by John Greco
New York! New York! It’s a wonderful town!
The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down
The people ride in a hole in the ground
New York! New York! It’s a wonderful town!
And with these words “On the Town” gets off to a rousing start gliding us through a montage of three sailors on a one day pass seeing the sights of the city, New York City. The Brooklyn Bridge, the Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. It’s a world wind tour, a sparkling pioneering opening and possibly an early inspiration on music videos. Based on the 1944 hit Broadway musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The book, also by Comden and Green, was based on an idea for a ballet called “Fancy Free,” by Jerome Robbins who choreographed the stage production. In 1949, MGM brought the musical to the screen and of course had to change things including dropping most of the original songs and adding new ones (Bernstein’s music was considered too highbrow for movie audiences), this despite the fact that MGM was an investor in the stage production! Only four songs survived and, of those, the opening number had to be “toned down” (the line New York, New York, It’s a hella of town was change to read it’s a wonderful town) to appease the censors and blue noses. Additionally, the storyline was changed, enlarging and focusing more on Gabey (Gene Kelly) and Ivy (Vera Ellen) than Ozzie (Jules Munshin) and Claire (Ann Miller).
Then head of MGM, Louis B. Mayer had to be persuaded into to purchasing the film rights because he was repulsed by the show, finding it “smutty and communistic” and furthermore he was offended by a scene where a white sailor danced with a black girl.
More than sixty years after it was made, “On the Town” remains one of Hollywood’s grandest, joyful and innovative of musicals. The plot is simple. Three sailors are on a 24 hour pass in New York; all three are in the Big Apple for the first time. The boys, Gabey, Chip (Frank Sinatra) and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) quickly meet up with three girls. The shy, timid Chip, who at first is more interested in seeing the city’s majestic sights than picking up dates, is seduced by Brunhilde Esterhazy (Betty Garrett), but you can just call her Hildy, a surprisingly sexually aggressive, man chasing, quick talking, adorable female cab driver. Ozzie is swept off his feet by anthropologist Claire and Gabey falls quickly for the charms of Miss Turnstile, his Subway dream queen, Ivy Smith. Also in the cast in a small role is Carol Haney who was Kelly’s assistant choreographer. (1)
Each of the leads is given a chance in the film to shine, together and separately, but it is Gene Kelly who is the most engaging. His solo number and dance duets (Main Street and A Day in New York) with Vera-Ellen are spectacular. This is not to take anything away from the others in the cast. Ann Miller has a fabulous turn, along with the rest of the cast, with “Prehistoric Man,” while Sinatra and Betty Garrett are charming doing the humorous, “Come Up To My Place” and later, the romantic, “You’re Awful.”
The film even takes some gentle pokes at Ava Gardner who Sinatra was dating at the time, as well as some references to “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Lost Weekend.” If the film has a down side it is the treatment of Hildy’s unattractive roommate Lucy Schemer (Alice Pearce) who is used and abused and left to go home alone at the end of the big night. Some will recognize Pearce who later became known as Gladys Kravitz, the next door neighbor on the 1960’s TV series, “Bewitched.” (2)
The film is nicely bookended by Bern Hoffman as a construction worker at the Brooklyn Navy Yard singing, an early morning, sleepy version of “I’m Feeling Like I’m Not Out of Bed.” In between there are some spectacular and original musical numbers, directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen and produced by MGM’s guiding light of musicals, producer Arthur Freed.
The film was innovative in many respects, most obviously, the location shooting, the first for a musical, and spectacular sights of New York City. The editing of this sequence can be, as previously mentioned, seen as an influence on today’s music videos. Also, two of the female lead characters are fairly straight forward and sexually aggressive when it comes to getting their man and what they want.
Some folks who had seen the initial stage production at the time complained about too many of the original songs being dropped from the movie, especially a stunning tune called, “Lonely Town” but, at least for me, and I believe this is true for most of today’s audience who are not familiar with the Broadway musical version, it’s not a problem.
“On the Town” was Radio City Music Hall’s spectacular Christmas attraction for 1949 and I cannot imagine a better holiday treat filled with humor, romance, music and the extraordinary dancing of Gene Kelly, Ann Miller and the rest of the crew. For anyone who saw the film at the time, in such a spectacular venue, it must have been a nice added touch to the holiday season.
