Reviews (20)

PLUCKY DORIS + PLEASANT FILM = GREAT DAY
Doris! The perky big band singer of whom Oscar Levant once quipped "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin." I thought back to my visit to Carmel, California, a few years ago, where I dropped by the golf course to glimpse her house ...briefly visible from hole three. (Listen real carefully and you can hear her dogs barking.) I thought back to my beloved Great Dane, she with the baby blue eyes --- was named in honor of Doris, though Dory (for short) was actually named by the breeder from whom I purchased the 186-pound beauty.
And I thought back to the first (and only time) I had chatted with Doris Day. It was the January 28, 1986 --- the day the Challenger had exploded, killing her seven crew members (including Sharon Christa McAuliffe, America's first teacher in space), 73 seconds after launch.
I called Doris at her Carmel, California, home, and was in tears.
"Can you believe what happened," she asked her voice muffled and mournful. "I am so shocked. Those poor men and women. Their families ... the children ..." The tears flowed freely for several minutes. She cried. I cried. We both cried. This, I thought between tears, is going to be some challenge.
After a few minutes, she sniffled one last time. And so we began to chat about her life and loves and long career --- Doris was starting a new talk show, and Rock Hudson --- then so deadly sick with the AIDS virus --- was the first guest), her films, her music and of course, her animals. She told me how she cooked her own dog food, steaming rice and boiling chopped beef, then skimming off the fat, before blending in freshly cooked vegetables and a hint of spice. At the end of the conversation, I was salivating and ready to drop to all fours and beg for a taste.
As luck would have it, I am not the only one thinking about Doris Day these days. Paramount Home Video has just released Teacher's Pet, the 1958 comedy in which Clark Gable stars as a hard-nosed newspaperman who's smitten with journalism teacher DD. Not a great film --- gee, did Gable really so badly? --- though the title song is super, as is Mamie van Doren, as Gable's galpal who sings "The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll." A better flick is Day's last one: With Six You Get Eggroll, also from Paramount Home Video,the 1968 blended family comedy, with Day solidly supported by Pat Carroll, as well as Alice Ghostley, George Carlin, Barbara Hershey, Jamie Farr and the once-hot rock group, The Grass Roots.
Warner Home Video has just released the box set, Doris Day Collection, a slipcased collectible featuring six new-to-DVD titles: Young Man With a Horn (1950), Lullaby of Broadway (1951), Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1962), The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) and newly restored versions of Love Me Or Leave Me (1955) and Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)--- both of which feature new Dolby Digital soundtracks making Doris seem as fresh as, well, a new Day; along with Calamity Jane (1953) and The Pajama Game (1957), both of which have been repackaged for this collection. All the discs are packed with bonus features, including vintage shorts (including two starring Ruth Etting, whom Day portrays in Love Me or Leave Me), featurettes, cartoons and trailers.
But the best is saved for last. On June 28, MPI Media Group unveils the long-awaited The Doris Day Show: Season 1, the heart-warming comedy series that ran on CBS from 1968-1973. This was Day's TV series debut, and she proved that her big-screen likeability transferred, quite well thank you, to the small screen ... even if some of closer-ups seem a bit too gauzy for our tastes. Day played Doris Martin, a widowed mother who leaves the city to raise her two young sons on the Mill Valley, California farm of her father Buck, played by Dukes of Hazzard icon Denver Pyle. The four-disc box set includes all 28 original episodes from the show's first season, as well as never-before-seen bonus material.The bonuses offer additional insight into Day's warm, off-screen persona: there are TV promos and messages to network affiliates, as well as her two appearances as the "mystery guest" on What's My Line --- the first spot, from 1954, marked Day's TV debut, and her attempts to disguise her voice through a series of hi-pitched squeaks is a sheer delight.

PLUCKY DORIS + PLEASANT FILM = GREAT DAY
Doris! The perky big band singer of whom Oscar Levant once quipped "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin." I thought back to my visit to Carmel, California, a few years ago, where I dropped by the golf course to glimpse her house ...briefly visible from hole three. (Listen real carefully and you can hear her dogs barking.) I thought back to my beloved Great Dane, she with the baby blue eyes --- was named in honor of Doris, though Dory (for short) was actually named by the breeder from whom I purchased the 186-pound beauty.
And I thought back to the first (and only time) I had chatted with Doris Day. It was the January 28, 1986 --- the day the Challenger had exploded, killing her seven crew members (including Sharon Christa McAuliffe, America's first teacher in space), 73 seconds after launch.
I called Doris at her Carmel, California, home, and was in tears.
"Can you believe what happened," she asked her voice muffled and mournful. "I am so shocked. Those poor men and women. Their families ... the children ..." The tears flowed freely for several minutes. She cried. I cried. We both cried. This, I thought between tears, is going to be some challenge.
After a few minutes, she sniffled one last time. And so we began to chat about her life and loves and long career --- Doris was starting a new talk show, and Rock Hudson --- then so deadly sick with the AIDS virus --- was the first guest), her films, her music and of course, her animals. She told me how she cooked her own dog food, steaming rice and boiling chopped beef, then skimming off the fat, before blending in freshly cooked vegetables and a hint of spice. At the end of the conversation, I was salivating and ready to drop to all fours and beg for a taste.
As luck would have it, I am not the only one thinking about Doris Day these days. Paramount Home Video has just released Teacher's Pet, the 1958 comedy in which Clark Gable stars as a hard-nosed newspaperman who's smitten with journalism teacher DD. Not a great film --- gee, did Gable really so badly? --- though the title song is super, as is Mamie van Doren, as Gable's galpal who sings "The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll." A better flick is Day's last one: With Six You Get Eggroll, also from Paramount Home Video,the 1968 blended family comedy, with Day solidly supported by Pat Carroll, as well as Alice Ghostley, George Carlin, Barbara Hershey, Jamie Farr and the once-hot rock group, The Grass Roots.
Warner Home Video has just released the box set, Doris Day Collection, a slipcased collectible featuring six new-to-DVD titles: Young Man With a Horn (1950), Lullaby of Broadway (1951), Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1962), The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) and newly restored versions of Love Me Or Leave Me (1955) and Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)--- both of which feature new Dolby Digital soundtracks making Doris seem as fresh as, well, a new Day; along with Calamity Jane (1953) and The Pajama Game (1957), both of which have been repackaged for this collection. All the discs are packed with bonus features, including vintage shorts (including two starring Ruth Etting, whom Day portrays in Love Me or Leave Me), featurettes, cartoons and trailers.
But the best is saved for last. On June 28, MPI Media Group unveils the long-awaited The Doris Day Show: Season 1, the heart-warming comedy series that ran on CBS from 1968-1973. This was Day's TV series debut, and she proved that her big-screen likeability transferred, quite well thank you, to the small screen ... even if some of closer-ups seem a bit too gauzy for our tastes. Day played Doris Martin, a widowed mother who leaves the city to raise her two young sons on the Mill Valley, California farm of her father Buck, played by Dukes of Hazzard icon Denver Pyle. The four-disc box set includes all 28 original episodes from the show's first season, as well as never-before-seen bonus material.The bonuses offer additional insight into Day's warm, off-screen persona: there are TV promos and messages to network affiliates, as well as her two appearances as the "mystery guest" on What's My Line --- the first spot, from 1954, marked Day's TV debut, and her attempts to disguise her voice through a series of hi-pitched squeaks is a sheer delight.

Cute Doris Day comedy
Daisies if another fun 60s Day flick, but not on par with her outings with Rock Hudson.

Here she is a housewife with four "monsters" to deal with and a theater critic hubby (Niven - miscast) who is just getting into being the toast of the town on Broadway.

Some funny moments and scenes - but the sophisticated single Doris films were much better.

Two different movies: urban satire & rural comedy
After a fairly bright beginning(with Doris Day brightly wisecracking her way around four unruly kids--all boys--a dog, a maid, and her clucking theater-critic husband), this film version of Jean Kerr's popular book takes a left turn into the country and never recovers. Doris is much preferable playing smart, attractive working women than a bucolic housewife, and there's never any chemistry between she and David Niven. Janis Paige is fun as a theater starlet, and Doris is always worth watching, but interest wanes in these "Daisies" after about an hour.

