪

♪ SHOUTS, JEERS ♪

AND I CAN TAKE IT

ON THE CHIN IF I LOSE,

BECAUSE I'M RECKLESS!

- ♪ BECAUSE - SHE'S RECKLESS ♪

RECKLESS!

- ♪ BECAUSE - YOU'RE RECKLESS ♪♪

I'M GONNA GO PLACES

AND LOOK LIFE IN THE FACE.

HEY!

♪ DID I REMEMBER... ♪♪

- [STEWART] - JEAN HARLOW'S MUSICAL TALENTS

WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.

THE STUDIO USUALLY USED SOMEONE

ELSE'S VOICE FOR HER VOCALS,

BUT IN A MOVIE CALLED SUZY,

HER CO-STAR CARY GRANT

DID HIS OWN SINGING,

AND DARN WELL, TOO.

CHARMING. CHARMING.

- HOW DO YOU KNOW? - YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT.

I HEARD EVERY WORD.

LET ME CONVINCE YOU.

SIT DOWN.

- GENTLEMEN, - PLAY IT AGAIN.

YOU BE THE AUDIENCE.

[MUSIC STARTS]

DID I REMEMBER

TO TELL YOU

YOU'RE DELIGHTFUL?

YOU'RE EVERYTHING

I WANT YOU TO BE.

♪ YOUR EYES ARE LOVELY ♪

♪ AND FAR BEYOND

COMPARING ♪

♪ ESPECIALLY WHEN

THEY'RE GLARING AT ME ♪

[LAUGHTER]

- ♪ I CAN'T - MAKE UP WORDS ♪

- ♪ TO SAY HOW SWELL - YOU ARE ♪

♪ BUT I CAN

TELL YOU ARE ♪

♪ I KNOW SO WELL

YOU ARE ♪

♪ I STARTED FALLING ♪

♪ THE MOMENT

THAT I SAW YOU ♪

♪ BELIEVE ME,

I ADORE YOU, CHERIE ♪♪

[LAUGHTER]

♪ I'M SURE YOU'LL

HATE TO HEAR ♪

♪ THAT I

ADORE YOU, DEAR ♪

♪ BUT GRANT ME

JUST THE SAME ♪

♪ I'M NOT ENTIRELY

TO BLAME ♪

♪ FOR YOU'D BE

SO EASY TO LOVE... ♪

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH

- TO SING - A COLE PORTER SONG

IN BORN TO DANCE

WITH ELEANOR POWELL.

- AT FIRST, - THE STUDIO PLANNED

TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE

RECORD THE VOCAL,

BUT THE TUNE BECAME

SUCH A BIG HIT

THAT THEY DECIDED

TO LET ME DO IT.

YOU SEE, THEY FIGURED

THE SONG WAS SO GOOD

THAT EVEN MY SINGING

COULDN'T HURT IT.

♪ WE'D BE SO GRAND

AT THE GAME ♪

♪ SO CAREFREE TOGETHER ♪

♪ THAT IT DOES

SEEM A SHAME ♪

♪ THAT YOU CAN'T SEE

YOUR FUTURE WITH ME ♪

♪ 'CAUSE YOU'D BE,

OH, SO EASY TO LOVE ♪♪

I KNOW YOU WILL JOIN US

IN GIVING A ROUSING,

RIP-ROARING RECEPTION

- TO HARRY VAN - AND LES BLONDES.

MR. VAN.

- [STEWART] - NORMA SHEARER

AND EDWARD ARNOLD LOOKED ON

AS CLARK GABLE

MADE HIS MUSICAL DEBUT

IN IDIOT'S DELIGHT.

- THANKS FOR THAT - LOVELY INTRODUCTION.

THANKS A MILLION,

AND I WON'T SETTLE

FOR A CENT LESS.

- IN OUR MODEST ACT, - WE'LL BE ABLY ASSISTED

BY PROFESSOR POLLOTHA

AND HIS TALENTED TEAM.

GIVE THEM A HAND.

- OKEY-DOKE, PROFESSOR. - TAKE IT AWAY.

[MUSIC STARTS]

THIS WILL BE

AMUSING.

I HOPE SO.

♪ IF YOU'RE BLUE ♪

- ♪ AND YOU DON'T KNOW - WHERE TO GO TO ♪

♪ WHY DON'T YOU GO WHERE

HARLEM SITS? ♪

♪ PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ ♪

♪ SPANGLED GOWNS

UPON A BEVY OF HIGHBROWS ♪

♪ FROM DOWN THE LEVEE,

ALL MISFITS ♪

♪ PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ ♪

♪ THAT'S WHERE EACH AND EVERY

LULUBELLE GOES ♪

♪ EVERY THURSDAY EVENING

IN HER SWELL CLOTHES ♪

♪ RUBBING ELBOWS ♪

♪ COME WITH ME ♪

- ♪ AND WE'LL ATTEND - THE JUBILEE ♪

♪ AND SEE THEM SPEND

THEIR LAST TWO BITS ♪

♪ PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ ♪♪

- [STEWART] - CLARK GABLE SURPRISED EVERYONE

WITH HIS DELIGHTFULLY

CORNY ROUTINE,

AND YET HIS FANS

WERE JUST OUTRAGED

TO SEE HIM EVEN TRY

SINGING AND DANCING.

THEIR HERO

WAS ABOVE SUCH NONSENSE,

- BUT IT WAS - PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT

FOR A YOUNGSTER

NAMED JUDY GARLAND

TO DEDICATE A SONG

TO THEIR IDOL.

♪ DEAR MR. GABLE ♪

♪ I AM WRITING

THIS TO YOU ♪

♪ AND I HOPE

THAT YOU WILL READ IT ♪

♪ SO YOU'LL KNOW ♪

♪ MY HEART BEATS

LIKE A HAMMER ♪

♪ AND I STUTTER

AND I STAMMER ♪

♪ EVERY TIME I SEE YOU

AT THE PICTURE SHOW ♪

♪ I GUESS I'M JUST

ANOTHER FAN OF YOURS ♪

♪ AND I THOUGHT

I'D WRITE ♪

♪ AND TELL YOU SO-O-O-O ♪

♪ YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU ♪

♪ I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT ♪

♪ I DIDN'T

WANT TO DO IT ♪

♪ YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU ♪

♪ AND ALL THE TIME

YOU KNEW IT ♪

♪ I GUESS YOU

ALWAYS KNEW IT ♪

♪ YOU MADE ME HAPPY ♪

♪ SOMETIMES

YOU MADE ME GLAD ♪

♪ BUT THERE WERE TIMES, SIR ♪

♪ YOU MADE ME FEEL

SO SAD ♪

♪ YOU MADE ME SIGH ♪

♪ 'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT

TO TELL YOU ♪

♪ I DIDN'T WANT TO TELL YOU ♪

♪ I THINK YOU'RE GRAND ♪

♪ THAT'S TRUE, YES, I DO ♪

♪ 'DEED I DO ♪

♪ YOU KNOW I DO ♪

♪ I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS,

LET THE WHOLE WORLD STOP ♪

♪ AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,

YOU'LL ALWAYS BE THE TOP ♪

♪ 'CAUSE YOU KNOW

YOU MADE ME ♪

♪ LOVE YOU ♪♪

DEAR MR. GABLE

WAS A MILESTONE IN ITS DAY.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME

A STUDIO PERMITTED A SONG

TO BE DEDICATED

TO ONE OF ITS STARS.

AND IT WAS SUNG

BY A LITTLE GIRL

WHO WOULD SOON BECOME

MGM's NEWEST STAR.

- NOW, HERE'S SOMEONE - WHO CAN TELL YOU

MORE ABOUT

THAT REMARKABLE TALENT.

HE'S A REMARKABLE TALENT

HIMSELF...

MICKEY ROONEY.

THIS IS CARVEL STREET.

FOR ANYONE WHO'S EVER SEEN

AN ANDY HARDY MOVIE,

WELL, THIS IS WHERE THEY

WERE ALL SHOT, RIGHT HERE.

OVER THERE, THAT WAS

POLLY BENEDICT'S HOME

ACROSS THE STREET.

THIS WAS THE HOME

OF THE HARDY FAMILY.

THE PICKET FENCE IS GONE

AND THE MAILBOX, TOO,

BUT IT'S... STILL

THE HARDY HOME.

- YOU KNOW, - IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE

THAT A PERSON COULD SPEND

OVER 20 YEARS GROWING UP

ON THE SAME MOVIE SET,

BUT IN A WAY,

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.

I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD

WHEN I FIRST CAME

TO METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER,

AND I WAS RARING TO GO.

THE MOVIE WAS

BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD,

AND YOU GUESSED IT...

IT WAS A MUSICAL.

[APPLAUSE]

WELL, WE ALL CHANGE A LITTLE

OVER THE YEARS, DON'T WE?

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN

RAISED AT A STUDIO

THE WAY I WAS,

YOU LEARN A CERTAIN ABILITY

THAT TIME CAN'T SEEM TO ERASE.

