Stubs - The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music (1965) starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker.  Directed by Robert Wise. Screenplay by Ernest Lehman, with the partial use of ideas by Georg Hurdalek. Based on the musical The Sound of Music, music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, and originally produced on the stage by Leland Hayward, Richard Halliday, Richard Rodgers, and Oscar Hammerstein II (New York, 16 Nov 1959). Produced by Robert Wise. Run time: 172 minutes. Color. Musical, Drama, Romance

In 1965, 20^th Century Fox put out a movie that would not only help it recover from the $30 million loss on Cleopatra (1963), but would go on to be, for a time, the highest grossing film of all-time. By all standards, except for some early reviews, the film was wildly popular and a runaway hit. I remember it playing at my local theater for a year; unheard of today.

The movie is based on the musical that started its run in 1959. The musical’s narrative was derived from Maria Augusta von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. At that time, the book had already been made into two popular West German feature films directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner, Die Trapp-Familie (1956), and its sequel, Die Trapp-Familie in Amerika (1958). The Broadway musical saw $2,325,000 in advance sales and ran from November 16, 1959 to June 15, 1963.

Paramount Pictures had optioned rights to Die Trapp-Familie, and approached Vincent J. Donehue, the musical’s Broadway director, about directing an American version, starring Audrey Hepburn, but Donehue advised the studio not to, “You can’t possibly make it as a movie, you’ve got to let it go; the way to do this is a musical for Mary Martin.” Paramount dropped its option when Hepburn wasn’t available.

Moana 2

Note: This review contains spoilers for Moana and Moana 2.

The success of Moana in 2016 meant an inevitable follow-up. In 2020, Disney originally announced such a follow-up as Moana: The Series, a five-episode long-form musical comedy series meant for Disney+ in 2023. During development, however, the team kept getting asked about putting it on the big screen to the point that in January 2024, the project had officially pivoted to a theatrical sequel with the original cast reprising their roles. Although the final film, Moana 2, released in November 2024 to mixed reviews, it still made over $1 billion against its budget of $150 million (a massive profit unless Disney’s accountants somehow believe otherwise). Based on word of mouth, I (fittingly) waited for the eventual Disney+ release so I could see the finished product for myself without potentially wasting good money watching it in a theater. As it turns out, Moana 2 really feels like five episodes of a TV series stapled together, making it the modern equivalent to the likes of Atlantis: Milo’s Return.

Stubs - The Cat in the Hat (1971)

The Cat in the Hat (1971) Starring the voices of Allan Sherman, Daws Butler, Tony Frazier, Pamelyn Ferdin, Thurl Ravenscroft, Lewis Morford Directed by Hawley Pratt. Teleplay by Dr. Seuss. Based on The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957 by Dr. Seuss. Produced by Chuck Jones and Ted Geisel. Run time: 25 minutes USA Animated, Musical, TV Special

In 1955, William Spaulding, then the director of Houghton Mifflin's education division, invited Theodor Geisel, writing under the pseudonym of Dr. Seuss, to dinner. Geisel was then best known as the author of If I Ran the Circus. Based on an article about literacy in early childhood, Spaulding supplied Geisel with a list of between 300 and 400 words every six and seven-year-old should know and reportedly challenged him to "Write me a story that first-graders can't put down!" Geisel came up with The Cat in The Hat using 236 words. And no first-grader was able to put it down. For many people, it would be their first book they could read on their own.

Stubs - A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown (2024) starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, Scoot McNairy Directed by James Mangold. Screenplay by James Mangold, Jay Cocks Based on Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald. Produced by Fred Berger, James Mangold, Alex Heineman, Bob Bookman, Peter Jaysen, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Timothée Chalamet Run time: 141 minutes. Color. USA. Biographical, Musical, Drama

Hollywood has been on a roll making film biographies of musicians of late. The current subject is Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. This is the second Dylan fictional biography; he was also the subject of I’m Not There (2007), an experimental biopic, which included Cate Blanchett representing one aspect of Dylan’s life.

Descendants: The Rise of Red

From the perspective of someone who has never
watched Descendants.