Classic Doris, But Slightly Miscast
I actually do like this movie.I love anything Doris Day has ever done and own all of her titles.The only thing contrary I can say about this particular movie is that I felt David Niven was way too old to play her husband... he was supposed to be her one-time college professor, so I guess that part of it makes sense, but these two married people want such different things out of life!He's having some sort of cranky mid-life crisis and wants to stay in the city with his newfound recognition as a famous play critic.She wants a full time father for her four young sons and a husband who's happy to live in the suburbs and volunteer at the local elementary school. How could anybody make this crazy scenario work? I dunno. But since it's a cute story line and especially well acted - plus it stars Doris - I would still recommend adding this film to your collection if you are a fan of hers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not only was Molly Brown unsinkable, so is the musical based on heramazing life. Released in 1964, The Unsinkable Molly Brown gave DebbieReynolds one of her most memorable roles and earned her an Academy Awardnomination (she lost to Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins). Paired with HarvePresnell, fresh from the Broadwayversion, Reynolds and Presnell sparkle as Molly and Johnny Brown, well-meaning but gauche nouveau millionaires who take on stuffy Denver society (whoare loathe to admit that they are nouveau riche as well). During their Molly-guided quest for "respectability," the pair learns that old adage--all the moneyin the world can't buy happiness or contentment.

From her beginnings as a foundling floating down the Colorado River to herfateful trip on the Titanic, Molly Brown aims upward, swearing "I Ain'tDown Yet." Reynolds imbues her Molly with energy, determination, and poignancy.Molly feels every slight keenly and is convinced that more and bigger will makeher place in society. Husband Johnny, who promised "I'll Never Say No," finds itharder and harder to keep his promise as he watches his wife's single-mindednessbury her effervescent personality. In the songs by Meredith Willson (TheMusic Man), Presnell's rich baritone soars on "Colorado, My Home" and beginsa rousing "He's My Friend," while "Belly Up to the Bar, Boys" is a bawdy, catchyromp during which Reynolds shines--rollicking across the dance floor, she's ared-headed dynamo in a gauzy green dress. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A Fairly Good Musical
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN is a fairly good musical based on the life of a young woman who rises from rags to riches as the wife of Leadville Johnny Brown and later gains even more fame as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. The movie is not quite as good as the original production on Broadway starring Tammy Grimes but it is still very entertaining in spots. The most memorable song is "Belly Up To The Bar, Boys."

Debbie Reynolds does a fine job in the lead as Molly Brown and Harve Presnel repeats his successful Broadway role as Leadville Johnny Brown. The strong supporting cast for the film includes Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Kruschen and Vassili Lambrinos.

The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Color Cinematography, Color Costume Design, Color Art Direction and Adapted Music Score. Debbie Reynolds was nominated for Best Actress. MY FAIR LADY dominated the Academy Awards in 1964.

Debbie Is Unsinkable
This terrific 1964 film is based on the stage musical of the homespun backwoods girl at the turn of the last century from Meredith Willson and Richard Morris, but this is Debbie Reynolds' movie all the way! Her energetic performance as Molly Brown deserved an Oscar and more. This is a big good old-fashioned musical the way they used to make them. Great Choreography by Peter Gennaro and Panavision Cinematography by Daniel Fapp make this a real winner combined with Meredith Willson's music. The underrated Harve Presnell plays Johnny Brown. This guy could sing and dance! It was good to finally see him show up in a recent move in a pivital role, something called "Saving Private Ryan."

Is this real?
When I started watching this the other day, I had no idea when it was made, who it was made by, etc. Thus, in my ignorance and based on the laughable opening scenes, I thought I might be watching some really bad quality program. And so, I sat down to enjoy a really poor quality film, just to do it.

As the movie progressed, I was able to get past the jerky story-telling and one-dimensional plotline to really start appreciating the main character, Molly Brown. She reminded me of Reba, and her enthusiasm and energy were unreal! She bounced back from more let-downs than one could possibly imagine.

By the end of the flick, I got the idea that Molly Brown was based on a real person as she had turned up in "Titanic" as a much heavier Kathy Bates. Her story was unbelievable and very rich, if still somewhat poorly told in this film.

In doing a bit of research, I learned alot more about the film. I think I appreciate what it was setting out to do but am disappointed that they directors seemed more enamored with the frivolous than with the meat of Brown's story. In the true story, Molly Brown forces her fellow women to row the boats around to pick up drowning survivors from the Titanic. Here, she simply sings to those in the boat with her.

Not too bad over all, but there might be better ways to learn Molly Brown's story...or whatever her real name is.

Great Musical, Weak on Authenticity
The songs and the dances were terrific -- but Mrs. Brown's real first name was "Maggie," and this film shows the wrong side of the Titanic scraping the ice berg, better loosen your belt. Bellying up to the ice berg. Whatever.

The End of an Era
When this movie originally came out, I wouldn't have guessed that this would be one of the last great musicals out of Hollywood. Sad as that may be, I am eternally grateful that Debbie Reynolds was cast as Molly Brown. She is absolutely terrific. Of course, she's always terrific and fortunately still going strong. And Harve Presnell.....this man would have been huge in the musical genre if MGM and its musicals hadn't crashed and burned.
If you love the film musical as an art form, this is a must have for your collection. Remember, no one did them bigger or more consistently better than MGM. ... Read more

Description

This witty, musical version of The Philadelphia Story stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and the jazz master himself, Louis Armstrong, playing the hottest trumpet in the land. Year: 1956 Director: Charles Waters Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong ... Read more

Reviews (19)

All that jazz and more!
Just released on DVD, this fabulous musical remake of George Cukor's The Philadelphia Story (1940) sees Grace Kelly in her last ever film role before crossing the pond to marry into the Monaco monarchy (she even wore her actual engagement ring in the movie).

Kelly plays the spoilt heiress Tracy Samantha Lord, a rather icy perfectionist (this generation would say 'control freak'), who is due to marry the stuffy George Kitteridge (John Lund) when her ex-husband C K Dexter-Haven (Bing Crosby), unexpectedly turns up... Still in love with her, he puts in place a subtle plan to win back her heart. Throw in an incorrigible little sister, a playboy dad, a couple of snoops from Spy magazine, Louis Armstrong (as himself) and buckets of champagne... and now you has jazz!

With a witty script and quite the line-up (it was the first time Crosby and Frank Sinatra, playing Spy magazine reporter, appeared on screen together), the romantic comedy is carried by one of Cole Porter's best - and one of his last - musical scores which includes Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Well, Did You Evah?, Now You Has Jazz, and Kelly and Crosby's moving duet True Love.

Like most rereleases of older movies onto DVD, what actually makes you update your video copy are the bonus features. Along with the nostalgic newsreel of the film's 1956 première, this version includes a short documentary on 'the making of...', narrated by Celeste Holm (born 1919, who played Spy magazine photographer). Although it makes for entertaining viewing (throwing up little snippets such as how Kelly's father warned Prince Rainier of Monaco before they got married she was a [bad] driver), one can't help thinking that someone cruelly substituted Holm's oxygen tank with helium...

Overall verdict? Thoroughly entertaining and an absolute must for fans of classic musicals and all that jazz...

Great stars! Great songs! Great film! ...GREAT DVD!
This is a musical remake of George Cukor's classic "The Philadelphia Story". The new setting: the Newport Jazz Festival and the chic mansions on its surroundings. The story is exactly the same: Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly in her last film) is engaged to David (John Lund). But her ex-husband (Bing Crosby) won't let her go that easily. In the between, there are a couple of journalists (Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm) with problems on their own.

This is one of those films where everything is great. The whole cast is excelent. This is classical Hollywood in full gear!!

The music by Cole Porter will leave you singing for days after you see this movie: "Well, Did You Evah?", "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", "Little One", "You're Sensational" and the multi-million Dollar seller "True Love" are great tunes. The film has also a five-minute overture with music that is usually cut by television (great music!!!).

This DVD comes with a great pack of extras. But first... the image: gorgeous Technicolor (it was shot in VistaVision). The beautiful soundtrack was remastered in Dolby 5.1 (it seems it was recorded only 10 years ago). There is also a documentary on Cole Porter hosted by Celeste Holm herself! (still beautiful after all these years). There is a newsreel about the film's premiere, Radio adds with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby, Trailers (from both "High Society" and "The Philadelphia Story"), Notes ..........and a great Cinemascope Cartoon "Millionaire Droopie".

The only bad thing about this DVD is that the subtitles dissapear during the songs (and there are 3 languages).

Anyway... this a great film with all the elements at their peak!