Footnotes:
(1) Carol Haney originally had a small role in another Broadway musical, “Pajama Game.” The show’s director, George Abbott liked her performance so much he combined her role with another and came up with the much larger role of Gladys Hotchkiss for which Haney won a Tony. Sadly though, for Haney, about a month into the production she broke her leg. Soon after, Hollywood producer Hal B. Wallis came to see the show, specifically to see Haney only to discover Haney’s understudy took over the role. Her name was Shirley MacLaine who Wallis soon after signed and brought to Hollywood and fame.
(2) Alice Pearce was the only member of the original Broadway show to reprise her role in the movie.
How On The Town made the ‘Elite 70’:
Allan Fish’s No. 10 choice
Greg Ferrara’s No. 13 choice
Dennis Polifroni’s No. 13 choice
Pat Perry’s No. 24 choice
Marilyn Ferdinand’s No. 40 choice
Judy Geater’s No. 61 choice
Sam Juliano’s No. 74 choice
Now we’re talking! The real meat of the count is finally exposed and what a film to start it with. A “true” musical all the way, the setting, performances, music and choreography is on a level of the highest order. One great sequence after the next this could have been THE definative musical from Hollywood of the period if it weren’t for one other. At its center, Gene Kelly exposes himself as one of the titans of performance in this genre and his every move, twirl, lyric and expression is a breaking of the text book examples that created the form only to see him re-invent it. In my opinion, there was never a presence in screen musicals as vibrantly alive and brilliantly talented as he. Add to it the pairing of Sinatra who lends a home-spun seciurity to the big city antics that act as the core of the film and you have a film that comes close to perfection. This is a bright, big, bold and brilliant film that never wears out. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!
I’m with you on this Dennis. Between this film and “Singin’ in the Rain,” Kelly was at his peak and he is just a brilliant performer and a choreographer. There is not a dull moment in the film. The best of the Kelly-Sinatra pairings!
Totally agreed with you here, JOHN. This film moves along like a lightning bolt and the moment you catch your breath from the explosion of one Kelly charge he’s already planting the next one!
Dennis,
Yes I agree that there was no one as vibrant as Gene Kelly. I’m having an honest debate with myself over whether Kelly or Astaire was more talented though. I don’t prefer the Astaire persona over Kelly’s but he was pretty tremendous too as a performer. What say you? They clearly come from different places though- Astaire the dress-up, Kelly the dress-down.
I’m the first to admit that Astaire was the more elegant dancer, top precisionist and moved like the wind. But, while his elegance was the beesknees in the 30’s, that style and that kind of stiff style fades in lieu of a more earthy and athletic realism in the dancing that followed in the 40’s and 50’s. Kelly is that earthiness personified. However, where most can argue who was the better ball-room or tap dancer (and I believe the split is 60/40 in Astaire’s favor), there was no question that Kelly was a far more advanced balletic dancer and clearly the more daring and athletic.
Acting-wise?
No contest.
Gene Kelly was clearly the better actor when compaired to Astaires mugging into the camera. His acting is wooden and his delivery of comedic lines was sluggish at best. Now, this is strictly my opinion and I do have two of Astaires films in my top 20 (TOP HAT and SWING TIME), but Kelly made all around better films, understood the ins and outs of making a picture and worked outside of the musical genre as well (remember his terrific turn as Spencer Tracy’s sidekick in INHERIT THE WIND?). He’s good looking (Astair was a hound), had sex appeal (Astaire had NONE) and was just an all-around more likeable leading man. He was a teen idol to many of the boppers of the period and girls swooned over his matinee idol status.
I like Astaire alot.
But I ADORE Gene Kelly.
And, then, there’s one other thing…
S I N G I N’ I N T H E R A I N…
Nuff said…
Dennis,
So how do you really feel? Haha! Yes I agree with you that Kelly was easily the better actor and certainly the most talented regarding the ballet and physical aspects of his dancing. However, that was also his style that he was trying to project. His style was almost the anti-Astaire. Kelly had such charisma onscreen. I’ve always felt like Astaire is a dissapointment regarding his acting. He’s a tremendous dancer but in my wanting more from him, I don’t get it. However, when he’s onscreen with Ginger Rogers, there is almost nothing better than them together. Kelly never had a pairing with anyone that rivals Astaire and Rogers. Kelly is clearly remembered by himself. Astaire more remembered as a pairing with Rogers, despite his qualms about it. Also, Kelly was a more consummate movie maker, with his choreography and directing elements making him into a fully rounded “movie man”. I still feel like we’re giving Astaire short-shrift though, but I’m running out of reasons to support his side of things.