In 2015, Disney launched what would be the long-running Descendants franchise, centered around a series of television films and books about descendants of various Disney characters, both hero and villain alike, attending Auradon Prep. While I had generally been aware of this franchise since around when it came out, I never really paid much attention to it since I was outside the target demographic by that point. However, as a fan of Alice in Wonderland and Disney’s 1951 animated adaptation, I did suddenly become interested when I found out that the 2021 animated special, The Royal Wedding, teased the introduction of the Wonderland setting to the Descendants universe. When this finally materialized as a fourth movie, Descendants: The Rise of Red, on Disney+, I decided to go in on the day it premiered with the perspective of a complete outsider to see how well it worked on its own merits. While it does manage to stand on its own to some extent, I found the execution of its ideas to be a bit lacking in places.

Stubs - Wonka

Wonka (2023) starring Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant Directed by Paul King. Screenplay by Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Based on Characters created by Roald Dahl. Produced by David Heyman, Alexandra Derbyshire, Luke Kelly Color. Run time: 116 minutes. UK/USA.Musical, Fantasy

A sort of prequel to the modern classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), Wonka hit theaters on December 15 in the U.S. The film attempts, and for the most part succeeds, in telling the Willy Wanka origin story, though it does not seamlessly fit into the 1971 film, the way Rogue One (2016) flowed into Star Wars (1977).

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

Though Bernard Waber may fly under many people’s radars as far as children’s book authors go, he is best known for the Lyle series, detailing the adventures of an anthropomorphic crocodile. I will admit I had not read the books when I was a kid, but I was still aware enough of them as I got older that a film adaptation of the first two books The House on East 88^th Street and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, taking the name from the second (Lyle), got me at least mildly curious about seeing it when it first came out. While I did not see it in a theater, I ultimately found an opportunity when it offered as an entertainment option on a flight, albeit in less-than-ideal conditions since I had to watch it through my phone, which also had some display issues with darker colors. Despite these circumstances, I ultimately enjoyed it overall, with the movie even getting me curious about reading the books.

Oliver & Company

 

Following the financial failure of The Black Cauldron, Disney CEO Michael Eisner and Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg invited Disney animators to pitch ideas for future animated features. Among the many pitches, story artist Pete Young suggested “Oliver Twist with dogs”, which manifested in 1988 as Oliver & Company, the final film in Disney’s “Dark Age” of animation. Although critics had a divisive reaction on release, it still did very well enough at the box office, making an estimated $121 million against a budget of $31 million, enough that justified Katzenberg’s mandated yearly release schedule.

In the years since its original release, Oliver & Company has also gained a cult following, much like other overlooked Disney films like Treasure Planet or Atlantis: The Lost Empire. One key factor in this film receiving comparatively little attention, however, may be that it came out only one year before Disney’s take on The Little Mermaid, which kicked off the Disney Renaissance. Regardless, there are plenty of things to like about Oliver & Company that make it worth watching it today, even if the finished product is far from perfect.

Stubs - Elvis

Elvis (2022) Starring Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Screenplay by Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, Jeremy Doner. Produced by Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss Run time: 159 minutes. Color. Australia/United States Biographical Musical Drama

The story of Elvis Presley told through the eyes of Col. Tom Parker, Elvis is a biography seen through the eyes of Baz Luhrmann.

For those of you who may not know, Elvis Presley, or as he’s also known, the “King of Rock and Roll” was the biggest singing act in the world after Frank Sinatra and before The Beatles. He had a string of number one hits beginning with “Heartbreak Hotel” and including such songs as “Love Me Tender", "Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock”. His last hit, “Burning Love”, hit #2 in 1972. He made a ton of movies and recorded gospel as well as country albums.

And, if you watch the Luhrmann retelling you might or might not learn any of that. The film seems to tell the story like a stone skipping across the water, hitting on certain moments, like young Elvis’ exposure to the Blues and Gospel, but skips over things like the 30 movies Elvis made. We see him being embarrassed by Steve Allen on that comedian’s variety hour but not his appearance on Ed Sullivan’s, which was the sign you had really made it in America. We see him on the Louisiana Hay Ride, a traveling show, singing ”That’s All Right” but not him being discovered by producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

