Sweet Charity (1969)

Sweet Charity (1969)

Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) is a naïve (really, really naïve…like pathologically…) dance hall girl who is seeking love. Her co-workers Helene and Nickie (Paula Kelly, Chita Rivera) are more realistic, dreaming only of rising a step on the economic ladder. Charity is robbed by a supposed boyfriend, and then forced to spend the night

An American in Paris (1951)

An American in Paris (1951)

American expatriate painter Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is picked up by a wealthy divorcée (Nina Foch).  She becomes his patron, with an eye to becoming his lover, but he falls for Lise (Leslie Caron), an anonymous young shop girl. However, she has a secret: She’s engaged to a successful singer (Georges Guétary) who also happens to

Brigadoon (1954)

Brigadoon (1954)

Two hundred years ago, a miracle took the village of Brigadoon out of time, making it appear for only one day every hundred year. On the second day after the “miracle,” American Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and his grumpy sidekick Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson) stumble upon the town. Tommy falls for Fiona (Cyd Charisse) but

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

A musical version of the traditional Christmas story where old humbug Ebenezer Scrooge (Kelsey Grammer) learns the true meaning of Christmas from three spirits. Quick Review: With so many version of A Christmas Carol to choose from, I can be discriminating.  There’s always another to switch to, and I suggest doing so when this is on.

Cover Girl (1944)

Cover Girl (1944)

Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) runs a small club where he performs with his girl Rusty (Rita Hayworth) and best friend Genius (Phil Silvers), as well as six chorus girls.  He’s a firm believer that the only way to “make it big” is slowly, through hard work, and he also likes to keep Rusty close at

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Tevye (Topol) is a poor milkman in a tradition-bound Jewish village in early twentieth century Russia.  As he and his neighbors attempt to ignore the ever-changing world, his three daughters, Tzeitel (Rosalind Harris), Hodel (Michele Marsh), and Chava (Neva Small), bring home just how much the old ways are fading as each makes her own

Guys and Dolls (1955)

Guys and Dolls (1955)

The street-hoods are eagerly awaiting news of where  Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) is holding the illegal crap game.  Nathan needs a thousand dollars to secure a location and doesn’t have the money.  When  big time gambler Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) brags that he can pick up any girl, Nathan sees an opportunity and bets him

Holiday Inn (1942)

Holiday Inn (1942)

After he loses a girl to his partner, Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), song man Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) quits the business to run an Inn which will only be open on holidays.  He hires singer-dancer Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) for his shows, and the two are quickly a romantic item.  But Ted is dumped and

Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Self-involved actor Fred Graham (Howard Keel) conspires to get his shrill ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Kathryn Grayson) to take the lead in a new musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. He also casts his new girlfriend, tap dancer Lois Lane (Ann Miller). On opening night, Fred runs into trouble when two gangsters, Lippy (Keenan

On the Town (1949)

On the Town (1949)

Three sailors, Gabe (Gene Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra), and Ozzie (Jules Munshin),  have twenty-four hours to see New York before their leave ends.  Gabe becomes infatuated by Ivy (Vera-Ellen) based on her picture on a subway poster, thinking that the title “Miss Turnstiles” means that she’s a celebrity.  Searching for her, the other two pick

Pal Joey (1957)

Pal Joey (1957)

Joey Evans (Frank Sinatra), a low-rent lounge singer and lady killer recently kicked out of town for playing with the mayor’s underaged daughter, connives his way into a nightclub gig.  After working his way through the chorus line, he hits on Linda English (Kim Novak), the “nice girl” who is resistant to his charms.  He

The Pirate (1948)

The Pirate (1948)

Manuela (Judy Garland) is about to be married off by her aunt (Gladys Cooper) to the rich, older, dull mayor, Don Pedro Vargas (Walter Slezak) when she meets a traveling actor, Serafin (Gene Kelly). Discovering that she secretly fantasizes about the pirate Macoco, Serafin masquerades as the villain, taking over the town and postponing her wedding