YOU LEARN TO RECOGNIZE

REAL TALENT.

YOU SEE SO MANY PEOPLE

COME AND GO

THAT WHEN AN EXCEPTIONAL

TALENT COMES ALONG,

IT SEEMS TO STICK OUT

LIKE A SORE THUMB.

- I WAS A SEASONED VETERAN - OF 17

- WHEN I FIRST - HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

OF WORKING WITH THE GREAT

AND WONDERFUL JUDY GARLAND.

I KNEW WHEN I SAW HER STANDING

BEFORE THE CAMERA

- THAT SHE HAD - THAT CERTAIN MAGIC.

HER TALENT SEEMED TO JUMP

RIGHT OFF THE SCREEN.

♪ DO RE MI

FA SOL LA TI DO ♪♪

- JUDY AND I - BECAME CLOSE FRIENDS

WHEN WE DID A SERIES

OF FILMS TOGETHER

THAT THE STUDIO CALLED

"BACKYARD MUSICALS."

AUDIENCES SEEMED TO LOVE

THE PICTURES,

EVEN THOUGH THE PLOTS

WERE SUSPICIOUSLY ALIKE.

ONLY OUR NAMES

SEEMED TO CHANGE.

HOW DO YOU DO?

GOOD MORNING!

I'M BETSY BOOTH.

I SING, YOU KNOW.

I HEARD YOU.

YOU'RE ANDY HARDY,

AREN'T YOU?

- THIS IS BARBARA JO. - MR. WILLIAMS.

PLEASED TO MEET YOU.

DANNY, THIS IS

MISS GINGER GRAY.

YES, WE'VE MET.

THIS IS MY COUSIN,

MISS POLLY WILLIAMS.

- MR. DANIEL CHURCHILL - JUNIOR.

MISS BARTON,

THIS IS MISS ESSEX,

- THE ONCE-FAMOUS - BABY ROSALIE.

- THIS IS - MICKEY MORAN.

HOW DO YOU DO?

- MY NAME IS TOMMY WILLIAMS. - WHAT'S YOURS?

- I DON'T - LIKE YOU!

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME!

I WANT SUCCESS SO.

YOU'LL HAVE IT.

I KNOW YOU WILL, MICKEY.

- JUST THINK, WHEN OUR NAMES - ARE UP IN ELECTRIC LIGHTS...

- YOU THE BIG COMPOSER - AND PRODUCER

AND ME THE SINGING STAR.

WE COULD HAVE OUR OWN GREAT

MODERN DANCE ORCHESTRA.

- WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED - RIGHT HERE.

WE'VE GOT THE BRASS,

THE PIANO, THE REEDS.

- WE COULD MAKE - OUR OWN ARRANGEMENTS

- AND PLAY - FOR ALL THE DANCES.

- WE'LL HAVE - A GREAT SHOW

- WITH A MILLION - LAUGHS, COLOR,

- A LOT OF LIGHTS, - AND WONDERFUL SONGS

WITH YOU OUT THERE

SELLING THEM.

IT'LL BE WONDERFUL!

- SAY, THAT'S NOT - A BAD IDEA.

WE COULD PUT ON

OUR OWN SHOW.

- THAT WOULD BE - DIFFERENT.

YOU'LL NEED

A WHOLE CITY BLOCK!

- YEAH! - SURE, THAT'S IT...

- RIGHT - IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

WE'LL ROPE IT OFF.

EVERYBODY WILL COME.

A WESTERN RODEO.

DANIEL BOONE!

JESSE JAMES

AND BUFFALO BILL!

100 BEAUTIFUL GIRLS.

ON HORSEBACK!

- GLORIOUS COSTUMES! - HAPPY! CAREFREE!

GAY!

I'LL PUT ON A SHOW

HERE IN SEAPORT!

IT'LL BE THE MOST

UP-TO-DATE THING

THESE HICKS HAVE EVER SEEN.

- OPENING NIGHT, - WE'LL HAVE MAX GORDON,

SAM HARRIS, LANE SCHUBERT.

HOW ABOUT IT, KIDS?

- ♪ THEY CALL US - BABES IN ARMS ♪

♪ WE NEVER DANCE ♪

♪ THEY THINK THEY MUST

DIRECT US ♪

♪ GOT NO CHANCE ♪

- ♪ BUT IF WE'RE - BABES IN ARMS ♪

♪ TO FIND ROMANCE ♪

♪ WE'LL MAKE THEM ALL

RESPECT US ♪

♪ MY, OH, MY ♪

♪ WHY HAVE WE GOT

OUR ARMS? ♪

- ♪ WHAT HAVE WE GOT - OUR SIGHT FOR? ♪

- ♪ SIGHT FOR, - SIGHT FOR ♪

♪ PLAYDAY IS DONE ♪

- ♪ WE'VE A PLACE - IN THE SUN ♪

♪ WE MUST FIGHT FOR ♪♪

- [MICKEY ROONEY] - WHEN OUR MOVIES TOOK OFF

AT THE BOX OFFICE,

WE FOUND OUR BUDGETS

TAKING OFF, TOO.

SO THEY MOVED JUDY AND I

OUT OF THE BACKYARD

AND INTO THE BARN,

THEN TO THE HIGH-SCHOOL GYM

- AND LATER - TO A BROADWAY STAGE

THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE FIT

IN A REAL THEATER.

WHERE WE GOT ALL THAT ENERGY,

I'LL NEVER KNOW,

BUT A LOT OF IT WAS INSPIRED

BY OUR DIRECTOR,

- A GENIUS... - BUSBY BERKELEY.

♪ GO DOWN ♪

♪ AND BRING

YOUR BEST BEAU DOWN ♪

♪ WE'RE FACING

A SHOWDOWN ♪

♪ WE GOT TO MAKE HAY ♪♪

♪ 1, 2, 3... BOOM ♪

♪ 1, 2, 3... BOOM ♪

♪ 1, 2, 3... BOOM ♪♪

[RUMBA MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ WATCH THEM

SHUFFLIN' ALONG ♪

♪ SEE THEM

SHUFFLIN' ALONG ♪

- ♪ GO TAKE - YOUR BEST GAL ♪

♪ YOUR REAL PAL ♪

- ♪ GO DOWN - ON THE LEVEE ♪

- ♪ I SAID TO - THE LEVEE ♪

♪ AND WE'LL JOIN

THAT SHUFFLIN' THRONG ♪

♪ HEAR THAT MUSIC

AND SONG ♪

- ♪ IT'S SIMPLY GREAT, - MATE ♪

♪ WAITIN' ON THE LEVEE ♪

♪ WAITIN' FOR

THE ROBERT E. LEE ♪

♪ WE'RE BABES

ON BROADWAY ♪

♪ WE'RE GOING PLACES ♪

♪ WHEN OUR NEW FACES APPEAR ♪

♪ IT'S A WONDERFUL STREET

FOR BABES LIKE US TO BE ON ♪

♪ WE'RE HERE BECAUSE

WE WANT OUR NAMES IN NEON ♪

♪ WE LEFT TOPEKA,

WE LEFT EUREKA ♪

♪ AND CAME TO SEEK

A CAREER ♪

♪ OH, WE'RE MILKING APPLAUSE

INSTEAD OF MILKING A COW ♪

♪ 'CAUSE WE'RE

BABES ON BROADWAY NOW ♪♪

[STRIKE UP THE BAND

[PLAYING]

♪ WITH OUR FLAG UNFURLED ♪

♪ WE CAN FACE THE WORLD ♪

♪ HEY, LEADER,

STRIKE UP THE BAND ♪♪

[SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

[PLAYING]

- [ROONEY] - THERE'S ANOTHER FELLOW

- WHO WORKED ON THIS LOT - WITH JUDY,

- AND SOME OF MGM's - BEST MUSICALS

ARE A DIRECT RESULT

OF HIS CONSIDERABLE TALENTS...

GENE KELLY.

THIS IS MGM's

NEW YORK STREET.

AND FOR AS LONG

AS I CAN REMEMBER,

- THIS HAS BEEN - THE BUSIEST STANDING SET

ON THE WHOLE BACK LOT.

ANY ACTOR OR ACTRESS

WHO MADE, LET'S SAY,

- MORE THAN ONE OR TWO FILMS - AT THIS STUDIO

SOONER OR LATER

PROBABLY WOULD FIND HIMSELF

SHOOTING A SEQUENCE HERE.

WHICH REMINDS ME,

- IF YOU'RE - A SONG-AND-DANCE MAN

AND YOU'VE SPENT SOME TIME

IN PICTURES,

- INEVITABLY, - SOME INTERVIEWER WILL ASK,

"WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE

DANCING PARTNER?

WAS IT RITA HAYWORTH

OR VERA-ELLEN OR LESLIE CARON?"

BUT IF YOU'RE SMART,

YOU'LL NEVER GIVE THEM

A STRAIGHT ANSWER.