For whatever reason, 2022 saw the release of four separate Pinocchio films, each attached to a different studio and distributor. These included Pinocchio: A True Story, Pinocchio and the Water of Life, Disney’s own live-action remake of their 1940 classic and a stop-motion film co-directed by none other than Guillermo del Toro. As it turns out, del Toro had announced development for his take on the original Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio all the way back 2008, but it didn’t really enter production until Netflix picked up the project in 2018, largely because no one else would finance it until then. Though we had little familiarity with del Toro’s work outside of Pacific Rim, The Shape of Water and his involvement in Death Stranding, we jumped at the chance to see the finished product, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (aka Pinocchio), through an early limited theatrical run. Fortunately, not only was the film worth the money, it easily washed out the bad taste left by Disney’s Pinocchio remake.

Encanto (+ Far From the Tree)

Within the last few years, the Walt Disney Company has made greater attempts at representing previously underrepresented cultures, with the side effect of opening up new storytelling opportunities and leaving room for experimentation. In this vein, Encanto, the sixtieth film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, explores Columbian culture while telling the story through a tight-knit, and for some relatable, family dynamic. Though the film underperformed at the box office, earning about $216.3 million against an estimated budget of $120-150 million, it achieved a newfound success from its recent Disney+ release, which was also how we finally saw the film. Indeed, a combination of passionate writing and directing, along with the unique Disney flair, elevate Encanto as one of the studio's better films in recent years.

Second Look - My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Rainbow Rocks

Note: This review contains spoilers for My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks.

Back in 2014, I had reviewed My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks based on a limited theatrical screening. With the passage of time, however, I’ve come to dislike my original review. I didn’t take the review seriously enough and I realized that I was overly harsh due to a negative experience with particularly overzealous “Bronies” (Friendship is Magic’s adult male fans) at a theatrical screening. After about five years, I decided to take another look at this film, alongside the original Equestria Girls, to see if I felt any differently and look at any of its flaws more objectively. I turns out that I warmed up to it a bit more, but I still felt that at least one change could have improved it dramatically.

Stubs - Yesterday

Yesterday (2019) Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Kate McKinnon. Directed by Danny Boyle. Screenplay by Richard Curtis. Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Bernie Bellew, Matthew James Wilkinson, Richard Curtis, Danny Boyle Run Time: 116 minutes. United Kingdom. Color. Musical, Fantasy

Being a life-long Beatles fan, I was intrigued by the first trailer for this movie and I’ve been looking forward to seeing it ever since. This seems to be the summer for rock fantasy musicals. Earlier this year was Rocketman, which more-or-less told the Elton John story but not really. Now this, which re-imagines the music of The Beatles in a modern world setting.

Stubs - Rocketman

Rocketman (2019) Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard Directed by Dexter Fletcher Screenplay by Lee Hall Produced by Adam Bohling, David Furnish, David Reid, Matthew Vaughn Run time: 121 minutes. UK/USA Color Bio Fantasy Musical

Rocketman opened this past weekend and will no doubt be compared with last year's rock biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Both films cover music from roughly the same period of time, center on real-life men who come out as gay and were directed by the same man, Dexter Fletcher, though he only finished the Queen film when Bryan Singer became problematic. Both films also take liberties with the reality of their subjects, but that's where the comparisons end.

Stubs - Cabin in the Sky

Cabin in the Sky (1943) Starring Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Rex Ingram, Kenneth Spencer, John W. "Bubbles" Sublett, Oscar Polk, Butterfly McQueen Directed by Vincente Minnelli. Screenplay by Joseph Schrank. Based on the musical Cabin in the Sky, book by Lynn Root, lyrics by John Latouche, music by Vernon Duke, as produced by Albert Lewis in association with Vinton Freedley (New York, 25 Oct 1940). Produced by Arthur Freed Runtime: 98 minutes. USA Black and White Musical

A lot has been made from the success of Black Panther (2018), the first nearly all-Black Marvel film, which was a huge worldwide box-office success, though despite the Oscar buzz was not the pinnacle of the MCU. Major studios have shied away from all-Black films, prior, due to what they thought would be less than an International appeal for such stories. Truly, Superhero films were able to change that thinking.