Listen, I love Astaire for what he was worth and you pretty summed him up with your testaments above. But I don’t think it’s fair to say that Kelly never had a girl that could work with him as well as Ginger Rogers did when dancing with Astaire. Those two were electric ONLY when they were dancing. Look at Kelly and you see the sparks fly with his women both on the dance floor and in the incidental moments as well. Debbie reynolds and kelly are supremely funny together in the ALL I DO IS DREAM OF YOU ride to the party. Cyd Charisse and Kelly burn the fucking floor up in the BROADWAY MELODY sequence in SINGIN as well. Watch Kelly closely and you can see the romance brewing between him and Leslie Caron in AMERICAN IN PARIS and lets not forget his back and forth banter between him and the great Jean Hagen as his nemesis in SINGIN IN THE RAIN.
I wish that Gene Kelly had made more films with Debbie Reynolds as they were made for each other in that film and she definately keeps up with every step her partner makes on the dance floor with her…
You’re right, the more I think about it the more the arguments for Astaire seem to thin out…
Dennis,
I know what you’re saying about Kelly and other dancers, but I still maintain he never found a “partner”. You’re talking one-offs and short lived companionships onscreen. They did not pan-out over multiple films and this is the one thing that I’m saying about Astaire, is that he is more legendary for his pairing with Ginger Rogers than perhaps as a solo dancer. Kelly is not remembered for dancing with anyone in particular. He is his own man. Sure you can throw out Cyd Charise etc., but there’s no iconic pairing for him. There just isn’t, no matter what argument you throw out there. It just didn’t happen that way. Perhaps it’s better for him that way that he didn’t get tied down. I still say that Kelly never had a pairing that even competes with Astaire-Rogers. No one does.
My own opinion:
Astaire was the greater dancer by quite a bit.
I am voicing an opinion in the spirit of the discussion and that’s all. I am not looking to start a row at all.
@JONOh, I know what your getting at, and I can definately see the point. I’m just saying that Kelly wasn’t terrible with dancing with his lead ladies, meaning there was no strain and they always looked like they got along…
@PETER, you may be right (and the general consensus is about 60/40-70/30 in Astairs favor). However, my preference is for Kelly who seemed to go just a little further in playing with all types of dance (seems like Fred was always hoofing out tap and ball-room) and all the while pulling off an acting performance at the same time… In the acting category, there’s no contest that Kelly was the dominant. In my opinion, you add these two things up (1 plus one makes two), then Kelly is the better musical star.
But this is all taste and preference as well…
@ Dennis- I agree that there is nothing lacking when Kelly dances with other women. In fact, the dancing with Cyd Charise and others is rather sexy.
@ Peter- I don’t discount your opinion that Astaire is better. I only question when you say that he is better “by quite a bit”. I’m really not sure. I think they each did things the other could not do. I think it’s almost an apples and oranges thing. You prefer one or the other, but they’re both equally fruity. Haha!
Just to stick my two meaningless cents in because I know next to nothing about the technical aspects of dance, I’m on the Kelly band wagon. Yes, Astaire does what he does better, (ballroom style and tap – He’d be a winner on Dancing with the Stars1! but Kelly as Dennis has pointed out was all around more versatile. Many of Kelly’s dances spelled s-e-x, especially when he danced with Charisse..
John, another great post on a film that must have special meaning to you, being a paean your own hometown (or at least MGM’s version of it). I didn’t realize for a long time that this was based on a stage musical. It just never occurred to me that this plot could be reproduced on a stage. Then I saw a clip of it with Nancy Walker playing the Betty Garrett role and moving around the stage in a toy taxi cab! Anyway, for me the MGM musicals of the 40s and 50s are the peak of the Hollywood musical, and I think this film would easily be among my own top five. It’s colorful, tuneful, funny, has a truly likeable ensemble cast (even Sinatra seems relaxed), doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is imbued with infectious high spirits–just about everything I could ask for in a musical film. You succinctly summed up this film in one sentence: “More than sixty years after it was made, ‘On the Town’ remains one of Hollywood’s grandest, joyful and innovative of musicals.”
Thanks R.D. – I love the opening, “It’s a Wonderful Town” number. An impossible to do in one day but a joyous tour of New York, sights that anyone today can still see except for the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
You put it well here….
“It’s colorful, tuneful, funny, has a truly likeable ensemble cast (even Sinatra seems relaxed), doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is imbued with infectious high spirits–just about everything I could ask for in a musical film.”
John,
Wow back to back for you! Great job on highlighting the things that really stand out. Gene Kelly is tremendous and his dancing with Vera-Ellen in the ballet sequence and “When You Walk Down Mainstreet With Me” is awesome. I also love Vera-Ellen’s sequence near the beginning where she’s doing ballet, playing football, boxing etc. It’s hilarious and the choreography is really good. In my review a few months back, I also noted the sexual aggressiveness of Betty Garret and Ann Miller. I think it’s kind of a nice surprise in this film to see that. We’re kind of figuring sex is on the guys’ brains, but it’s even more on the ladies’! I think this is definitely one of the 20 greatest musicals and it retains a great freshness and vitality today. What I remember most though, is the dancing and it’s grand.
Jon, – yeah, I have watched this a few times and am always surprised by the sexual agressiveness of the Garrett and Ann Miller characters. Part of what keeps this film so modern. T
Like John, I consider NYC my hometown, having lived within a stone’s throw of it’s borders, and something must be said for location shooting, which is the first of it’s kind. I understand Mayer and Kelly compromised, and teh latter was given a week to run all over the city. Originally I did not have this on my ballot at all, but after seeing it again just days before the assignments were distributed, I gave it another go and slightly altered my ballot, allowing for the placement that eeked it on. The tabulation was unaffected. Well, it’s exuberant for sure, but in large measure I have never been impressed with the score, though it’s composer Leonard Bernstein is someone I revere as much as anyone in music. In a matter of coincidence this past week I have found myself in agreement with Pauline Kael on a number of occasions. She contended the film has an “undeserved reputation” and that the song numbers are “uninspired.” I can’t help but like the “New York, New York” number but the slim story and pushy exuberance never hit me on an emotional level. The spirit is there, but it seems so shallow.
But this is a personal reaction. I well understand I am in the minority, and that as a native New Yorker so to speak I speak blasphemy. I still loved the early montage. This is a spirited celebration of a review and one of your best for the countdown. It’s clear you’ve come here with the right amunition to validate ON THE TOWN’s long sway with the public and it’s considerable artistry.
Sam- The songs are just plain fun and Kael must have not noticed the dancing if she believed the film has an “undeserved reputation,” It’s lightweight but most musicals are (The Music Man, anyone?).
John, I really enjoyed your framing for this film. The locations aspect definitely contributes a lot.
I like the movie for its spunk and verve, but most of all for Ann Miller. Her performance seems to me the only one linking to the source in a Jerome Robbins ballet about, as with most of his work, the complications and rewards of modern, urban life. It seems that the migration to a Hollywood register required more strictly comedic priorities.
Thanks Jim – I kind of gave Miller the short end of the lollipop in the review, not intentionally, her moments are splendid. Back in the early 1980’s I had a chance to see Miller in SUGAR BABIES on Broadway and my irritability that I sometimes have with musicals made me back out of going to see it. My loss to be sure.
The location aspect is less than many believe. As Sam mentioned in his comment, Kelly was allowed one week to do that opening and due to some bad weather on one day, they could not complete all as planned. Most of the film was shot in Hollywood.
A great review, John – your enthusiasm really comes across and you have included a lot of interesting background information, which I really appreciate. I didn’t know the original line was “a hell of a town”! I’ve seen an interview with Stanley Donen where he says he didn’t enjoy co-directing with Gene Kelly, as he preferred to have a free hand, but their friendship survived it.
I enjoy a lot of this film, especially the great opening number and the location shooting – I’m also amused by the role reversal as taxi driver Betty Garrett keeps making passes at Sinatra! And the dancing from Gene Kelly, Ann Miller and Vera Ellen is all fantastic. However, for me the treatment of roommate Lucy (Alice Pearce), which you mention in your review, John, does leave a sour taste and also wastes a lot of time. And I must agree with Sam about the score not being all that strong in general.
I’m intrigued by how much the film has in common with Anchors Aweigh, since Sinatra and Kelly are sailors on shore leave in both of them – interesting to see that Sinatra plays wide-eyed and sweet characters in both, quite at odds with his dry, world-weary screen persona later on!
Thanks Judy – As i mentioned to Same, the score is just plain fun. It’s lightweight but Kelly and company manage to to do a lot with what they have. The Lucy character is used and made fun of, a little of bad taste in an overall splendid entertainment..It’s interesting that back in that stage of his career Sinatra played a lot of wide eyed innocent characters and you’re so right that it is “quite at odds with his dry, world-weary screen persona later on!”