WELL, I'M GOING TO BREAK

THAT RULE RIGHT NOW.

IT MAY NOT BE GALLANT,

BUT I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU

THE GREATEST PARTNER

I'VE EVER DANCED WITH.

WHEN YOU DANCE

WITH FRED ASTAIRE,

YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE

ON YOUR TOES.

- THIS NUMBER - FROM ZIEGFELD FOLLIES

WAS THE ONLY TIME WE'VE HAD

A CHANCE TO WORK TOGETHER,

BUT I'D CHANGE MY NAME

TO GINGER

IF WE COULD DO IT AGAIN.

FRED ASTAIRE

HAS BEEN THE TOPS

- IN EVERY FIELD OF SHOW BUSINESS - HE EVER ENTERED,

AND THE MOTION-PICTURE MUSICAL

OWES HIM A GREAT DEAL.

♪ THE WAY

YOU WEAR YOUR HAT ♪

♪ THE WAY

YOU SIP YOUR TEA ♪

♪ THE MEM'RY OF ALL THAT ♪

♪ NO, NO, THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT

AWAY FROM ME ♪

♪ THE WAY YOUR SMILE

JUST BEAMS ♪

♪ THE WAY

YOU SING OFF-KEY ♪

♪ THE WAY YOU HAUNT

MY DREAMS ♪

♪ NO, NO, THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT

AWAY FROM ME ♪♪

- [GENE KELLY] - WHEN HE STARRED

IN A SERIES OF MUSICALS

WITH GINGER ROGERS,

THEY QUICKLY BECAME

THE MOST POPULAR DANCE TEAM

IN THE HISTORY

OF MOTION PICTURES.

BUT FOR FRED

AS AN INDIVIDUAL,

IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING

OF A SCREEN CAREER

THAT WOULD DELIGHT SEVERAL

GENERATIONS OF MOVIEGOERS.

[APPLAUSE]

♪ STAND UP

AND SING ♪

- ♪ WE'VE GOT THE GANG - TOGETHER ♪

- ♪ WE ALWAYS - SANG TOGETHER ♪

♪ STAND UP

AND SING ♪♪

- OVER THE YEARS, - FRED ASTAIRE'S TRADEMARK

WOULD BECOME

THE TOP HAT AND TAILS.

HE WORE THE OUTFIT IN

HIS VERY FIRST FILM APPEARANCE...

DANCING LADY

WITH JOAN CRAWFORD.

♪ I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO

CHANGE MY PLAN ♪

♪ I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED

THERE'D BE ANOTHER MAN... ♪

JACK BUCHANAN, THE DEBONAIR

BRITISH MUSICAL STAR,

JOINED FRED IN THE BAND WAGON.

♪ UNTIL THE BIG AFFAIR

BEGAN ♪

♪ BEFORE I KNEW

WHERE I WAS AT ♪

♪ I FOUND MYSELF UPON THE SHELF,

AND THAT WAS THAT ♪

♪ I TRIED TO REACH THE MOON ♪

♪ BUT WHEN I GOT THERE ♪

♪ ALL THAT I COULD GET

WAS THE AIR ♪

♪ MY FEET ARE BACK

UPON THE GROUND ♪

♪ I'VE LOST THE ONE GIRL

I FOUND ♪♪

BUT BESIDES ELEGANCE,

THERE'S A LOT MORE

TO THE ASTAIRE STYLE.

FRED WAS CONSTANTLY

STRIVING FOR PERFECTION,

REHEARSING HOUR AFTER HOUR,

SEARCHING FOR A NEW STEP

OR A NEW DEVICE

- THAT WOULD BRING - SOMETHING FRESH

TO EACH OF HIS NUMBERS.

BECAUSE OF HIS INGENUITY

AND PRECISION,

AUDIENCES NEVER REALIZED

HOW MUCH INCREDIBLE EFFORT

FRED POURED INTO HIS WORK.

HE MADE IT ALL APPEAR SO EASY.

IN ROYAL WEDDING,

FRED DANCED WITH A HATRACK,

AND, AS USUAL,

HE MADE HIS PARTNER LOOK GOOD.

IN THE BARKLEYS

OF BROADWAY,

FRED AND CHOREOGRAPHER

HERMES PAN

CONCEIVED THE BRILLIANT

"SHOES WITH WINGS ON" NUMBER.

FRED AND DIRECTOR

STANLEY DONEN COLLABORATED

ON THIS MIND-BOGGLING ROUTINE

FROM ROYAL WEDDING.

MOVIE BUFFS ARE STILL ARGUING

ABOUT HOW IT WAS DONE.

THE GIMMICKS FRED USED

WERE EXCITING AND FUN,

BUT HIS TALENTS

WERE SO EXTRAORDINARY

THAT HE COULD EASILY

GET ALONG WITHOUT THEM.

THIS IS THE ASTAIRE

I LOVE TO WATCH...

WITH A LOVELY PARTNER

LIKE CYD CHARISSE,

A SIMPLE SETTING,

A MARVELOUS SONG BY HOWARD DIETZ

AND ARTHUR SCHWARTZ.

THESE ARE THE ONLY INGREDIENTS

FRED WOULD NEED

TO CREATE A CLASSIC MOMENT.

DANCING IN THE DARK

FROM THE BAND WAGON.

FRED ASTAIRE WAS AND IS

A UNIQUE TALENT.

THERE'LL NEVER BE

ANOTHER LIKE HIM.

AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE

ABOUT OUR PROFESSION,

BECAUSE EVERY SO OFTEN,

AN ARTIST COMES ALONG

WHO IS IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPARE

WITH ANYONE ELSE.

HERE IS ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITE

DANCING PARTNERS...

DONALD O'CONNOR.

MGM SEEMED TO ACQUIRE TALENT

THE WAY YOU AND I

PICK UP PAPER CLIPS...

BY THE HANDFUL.

WHEN I WAS AT THIS STUDIO,

WE WERE UP TO OUR EARS

IN TENORS AND BARITONES,

TAP-DANCERS, PIANISTS.

THEY WERE ALL GOOD,

BUT THIS SET BELONGED

PRETTY MUCH TO ONE STAR.

I ONLY WISH WE'D HAD A CHANCE

TO WORK TOGETHER.

SHE WAS NOT ONLY

A LOVELY ACTRESS

- WITH A BEAUTIFUL FACE - AND FIGURE,

BUT SHE COULD ALSO

SING AND DANCE

AND EVEN HANDLE COMEDY.

AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH,

SHE WAS DYNAMITE

IN THE WATER.

OF COURSE, I'M TALKING

ABOUT MISS ESTHER WILLIAMS.

A CHAMPION SWIMMER,

ESTHER WAS WORKING

AS A MODEL

IN A LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT STORE

WHEN MGM TALENT SCOUTS

DISCOVERED HER.

THE STUDIO BUILT

A SPECIAL SWIMMING POOL FOR HER

ON THE BACK LOT

AND STARRED HER IN A FILM

CALLED BATHING BEAUTY.

THE REST IS HISTORY.

MGM FEATURED ESTHER

- IN A SERIES - OF SPECTACULAR PRODUCTIONS.

DURING HER CAREER,

SHE SWAM OPPOSITE SOME OF MGM's

MOST POPULAR LEADING MEN.

SOME OF THEM EVEN

GOT THEIR HAIR WET...

LIKE HOWARD KEEL...

♪ LIGHT TAHITIAN SKIES ♪

FERNANDO LAMAS,

WHOM SHE WOULD LATER MARRY...

♪ AND THE STARLIT WATERS ♪

VAN JOHNSON...

♪ LINGER IN YOUR EYES ♪

PETER LAWFORD...

♪ NATIVE HILLS ARE CALLING ♪

RICARDO MONTALBAN...

♪ TO THEM WE BELONG ♪

EVEN TOM AND JERRY...

♪ AND WE'LL CHEER EACH OTHER ♪

JIMMY DURANTE...

♪ WITH THE PAGAN ♪

AND RED SKELTON.

♪ LOVE SONG ♪♪

AS HER FAME GREW,

SO DID THE SIZE AND POPULATION

OF HER SWIMMING POOLS.

ESTHER NO LONGER COULD

SIMPLY CLIMB UP A DIVING BOARD

AND JUMP IN.

NOW SHE HAD TO BE

PRESENTED LIKE VENUS...

RISING FROM THE SEA.

IN THE RANKS

OF GREAT MUSICAL STARS,

THERE HAVE BEEN SINGERS,

DANCERS, MUSICIANS,

EVEN ICE-SKATERS.

BUT MGM SAW TO IT THAT THERE WAS

ONLY ONE ESTHER WILLIAMS.

[CHUCKLES]

EAT YOUR HEART OUT,

MARK SPITZ.

- YOU KNOW, - PEOPLE SAY THAT PERFORMERS

- ARE OVERLY AFFECTIONATE - WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THAT MAY BE TRUE,

- BUT I DON'T - HAVE TO APOLOGIZE

- FOR THE WAY I FEEL - ABOUT A YOUNG LADY

- THAT I WORKED WITH - HERE AT MGM.

I LOVE HER.

AND SHE'S AS BIG A HIT

RIGHT NOW ON BROADWAY

AS SHE WAS IN HOLLYWOOD.

SHE NEVER STOPS.

MISS DEBBIE REYNOLDS.

I MADE MY FIRST MOVIE FOR MGM

BACK IN 195... AHEM!

REMEMBER THREE LITTLE WORDS?

FELLAS, CAN WE BORROW

YOUR PIANO JUST A MINUTE?

LISTEN.

[DEBBIE REYNOLDS]

OF COURSE, THE REAL STARS

- WERE FRED ASTAIRE - AND RED SKELTON,

BUT SEE THAT FUNNY-LOOKING KID

COMING DOWN THE STEPS?

- WELL, LOOK OUT, HOLLYWOOD. - HERE I COME.

♪ I WANNA BE

LOVED BY YOU ♪

♪ ALONE ♪

- ♪ BOOP BOOP - BE DOO ♪♪

♪ MMM, I WANNA BE

LOVED BY YOU ♪

♪ JUST YOU ♪

♪ AND NOBODY ELSE

BUT YOU ♪

♪ OH, I WANNA BE

LOVED BY YOU ♪

♪ ALONE ♪

CARLETON CARPENTER AND I

ONLY DID THIS ONE NUMBER

IN THE PICTURE,

- BUT IT CERTAINLY HELPED - OUR CAREERS,

- EVEN THOUGH THE VOICE - WASN'T MINE.

MGM BROUGHT IN THE SONG'S

ORIGINATOR, HELEN KING,

TO SING THE VOCAL.

♪ TO MAKE YOU

MY OWN ♪

♪ BA BA BEE DA

BOOP BOOP BA DOOP ♪

♪ MMM, I WANNA BE

LOVED BY YOU ♪

♪ JUST YOU ♪

♪ AND NOBODY ELSE

BUT YOU ♪

♪ I WANNA BE

LOVED BY YOU ♪

- ♪ BA DUP BE DUP - BE DUP BE DUP ♪

♪ BOOP BOOP BA DOO ♪♪

WHEN I FIRST REPORTED

TO THE STUDIO,

MGM WAS CELEBRATING

ITS 25th ANNIVERSARY.

THEY HAD CONVERTED THE BIGGEST

SOUND STAGE ON THE LOT

INTO A RESTAURANT.

THEY ONLY SERVED ONE MEAL,

- BUT IT WAS A LUNCH - OLD-TIMERS STILL TALK ABOUT.

THE STUDIO USED TO BOAST

THAT IT HAD "MORE STARS

THAN THERE ARE IN THE HEAVENS,"

AND THAT DAY,

THEY WEREN'T KIDDING.

- THE FIRST TIME I MET "THE KING," - CLARK GABLE,

HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND SAID,

"HELLO, BEAUTIFUL."

AND I NEARLY FAINTED.

THIS PLACE WAS

THE LAND OF GIANTS,

AND I WAS A SMALL FRY,

- BUT LIKE ANY OTHER - YOUNG HOPEFUL,

I WAS DETERMINED THAT SOMEHOW

AND SOMEDAY I'D MEASURE UP.

IN THE EARLY 1950s,

MGM WAS ENTERING A NEW ERA

OF MOTION PICTURES,

WITH MORE STAR POWER

THAN VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER

STUDIO IN HOLLYWOOD COMBINED.

♪ GOTTA HEAR THAT BEAT ♪

- ♪ I GOTTA HEAR - THOSE DRUMS ♪

♪ AND EVEN WHEN

IT COMES TO ROMANCE ♪

♪ WHEN I FEEL

THAT I MIGHT FALL ♪

♪ I ALWAYS STALL

AND PLAY IT SMART ♪

♪ TILL I HEAR THAT BEAT ♪

♪ I GOTTA HEAR THAT BEAT ♪

♪ THAT CERTAIN BEAT

IN MY HEART ♪♪

- [REYNOLDS] - ANN MILLER...

THE BEST TAP-DANCING LADY

ON THE LOT.

ANNIE'S TALENTS

- AND BUSBY BERKELEY'S - IMAGINATIVE DIRECTION

WERE A PERFECT COMBINATION

IN SMALL TOWN GIRL.

[APPLAUSE]

♪ BE MY... ♪

♪ LOVE ♪

♪ FOR NO ONE ELSE

CAN END... ♪

- A TRUCK DRIVER - FROM PHILADELPHIA

- BECAME THE MOST - SENSATIONAL NEW VOICE

IN MOTION PICTURES...

MARIO LANZA.

HE MADE ONLY A FEW FILMS.

THE TOAST OF NEW ORLEANS

WITH KATHRYN GRAYSON

WAS ONE OF HIS BEST.

♪ COME FILL MY ARMS ♪

♪ THE WAY YOU FILL

MY DREAMS ♪

♪ THE DREAMS

THAT YOU INSPIRE ♪

♪ WITH EVERY SWEET DESIRE ♪

♪ BE MY LOVE ♪

♪ AH AHHH ♪

♪ AND WITH YOUR KISSES,

SET ME BURNING ♪

♪ ONE KISS IS ALL I NEED

TO SEAL MY FATE ♪

♪ AND HAND

IN HAND ♪

♪ WE'LL FIND LOVE'S

PROMISED LAND ♪

♪ THERE'LL BE NO ONE

BUT YOU FOR ME ♪

♪ ETERNALLY ♪

♪ IF YOU WILL BE ♪

♪ MY LOVE ♪♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH,

MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ DON'T YOU KNOW ♪

- ♪ EVERY ONE - WANTS TO LAUGH? ♪

DONALD O'CONNOR

IN SINGIN' IN THE RAIN...

IN MY OPINION,

- THE FUNNIEST MUSICAL NUMBER - EVER DONE.

♪ THEY'LL BE

STANDIN' IN LINES ♪

♪ FOR THOSE OLD

HONKY-TONK MONKEYSHINES ♪

- ♪ NOW, YOU COULD - STUDY SHAKESPEARE ♪

♪ AND BE QUITE ELITE ♪

- ♪ AND YOU COULD - CHARM THE CRITICS ♪

♪ AND HAVE NOTHIN' TO EAT ♪

- ♪ JUST SLIP ON A BANANA PEEL, - THE WORLD'S AT YOUR FEET ♪

- ♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH, - MAKE 'EM LAUGH, MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ MAKE... ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ DON'T YOU KNOW

EVERY ONE WANTS TO LAUGH? ♪

♪ MY GRANDPA SAID,

"GO OUT AND TELL 'EM A JOKE" ♪

♪ "BUT GIVE IT

PLENTY OF HOKE" ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM ROAR,

MAKE 'EM SCREAM ♪

♪ TAKE A FALL, BUTT A WALL,

SPLIT A SEAM ♪

♪ YOU START OFF BY PRETENDING

YOU'RE A DANCER WITH GRACE ♪

♪ YOU WIGGLE TILL THEY'RE

GIGGLIN' ALL OVER THE PLACE ♪

- ♪ AND THEN YOU GET A GREAT BIG - CUSTARD PIE IN THE FACE ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH,

MAKE 'EM LAUGH, MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ DON'T YOU... ALL THE...

WANT... ♪

♪ MY DAD... ♪

[CRACK]

[CRACK]

[CRACK]

[CRACK]

[CRACK]

♪ THEY'LL BE STANDING

IN LINES ♪

♪ FOR THOSE OLD

HONKY-TONK MONKEYSHINES ♪

HA HA!

HA HA!

HEY.

HO!

HERE WE GO.

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH,

MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ DON'T YOU KNOW

EVERY ONE... ♪

- ♪ AH HA HA HA - AH HA HA HA ♪

♪ HA HA HA HA ♪

♪ AH HA HA HA

AH HA HA HA ♪

♪ HA HA HA HA ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

HA HA!

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

HA HA!

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

HA HA HA HA HA!

AAH!

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH,

MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪

♪ MAKE 'EM LAUGH ♪♪

♪ COTTON BLOSSOM ♪

♪ COTTON BLOSSOM ♪

HEY, THE SHOW BOAT'S COMING!

COME ON, MULE.

GIT!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

- [REYNOLDS] - SHOW BOAT...

- ONE OF THE BEST MUSICAL FILMS - MGM EVER MADE.

- IT STARRED KATHRYN GRAYSON, - HOWARD KEEL,

MARGE AND GOWER CHAMPION,

JOE E. BROWN, WILLIAM WARFIELD,

AND AVA GARDNER.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

YAY!

♪ SEE! THE SHOW BOAT ♪

- ♪ IT'S OLD CAPTAIN ANDY'S - COTTON BLOSSOM ♪

♪ WILL YOU GO? ♪

♪ ARE YOU COMIN' TO THE SHOW? ♪

♪ 'TWILL BE ♪

- ♪ DELIGHTFUL, - AND QUITE RIGHTFULLY WE SAY ♪

♪ THERE'S NOT A BETTER SHOW ♪

♪ FROM NEW ORLEANS

TO ST. JO ♪

♪ CAPTAIN ANDY

HAS GATHERED A TROUPE ♪

♪ IN THE GRANDEST OF DRAMAS

AND JOLLY COMEDIES ♪

♪ STEPHEN BAKER,

THE HANDSOMEST LEADING MAN ♪

♪ AND BEAUTIFUL

JULIE LaVERNE AS WELL ♪

♪ COTTON BLOSSOM,

COTTON BLOSSOM ♪

♪ CAPTAIN ANDY'S

FLOATING SHOW ♪

♪ THRILLS AND LAUGHTER,

CONCERT AFTER ♪

♪ EVERYBODY'S SURE TO GO ♪

♪ LEAVE THE LUMBER

IN THE SAWMILLS ♪

♪ LEAVE THE COTTON

ON THE STALKS ♪♪

♪ MAKE BELIEVE ♪

♪ OUR LIPS

ARE BLENDING ♪

♪ IN A PHANTOM KISS ♪

♪ OR TWO OR THREE ♪

♪ MIGHT AS WELL MAKE BELIEVE

I LOVE YOU ♪

♪ FOR ♪

♪ TO TELL THE TRUTH ♪

♪ I DO ♪♪

♪ OL' MAN RIVER ♪

♪ THAT OL' MAN RIVER ♪

♪ HE MUST KNOW SOMETHIN' ♪

♪ BUT DON'T SAY NOTHIN' ♪

♪ HE JUST KEEPS ROLLIN' ♪

♪ HE KEEPS ON ROLLIN' ALONG ♪

♪ YOU AND ME,

WE SWEAT AND STRAIN ♪

♪ BODY ALL ACHIN'

AND RACKED WITH PAIN ♪

♪ TOTE THAT BARGE

AND LIFT THAT BALE ♪

♪ YOU GET A LITTLE DRUNK ♪

♪ AND YOU LAND IN JAIL ♪

♪ I GETS WEARY ♪

♪ AND SICK OF TRYIN' ♪

♪ I'M TIRED OF LIVIN' ♪

♪ AND SCARED OF DYIN' ♪

♪ BUT OL' MAN RIVER ♪

♪ HE JUST KEEPS ROLLIN'♪

♪ ALONG ♪

♪ AHH ♪

♪ AHH ♪♪

♪ I GO MY WAY

BY MYSELF ♪

♪ LIKE A BIRD

ON THE WING... ♪

- [REYNOLDS] - I REMEMBER SOMETHING ELSE

I LEARNED AT THE STUDIO

DURING MY STAY THERE...

MGM's MOTTO...

DO IT BIG, DO IT RIGHT,

AND GIVE IT CLASS.

- I'D LIKE YOU - TO MEET SOMEONE

- WHO CERTAINLY MEASURES UP - TO THAT PHRASE.

HE'S THE CLASSIEST GENTLEMAN

I'VE EVER WORKED WITH...

MR. FRED ASTAIRE.

♪ I'M BY MYSELF ♪

♪ ALONE ♪♪

[HUMMING BY MYSELF]

I HAVE A GREAT MANY

FOND MEMORIES ABOUT THIS PLACE,

SO MANY HAPPY MOMENTS HERE

WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT

WE WERE GETTING THE JOB DONE.

WHAT FUN.

WE SHOT SOME

OF THE BAND WAGON HERE.

JUST BEING HERE AGAIN

BRINGS TO MIND

SOME OF THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE

I'VE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS,

AND ONE OF THEM

IN PARTICULAR

IS MY LONGTIME FRIEND...

GENE KELLY.

[MAKE 'EM LAUGH

[PLAYING]

IN THE PIRATE,

WITH THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS,

GENE DISPLAYED

- THE ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE - KIND OF ACROBATIC DANCING

THAT QUICKLY BECAME A POPULAR

PART OF HIS REPERTOIRE.

FROM THE START, GENE WAS

CONSTANTLY EXPERIMENTING,

FROM CLASSICAL BALLET

TO A BURLESQUE BUCK AND WING.

- HE WAS DETERMINED - TO BROADEN THE HORIZONS

OF THE FILM MUSICAL.

IN DOING SO, HE BECAME

ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE

AND ORIGINAL PERFORMERS

THE MOVIES HAVE EVER KNOWN.

[APPLAUSE]

KELLY WAS FOREVER

BREAKING RULES.

THOUGH THE STUDIO

OFTEN TRIED TO STOP HIM,

GENE INSISTED ON DOING

HIS OWN STUNTS.

HIS BOSSES ALWAYS SEEMED TO

FIND OUT ABOUT IT

AFTER THE SCENE

HAD BEEN SHOT.

YAY!

BUT AUDIENCES LOVED

THE SIGHT OF GENE HIMSELF

FLYING THROUGH THE AIR

IN FILM AFTER FILM.

YAY!

HO HO HO!

HAAH!

HOO!

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK,

A WONDERFUL TOWN ♪

♪ THE BRONX IS UP,

AND THE BATTERY'S DOWN ♪

- ♪ THE PEOPLE RIDE - IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND ♪

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK,

IT'S A WONDERFUL TOWN! ♪

- [FRED ASTAIRE] - IN ON THE TOWN

- WITH FRANK SINATRA - AND JULES MUNSHIN,

MANHATTAN BECAME THE BACKDROP

FOR THIS UNFORGETTABLE ROMP.

- A TRIBUTE - TO GENE'S PERSISTENCE,

IT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR MUSICAL

TO BE FILMED ON LOCATION.

♪ THE FAMOUS PLACES

TO VISIT ARE SO MANY ♪

- ♪ OR SO - THE GUIDEBOOKS SAY ♪

♪ I TOLD MY GRANDPA

I WOULDN'T MISS ON ANY ♪

- ♪ AND WE GOT - JUST ONE DAY ♪

- ♪ GOT TO SEE - THE WHOLE TOWN ♪

- ♪ RIGHT FROM YONKERS - ON DOWN TO THE BAY ♪

♪ IN JUST ONE DAY ♪

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK,

A WONDERFUL TOWN ♪

- ♪ THE BRONX IS UP, - AND THE BATTERY'S DOWN ♪

- ♪ THE PEOPLE RIDE - IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND ♪

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK,

IT'S A WONDERFUL TOWN ♪

♪ MANHATTAN WOMEN ♪

- ♪ ARE ALL IN SILK - AND SATIN ♪

- ♪ OR SO - THE FELLAS SAY ♪

- ♪ THERE'S JUST - ONE THING NECESSARY ♪

♪ IN MANHATTAN ♪

- ♪ WHEN YOU GOT - JUST ONE DAY ♪

- ♪ GOT TO PICK UP - A DATE ♪

- ♪ MAYBE SEVEN OR EIGHT - ON YOUR WAY ♪

♪ IN JUST ONE DAY ♪

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK,

A WONDERFUL TOWN ♪

- ♪ THE BRONX IS UP, - AND THE BATTERY'S DOWN ♪

♪ THE PEOPLE RIDE

IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND ♪

♪ NEW YORK, NEW YORK ♪

♪ IT'S A WONDERFUL TOWN ♪♪

- [ASTAIRE] - I'VE HAD A LOT OF PARTNERS

IN MY DAY,

BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE A GROWN MAN

DANCING WITH A MOUSE?

- WELL, GENE DID JUST THAT - IN ANCHORS AWEIGH.

HIS DANCING PARTNER

WAS JERRY THE MOUSE

OF TOM AND JERRY FAME.

THE CRITICS SAID IT WAS

- THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE - OF LIVE AND ANIMATION TECHNIQUE

EVER PUT ON FILM,

AND I CERTAINLY AGREE.

LOOK AT ME!

I'M DANCING!

[HUMMING]

- [ASTAIRE] - MORE THAN ANY OTHER STAR,

I THINK,

GENE KELLY BECAME THE SYMBOL

OF THE MGM MUSICAL

OF THE 1950s.

AND HERE'S A CLASSIC ROUTINE

AUDIENCES WOULD NEVER FORGET.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE NUMBER

- FROM ONE - OF HIS VERY BEST MUSICALS,

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.

♪ I'M SINGIN'

IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ JUST SINGIN' IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ WHAT A GLORIOUS FEELING ♪

♪ I'M HAPPY AGAIN ♪

♪ I'M LAUGHING

AT CLOUDS ♪

♪ SO DARK UP ABOVE ♪

♪ THE SUN'S

IN MY HEART ♪

♪ AND I'M READY FOR LOVE ♪

♪ LET THE STORMY CLOUDS CHASE ♪

♪ EVERYONE FROM THE PLACE ♪

♪ COME ON WITH THE RAIN ♪

♪ I'VE A SMILE ON MY FACE ♪

♪ I'LL WALK

DOWN THE LANE ♪

♪ WITH A HAPPY REFRAIN ♪

♪ JUST SINGIN' ♪

♪ SINGIN' ♪

♪ IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ DANCIN' IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ DA DA DE DA DE DA ♪

♪ I'M HAPPY AGAIN ♪

♪ I'M SINGIN' ♪

♪ AND DANCIN' IN THE RAIN ♪

♪ I'M DANCIN' ♪

♪ AND SINGIN' ♪

♪ IN THE RAIN ♪♪

- THE FINALE - TO THE BROADWAY BALLET

FROM SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

SEEMS TO ME TO EXEMPLIFY

THE GENIUS OF GENE KELLY...

ACTOR, SINGER, DANCER,

CHOREOGRAPHER, AND DIRECTOR.

♪ GOTTA DANCE ♪

♪ GOTTA DANCE ♪

♪ GOTTA DANCE ♪

♪ GOTTA DANCE ♪

♪ GOTTA DANCE ♪

♪ THAT'S THE BROADWAY ♪

♪ MELODY ♪♪

WELL, YOU'VE SEEN GENE KELLY'S

WORK ON THE SCREEN, SO...

I THINK I'VE SAID IT ALL.

HE'S ONE OF THOSE RARE TALENTS

WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS

WHAT THE MOVIE MUSICAL

IS ALL ABOUT.

NOW I'D LIKE YOU

TO MEET SOMEONE

- THAT RECENTLY - JOINED THE GANG.

- IF HOLLYWOOD BREEDING - COULD BE COMPARED TO ROYALTY,

THEN SHE WOULD CERTAINLY

BE OUR CROWN PRINCESS.

I REMEMBER SO WELL WHEN SHE,

AS A TINY LITTLE GIRL,

USED TO SIT ON THE SET

- WATCHING HER FATHER, - VINCENTE MINNELLI,

DIRECTING ME

IN SEVERAL PICTURES.

HER MOTHER?

THE FABULOUS JUDY GARLAND.

YET THIS YOUNG LADY

HAS MADE IT ALL ON HER OWN.

YES, SHE HAS.

MISS LIZA MINNELLI.

THE FIRST STUDIO

I'D EVER BEEN INSIDE WAS MGM.

I CAN'T REALLY SAY

THAT I GREW UP HERE,

BUT FOR OVER 10 YEARS,

I'D RACE LIKE CRAZY

AFTER SCHOOL TO GET HERE

AND VISIT WHATEVER SET

MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE ON.

UM... YOU MAY NOT

KNOW THIS, BUT, UH...

I MADE MY FILM DEBUT AT MGM.

♪ HER HAND

AND SHE HOLDS YOURS... ♪

IN THE VERY LAST SHOT

FOR THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME,

- THEY NEEDED - A LITTLE GIRL

TO PLAY THE DAUGHTER

OF VAN JOHNSON AND MAMMA.

GUESS WHO GOT THE PART.

- OH! - THERE SHE IS, FOLKS.

WHAT PERSONALITY!

THERE'S NO WONDER

I DIDN'T GET ANY BILLING.

IT'S NO WONDER THIS PLACE

WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME.

MY FATHER DIRECTED

DOZENS OF FILMS HERE,

AND MAMMA... THIS WAS

HER HOME FOR OVER 15 YEARS

AND 30 FILMS.

IT BEGAN IN 1935.

♪ LA CUCARACHA,

LA CUCARACHA ♪

♪ YA NO PUEDE CAMINAR ♪

♪ PORQUE NO TIENE,

PORQUE LE FALTA ♪

♪ MARIJUANA QUE FUMAR ♪

IN AN MGM MUSICAL SHORT,

- A VAUDEVILLE TEAM - CALLED THE GUMM SISTERS

- MADE THEIR FIRST - APPEARANCE ON FILM.

12-YEAR-OLD FRANCES

WAS THE STANDOUT.

TALENT SCOUTS FROM MGM

DECIDED TO GIVE HER A CHANCE.

FIRST, THEY CHANGED HER NAME

FROM FRANCES GUMM

TO JUDY GARLAND.

♪ QUE FUMAR ♪♪

THE STUDIO PUT MAMMA

IN ANOTHER SHORT SUBJECT.

- THIS TIME, - THEY PAIRED HER OFF

WITH A YOUNG OPERATIC SINGER

NAMED DEANNA DURBIN.

THESE MUSICAL SHORTS

WERE LIKE A SCREEN TEST.

IN THOSE DAYS,

- IF YOU CAME ACROSS - IN A TWO-REELER,

YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE

IN A REAL MUSICAL.

♪ SWING ♪

♪ NORTH, SOUTH,

EAST, WEST ♪

♪ JUST SWING ♪

♪ YOU'LL FIND

THAT SWING IS BEST ♪

♪ SWING ♪

♪ MAKE IT A NATIONAL THING ♪

♪ DOO DAT DOO DAT DOO DAT ♪

♪ OHH OHH OHH OHH

OHH OHH ♪

♪ HA HA HA HA ♪

♪ HA HA HA HA ♪

♪ YOU'LL FIND ♪

♪ AH AH AH ♪

♪ THERE IS A CHANCE

FOR ROMANCE ♪

♪ AH AH AH ♪

♪ HERE ON THE DANCE FLOOR ♪

♪ SO DANCE, DANCE,

DANCE, DANCE ♪

♪ AMERICANA ♪♪

- ALTHOUGH MGM WOULD DROP - DEANNA DURBIN,

SOME EXECUTIVES

AT THE STUDIO PLEADED

TO KEEP MY MOTHER

UNDER CONTRACT,

AND THEY FINALLY WON.

[APPLAUSE]

WELL, THEY KEPT HER AT MGM...

JUST BARELY.

SHE SPENT THE NEXT FEW YEARS

IN LOW-BUDGET MUSICALS.

ONCE IN A WHILE, SHE'D APPEAR

AS A SORT OF NOVELTY ACT

IN A BIG EXTRAVAGANZA

- LIKE THE BROADWAY MELODY - OF 1938

WITH BUDDY EBSEN.

MAMMA ONCE TOLD ME

- MGM SEEMED OBSESSED - WITH SHIRLEY TEMPLE.

- THEY EVEN OFFERED - 20th CENTURY-FOX

JEAN HARLOW AND CLARK GABLE

JUST TO GET TEMPLE

FOR A CERTAIN PICTURE

METRO WAS PREPARING.

BUT THE DEAL FELL THROUGH,

SO MGM FINALLY

WENT AHEAD WITH THE PICTURE

AND LET MAMMA PLAY

THE ROLE OF DOROTHY

IN THE WIZARD OF OZ.

♪ YOU'RE OFF

TO SEE THE WIZARD ♪

♪ THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ ♪

- ♪ YOU'LL FIND HE IS - A WHIZ OF A WIZ ♪

- ♪ IF EVER A WIZ - THERE WAS ♪

- ♪ IF EVER, OH, EVER - A WIZ THERE WAS ♪

- ♪ THE WIZARD OF OZ - IS ONE BECAUSE ♪

♪ BECAUSE, BECAUSE,

BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE ♪

- ♪ BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL - THINGS HE DOES ♪♪

♪ I'M AFRAID

THERE'S NO DENYIN' ♪

♪ I'M JUST

A DANDELION ♪

- ♪ A FATE - I DON'T DESERVE ♪

♪ I'D BE BRAVE

AS A BLIZZARD ♪

- ♪ I'D BE GENTLE - AS A LIZARD ♪

♪ I'D BE CLEVER

AS A GIZZARD ♪

- ♪ IF THE WIZARD - IS A WIZARD ♪

♪ WHO WILL SERVE ♪

♪ THEN I'M SURE

TO GET A BRAIN ♪

♪ A HEART ♪

♪ A HOME ♪

♪ THE NERVE ♪

♪ OHHH ♪♪

- [MINNELLI] - THE WIZARD OF OZ

- FINALLY DID IT - FOR MAMMA.

WITH RAY BOLGER,

JACK HALEY, AND BERT LAHR,

SHE REALLY STARTED OFF

ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS.

WHATEVER ROCKS OR BUMPS

THERE WERE IN THAT ROAD,

SHE NEVER LET IT SHOW

IN HER FILMS.

FOR MAMMA,

IT WAS STRAIGHT UP

ALL THE WAY.

♪ SOMEWHERE ♪

♪ OVER THE RAINBOW ♪

♪ WAY UP HIGH ♪

♪ THERE'S A LAND

THAT I HEARD OF ♪

♪ ONCE IN A LULLABY ♪

♪ SOMEWHERE ♪

♪ OVER THE RAINBOW ♪

♪ SKIES ARE BLUE ♪

♪ AND THE DREAMS

THAT YOU DARE TO DREAM ♪

♪ REALLY DO COME TRUE ♪

♪ SOMEDAY I'LL WISH

UPON A STAR ♪

♪ AND WAKE UP WHERE THE CLOUDS

ARE FAR BEHIND ME ♪

♪ WHERE TROUBLES MELT

LIKE LEMON DROPS ♪

♪ AWAY ABOVE

THE CHIMNEY TOPS ♪

♪ THAT'S WHERE

YOU'LL FIND ME ♪♪

♪ THEY'RE WRITING

SONGS OF LOVE ♪

♪ BUT NOT FOR ME ♪

♪ A LUCKY STAR'S ABOVE ♪

♪ BUT NOT FOR ME ♪

♪ WITH LOVE TO LEAD THE WAY ♪

♪ I'VE FOUND

MORE SKIES OF GRAY ♪

♪ THAN ANY RUSSIAN PLAY ♪

♪ COULD GUARANTEE ♪♪

♪ "CLANG, CLANG, CLANG,"

WENT THE TROLLEY ♪

♪ "DING, DING, DING,"

WENT THE BELL ♪

♪ "ZING, ZING, ZING,"

WENT MY HEARTSTRINGS ♪

♪ FROM THE MOMENT

I SAW HIM, I FELL ♪

♪ "CHUG, CHUG, CHUG,"

WENT THE MOTOR ♪

♪ "BUMP, BUMP, BUMP,"

WENT THE BRAKE ♪

♪ "THUMP, THUMP, THUMP,"

WENT MY HEARTSTRINGS ♪

♪ WHEN HE SMILED,

I COULD FEEL THE CAR SHAKE ♪

♪ CLANG, CLANG, CLANG ♪

♪ HE TIPPED HIS HAT

AND TOOK A SEAT ♪

♪ HE SAID HE HOPED HE HADN'T

STEPPED UPON MY FEET ♪

♪ HE ASKED MY NAME ♪

♪ I HELD MY BREATH ♪

♪ I COULDN'T SPEAK BECAUSE

HE SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH ♪

HIYA!

♪ "CHUG, CHUG, CHUG,"

WENT THE MOTOR ♪

♪ "PLOP, PLOP, PLOP,"

WENT THE WHEELS ♪

♪ "STOP, STOP, STOP,"

WENT MY HEARTSTRINGS ♪

♪ AS HE STARTED TO GO ♪

♪ THEN I STARTED TO KNOW

HOW IT FEELS ♪

♪ WHEN THE UNIVERSE REELS ♪♪

♪ IF YOU LIKE-A ME

LIKE I LIKE-A YOU ♪

♪ AND WE LIKE-A

BOTH THE SAME ♪

♪ I LIKE-A SAY ♪

♪ THIS VERY DAY ♪

♪ I LIKE-A CHANGE YOUR NAME ♪

♪ 'CAUSE I LOVE-A YOU ♪

♪ AND LOVE-A YOU TRUE ♪

♪ AND IF YOU-A LOVE-A ME ♪

♪ ONE LIVE AS TWO ♪

♪ TWO LIVE AS ONE ♪

♪ UNDER THE BAMBOO TREE ♪♪

♪ HOW CAN I IGNORE

THE BOY NEXT DOOR? ♪

♪ I LOVE HIM

MORE THAN I CAN SAY ♪

♪ DOESN'T TRY

TO PLEASE ME ♪

♪ DOESN'T EVEN TEASE ME ♪

♪ AND HE NEVER SEES ME

GLANCE HIS WAY ♪♪

- [MINNELLI] - SUMMER STOCK

- WAS MAMMA'S - FINAL FILM FOR MGM.

- HER LAST DAYS - OF SHOOTING HERE

WERE DEVOTED TO THIS NUMBER,

WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE,

INCLUDING MYSELF,

FEEL WAS ONE OF HER VERY BEST.

♪ FORGET YOUR TROUBLES,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ YOU BETTER CHASE

ALL YOUR CARES AWAY ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ GET READY

FOR THE JUDGMENT DAY ♪

♪ THE SUN IS SHINING,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ THE LORD IS WAITIN'

TO TAKE YOUR HAND ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ WE'RE GOING

TO THE PROMISED LAND ♪

♪ WE'RE HEADIN'

'CROSS THE RIVER ♪

♪ WASH YOUR SINS AWAY

IN THE TIDE ♪

♪ IT'S ALL SO PEACEFUL ♪

♪ ON THE OTHER SIDE ♪

♪ FORGET YOUR TROUBLES,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ YOU BETTER CHASE

ALL YOUR CARES AWAY ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

- ♪ GET READY - FOR THE JUDGMENT DAY ♪

♪ FORGET YOUR TROUBLES,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ CHASE YOUR CARES AWAY ♪

♪ HALLELU, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ BEFORE THE JUDGMENT DAY ♪

♪ THE SUN IS SHINING,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ THE LORD IS WAITING

TO TAKE YOUR HAND ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ WE'RE GONNA BE GOIN'

TO THE PROMISED LAND ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ YOU BETTER CHASE

ALL YOUR CARES AWAY ♪

♪ SHOUT HALLELUJAH,

COME ON, GET HAPPY ♪

♪ GET READY ♪

♪ GET READY ♪

♪ GET READY ♪

♪ FOR THE JUDGMENT ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HALLELU ♪♪

[APPLAUSE]

THANK GOD FOR FILM.

- IT CAN CAPTURE - A PERFORMANCE

- AND HOLD IT - RIGHT THERE FOREVER.

AND IF ANYONE SAYS TO YOU,

"WHO WAS HE?" OR "WHO WAS SHE?"

- OR "WHAT MADE THEM - SO GOOD?"

I THINK A PIECE OF FILM

ANSWERS THAT QUESTION

BETTER THAN ANY WORDS I KNOW OF.

MY GENERATION...

WELL, WE'RE JUST BEGINNING.

IT TAKES A LOT OF FILM

AND A LOT OF EXPERIENCE

AND A LOT OF TALENT

TO BECOME A REAL STAR.

NOW, HERE'S SOMEBODY

WHO I THINK QUALIFIES

ON ALL OF THOSE COUNTS.

OH, BOY!

MR. BING CROSBY.

YOU KNOW, ONE SOUND STAGE,

WELL, IT LOOKS

PRETTY MUCH LIKE ANOTHER.

BUT A BACK LOT, OUT HERE

WHERE THEY SHOOT THE EXTERIORS,

THAT SEEMS TO ME

THAT THE BACK LOT

- REFLECTS THE PERSONALITY, - THE CHARACTER OF ITS STUDIO.

THIS WAS THE BIGGEST

AND, I THINK, THE BEST BACK LOT

IN ALL OF HOLLYWOOD.

THE OLD BACK LOT LOOKS

A LITTLE SHABBY RIGHT NOW...

SORT OF SCRUFFY.

KIND OF AN ILLUSION

ON AN ILLUSION.

- THAT'S BECAUSE - MOST HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKERS,

- THEY DON'T USE - BACK LOTS ANYMORE.

THEY PREFER THE REAL THING.

♪ HOLLYWOOD! ♪

♪ HOLLYWOOD! ♪

I REMEMBER WHEN I DID

- MY FIRST MUSICAL - AT THIS STUDIO,

- THEY DESIGNED - A BIG PRODUCTION NUMBER.

IT WAS TO TAKE PLACE

- IN A VAST MANHATTAN - RAILROAD TERMINAL.

WE DIDN'T BOTHER

TO GO TO NEW YORK CITY.

MGM SIMPLY RE-CREATED

GRAND CENTRAL STATION,

ADDED A COUPLE

OF THOUSAND EXTRAS,

- AND WE FILMED THE WHOLE - NUMBER RIGHT HERE.

♪ ONCE AGAIN ♪

♪ GOOD-BYE, PAL ♪

♪ OUT WHERE THEY SAY,

"LET US BE GAY" ♪

♪ I'M GOING HOLLYWOOD ♪

♪ I'LL BALLYHOO

GREETINGS TO YOU ♪

♪ I'M GOING HOLLYWOOD ♪

♪ HEY, WHILE YOU SLEEPYHEADS

ARE IN THAT HAY ♪

♪ I'LL BE DANCING ♪

- ♪ I'M GONNA BE DANCIN' - WITH A SUN-KISSED BABY ♪

♪ AND I'M ON MY WAY ♪

♪ HERE'S MY BERET ♪

♪ I'M GOING HOLLYWOOD ♪♪

WELL...

WELL, IT WAS VIGOROUS...

SPIRITED, ANYHOW.

I WAS WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL

A CASUAL PARTICIPANT

IN MGM MUSICALS

BECAUSE OVER 20 YEARS WENT BY

BETWEEN THE LITTLE EFFORT

WHICH YOU'VE JUST SEEN

AND MY NEXT ATTEMPT,

AND I FOUND FANTASTIC

CHANGES HAD OCCURRED.

- THEY HAD COLOR, - OH, STEREOPHONIC SOUND,

EVEN WIDE SCREENS.

AND MGM, IN A LOOSE MOMENT,

HAD DECIDED TO GIVE ME

ANOTHER CHANCE

IN A LITTLE PASTICHE

TO BE CALLED HIGH SOCIETY.

THIS STARRED GRACE KELLY,

LOUIS ARMSTRONG,

AND CELESTE HOLM,

- AND WAS DIRECTED - BY CHUCK WALTERS.

- OH, THERE WAS ANOTHER - FEATURED PERFORMER IN THERE.

WHAT WAS HIS NAME?

A BRASH, YOUNG NEWCOMER...

- FRANK, UH... - HE WAS CLEVER KID.

- HE HAD A LOT TO OFFER. - FRANK, UH...

- OH, WELL, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE - HIM WHEN YOU SEE THE FOOTAGE.

♪ HAVE YOU HEARD ♪

- ♪ ABOUT - DEAR BLANCHE? ♪

♪ GOT RUN DOWN

BY AN AVALANCHE ♪

NO!

- DON'T WORRY. - SHE'S A GAME GIRL.

- GOT UP - AND FINISHED FOURTH.

- THIS KID'S - GOT GUTS.

HAVING A NICE TIME?

GRAB A LINE.

♪ HAVE YOU HEARD

THAT MIMMSIE STARR ♪

OH, WHAT NOW?

♪ SHE GOT PINCHED

IN THE ASTOR BAR ♪

SAUCED AGAIN, EH?

SHE WAS STONED.

WELL, DID YOU EVER?

♪ WHAT A SWELL PARTY

THIS IS ♪

- I'M GOING TO - HAVE A DRINK.

I MAY HAVE A BIT OF

THE BUBBLY MYSELF.

I'M GOING TO DANCE.

DON'T GET HURT.

OH, NO.

♪ IT'S GREAT ♪

♪ OH, IT'S GREAT ♪

♪ IT'S GRAND ♪

♪ SO GRAND ♪

♪ IT'S WON-HA-HA-HA-

HA-HA-HA-DERLAND ♪

♪ LA LA ♪

♪ LA LA ♪

♪ YA DA BUM BUM BUM ♪

♪ LA LA ♪

♪ LA LA ♪

- ♪ LA LA LA LA LA LA - YA DA DUM ♪

♪ WE SING ♪

♪ WE SING ♪

♪ SO RARE ♪

♪ TOO RARE ♪

♪ LIKE OLD CAMEMBERT ♪

♪ LIKE BABA AU RHUM ♪

♪ BA BA BA BA BUM ♪

♪ DON'T DIG THAT KIND

OF CROONING, CHUM ♪

YOU MUST BE ONE

OF THE NEWER FELLAS.

♪ HAVE YOU HEARD?

IT'S IN THE STARS ♪

♪ NEXT JULY,

WE COLLIDE WITH MARS ♪

♪ WELL, DID YOU EVER? ♪

♪ WHAT A SWELL PARTY ♪

♪ SWELL PARTY ♪

♪ SWELLEGANT,

ELEGANT PARTY ♪

♪ THIS IS ♪♪

♪ WHILE I GIVE TO YOU ♪

♪ AND YOU GIVE TO ME ♪

♪ TRUE LOVE ♪

♪ TRUE LOVE ♪

♪ SO ON AND ON ♪

♪ IT WILL ALWAYS BE ♪

♪ TRUE LOVE ♪

♪ TRUE LOVE ♪

♪ FOR YOU AND I ♪

♪ HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL

ON HIGH ♪

♪ WITH NOTHING TO DO ♪

♪ BUT TO GIVE TO YOU ♪

♪ AND TO GIVE TO ME ♪

♪ LOVE FOREVER TRUE ♪

♪ LOVE FOREVER ♪

♪ TRUE ♪

♪ I'M RECALLIN'

TIMES WHEN I WAS SMALL ♪

♪ IN LIGHT AND FREE

JUBILEE DAYS ♪

- [BING CROSBY] - GET THIS CAST...

RUSS TAMBLYN, VIC DAMONE,

TONY MARTIN, KAY ARMEN,

DEBBIE REYNOLDS,

JANE POWELL, ANN MILLER,

AND THE PACIFIC FLEET

IN HIT THE DECK.

♪ SING HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ AND YOU'LL SHOO

THE BLUES AWAY ♪

♪ HALLELU ♪

♪ WHEN CARES PURSUE YA ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ GETS YOU THROUGH

THE DARKEST DAY ♪

♪ SATAN LIES AWAITIN' ♪

♪ AND CREATIN'

SKIES OF GRAY ♪

♪ SKIES OF GRAY ♪

♪ BUT HALLELUJAH,

HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HELPS TO SHOO

THE CLOUDS AWAY ♪

♪ SATAN LIES AWAITIN' ♪

♪ AND CREATIN'

SKIES OF GRAY ♪

♪ HALLELU ♪

♪ BUT HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ SING HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪

♪ HELPS TO SHOO

THE CLOUDS AWAY ♪

♪ SING HALLELU-WHOO-WHOO-

WHOO-WHOO-WHOO-JAH ♪♪

- [CROSBY] - THE NEXT TIME ANYONE SAYS

- THAT DANCING - IS FOR SISSIES,

- REMIND THEM OF SEVEN BRIDES - FOR SEVEN BROTHERS.

PRODUCED BY JACK CUMMINGS,

DIRECTED BY STANLEY DONEN,

- AND CHOREOGRAPHED - BY MICHAEL KIDD,

IT'S PERHAPS THE MOST VIVID

AND EXUBERANT BALLET

EVER PUT ON FILM.

GO ON, CARL!

HEY, ATTABOY,

CARL!

[CHEERING]

♪ GIGI ♪

♪ AM I A FOOL

WITHOUT A MIND ♪

♪ OR HAVE I MERELY BEEN

TOO BLIND TO REALIZE? ♪

♪ OH, GIGI ♪

♪ WHY, YOU'VE BEEN GROWING UP

BEFORE MY EYES ♪

♪ GIGI ♪

♪ YOU'RE NOT AT ALL THAT FUNNY,

AWKWARD LITTLE GIRL ♪

♪ I KNEW ♪

♪ OH, NO ♪

♪ OVERNIGHT, THERE'S BEEN

A BREATHLESS CHANGE ♪

♪ IN YOU ♪♪

- [CROSBY] ONE OF THE FINEST - MUSICALS MADE...

- ALAN JAY LERNER - AND FREDERICK LOEWE'S GIGI.

IT WAS THAT RARE BLEND

OF STORY AND SONG,

AND IT STARRED LESLIE CARON,

- LOUIS JOURDAN, - HERMIONE GINGOLD,

AND THE MARVELOUS

MAURICE CHEVALIER,

ALL UNDER THE INSPIRED DIRECTION

OF VINCENTE MINNELLI.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

MAY I COME IN?

YES.

GASTON, PLEASE,

NO NEWSPAPERS,

NO SCANDAL.

MADAME, WILL YOU

DO ME THE HONOR,

THE FAVOR,

GIVE ME THE INFINITE JOY

OF BESTOWING ON ME

GIGI'S HAND IN MARRIAGE?

THANK HEAVEN.

♪ FOR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOR LITTLE GIRLS

GET BIGGER EVERY DAY ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ FOR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ THEY GROW UP

IN THE MOST DELIGHTFUL WAY ♪

- [CHORUS] - ♪ THOSE LITTLE EYES ♪

♪ SO HELPLESS

AND APPEALING ♪

♪ ONE DAY WILL FLASH ♪

♪ AND SEND YOU CRASHING

THROUGH THE CEILING ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ FOR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

- ♪ THANK HEAVEN - FOR THEM ALL ♪

♪ NO MATTER WHERE,

NO MATTER WHO ♪

♪ WITHOUT THEM,

WHAT WOULD LITTLE BOYS DO? ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ THANK HEAVEN ♪

♪ FOR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ AHH ♪♪

THROUGH THE YEARS,

MGM HAS PRODUCED

OVER 200 MUSICAL FILMS.

AND IF YOU HAD TO SELECT

ONE NUMBER FROM ONE FILM

- THAT WOULD BEST REPRESENT - THE MGM MUSICALS,

I HAVE A FEELING THE VOTE

WOULD BE UNANIMOUS,

- ESPECIALLY AMONG - THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED HERE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE SAVED

THE BEST FOR THE LAST...

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS,

- STARRING GENE KELLY - AND LESLIE CARON.

IT WON AN OSCAR

AS THE BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR

OVER 20 YEARS AGO,

- BUT THE BALLET FROM THAT FILM - IS AS TIMELESS

- AS THE DAY YOU AND I - FIRST SAW IT.

PRODUCED BY ARTHUR FREED,

- DIRECTED BY - VINCENTE MINNELLI,

- AND CHOREOGRAPHED - BY GENE KELLY,

IT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED

AS MGM's MASTERPIECE.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY

WARNER BROS.

CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL

www.ncicap.org...

CAPTIONING INSTITUTE