Though they were few and far between, Hollywood studios have made all-Black films before. One of the first examples was Cabin in the Sky made by M-G-M, the then-dominant studio. Back then Hollywood would make film versions of Broadway musicals, now it seems to be the other way around. The original musical ran for 156 performances between October 25, 1940, and March 6, 1941, with Ethel Waters, Dooley Wilson and Rex Ingram in lead roles.

While M-G-M made the film, it was producer Arthur Freed who was very insistent on making it. The studio paid $40,000 for the film rights, helping to erase the $25,000 loss the Broadway musical producers took on their production. With a rather small budget of $679,000, one of producer Arthur Freed's least expensive musicals of the 1940s, the film went into production on August 31, 1942.

There were a lot of changes between the stage musical and the film version. To begin with, only Ethel Waters and Rex Ingram, who had appeared on stage, would appear in the film. Also, only two of the original songs from Broadway, "Taking a Chance on Love" and "Cabin in the Sky” would make it into the film.

Maybe this was a sign of the times, the film was given to a first-time director, Vincente Minnelli, to helm. There were no mainstream Black directors in Hollywood in 1942. Minnelli had only directed stage musicals and musical shorts, so while not a total newbie he was far from a big name behind the camera.

Replacing Dooley Wilson in the cast was Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, who was already famous on radio and television as Jack Benny’s man-servant on that comedian’s eponymous show. By the time he was in Cabin in the Sky, he was already the first Black American with a regular role on a nationwide radio show. He started out his career in an All-Black vaudeville revue. A song and dance man, he added comedy to his act in 1926.

Newcomer Lena Horne was also given star-billing. Horne, who had begun her career in the chorus line at the Cotton Club, had come to Hollywood via a singing career, which included replacing Dinah Shore on NBC's jazz series The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street. She left that to perform in a Cotton Club-style revue on the Hollywood Sunset Strip in 1942. She would be signed by M-G-M a few weeks later. Prior to coming to M-G-M she had appeared in the musical The Duke is Tops (1938), a low-budget race movie musical, later re-released in 1943 as The Bronze Venus and; in a 1941 two-reeler, Boogie Woogie Dream, so despite rumors to the contrary, this was not her first motion picture.

The film opens with a town, somewhere in the South, all abuzz about the return of Little Joe Jackson (Eddie Anderson) to the fold. Everyone is gathered at Church waiting for him with his wife Petunia (Ethel Waters) to arrive. Petunia, unlike Joe, is a church regular on good terms with God, to whom she often prays. She’s hopeful that Joe, who now has a job as an elevator operator, will give up his gambling and womanizing ways.

At first, Rev. Green (Kenneth Spencer) wants to send the church’s Deacon (Oscar Polk) to check on the Jacksons, but is convinced that the job requires his presence. Things are progressing slowly as Petunia is ready, but Joe is still fussing with his tie. The couple, along with their neighbor and friend, Lily (Butterfly McQueen), arrive at the church. When the sinners are called to repent, Petunia is convinced that Joe is in their number but he’s not.

Having been called out of church by those he owes gambling debts to, Joe is forced against his will to take on a bigtime gambler at Jim Henry’s Paradise Club, Domino Johnson (John W. "Bubbles" Sublett). The men will stake him and it is his only way to get out of their debt since he doesn’t have the money he already owes them.

When Petunia realizes Joe is not at the front of the church to repent, she and Lily go looking for him. Her first thought is to check on the Paradise Club, but gives Joe too much credit and goes home. However, he’s not there. In the distance, she hears gunfire and knows instinctively that Joe is involved.

Rushing to the Paradise Club, she finds Joe has been shot by Domino, who has fled the scene. She takes him back to the house, where the Doctor (Clinton Rosemond) warns her to take it slow. Petunia prays over her husband, asking for God’s forgiveness. However, it appears to be too late, as Lucifer, Jr. (Rex Ingram) and three of his aides come to collect Joe’s soul. Joe, at first, thinks it is his old friend Lucius (Rex Ingram), only to learn that he’s dead and is to report to duty.

A rude awakening, Little Joe (Eddie Anderson) discovers that he's died and gone to Hell.

Petunia’s prayers, though, are answered with the arrival from Heaven of The General (Kenneth Spencer). They engage in a battle for Little Joe’s soul. Sgt. Fleetfoot (Oscar Polk) is sent to Heaven to get the judgment on Little Joe. While he’s gone, Lucifer, Jr. predicts that Little Joe’s involvement with local vamp Georgia Brown (Lena Horne) will result in his banishment to Hell. Fleetfoot arrives back with the Lord’s judgment. While he’s not worthy of going to Heaven, the Lord gives him six more months on Earth to prove his worth.

Joe’s soul is more than willing to make changes, but he’s informed by The General that human Joe will have no recollection of what has happened but assures him that he will be talking to his conscience and battling for his soul, knowing that Lucifer, Jr. will be playing to his baser desires.

When Joe, who had been thought to have died, suddenly recovers, Petunia believes it’s a miracle.

Petunia (Ethel Waters) comforts Little Joe as he recovers.

Petunia, who is a loving wife, can’t do enough for Joe during his recovery. About a month in, two of Joe’s gambling pals, Jim Henry (Ernest Whitman) and Dude (Nicodemus) come to call. They’re after the debt that Joe owes them, $6 and $4 respectively. Petunia intercepts them and makes a wager, she’ll roll them dice for double or nothing. She takes a few practice throws with the dice that Jim Henry provides. However, when she offers to let him throw, he changes them, which she, of course, notices. She takes back the dice and throws 7 and 11 and wins back the debts and chases the two away.

Using their dice, Petunia wins back Little Joe's debts from Jim Henry and Dude (Nicodemus).

Joe gets a job at a factory and fulfills his promise to buy Petunia an electric clothes washer, which he delivers to her during his lunch hour on her birthday. “Now all we need is electricity,” he tells her.

Don’t think for a minute that Lucifer, Jr. has given up on his wager. Back at the Hotel Hades, Lucifer, Jr. and his ideas men, played by Mantan Moreland, Willie Best, Fletcher Rivers, and Leon James Polk are joined by Trumpeter (Louis Armstrong), who comes up with the suggestion to have Joe win the Irish Sweepstakes. A lot of money is the quickest way to turn a man into a sinner. Adding to the mix of temptations is Georgia Brown, whom Lucifer, Jr. convinces to unexpectantly go see Joe.

Louis Armstrong (l) listens as Lucifer, Jr. (Rex Ingram) gets clearance for his plan for the big guy.

At work, that afternoon, Joe receives a telegram from the Messenger Boy ('Buck' Ford Washington Lee). Alas, Joe doesn’t know how to read and assuming it is only some sort of advertisement, throws it away to The General’s pleasure. Joe goes home and misses Georgia’s arrival. She is about ready to leave when Lucifer, Jr. uses his powers of persuasion to get her to pick up the telegram and read it.

Meanwhile, Joe goes home but Petunia is out. Lily tells him that Petunia has gone to buy him some clothes. Joe starts to repair the roof, which is in the process of falling down but, to the disappointment of The General, decides to put it off for another day.

Georgia Brown (Lena Horne) proves to be a great temptation for Little Joe.

While he’s relaxing outside, Georgia Brown arrives. Joe tries to be strong but Georgia is awfully tempting. He starts to kiss her but pulls back, telling her he can’t go through with it anymore. She shows him the telegram offering him $50,000 for his lottery ticket and he thinks of all the things he can do for Petunia. He also promises to give Georgia something for bringing him the good news.

Unfortunately, that is the moment Petunia arrives home. She won’t let Joe explain and kicks him out of the house.

Domino Johnson (John W. "Bubbles" Sublett) arrives at the Paradise Club.

Later, Duke Ellington and his orchestra are playing at the Paradise Club, Domino, fresh from six months in prison, arrives. He’s looking for Georgia Brown and Jim Henry puts him off, sending him upstairs to the card game in progress. Joe and Georgia then arrive dressed to the nines and her dripping with jewelry. Joe is now a high roller, who is lavishing his wealth on Georgia and being the big man down at the Club. Not only does he buy everyone at the Club a drink, but he is also the one to have paid for Ellington’s appearance.

Domino makes a play for Georgia even though Joe is the one who brought her.

When Domino learns that Georgia is there, he makes an obvious play for her, right in front of Joe. But Petunia is also there, having come, dressed up as well, demanding half of Joe’s winnings in their divorce. She makes a play for Domino, through singing, but Joe can’t let that happen. He fights for Petunia and Domino pulls out a gun.

