Musical Mondays Week 81 Summer Stock

[Cameron H. 23786]

Although similar, Summer Stock is far more flavorful and well-rounded than Summer Broth.

We watched;

[Cam Bert 8145]

So what kind of show exactly was it that Gene Kelly was trying to put on? It just seemed like random song and dance numbers with no unifying theme or anything. Some of them were farm related or themed but not all of them. Was this a kind of common show? I know it's the kind of thing the Ziegfeld Follies did but this seems almost too late for that. Maybe I'm wrong.

Also, I find it odd they set up that big shot booking guy shows up to show only to never pay it off.

[Cameron H. 23786]

2 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

So what kind of show exactly was it that Gene Kelly was trying to put on? It just seemed like random song and dance numbers with no unifying theme or anything. Some of them were farm related or themed but not all of them. Was this a kind of common show? I know it's the kind of thing the Ziegfeld Follies did but this seems almost too late for that. Maybe I'm wrong.

Also, I find it odd they set up that big shot booking guy shows up to show only to never pay it off.

I was wondering the same thing! I was wondering if had the yokel thing already in mind before the farm or if it was written afterward. I also found it extremely difficult to imagine Harrison playing a hick hobbit.

[Cam Bert 8145]

16 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

I was wondering the same thing! I was wondering if had the yokel thing already in mind before the farm or if it was written afterward. I also found it extremely difficult to imagine Harrison playing a hick hobbit.

Ha! What's with those feet? I mean naturally I too jumped to hobbit but is it suppose to be a slam on country folk. How or why?

"So guys, I'm working on this new show. She my lady friend is from a farm and she said we can put on the show in her barn. Ain't that swell? Now here's the kicker, we make it farm themed as well! Won't those folks dig it. So the big act one closer will be me and another fellow dressed as two farmers and making horrible animals noises that attracts dogs. You see the country folk aren't talented singers like us city folk. For costumes I want the shabbiest hats you can find and patched up long johns and oversized ratty pants. Yes, that'll show them. Also don't forget to blank out some teeth because those bumpkins have bad dental hygiene and will eat that up. However, the most important thing is we have GIANT FEET! Take that you bumpkins!"

[Cameron H. 23786]

I have to say, I literally gasped when comic relief guy broke the tractor. I was horrified.

[tomspanks 9039]

Gene Kelly definitely explained the plot of the barnsical at one point, right? But the song and dance numbers on the day of the show seemed kind of random, no? 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

I just want to say Judy's suit jacket look? ICONIC!!!

[Cameron H. 23786]

2 hours ago, tomspanks said:

Gene Kelly definitely explained the plot of the barnsical at one point, right? But the song and dance numbers on the day of the show seemed kind of random, no? 

Yeah, there was a moment where he explains that sometimes you a boy needs to sing “I love you” to a girl, but then they were only in, like, two skits together...

[gigi-tastic 2322]

3 hours ago, Cameron H. said:

I have to say, I literally gasped when comic relief guy broke the tractor. I was horrified.

I screamed out loud "NO!! You monster!" . I was so upset I hid my face in my hands and peeked through my fingers. I physically felt pain at that.  

[gigi-tastic 2322]

So this was Judy's last film with MGM and it ... Did not go well. She was supposed to be in Annie Get Your Gun but she got suspended from the studio and went to rehab. So this was her first picture back. Gene Kelly did the film as a favor to her. So you have Judy whose shaky both emotionally and according to the director at times physically. They had to nail down parts of the scenery so she would have supports . Apparently he had to cheat a shot when she was unable to walk up some steps. According to the costume designer  she was absolutely paranoid about her weight and her view that she was not working at her best and the more she tried to keep it all together worse she got. 

There were times when she literally did not show up on set. She was supposed to be in the Heavenly Music number but just... Never showed. 

Yet even with all of this the movie wasn't over budget and was on time. With the exception being  Get Happy which was shot several months after the movie wrapped. Judy had been to a hypnotist for weight loss and that's why she looks so different there. The cast and crew loved Judy Garland and wanted to help her be a success. Even Louis B. Mayer her sometime arch nemesis said, when asked if maybe they should stop production, " Judy Garland has made this studio a fortune in the good days, and the least we can do is to give her one more chance. If you stop production now, it'll finish her."

After Summer Stock Judy tried to film Royal Wedding with Fred Astaire but her old problems came back and she was fired. She and MGM both agreed that it would be best to let her out of her contract after that.

http://www.thejudyroom.com/summerstock.html

For some more reading on this time in Judy's life

[gigi-tastic 2322]

4 hours ago, tomspanks said:

Gene Kelly definitely explained the plot of the barnsical at one point, right? But the song and dance numbers on the day of the show seemed kind of random, no? 

I thought it was a revue ? Revues don't typically have a full plot they are like sketches, songs and dance numbers with a theme. What this theme is I have no idea. Love? 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Judy with Liza on the set

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

I didn't watch Summer Stock.  I watched Het Glukkig Dal.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

19 minutes ago, gigi-tastic said:

I thought it was a revue ? Revues don't typically have a full plot they are like sketches, songs and dance numbers with a theme. What this theme is I have no idea. Love? 

The show title is Fall in Love.  I like to think the farm number came in after Gene fell in love with Judy because he said there better not be any hokum in his show.  Yet there the song is.  Hopefully it's meant to show that living on a farm became magical after falling in love with a farmer.  Not sure how Get Happy fits in the Fall in Love "theme".

[Cam Bert 8145]

1 hour ago, gigi-tastic said:

So this was Judy's last film with MGM and it ... Did not go well. She was supposed to be in Annie Get Your Gun but she got suspended from the studio and went to rehab. So this was her first picture back. Gene Kelly did the film as a favor to her. So you have Judy whose shaky both emotionally and according to the director at times physically. They had to nail down parts of the scenery so she would have supports . Apparently he had to cheat a shot when she was unable to walk up some steps. According to the costume designer  she was absolutely paranoid about her weight and her view that she was not working at her best and the more she tried to keep it all together worse she got. 

There were times when she literally did not show up on set. She was supposed to be in the Heavenly Music number but just... Never showed. 

Yet even with all of this the movie wasn't over budget and was on time. With the exception being  Get Happy which was shot several months after the movie wrapped. Judy had been to a hypnotist for weight loss and that's why she looks so different there. The cast and crew loved Judy Garland and wanted to help her be a success. Even Louis B. Mayer her sometime arch nemesis said, when asked if maybe they should stop production, " Judy Garland has made this studio a fortune in the good days, and the least we can do is to give her one more chance. If you stop production now, it'll finish her."

After Summer Stock Judy tried to film Royal Wedding with Fred Astaire but her old problems came back and she was fired. She and MGM both agreed that it would be best to let her out of her contract after that.

http://www.thejudyroom.com/summerstock.html

For some more reading on this time in Judy's life

This explains so much. When that final number happens I was thinking "Wow, they really dressed her kinda frumpy for this big reveal." I think this is because, and I might be wrong, I heard that they use to de-sexy her. She was popular from Wizard of Oz in which she was a innocent teen so to keep that image they'd have to hide her figure and that. I kinda assumed that's what was going on in the first half of this movie, now it's just kinda sad.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

2 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

This explains so much. When that final number happens I was thinking "Wow, they really dressed her kinda frumpy for this big reveal." I think this is because, and I might be wrong, I heard that they use to de-sexy her. She was popular from Wizard of Oz in which she was a innocent teen so to keep that image they'd have to hide her figure and that. I kinda assumed that's what was going on in the first half of this movie, now it's just kinda sad.

It's funny you say that because at the beginning I thought they were going for all-out sexy when they showed her showering then getting dressed aftewards.  She pulls this fancy piece of lingerie off the bed (I thought it was a slip) and goes behind the curtain.  Then she pulls up the straps of a white garment and overalls.  Deliberately de-sexying her.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

2 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

It's funny you say that because at the beginning I thought they were going for all-out sexy when they showed her showering then getting dressed aftewards.  She pulls this fancy piece of lingerie off the bed (I thought it was a slip) and goes behind the curtain.  Then she pulls up the straps of a white garment and overalls.  Deliberately de-sexying her.

Speaking of Wizard Of Oz I'm still so mad that the only Oscar she ever won was a special child Oscar for the WOO.  It's insane!

[GrahamS. 803]

3 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

I screamed out loud "NO!! You monster!" . I was so upset I hid my face in my hands and peeked through my fingers. I physically felt pain at that.  

I think some people—before we watched the movie—said they were big fans of Phil Silvers (I think I have that name right—I’m not familiar with him) and I don’t want to judge him based on this character, but I FUCKING HATED this  “wacky” character, everything about him, from the stupid tractor shit down to the terrible music number.

Having said that, even though the film wasn’t perfect, it was a good Thanksgiving choice. Both Judy Garland and Gene Kelly were great. Even if the story was somewhat rote, they totally redeemed it. His number with the piece of paper/squeaky board was awesome, as were others. 

Although The musical finale did seem insanely slapped-together (with Garland’s big number being the exception). And the ending of the movie felt totally rushed to wrap up—sister and fiancé together for no real reason!

i also thought the “sometimes a woman needs a man to tell her what to do” shit was datedly funny. Oh, 1950!

[tomspanks 9039]

1 hour ago, gigi-tastic said:

Judy had been to a hypnotist for weight loss and that's why she looks so different there.

I think you misspelled "taking amphetamines" 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

So did anyone else read about Henry Ford's crazy white supremacist plot to make square dancing replace the evils of jazz?

https://www.avclub.com/this-square-dancing-conspiracy-goes-deeper-than-you-thi-1821128344

[Cameron H. 23786]

26 minutes ago, GrahamS. said:

i also thought the “sometimes a woman needs a man to tell her what to do” shit was datedly funny. Oh, 1950!

I did too, but then I realized that’s what her *sister* wanted, not her. Garland tells him right off for that shit at the end, which was pretty refreshing. It’s also why the sister and whatshisface ultimately worked for me.

[Omaxem 232]

Gene Kelly is so attractive ( to me ) that i can't see anything with him in it. I just... zone... out.

I know he was straight, i know he wasn't nice to his co-stars in Singing In The Rain, i know he is dead. I don't care.

Sorry, i just needed to get that off my chest and onto the internets.

[Cam Bert 8145]

35 minutes ago, GrahamS. said:

I think some people—before we watched the movie—said they were big fans of Phil Silvers (I think I have that name right—I’m not familiar with him) and I don’t want to judge him based on this character, but I FUCKING HATED this  “wacky” character, everything about him, from the stupid tractor shit down to the terrible music number.

Having said that, even though the film wasn’t perfect, it was a good Thanksgiving choice. Both Judy Garland and Gene Kelly were great. Even if the story was somewhat rote, they totally redeemed it. His number with the piece of paper/squeaky board was awesome, as were others. 

Although The musical finale did seem insanely slapped-together (with Garland’s big number being the exception). And the ending of the movie felt totally rushed to wrap up—sister and fiancé together for no real reason!

i also thought the “sometimes a woman needs a man to tell her what to do” shit was datedly funny. Oh, 1950!

This is not the best example of Phil Silvers in my opinion. 

To me his style of comedy was that of being the smarmy ass. He was smarter than those around him and had contempt for those around him in it came out in his little asides. We was never really the wacky slapstick guy even though his comedy contained some element of that. For me he was more like weaselly yet likable guy kind of guy. 

[Cam Bert 8145]

Just thinking more about it, to me the best example in this movie of how Phil Silvers normally is was the cow milking scene. He tricks Gene Kelly into doing something for him and then is saucy to the cow. 

[gigi-tastic 2322]

29 minutes ago, Omaxem said:

Gene Kelly is so attractive ( to me ) that i can't see anything with him in it. I just... zone... out.

I know he was straight, i know he wasn't nice to his co-stars in Singing In The Rain, i know he is dead. I don't care.

Sorry, i just needed to get that off my chest and onto the internets.

I literally said out loud at least five times " Christ he's hot" or various versions of that. Gene Kelly  can GET IT even in the great beyond.