ONE OF MGM`S BEST
I saw this film years before THE PHILADELPHIA STORY on which it is based. Mind you: THIS MUSICAL is far better than The Philadelphia Story. Grace Kelly is wonderful as Tracy, whereas Hepburn is hard and difficult 2 like. Stewart is an irritating, uncharismatic C.K. Dexter Haven. Sinatra`s Dexter is at his best. Indeed when u have a cast like Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Louis Calhern and Louis Armstrong - 1 should just shut up and let them do their stuff. Indeed Charles Walters did; and what a lovely film it turned out 2 be.

I fell in love with Bing Crosby...
...after watching this movie. This is such a great musical - the songs are catchy, the actors are talented, what more could you want? As a little kid watching this movie I thought Bing Crosby could do no wrong and Grace Kelly was just mean - watching it as an adult I understand a little more about how their relationship must've worked (or not, as it were). Some extremely funny moments mixed with a few poignant ones make for a very good movie. Highly recommended!

Cute, Great Cast, But...
This is a fantastic story and a fantastic cast, very talented musically. But, the score does not make up for the plot it forces aside. This is not the best movie for any of these actors. Interesting to compare to The Philadelphia Story, but if you only have time for one--watch the original. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

great family entertainment
Doris Day shines in this extravaganza, which was to be her last big musical; she is flawless vocally, and the melodic score contains some of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's most loved songs.
Her co-stars are equally strong, with the rambunctious pair of Jimmy Durante (as Doris' father) and Martha Raye (as Durante's ever-patient fiancée), and when either of them are on the screen, it is mega-kilowatt entertainment. Nearly 30 years before this film, Durante had been in cast of the original 1934 Broadway production, and it's also wonderful to hear Martha Raye sing the "Why Can't I ?" duet with Doris, as her great talents as a singer were rarely recognized.
Always a favorite of mine, Stephen Boyd is excellent as Doris' love interest. His beautiful speaking voice, mellow with a slight tinge of Irish, does well with the spoken/sung intro to "Sawdust, Spangles, and Dreams", but his two songs (the other being "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"), are dubbed in by the rich voice of James Joyce.

Many genuine circus acts perform throughout the film, and the stunt work for the stars is seamlessly edited in. Jumbo the elephant of course, is the 5th star of the film, and he gives a "thumbs up" performance.
The lavish production has many magical moments, and though most of it is pure fantasy, it captures the feel of "on the road performers" that anyone who has done a lot of touring in any theatrical field will appreciate.
Kudos to director Charles Winters, and cinematographer William H. Daniels for their work in this film, which is superb family entertainment. Total running time is 123 minutes.
The song list is:
1: "Over and Over Again" ~ Day
2: "The Circus is on Parade" ~ Durante/Raye/Day
3: "Why Can't I ?" ~ Day/Raye
4: "This Can't be Love" ~ Day
5: "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" ~ Boyd (Joyce) reprise: Durante
6: "My Romance" ~ Day
7: "Little Girl Blue" ~ Day
8: "Sawdust, Spangles, and Dreams" ~ Boyd (Joyce) and cast.

Doris Day's Last Musical
By 1962, the MGM movie musicals that made up one of the genre's golden ages had disappeared.GIGI in 1958 was the last great musical from the old masters at that studio (in GIGI's case it was Arthur Freed and Vincente Minnelli), and JUMBO was pretty much the end of the trail for Joe Pasternak and Charles Walters.Walters would go on to direct 1964's popular MOLLY BROWN, but that film is a shadow of what it could have been if the right cast had been secured (some think Doris Day was meant for Molly, and she would have been good no doubt, but it was really designed for Shirley MacLaine).Day's last musical film was JUMBO, and, as such, it's a nifty way to say goodbye to the sunny, ebullient, effortlessly engaging actress's musical career.Day was one of the screen's most popular and talented actresses by any standards, and seeing her in this lightweight, funny, romantic slapdash of Rodgers and Hart tunes, circus troubles, and other songs interpolated from newer sources is not a bad way to spend an evening.The cast is very fine indeed, even the stiffer than wood Stephen Boyd, and how can you go wrong with both Jimmy Durante AND Martha Raye?It's all very bright and has nothing at all to do with reality, which makes it work well as a movie musical.The film includes one of the best circus numbers ever put on film - "Over and Over Again" - with an entire circus rehearsing their various acts to a sweeping waltz that builds and builds to ecstasy.But there are also "My Romance", "Little Girl Blue", and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".
This new DVD has a sparkling picture and terrific stereo sound, and the long forgotten overture is now back in place.Wonderful, old-fashioned family entertainment of the best sort from an era when film musicals were undergoing a change from MGM glory to big-budget roadshow extravagance.It also gives us that triple-threat talent Doris Day front and center, and what more could one ask for?

Never!
The last song in it was not written by Rodgers and Hart.It was I think written by Roger Edens (of Judy Garland fame?), and is a mediocre imitation of Hartesque rhymes, at least in its feverish attempt at multiple rhymes at the start.Several of the songs from the stage show were left out, as were all the verses.Extra lyrics (not by Hart) were added to "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" for Durante to sing and Martha's Raye's "The Circus Is On Parade."Songs from other R&H shows were interpolated.Did someone high up like god know better than R&H what songs should be in a R&H show?Finally, and absolutely humiliating for Martha Raye and I suspect Doris Day had a hand in it but maybe not, the line sung by Doris "Two feet are ever cold" is followed by Martha Raye with "Four feet are never cold" which in turn is followed by an embarrassed flustered "I only mean to imply" by Raye.Goodness.She said something wrong.I am beginning to dislike Doris Day intensely.She disgusts me.The title of this shocking little song is "Why Can't I?" also not from the original show and with much excised.The story (such as it is) is a predictable drag.The DVD is cheap on Amazon (until you add postage), it's a flat $20 everywhere else + tax.If you must, buy it from Amazon.I wouldn't take it for free.This is truly wholesome family entertainment, and that's about as nauseous a recommendation as I can give it.If you like Rodgers and Hart, forget it.Durante was in the original on stage.I gave it 2 stars for the pretty tunes (and almost Roger Edens').

DVD Special Features
DVD Special Features include: Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, Musical short Yours Sincerely, Tom and Jerry cartoon Jerry and Jumbo, Original overture rejoined to the film for the first time in more than 40 years.

It's Being Released on DVD!
Billy Rose's Jumbo is a charming movie starring Jimmy Durante and Doris Day as a father and daughter who run a traveling circus that includes their beloved elephant Jumbo. The rest of the cast is very good too, Martha Raye, Stephen Boyd, Dean Jagger etc. This movie is coming out on DVD on April 26, 2005! ... Read more

Book Description

A story of burgeoning womanhood and blossoming love, Colette's masterpiece reveals the author's grasp of the politics of relationships. With music, drama, and the charm of French-inflected English, this unabridged novella follows Gigi's training as a courtesan. Leslie Caron, the star of the best-loved film based on Gigi brings to life the Paris of 1899 in all its sensuous detail. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

"GiGi" - 9 Oscars / Best Pix 1958 now on WideScreen DVD!!
MGM's "Gigi" was their last big Musical production. MGM won 9 Oscars including; Picture of the Year (1958), Best Director - Vincent Minnelli, Best Song - "Gigi", Best Cinematography, Art & Set Design, Best Costumes.

The Colorful Metrocolor WideScreen production was directed by Vincent Minnelli - Oscar Winner!! Lerner & Loewe provide us with the great lyrics & music. Gigi title song won an Oscar! Another favorite is Maurice Chevalier's singing of "Thank Heaven For Little Girls".

Summary: We are in the Summer of 1900 Paris. Leslie Caron as "Gigi" was perfectly cast as the young Parisian grand daughter being groomed & refined to be the socialte wife for a rich to do gentlemen. Gigi is infactuated with her Grandmothers (Herimone Gingold)ex's nephew Gaston (Louis Jourdan) a rich playboy who befriends the young rough around the edges, Gigi. As this story developes Gaston's has numerous public affairs that continue to fail & his only joy is being with Gigi. As the story evolves we have lush & colorful sets and lavish scenes of 1900 Paris & a complex love story begins. Hollywood Happy endings, prevail!

This DVD has a Full Screen & WideScreen (LetterBox) version. the movie is 116 minutes long. Excellent Quality picture & Color. Only extra is a trailer. Very delightful family movie.
Enjoy.

A BEAUTIFUL MUSICAL.
A lavish, glossy and eminently tuneful movie treat, GIGI tells the story of an illegitimate waif who lives in 1890's Paris with her Aunt Alicia and her Grandmother (Hermione Gingold). Their plan is transform this waif into an elegant courtesan so that she can become the mistress of wealthy Jourdan, who eventually takes her as his bride because he truly loves her. This throws Gingold for a loop; the family is not used to marriage: Chevalier - Jourdan's father - was once her lover...Produced in Paris, it's a delight from the first frame to the last. All the usual Parisian landmarks are featured: the Tuileries, the Bois de Boulogne, the Palais de Glace, etc. Chevalier steals every scene he's in (except, perhaps when he's singing I REMEMBER IT WELL with Gingold). The original story was based upon a French story by Collette and was ingeniously adapted for a musical stage play by Lerner and Lowe. Caron had played the role on the Paris stage, and here her songs were dubbed by Betty Wand. The film won a grand total of 9 AA & a special Oscar was given to Chevalier for his contribution of over 50 years of performing in the entertainment world.

Bravo! Bravo!
I think that GIGI is the best musical ever. I just love Aunt Alicia and her sister. Hermoine Gingold is fabulous. This movie takes you into a world that you don't want to come out of. If only they would make more movies like this today. My grandaughter absolutely adores it. I want to watch Gigi over and over and does not want it to end. I get lost in the movie and wish I could stay there forever. It is absolutely fantastic.!!!!! More young people should be able to see this movie. Whomever have not seen this movie they are missing out on life itself. Julia Reid

Watch it for Leslie Caron!
I had never seen the Best Picture of 1958, the year of my birth. Turner Classic Movies (possibly the best channel of all available televison channels) provided many of the Best Picture winners during the month of February so I finally got to see it.
Although quite dated and politically incorrect (I challenge you to see/hear Maurice Chevalier sing "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" and not think it so) this movie is a perfect vehicle for Leslie Caron. She is funny, charming and winsome. Effective as both a young girl and then convincingly blossoming into a young lady, Miss Caron is entirely believable in her role. Hermione Gingold plays her guardian aunt with Maurice Chevalier the uncle of her suitor. Louis Jourdan is charming but I found Monsieur Chevalier to be what my mother used to call a "professional Frenchman". Laughing off the suicide of one of his nephew's mistresses is totally unacceptable and I also found Chevalier's mannerisms tedious.

On the whole I found that by watching the movie strictly for the performances of Caron, Gingold and Jourdan it was very enjoyable. Paris was lovely, the costumes gorgeous and Vincente Minelli's direction superb.

Substance, not sparkle -- the triumph of innocence in "Gigi"
When Yeats mourned, "The ceremony of innocence is drowned," he was prophesying the loss of all that is decent in the coming 20th century - and he was crying out for us to fight for all we are worth to prize the innocence of the young, to put aside all self-indulgent pursuits in the face of innocence. "Gigi" is set against all the magnificence the world can offer as a backdrop for the test of innocence against the cunning and the carnal. The movie's real appeal comes not from its lush setting, costumes and flight from our crass age into the Impressionist gentility of fin-de-siècle Paris, but ultimately from Aristotle's pet component of any literary work of merit: the plot. And "Gigi" has a plot that never fades for an instant. In truly entertaining fashion we watch as the fate of the heroine's innocence comes to hang on the edge of a knife from the movie's sunny beginning to its climactic end. For lovely, irresistible Paris is, in reality, a turbulent arena where the innocent are thrown to all the well-tailored wolves of Society, to fend for themselves with nothing but their hearts and their integrity as protection against a life-lived-hollow.

The watchword for "Gigi" is paradox, that steady companion of reality. Look for it everywhere, in the boredom that pervades the intricate lives of the rich elite versus the interest and charm that young Gigi exudes when she simply enters a room. The simple, the "straight of heart," are the enviable ones, while the titans gnash their teeth (and one another's) in their futile pursuit of a remedy for an ennui that becomes downright pathological. Leisure becomes the hardest work of all for the upper classes; titillation requires higher and higher doses, until no amount of frivolity - France's special export to the world - will give joy. Where, the movie asks, is all this legendary Gallic joie-de-vivre? The wealthiest of them all, Gaston (played to perfection by Louis Jordan), is so far past the pursuit of money that he alone of his class has the composure to look around himself, take his life's bearings, and realize that the Emperor is quite naked. And so he is driven on his strange, unconscious heroic quest to live an authentic life. It begins when, on an impulse, he hops out of a carriage ride with his uncle, Paris's veteran joie-de-vivre mentor (played to sheer magnificence by Maurice Chevalier), and seeks refuge in the simple house of Hermione Gingold, who plays Gigi's grandmother.

Chevalier represents the Parisian romantic idol of his age. One gets the feeling in watching him in "Gigi" that he was almost spending his entire movie career simply in apprenticeship for this seminal role. For I do not think we could really understand the frantic romanticizing of the 19th century French without his incredibly compelling, appealing performance - it flows so naturally from his every pore that it seems less like acting than living the bon vivant code he preaches. And yet, having reached the pinnacle of self-interest, Parisian style, he is still touched by Gigi's grandmother, just as his nephew is ultimately won over to real love by the innocent one, Gigi herself. We are, in fact, educable! And the undercurrent of joy that pervades this masterpiece of filmmaking is centered around this buoyant theme: we can all be taught to realize virtue.

Gigi is Gaston's soulmate, though neither knows what that means at the movie's start. He is too emotionally stunted to realize she is a woman - and wouldn't know what to do with a woman besides woo her - and she is unaware that she is leaving childhood. The movie chronicles the maturing of both partners-to-be: Gigi from physical and emotional adolescence to womanhood, Gaston from the emotional adolescence that Society has demanded, to manhood. There is realism in the depiction of all this gaiety, as we watch Gaston try desperately to follow his uncle's "sage" advice, clinging sulkingly to his boorish, feckless bachelorhood and blaming Gigi for being "unreasonable" in wanting marriage over a high-priced affair. His antics make him the more likeable, as we identify with whatever false ideal we might have clung to long after it had outlived its usefulness. In the case of "the Parisians" that Gigi rants against in her early soliloquy, it is the puerile, incessant pursuit of romantic adventure long after grown adults should have found their mate that has gone stale ... and made their lives atrophy as pathetic parodies of eternal 17-year olds. The victim of all this pursuing is innocence - in this case, the innocent love that a young woman can bring to her mate only once, not in the absurd repetition of romantic pursuit that characterized adulterous Paris.

Does Gigi conquer this silly, dangerous sensuality alone? No, again paradox moves to the forefront, and Gaston discovers for himself the infinite spiritual beauty of true love that Gigi has been trying to express to him. In her moment of weakness, he finds the need to become strong - and so useful to his mate. And thus in the end, love conquers its counterfeit, amorousness.

"Gigi" is a warning to our own age that has set itself on its own reckless pursuit of loving relationships, turning nature on its head in the process and life into a cosmic game of trivial pursuit. In raising before us the challenge to love, no less relevant to us now, the artist's value to Society rises above mere diversion. The challenge is whether we even now can listen to the message of "Gigi," whether we in our own jaded Society can pull back from the abyss of terminal, self-centered sensuality and rediscover the God-given joy of our heart's true desire ... innocent love become mature through fidelity. ... Read more

Description

During the housing shortage of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, two men and a woman share a single apartment and the older man plays Cupid to the other two. Stars Academy Award winner Cary Grant in his last film role. ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Betty Hutton scores a triumph as Annie Oakley
At last the 1950 movie muscial "Annie Get Your Gun" is finally available for a whole new generation and fans who fondly recall seeing it years ago to experience the magic of America's greatest composer,Irving Berlin(who in addition to the great score of this film brought us"White Christmas", God Bless America" and hundreds of others)dynamic stars, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel and a first rate supporting cast perform in one of Hollywood's greatest and at the time most expensive musical. The technicolor has been preserved in such a manner that the colors are a joy to behold and the meticulous detail of the great photography of Charles Rosher and the costumes by Walter Plunkett("Gone With The Wind")and Helen Rose, who did the exquisite western costumes for Betty Hutton are truly a feast for the eye.This film showcases Betty Hutton at her best. She may not have "voice of the century" like Judy Galand who had to bow out of the role due to illness and other problems but she adds a tremendous gusto to the role plus an almost child like innocence to her early scenes as the backwoods, uneducated Annie. She is especially touching in several scenes in addition to her special gusto (toned down here from some of her earlier roles). Betty Hutton was one of the top stars in Hollywood when this film was released. That same year she made the cover of Time magazine and the film went on to be one of the top grossing movies that year. She went on to sing and dance with Fred Astaire in "Let's Dance" and then won the coveted starring role in Cecil B. DeMille's oscar winning film(for best picture of 1952)"The Greatest Show on Earth"in which she did most of her own stunts in her role as a trapeze performer in a circus.(both of these films are available on video Her last big film was "Somebody Loves Me" in 1952. She left Paramount Pictures due to a dispute over having her then husband direct her next film. She later made one more film in 1956(released in 1957 called "Spring Reunion" a small black and white film produce by Kirk Douglas'company co-starring Dana Andrews. Miss Hutton gave a sensitive performance in this drama about an unmarried career woman in her 30's ,lonely and living with her parents. Once the most popular girl in high school, she meets and old classmate at a reunion. The film gave Miss Hutton a chance to really show that she was a actress fo considerable depth. It is a small film but quite affecting. It is not available on videobut has been aired on TCM) Also in "Annie Get Your Gun", Howard Keel made his movie musical debut and it was an auspicious one indeed. The first of many great parts showcasing his magificient baritone voice, natural acting ability and his strong, handsome ,masculine prescence.Mr. Keel later reached his peak in MGM musicals in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and especially "Kiss Me Kate" (both available on video and probably DVD)The theatrical version of "Annie Get Your Gun"had several songs that were not included in the film. One "I'm a Bad Bad Man" would have been fun to have had Mr. Keel perform and two sung by Annie were a ballad"I Got Lost In His Arms"(beautifully done recently by Bernadette Peters in the broadway revival) and the delightful "Moonshine Lullaby" sung by Annie to her little brother and 3 sisters with an assist by them . It would have been nice to have had Miss Hutton do these in the film. Most of her songs except "They Say It's Wonderful" are of the exuberant variety. She is a standout doing the show's greatest number "There' No Business Like Show Businesss" in which she sings with her co-stars, later a reprise by herself and a again with Mr. Keel. Before the film, it is enjoyable to see the original trailer(or coming attraction promotion) for the film, a short introduction and brief history of Annie Oakley and her various incarnations by broadway/television star, Susan Lucci. Shown are outakes made by Judy Garland before she was let go for the film. After the film 2 completed numbers by Miss Garland are shown. She appears rather tired in them but her voice is just great and fine natural acting ability is evident as always. Finally a lovely number that unfortunately was later deleted from the film before it was released is shown for the first time.It is called "Let's Go West Again" with Betty Hutton. It is a good number , beautifully shot, sung in a more low key manner by Miss Hutton. Another interesting sideline, some of the original lyrics by Mr. Berlin were considered a little too "racy" for movie censors in 1950. For example in "You Can't Get a Man With A Gun",The lyric "a man's love is mighty he'll even buy a nighty for a gal who he thinks is fun, but they don't make pajamas for pistol packing mamas" was altered for the movie to "a Tom, Dick or Harry will build a house for Carrie when the preacher has made them one" Although a minor complaint it did cause a few of the songs to lose a little of their "bite".The film won 2 Oscars for sound recording and musical adaptation and it is obvious by the smooth , clear arrangements which give great justice to Irving Berlin's genius as both a composer and lyricist. I highly recommend this film for the entire family, especially if you are tired of the current films that offer nothing more than extreme violence, car chases, boring performers, gimmicky special effects, blatant sexuality etc. run and get this film. Betty Hutton was recently interviewed by the brilliant Robert Osborne on TCM(the Turner Classic Movies cable channel) and if they see my review I want to say "Bravo" to both of you for an outstanding one hour conversation about Miss Hutton's life and career. I hope that Betty Hutton will continue to give future interviews and lectures . She is a remarkable "survivor"who gives so much of herself to her audience.It is not surprising that she got her start on the Broadway stage and after her movie career continued appearing all over The USA and Europe in concerts and and theatrical productions to sellout audiences until personal problems in the 1960's caused her to stop performing until she made a brief return to Broadway in 1980(filling in for Alice Ghostley) in the role of Miss Hannigan in "Annie" ( muscial based on Little orphan Annie)

Worth the wait?
Well, it`s here at last. The long-awaited VHS of this smash hit Broadway musical.
I remember seeing it at the movies when it came out and thinking - what went wrong?
The tunes are great - the start is excellent but there`s no heart.
It`s too clean I guess and one-dimensional. Poor Howard Keel has not got into his stride as a movie actor and his Frank Butler is stodgy and quite unpleasant.
Our girl, Betty does her nut as usual but as she gets prettier so does her character diminish and she too appears brash and unsympathetic.
Of course, the songs are block-busters but I really missed Moonshine Lullaby which would have gone a long way to redeem Betty Hutton`s portrayal of Annie Oakley.
My favourite line is when Chief Sitting Bull says:
"Keep bow tight, keep arrows sharp AND NO PUT MONEY IN SHOW BUSINESS."
Unfortunately the movie degenerates into montage sequences of little moment and a conclusion that depends on the woman being subservient to the man and 'letting him win'.
Based on a true story, it starts so well........but finishes like a damp squib.
In all fairness, Judy Garland couldn`t have cut it as Annie, as we see in a couple of her numbers before she was sacked from the production.

There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business!
Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play.And now it is my favort movie. I loved being in that play even though i was only 11 years old i still loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie and when I got the movie I could not stop watching it, and now my future goal would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business
Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play. I loved doing it even though i was only 11 years old is till loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie i could not stop watching it. And My Future goal in life would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

One of the most fun films ever made!!
Betty Hutton is sooo good in this musical. Even in pigtails, freckles, and rags she's totally loveable and her backwoods accent is hysterical!!
Annie Oakley (Hutton) and Frank Butler(Howard Keel) are two of the best gunshots in the world, but Oakley, who doesn't know a thing about being a lady, falls hopelessly in love with the handsome Butler. After accepting an offer to work with Butler in Buffalo Bill's western show, Oakley takes pains to become a beautiful lady and win Butler's heart. Unfortunately for Oakley, Butler can't take her being a better shooter than him, so a big rivalry ensues and so does all the fun.
Most memorable performance is Hutton and Keel's adorable number with the song "Anything You Can Do."
The quality of this DVD is great. Picture's bright and clear, sound is excellent, and so are the extra features like Susan Lucci's intro and about four outtakes, two of which contain Judy Garland's only two finished performances. Enjoy!! ... Read more

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Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) is devastated when his longtime dancing partner, Nadine Hale (Ann Miller), breaks up the team to set out on her own. Determined to prove that he can succeed without her, Astaire vows that he can pick any random chorus girl and make her a star. Fortunately for him, the chorus girl he picks happens to be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, Judy Garland (playing Hannah Brown). Easter Parade turned out to be the first and only collaboration between the two screen legends. Garland made the 1948 film despite ongoing health problems then had to pull out of a planned follow-up, The Barkleys of Broadway (Ginger Rogers replaced her); Astaire had retired following Blue Skies in 1946 but was brought in for this film as an emergency replacement after Gene Kelly broke his ankle playing touch football. Fortunately, Easter Parade always feels like an Astaire film rather than a Kelly film, from its Pygmalion-esque plot (which helps explain the principals' 23-year age disparity) to its score of Irving Berlin standards (some new, some recycled from earlier films). The film capitalizes on the strengths of both stars, Astaire in dance solos, including "Drum Crazy" and "Steppin' Out with My Baby" (MGM's take on Astaire's earlier, persona-defining "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails"), and Garland in vocal solos, including the torchy "Better Luck Next Time." The stars especially shine, however, when they perform together in their vaudeville numbers, most notably the persona-defying hobo routine "We're a Couple of Swells." Watch this classic every Easter. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

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Tait College football captain Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford) is used to getting any girl he wants. When new coed Pat McClellan (Patricia Marshall) arrives on campus sporting racy fashions and pseudo-French phrases, he decides he wants her. But Pat only has eyes for men with millions, so Tommy enlists sweet Connie Lane (June Allyson), Pat's sorority sister who is working her way through Tait as an assistant librarian, to help him learn French. Tommy falls for down-to-Earth Connie, who falls for him right back, but his ego gets in the way when Pat does a turnabout and decides she does want him after all.

Based on the Broadway play and 1930s musical, Good News is an enthusiastic, good-hearted romp through late-'20s college life. Broadway actress Joan McCracken as Connie's roommate Babe Doolittle exudes energy as she leads nearly all the musical numbers, particularly shining in "Good News" and "Pass the Peace Pipe." A young Mel Tormé sings a lovely reprise of "The Best Things in Life Are Free," and one of the signature songs, "The Varsity Drag," is led by Allyson and Lawford showcasing their dancing and singing talents (Lawford is a better hoofer than vocalist). Though the movie seems mainly constructed around the musical numbers, the writing is sharp and the cast members seems to be enjoying themselves. Director Charles Walters went on to direct Easter Parade and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green would make their mark with, among others, On the Town and Singin' in the Rain. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Music, Dancing, and Pre-war Feminism
I discovered this toe-tapping musical by accident my freshmen year of college and I have never enjoyed another film quite so much! Made in the golden years of the MGM musical production frenzy, "Good News" is a shining star that, sadly, for years was forgotten.

"Good News" is the story of a senior at Tait college who works as the school librarian (June Allison). Having worked hard throughout her years at Tait, she has been largely ignored by the superficial fraternity boys. This changes when Tommy Marlow (Peter Lawford), captain of Tait's beloved football team, asks her for French lessons. The story is a little predictable, but if you watch a musical for a suspenseful plot, I think you are going to be continually disappointed.

The music numbers in this 1947 production are lively and brillantly written. You will find yourself humming such songs as "Lucky in Love" long after the show. Mel Torme plays a small role in the movie and treats us to a reprise of the ballad "The Best Things in Life are Free".

True to MGM's style the music is accentuated by stunning choreography. "Pass the Peace Pipe" and the "Varsity Drag", the show-stopping finale, are wonderful examples of this. Some may find, however, the pre-war treatment of Native American traditions in "Pass the Peacepipe" to be inappropriate in today's politically correct society. I personally found it to be a wonderful reminder of how far we have come in that arena.

What I love best about this musical is the strength given to June Allison's character in a time when women weren't given much credit for more than their pretty face and homemaking skills. In this movie, she is a smart, working woman, who, instead of wallowing in the fact she has no beau, betters herself. The sorority house relies on her for plumbing repair as well as smoothing over cat fights. Despite the wonderful music and dance numbers, this is what makes "Good News" really worth while. (How refreshing to see the smart girl get the boy! Especially the handsome Peter Lawford!)

What a treat this movie has been re-released!

Fast, breezy entertainment!
This version of "Good News" (there was a 1930 adaptation) takes the wonderful musical score (plus some interpolated standards), and folds it into a terrifically innocent, fast, and joyful plot about 1920s college kids, the big football game, and the brainy student (June allyson) who tutors, then falls in love with, the gridiron hero (Peter Lawford). There were greater musicals produced by MGM in the '40s and '50s than this one, but even the best of those ("The Band Wagon", "Singin' in the Rain") are hard pressed to match the sheer energy and sparkle of this "minor" MGM tuner. Everything about "Good News" works effortlessly, and the fun is amped up considerably by the straight-ahead kinetics of the numbers. From the title song (done on the front steps of the fictional Tait College), through the jazzy specialty "pass That Peace Pipe", on to the genuinely exciting finale to "The Varisty Drag", the arrangements have snap and drive, and the choreography is equal to the scoring in impact.

On DVD, the Technicolor picture is vibrant, sharp, and steady. The monophonic sound is fairly strong considering the age of the film; overall the presentation is top notch. The extras include two staggeringly campy musical excerpts from the 1930 version, featuring a pre-"Blondie" Penny Singleton scrunching up her face and pounding out the lumbering dance steps to horse-y versions of the title song and "The Varsity Drag". Very funny and a great complement to the exuberance of the 1947 version.

My favorite musical!
I love this musical, and definitely recommend it for any musical lovers!! "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Ladies' Man" are two of my favorite songs from this movie.

The best movie ever
This movie is one of my personal favorits of all time. It has great acting, wonderful songs/music, and very entertaning dance numbers. The first time I ever saw this movie on TV I ran to the nearest place to rent it. And soon after I got one of my own so I could watch it again and again. I strongly suggest you do the same! You won't regret it.

WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT
This lavish 1947 remake of the 1930 M-G-M film - which was priorly a 1927 Broadway musical - is still great fun to watch! Peter Lawford plays Tommy, the football hero, and pert, little June Allyson of the croaky voice plays Connie who's working her way through Tait College as a librarian. Patricia Marshall plays the school sexpot who has her heart set on Lawford but Tommy can't make his grades, so he must be tutored by Guess Who? Most every song is winning, the choreography is stunning and the old Technicolor (by Charles Schoenbaum) is brilliant. New songs which were added to the original score were PASS THAT PEACE PIPE & THE FRENCH LESSONS. ENJOY! ... Read more

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Vincente Minnelli's 1958 adaptation of Colette's story about a girl (Leslie Caron) groomed as a courtesan--but desired as a wife by a Parisian playboy (Louis Jordan)--won a lot of Oscars, but it also has the unusual distinction of being an MGM musical shot on location in the City of Lights. What a musical it is (by Lerner and Loewe): MauriceChevalier and Hermione Gingold crooning "Ah, Yes, I Remember It Well," plus the songs "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," "Gigi," "I'm a Bore," and "She's Not Thinking of Me." Director Vincente Minnelli (Some CameRunning, Meet Me in St. Louis) makes a sumptuous, dreamy, almost laid-back affair of it all, and the indispensable cast is forever etched into memory. Hollywood's long-running infatuation with continental grace and manners, the memory of a much earlier time imported to American movies through such immigrant directors as Ernst Lubitsch, may have finally come to a gentle end with this film. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (62)

"GiGi" - 9 Oscars / Best Pix 1958 now on WideScreen DVD!!
MGM's "Gigi" was their last big Musical production. MGM won 9 Oscars including; Picture of the Year (1958), Best Director - Vincent Minnelli, Best Song - "Gigi", Best Cinematography, Art & Set Design, Best Costumes.

The Colorful Metrocolor WideScreen production was directed by Vincent Minnelli - Oscar Winner!! Lerner & Loewe provide us with the great lyrics & music. Gigi title song won an Oscar! Another favorite is Maurice Chevalier's singing of "Thank Heaven For Little Girls".

Summary: We are in the Summer of 1900 Paris. Leslie Caron as "Gigi" was perfectly cast as the young Parisian grand daughter being groomed & refined to be the socialte wife for a rich to do gentlemen. Gigi is infactuated with her Grandmothers (Herimone Gingold)ex's nephew Gaston (Louis Jourdan) a rich playboy who befriends the young rough around the edges, Gigi. As this story developes Gaston's has numerous public affairs that continue to fail & his only joy is being with Gigi. As the story evolves we have lush & colorful sets and lavish scenes of 1900 Paris & a complex love story begins. Hollywood Happy endings, prevail!

This DVD has a Full Screen & WideScreen (LetterBox) version. the movie is 116 minutes long. Excellent Quality picture & Color. Only extra is a trailer. Very delightful family movie.
Enjoy.

A BEAUTIFUL MUSICAL.
A lavish, glossy and eminently tuneful movie treat, GIGI tells the story of an illegitimate waif who lives in 1890's Paris with her Aunt Alicia and her Grandmother (Hermione Gingold). Their plan is transform this waif into an elegant courtesan so that she can become the mistress of wealthy Jourdan, who eventually takes her as his bride because he truly loves her. This throws Gingold for a loop; the family is not used to marriage: Chevalier - Jourdan's father - was once her lover...Produced in Paris, it's a delight from the first frame to the last. All the usual Parisian landmarks are featured: the Tuileries, the Bois de Boulogne, the Palais de Glace, etc. Chevalier steals every scene he's in (except, perhaps when he's singing I REMEMBER IT WELL with Gingold). The original story was based upon a French story by Collette and was ingeniously adapted for a musical stage play by Lerner and Lowe. Caron had played the role on the Paris stage, and here her songs were dubbed by Betty Wand. The film won a grand total of 9 AA & a special Oscar was given to Chevalier for his contribution of over 50 years of performing in the entertainment world.

Bravo! Bravo!
I think that GIGI is the best musical ever. I just love Aunt Alicia and her sister. Hermoine Gingold is fabulous. This movie takes you into a world that you don't want to come out of. If only they would make more movies like this today. My grandaughter absolutely adores it. I want to watch Gigi over and over and does not want it to end. I get lost in the movie and wish I could stay there forever. It is absolutely fantastic.!!!!! More young people should be able to see this movie. Whomever have not seen this movie they are missing out on life itself. Julia Reid

Watch it for Leslie Caron!
I had never seen the Best Picture of 1958, the year of my birth. Turner Classic Movies (possibly the best channel of all available televison channels) provided many of the Best Picture winners during the month of February so I finally got to see it.
Although quite dated and politically incorrect (I challenge you to see/hear Maurice Chevalier sing "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" and not think it so) this movie is a perfect vehicle for Leslie Caron. She is funny, charming and winsome. Effective as both a young girl and then convincingly blossoming into a young lady, Miss Caron is entirely believable in her role. Hermione Gingold plays her guardian aunt with Maurice Chevalier the uncle of her suitor. Louis Jourdan is charming but I found Monsieur Chevalier to be what my mother used to call a "professional Frenchman". Laughing off the suicide of one of his nephew's mistresses is totally unacceptable and I also found Chevalier's mannerisms tedious.

On the whole I found that by watching the movie strictly for the performances of Caron, Gingold and Jourdan it was very enjoyable. Paris was lovely, the costumes gorgeous and Vincente Minelli's direction superb.

Substance, not sparkle -- the triumph of innocence in "Gigi"
When Yeats mourned, "The ceremony of innocence is drowned," he was prophesying the loss of all that is decent in the coming 20th century - and he was crying out for us to fight for all we are worth to prize the innocence of the young, to put aside all self-indulgent pursuits in the face of innocence. "Gigi" is set against all the magnificence the world can offer as a backdrop for the test of innocence against the cunning and the carnal. The movie's real appeal comes not from its lush setting, costumes and flight from our crass age into the Impressionist gentility of fin-de-siècle Paris, but ultimately from Aristotle's pet component of any literary work of merit: the plot. And "Gigi" has a plot that never fades for an instant. In truly entertaining fashion we watch as the fate of the heroine's innocence comes to hang on the edge of a knife from the movie's sunny beginning to its climactic end. For lovely, irresistible Paris is, in reality, a turbulent arena where the innocent are thrown to all the well-tailored wolves of Society, to fend for themselves with nothing but their hearts and their integrity as protection against a life-lived-hollow.

The watchword for "Gigi" is paradox, that steady companion of reality. Look for it everywhere, in the boredom that pervades the intricate lives of the rich elite versus the interest and charm that young Gigi exudes when she simply enters a room. The simple, the "straight of heart," are the enviable ones, while the titans gnash their teeth (and one another's) in their futile pursuit of a remedy for an ennui that becomes downright pathological. Leisure becomes the hardest work of all for the upper classes; titillation requires higher and higher doses, until no amount of frivolity - France's special export to the world - will give joy. Where, the movie asks, is all this legendary Gallic joie-de-vivre? The wealthiest of them all, Gaston (played to perfection by Louis Jordan), is so far past the pursuit of money that he alone of his class has the composure to look around himself, take his life's bearings, and realize that the Emperor is quite naked. And so he is driven on his strange, unconscious heroic quest to live an authentic life. It begins when, on an impulse, he hops out of a carriage ride with his uncle, Paris's veteran joie-de-vivre mentor (played to sheer magnificence by Maurice Chevalier), and seeks refuge in the simple house of Hermione Gingold, who plays Gigi's grandmother.

Chevalier represents the Parisian romantic idol of his age. One gets the feeling in watching him in "Gigi" that he was almost spending his entire movie career simply in apprenticeship for this seminal role. For I do not think we could really understand the frantic romanticizing of the 19th century French without his incredibly compelling, appealing performance - it flows so naturally from his every pore that it seems less like acting than living the bon vivant code he preaches. And yet, having reached the pinnacle of self-interest, Parisian style, he is still touched by Gigi's grandmother, just as his nephew is ultimately won over to real love by the innocent one, Gigi herself. We are, in fact, educable! And the undercurrent of joy that pervades this masterpiece of filmmaking is centered around this buoyant theme: we can all be taught to realize virtue.

Gigi is Gaston's soulmate, though neither knows what that means at the movie's start. He is too emotionally stunted to realize she is a woman - and wouldn't know what to do with a woman besides woo her - and she is unaware that she is leaving childhood. The movie chronicles the maturing of both partners-to-be: Gigi from physical and emotional adolescence to womanhood, Gaston from the emotional adolescence that Society has demanded, to manhood. There is realism in the depiction of all this gaiety, as we watch Gaston try desperately to follow his uncle's "sage" advice, clinging sulkingly to his boorish, feckless bachelorhood and blaming Gigi for being "unreasonable" in wanting marriage over a high-priced affair. His antics make him the more likeable, as we identify with whatever false ideal we might have clung to long after it had outlived its usefulness. In the case of "the Parisians" that Gigi rants against in her early soliloquy, it is the puerile, incessant pursuit of romantic adventure long after grown adults should have found their mate that has gone stale ... and made their lives atrophy as pathetic parodies of eternal 17-year olds. The victim of all this pursuing is innocence - in this case, the innocent love that a young woman can bring to her mate only once, not in the absurd repetition of romantic pursuit that characterized adulterous Paris.

Does Gigi conquer this silly, dangerous sensuality alone? No, again paradox moves to the forefront, and Gaston discovers for himself the infinite spiritual beauty of true love that Gigi has been trying to express to him. In her moment of weakness, he finds the need to become strong - and so useful to his mate. And thus in the end, love conquers its counterfeit, amorousness.

"Gigi" is a warning to our own age that has set itself on its own reckless pursuit of loving relationships, turning nature on its head in the process and life into a cosmic game of trivial pursuit. In raising before us the challenge to love, no less relevant to us now, the artist's value to Society rises above mere diversion. The challenge is whether we even now can listen to the message of "Gigi," whether we in our own jaded Society can pull back from the abyss of terminal, self-centered sensuality and rediscover the God-given joy of our heart's true desire ... innocent love become mature through fidelity. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

"Lili" a completely enchanting, magical film
"Lili" is one of the most magical and enchanting films ever. It is a small film - not lavish and overblown - but a production that grabs your heart from the very beginning. Leslie Caron has never been better and richly deserved the Academy Award nomination (and should have won). Her scenes with the wonderful puppets (some of the best uses of puppetry in films) are completely enchanting. Mel Ferrer, Jean Pierre Aumont, Kurt Kasner and, surprisingly, Zsa Zsa Gabor couldn't be better. The excellent ballet sequence at the end of the film in which the puppets turn into the puppeteer each time Lili dances with them, showing her that the person behind the characters she has come to love is her real love, is a perfect resolution for the story. "Lili" was the basis for an equally wonderful Broadway musical, "Carnival". This is a film that can be viewed over and over and never lose it's charm and magic.

A Charming Tale of Bittersweet Love
Leslie Caron's first starring vehicle after her debut in 'An American in Paris' was this small musical (with only one song) about a naive French orphan named Lillete Daurier who happens upon members of a travelling circus. She convinces them to take her with them as she is desperate for work and needs money. She falls in love with the handsome Mark (Jean Pierre Aumont) who is married but takes advantage of Lili's crush by stringing her along shamelessly. The carvinal puppeteer (Mel Ferrer) offers sympathy by way of his puppets,including the lovable Carrot-Top and his friends.They help her through her troubles and yet Lili loathes and fears the man controlling them,whom she calls 'The Angry Man'. It is not until Mark and his wife leave the carnival for a better booking that Lili wakes up to herself and begins to grow up and discover that it is the puppeter she has fallen in love with and not the silly crush that she had with Mark. The ballets featured are delightful with Lili's dream of Mark romancing her and throwing over his wife (done gracefully with snappy and sexy music and Zsa Zsa Gabor as the 'Other Woman')and the climactic ballet where the puppets become life size and dance with Lili. The music is by the same composer who wrote the score for Lucille Ball's 'Forever Darling',as some musical arrangements are identical in both pictures.Based on a story by Paul Gallico.

Magic Dreamworld
A charming little musical that grabbed me from the beginning, Lili is not as simple as it looks or sounds. This is definitely a character-actor driven movie, with Leslie Caron carrying the weight of film with her wide-eyed charm. The movie touches on dark issues like suicide, attempted rape, homelessness, poverty, bitterness, and thwarted dreams, but in a marvel of restraint, it doesn't dwell on these things and overemphasize them. The real focus is Lili's beautiful hope and joy in living.

An orphan, Lili joins up with a traveling circus. She's helplessly naive, but with the family-like troupe and the puppets in her carnival act, she blossoms into a poised, lovely creature. The puppets themselves are quite interesting and significant - see how they resemble the live characters. In the midst of all this, the only clouds in her sky are her boss (the brooding puppeteer, Berthalet, played to perfection by the sexy Mel Ferrer) and her unattainable crush (the vainglorious Marcus the Magnificent). Her coming-of-age is the main plot, made both satisfying and achingly real.

Leslie Caron pulls off the role admirably. Lili is endearingly sweet, without going over the top. Caron draws you in before you even know you've been charmed off your feet. Lili loves and hates so simply until she learns better, and then you see her mature realistically. It's rings inexplicably true. The two dance sequences showcase Caron's extensive ballet skills without becoming huge productions that halt the story's progress. In fact, they actually carry the story further - something not all musical pieces accomplish if you think about it. The fantasy one is marvelous in revealing Lili's alter-ego - she's sexy and confident, and ultimately, not Lili. The last is particularly moving as both participants come together emotionally. Caron's face and feet act as much as the rest of her put together - a good thing, as her English is rather accented.

Most of the movie is sort of dreamy and surreal. The brief "real-life" location scenes look real, while the rest has the-painted-backdrop feel with clearly fake sets and props. This actually doesn't detract from the movie or the story, since they are not actually terribly relevant. The characters hold center stage. A feel-good movie if you just want to be entertained, a thought-provoking movie if you want to be engaged.

See also Paul Gallico's Love of Seven Dolls, the novella this movie and the musical, Carnival, were based upon. (A warning, the book explores the darker side of the story, but also worthwhile for mature readers.)

One of the 3 best films of all time
"Lili" ranks with "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" as one of the three finest motion pictures ever filmed. Its captivating song, "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo," ranks with "Over the Rainbow," "When You Wish Upon a Star," "You'll Never Know," and "It's a Grand Night for Singing" as one of the five best original movie songs. Its climactic dream-ballet sequence, in which Lili dances with life-sized versions of four puppets, is rivaled only by the "Out of My Dreams" dream-ballet sequence of "Oklahoma." And no actress has ever been more adorable and endearing--or capable--than Leslie Caron is in this movie.

Not really a musical, Lili is best described as a romantic fable or sophisticated fairy tale. It tells the story of a naive 16-year-old orphan who joins a carnival. There she brings success to a lame puppeteer (Mel Ferrer) by interacting with his four puppets. Her ingenuousness leads her to regard the puppets as real persons. Ferrer, though outwardly bitter about the war injury that ruined his career as an acclaimed dancer, shows flashes of inner kindness and humanity: he uses his puppets at one point to infuse joy into a despondent Lili, and he smiles when she isn't looking. Soon he falls in love with Lili. But she can't recognize as Ferrer's the tenderness that is revealed only in the puppets. Repelled by the overt rudeness of "the angry man," Lili becomes infatuated with the carnival's magician, a ladies' man. When she eventually learns the magician is married, Lili's eyes open. But the puppeteer's jealousy still clouds her vision. She decides to leave the carnival. Her departure precipitates the dream sequence. Here, dancing with the four puppets she has grown to love, she slowly realizes that each character represents a facet of the puppeteer's personality. Gola the giant, for example, is frightened by girls, so he tries to frighten them; but he is actually cowardly, clumsy, longing to be loved. Lili's belated recognition that Gola and the others are really Ferrer brings the story to its heartwarming conclusion.

This imaginative movie is more than a classic. It is pure enchantment. Make it your top priority.

Set The Record Straight
Just to set the record straight on the source of this magnificent film. It is NOT based on the book "Love for Seven Dolls". The book was written and published a few years AFTER the film came out. It is based on a short story by Paul Gallico titled "The 7 Souls of Clement O"Rielly" that was published in the Saturday Evening Post. In it the story is of a girl on a TV show acting with puppets who is going to leave, the realizes her love for the puppeteer.

It was a sort of take on the wonderful "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" program, but there was never a romance betewwn Burr Tillstrom and Fran Allison. In fact, the book, "Love for 7 Dolls" is dedicated to Burr Tillstrom (the puppeteer for Kukla) and Fran Allison. So it is obvious Mr. Gallico is acknowledging the inspiration for the stores to the TV show. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Garland and Kelly shine
This movie is a great fell-good love story. I've always thought that Gene kelly and Judy Garland have the most amazing on-screen chemistry and its ashame that they didn't do more than 6 films together. Judy, as usual gave a great performance in all her numbers. May they be playful, riviting, heartbreaking or just plain knock-outs, she did it great! As for Gene Kelly, though he was not thrilled with the project, never let it show. He gives absolutly amazing performances(like always) dancing in the barn with Judy and in his newspaper dance. Although my favorite is the "you wonderful you" number where Judy and Gene dance and sing nice"n"easy under low lights on an empty stage. It's so beautiful seeing Gene holding Judy in those gorgeous arms of his. He holds her like she was the love of his life and he never wanted to let go. You can almost feel those hugs just watching them. I recommande this movie to everyone and especialy Gene and Judy fans.

A LOT OF FUN!
This is a perfect movie to have around the house when nothing else seems watchable. This MGM diamond packed with and brimming over with fun is always a treat! And if you love Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, it's all the more so. Judy plays a country girl whose only interest is in running her debt-ridden farm.She returns home one day to find her barn full of cows, pigs, chickens...and actors, sets, and props. She learns that her sister has permitted a troupe of theater actors, headed by Gene and Phil Silvers, to perform a show in their barn. Judy complies on one condition: these theater folk also support themselves by doing chores around the farm. But picking eggs and milking cows aren't every man's fantasy, as Gene and Phil learn. But in spite of a madcap hullaballoo on the farm, a love story manages to intertwine itself between Judy and Gene... except for Judy being engaged... and her sister in love with Gene... This is a marvelous movie for anyone, young or old. Judy sings and struts the stuff that made her a legend, particularly shining in a memorable number called, "Get Happy". She croons "You Wonderful You" with Gene, who dances at the top of his form... on newspapers. Gene and Phil do a hilarious number called "Heavenly Music" in hillbilly attire, and the finale "Happy Harvest" will have you smiling long after the picture's over. With Judy Garland singing and Gene Kelly dancing, how can you go wrong with this priceless piece of MGM treasure? Buy it today and get happy with "Summer Stock"!

The end...
With Judy Garland struggling in her life during this time this movie holds a special place in my heart. A large fan of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly I decided to watch this one day on TCM...well lets just say from the number with Judy on the tractor to her closing Get Happy number I was hooked. I fell in love with the performances given by the two along with the rest of the cast...with some great songs...and a few not so great...it still ends up being a great movie. It's Judy's last MGM movie and her last pairing with Gene Kelly and I think it was a great ending.

Man, how they put on a show!
This movie was a treat to watch and I am so excited about this movie I am starting to write this review even as the VCR is rewinding the tape! GRIN Garland, Kelly, Silvers, DeHaven and fantastic other cast members give a strong, convincing performance in the movie Summer Stock. The script is well written; yes, though the plot is not the deepest, and to an extent predictable, the lines are thoughtfully written. The musical numbers are fantastic and include superb scenes where Kelly dances as well as Judy's infamous "Get Happy" number. (One exception is the number at the end with Silvers and Kelly dancing and singing as farmhands--not too special a musical number in my opinion.) It seems that Judy's character owns and runs a farm--in debt--and Kelly playing Joe brings his acting troupe to try out a new show and stake a claim in show business. Of course, after some complications--and romantic partner swapping--the show goes on and is a tremendous success. Happy Ending! Judy's great performance in her final completed film at MGM is truly remarkable in light of her poor health at the time. (However I must say that although it could just be my imagination, Judy looks a bit skinnier in some scenes in the film than she does in other scenes. Could this reflect her possibly losing or gaining weight during the time this movie was filmed?) In short, this film is a very fine addition to any serious movie buff's collection, especially if part of the collection includes musicals. Get this film--Amazon lists it as out of stock for a GOOD reason! Tons of people bought this movie and you'll GET HAPPY when you see this!

"Get Happy" and Get Summer Stock
Summer Stock is a typical MGM movie. That's what makes it so good! This is the third and final teaming of Judy and Gene. I think they should have done movie movies because they were so great together in this one. Gene Kelly and Judy Garland do wonderful dances togther in this movie, and I have to say the best song is "Get Happy". The story about this song is MGM thought there wasn't enough songs in this movie so they added this one at the last minute! It turned out to be one of the best remembered songs from the film. And I promise you'll remember it too! I don't own this movie, but everytime it comes on tv, I have to watch it! That's how wonderful it is! ... Read more