Petunia makes a play for Domino, which is the last straw for Little Joe.

Petunia prays for God to intervene, which takes the form of a tornado headed for the club. Despite the winds ripping the Paradise Club apart, Domino manages to fire his gun, first killing Petunia and then Little Joe.

The General (Kenneth Spencer) informs Petunia that she's made it into Heaven. Little Joe has not.

The night, which is exactly six months since Little Joe’s reprieve, has turned the Club into Purgatory. The General informs Petunia is eligible to pass through the Pearly Gates into Heaven, while Little Joe has been rejected. It is only after Little Joe repents and the Lord vouches for him that the General reverses his decision and allows Little Joe to join his wife in Heaven. The start to walk up the long stairs to Heaven.

Little Joe and Petunia ascend into Heaven hand in hand on their way to their cabin in the sky.

Little Joe then realizes that his brush with the afterlife was only a dream, and he vows to change his evil ways for good.

Little Joe recovers with Lily (Butterfly McQueen), Rev. Green (Kenneth Spencer),
Petunia, and the Doctor (Clinton Rosemond) watching over him.

Released on April 9, 1943, the film was a box office success despite some theaters refusing to show the film, especially in the South. In one incident, in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, the film was pulled after only 30 minutes by order of the sheriff. Despite the boycott, the film turned a profit, making $1.7 million in its release in the US and Canada and $234,000 in the rest of the world. With the low production costs, the profit was over $587,000. There were talks at M-G-M of doing other all-Black films, like a version of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess but none ever materialized at the studio.

The film did garner one Academy Awards nomination, for Best Music, Original Song: Harold Arlen (music) and E.Y. Harburg (lyrics) for the song "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe".

Variety, in their review of the film, complained that little had changed from the stage version, noting “In the legit version Cabin seemed constantly to be constricted by the limitations of the stage. But difficulty has not been solved in the present film adaptation. The yarn still appears weighed down by unimaginative conception, the few changes in the screen medium merely filling out the story, without expanding or developing its fantasy. In only one of two moments, such as the stairway to heaven finale, is there any apparent effort to utilize the facilities of the camera. There are far too many close-ups, particularly in the vocal numbers.”

Variety's review singles out only Ethel Waters, stating she “remains the one transcendent asset of the film Cabin, just as she was in the original. Her sincerity, compassion, personal warmth and dramatic skill, plus her unique talent as a singer make her performance as Petunia an overpowering accomplishment.”

Waters is clearly the star of the film. She began her career in Black vaudeville starting at the age of nine. At one time, she played the same club as Bessie Smith, who didn’t want her to compete by singing Blues songs, so Waters turned to ballads and popular tunes. She recorded for Cardinal Records. Her first hit was, however, for Columbia Records with “Dinah” in 1926. Her best-known song was “Stormy Weather” released in 1933, which would get to #1, her second song to reach that milestone.

She would appear as herself in Warner Bros. On With the Show! (1929), the first all-color all-talkie film released by the studio. (Sadly only Black and White prints remain.) and Rufus Jones for President (1933), a musical short, also released by Warner Bros., which also featured a seven-year-old Sammy Davis, Jr. Following her run on Broadway in Cabin in the Sky, she came to Hollywood to make Cairo (1942) at M-G-M and stayed to make Cabin in the Sky. She would be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Pinky (1949).

Quite talented, Waters could be difficult to work with. John Ford, who was the original director of Pinky was fired after bumping heads with her. Elia Kazan, who took over the film, would describe Waters as a "truly odd combination of old-time religiosity and free-flowing hatred.”

There were a number of firsts in Waters’ career. The first black to have a TV Special, a 15-minute variety special on NBC on June 14, 1939. In 1969, she would be nominated for an Emmy, for an appearance on Route 66, the first dramatic performance by a black performer so recognized (male or female), as well as the first black woman nominated for an Emmy.

In this film, she seems to do it all: sing, dance, and act delivering both heartfelt speeches as well as holding her own in comedic sequences, as when she takes Jim Henry’s money playing dice. While the film is about Little Joe, it seems to revolve around Waters’ Petunia character. It’s a good thing, too. Even though everyone gives strong performances, it is her talent and screen presence that the story depends on.

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who was already known for his comedic talents, also sings and dances a little. Even though he began his career doing these things, it is good that he didn’t quit his day job to resume his career doing either.

Lena Horne is not only a good singer but she is very attractive and provides as much distraction as any man trying to mend his ways can take.

Rex Ingram seems to have a lot of fun as Lucifer, Jr. While the part is obviously a supporting one here, it is hard to imagine anyone else playing the role with as much spirit as he does. Louis Armstrong, the great trumpet player, gets billing over Ingram, even though his part is much smaller. I’m not sure why Armstrong was cast other than to take advantage of his fame.

The vaudeville duo of Buck and Bubbles is represented, though only 'Bubbles' John W. Sublett really has much of a role as Domino Johnson. 'Buck' Ford L. Washington plays the role of the messenger and while he has a nice sequence with Anderson, his talent as a singer and piano player is not used here. Known as the father of rhythm tap, Sublett had also been featured on stage as Sportin’ Life in George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess (1935). Sublett is also the one who, in 1920, gave tap dancing lessons to Fred Astaire.

Having never seen the stage musical this is based on, I don’t have Variety’s issues with the film version. For some reason, I had avoided this film for a number of years. The version I watched was one I had Tivo-ed from TCM back when the late great Robert Osborne was still the prime-time host on that channel. Now that I’ve seen it, I wonder what took me so long.

The tornado that destroys the Paradise Club is a recycled special effect from The Wizard of Oz.

There are a couple of bits that might remind you of The Wizard of Oz (1939). Some of the roles in Little Joe's dream are played by friends and neighbors. Even Joe realizes this in the dream itself but the scene when he recovers definitely will remind you of when Dorothy regains consciousness in that film. And the tornado that rocked Dorothy's world seems to return to destroy Jim Henry's Paradise Club. M-G-M, not wanting to waste a good special effect, did reuse, or at least use an alternative take, of the footage in not only Cabin in the Sky but also in High Barbaree (1947).

The film is very entertaining with strong performances from everyone. Not only do you get Ethel Waters but you also get Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, and Lena Horne at the start of her career. Seeing Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington is sort of icing on the cake. It’s funny, it’s spiritual and it’s very, very good. I would definitely recommend that you watch this film as soon as you can.

Stubs - Babes in Toyland

Babes in Toyland (aka March of the Wooden Soldiers) (1934) Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Felix Knight, Henry Kleinbach, Florence Roberts, Virginia Karns. Directed by Gus Meins, Charles Rogers. Screenplay by Frank Butler, Nick Grinde (and uncredited: Stan Laurel). Based on the operetta Babes in Toyland, music by Victor Herbert, book and lyrics by Glen MacDonough (New York, 13 Oct 1903). Produced by Hal Roach. Run Time: 79 minutes. USA Sepia (Black and White) Christmas, Comedy, Musical

There are few comedic acts in film was well loved as Laurel and Hardy. Please see our review of The Music Box (1932) for more information about the duo. Two years after that Academy Award-winning short, the pair, still under contract to Hal Roach and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer would make Babes in Toyland, only their eighth feature film appearance.

Unlike The Music Box, this film did not have its roots with a silent film the duo had made but owed its origins to a Victor Herbert operetta, Babes in Toyland. Herbert, an Irish-born German-raised American composer and musician was best known for writing operettas including The Serenade (1897) and The Fortune Teller (1898). Those he composed after the turn of the 20^th century were more successful, including Babes in Toyland (1903), Mlle. Modiste (1905), The Red Mill (1906), Naughty Marietta (1910), Sweethearts (1913) and Eileen (1917). He would later turn to writing musicals for Broadway.

The original production of Babes in Toyland opened at the Chicago Grand Opera house in June 1903 and toured the East Coast before opening in New York. The show ran at the Majestic Theatre for 192 performances from October 13, 1903, to March 19, 1904. It would have three revivals, one at the Majestic during January 1905; at Jolson’s 59^th Street Theatre from late December 1929 to January 1930 and one more at the Imperial Theatre from December 1930 to January 1931.

Hal Roach wrote his adaptation in late 1933, but the final script is credited to Frank Butler and Nick Grinde, though Laurel is known to have contributed as well. The idea all along was to star Laurel and Hardy in the film, though some of the supporting cast would change. Testing began in January for actors and shooting “stop-motion and miniature materials”, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Originally, Roach had Ramon Novarro in mind for the male romantic lead, Tom-Tom Piper. Donald Novis and Earl Oxford were considered before Felix Knight as selected.  For the female romantic lead, Patricia Ellis was the first choice. Then Doris Paxton was tested and then Anita Louise for “Little Miss Muffet” before the role was turned into Bo-Peep and given to Charlotte Henry, best known on this blog for Alice in Wonderland (1933).

Charles Rogers, who would become a co-director on the film, was originally tested for the role of Gumio, the toymaker’s apprentice, but that role was cut from the film before production began. Rogers, who had worked with Laurel and Hardy

Production got underway in early August 1934 with a budget of $500,000 but Laurel suffered a serious leg injury and production was halted on August 16^th. That delay led to a change in the cast. Margaret Seddon, who had been hired for the role of the Widow Bo-Peep, was no longer available and the role went to Florence Roberts. When production picked up it continued until late October.

The village of Toyland is inhabited by a roster of nursery rhyme characters: Mother Goose (Virginia Karns); The Cat and the Fiddle (Pete Gordon); Little Miss Muffet (Alice Dahl); Little Jack Horner (Sumner Getchell); Simple Simon (Charley Rogers); Mary Quite Contrary (Marie Wilson); Little Boy Blue (Johnny Downs); the Three Little Pigs, Elmer (Angelo Rossito), Willie (Zebedy Colt) and Jiggs (Payne B. Johnson); and Mickey Mouse (a monkey in a costume).  Toyland is ruled by Old King Cole (Kewpie Morgan) and the Queen of Hearts (Alice Moore). The only industry in town seems to be the Toymaker (William Burress) who appears to be a subcontractor for Santa Claus.

Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy) and Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel).

There are other residents, the Bo-Peeps, who live in a shoe, yes, the Mother Widow Peep (Florence Roberts) is also the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. While she has several children, her eldest is Little Bo-Peep (Charlotte Henry). In addition to her children, the Widow Peep has two boarders, Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy).

Little Bo-Peep (Charlotte Henry)

The biggest problem for the Beeps isn’t that Bo loses her small flock of sheep on a regular basis, but that Mother Peep has a mortgage with evil old Silas Barnaby (Henry Brandon) that she can’t afford to pay. Silas offers her a deal, the hand of Bo for the mortgage. But the widow refuses much to her daughter’s relief. Ollie intercedes and tells the widow that he’ll help her out. Not only will he contribute all of his money, but he’s going to get the rest from their boss, the Toymaker.

Stannie and Ollie work for the Toymaker  (William Burress) who appears to be a subcontractor for Santa Claus.

But they arrive late to work and lose their jobs when it is discovered that they made a big mistake on the order from Santa. Instead of 600 one-foot tall wooden soldiers, Stannie took it down as 100 six-foot tall soldiers. They are fired on the spot and only make things worse when the wooden soldier they’re controlling wreaks havoc in the shop, even knocking Santa back on his butt.

Tom-Tom Piper (Felix Knight) proposes to Bo-Beep.

Meanwhile, Bo-Peep has lost her sheep and Tom-Tom Piper (Felix Knight), singing one of the six songs in the film, "Never Mind Bo-Peep" helps her as well as make his feeling known. He announces to the villagers who have gathered that they are going to be wed.

When Stannie and Ollie return home just as Silas is there to collect his payment. The Widow Peep, however, is smug about it until she finds out that they don’t have the money. Silas tells the widow that he will start the process of getting her evicted.

But the boys are not through trying to help. That night, Stannie delivers a large box that is supposed to be a Christmas present for Silas. The plan is for Ollie to get out of the box and search the house for the Peep mortgage. It is late at night, but Stannie explains to Silas that it is their way of apologizing. Even though it is only July, Silas accepts the present. But the boys blow the cover when Stannie, as he is leaving, says goodnight to Ollie and he responds.

Toyland is ruled by Old King Cole (Kewpie Morgan).

The next day, