Ramblings on libraries and life upon the wicked stage

The American Film Institute, in their infinite wisdom, have announced the 25 greatest film musicals, probably so that there can be some sort of exciting countdown documentary on American television at some point soon.  These things are always fun, and great for a debate/argument/fight.  It’s an interesting list – the oldest is 42nd Street from 1933 and the newest is 2002’s Chicago.  Some are adaptations from the stage, like West Side Story and the inevitable Sound of Music, others are originals written specifically for the big screen.  Some I agree with, some I don’t.

Top of the list is Singing in the Rain, a movie which I absolutely love.  It’s just such a joy from start to finish, and the character of Lina Lamont is awfully funny.  The musical leads – Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor – can’t be beaten and the score is an evergreen.  Did you know that most of the songs weren’t actually written for that film, though?  It’s a compilation musical like Crazy For You or Ain’t Misbehavin’, with its musical numbers drawn from the back catalogue of Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed.  However, the songs are woven brilliantly into the plot, and I can almost forgive the composer and lyricist for blatantly stealing the tune and idea of Cole Porter’s ‘Be a Clown’ to create ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’.  Almost.  A great movie, and certainly in my top ten.

Other choices I definitely agree with are West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, The King and I, 42nd Street, Top Hat, On the Town and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  Some of these are adaptations of stage shows, either very faithful (like My Fair Lady) or very different (like Cabaret, which may as well be an entirely different thing).  Each of these is made with a great deal of care and attention and can take me away to a different world.  The music is used and performed in exciting ways – the barn-raising in Seven Brides… is one example of a movie moment that takes my breath away every time I see it.  As a fan of stage musicals, I’m supposed to hate On the Town, as it messes so much with the original version, but I think the changes make it a very effective film, and the casting of the three sailors (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin) is wonderful, each one playing to their strengths.

A film where Sinatra isn’t playing to his strengths is the movie version of Guys and Dolls, one of the greatest stage musicals ever written.  Both he and Marlon Brando are so miscast that it almost literally hurts, and the new songs don’t o much to enhance matters.  ‘Pet Me Poppa’ is enough to send me screaming from the room – what were they thinking with those cat costumes?  I also think that Funny Girl and (I’m sorry about this) The Sound of Music are over-rated.  Good, but not as good as they could be.  There are a few others on the list that I love, including Chicago, Mary Poppins and Moulin Rouge (which people either love or hate, you just cannot be indifferent to it).  I’m not sure that they should be counted in the 25 greatest musicals though – most enjoyable, or personal favourites perhaps, but I’m dubious about their claims to greatness.  Beauty and the Beast is a borderline case, and I think that other animated movies such as The Lion King, Snow White…, The Jungle Book, Prince of Egypt and arguably others would come just as close.  For the use of music alone, I rate both The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Prince of Egypt very highly indeed.  I’m also fond of the music for Hercules, but I can’t see that getting anywhere near a top 25 list!

I haven’t seen Meet Me in St. Louis, All That Jazz, A Star is Born or Yankee Doodle Dandy, so I can’t really comment on them.  I hear they’re all excellent, though.  I really must rectify this oversight!

And then we come to the mysterious missing musicals.  I’m surprised to see only one Fred and Ginger film on the list, and would certainly include Swing Time.  Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair should also be included.  The screen adaptation of The Music Man rates very highly with me as well, as does The Pajama Game, but I think I’m in a minority on that one.  If New York, New York counts as a musical, then I’d throw that in to the pot, and I am amazed that Gigi didn’t make the cut.  One of the most artistically applauded movie musicals, but we don’t rate it?  Maybe it’s because ‘Thank Heaven For Little Girls’ is pretty creepy to modern ears.

I also think that Evita deserves a place on the list.  I’m hardly one of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s greatest fans, but I think this is his superlative score, and it made a wonderful film.  Alan Parker made excellent use of the tools that cinema offers to open the story out, also creating some stunning production numbers (‘And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)’ is ludicrously exciting).  Antonio Banderas deserved an Oscar nomination for his performance, in my opinion.  And at the other extreme, I’d be very tempted to include White Christmas, which is quite possibly a guilty pleasure.  A blooming well-made guilty pleasure, though!

So what makes a great movie musical?  A solid script and a great score, of course, coupled with a director and performers who really know their stuff.  Contrary to what people might expect, I don’t want a movie version of a stage show to be a carbon copy of that show.  Cinema and theatre are completely different forms and can achieve vastly different things.  Likewise, I get very cross when I see a show in the theatre where it seems as though they’ve tried to copy every detail of a film.  Maybe that’s what some of the paying public want, but I see it as a pointless and rather lazy exercise.  If I want to see the film, I’ll watch the film!  As with any other work of art, it is hard to define what makes it great or otherwise.  A mysterious coming together of a whole range of ingredients will equal something special, something hideous or something merely so-so.

So what would be in my top 25?  In alphabetical order: Cabaret, Easter Parade, Evita, Fiddler on the Roof (slow, but very rewarding), 42nd Street, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Gigi, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney), The King and I, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, New York, New York, On the Town, The Pajama Game, Prince of Egypt, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singin’ in the Rain, State Fair, Swing Time, Top Hat, West Side Story, White Christmas, and The Wizard of Oz.  That was harder to compile than I expected, and will probably change by tomorrow, but I felt it was important that this post answered at least one question that it raised.  Feel free to disagree vehemently…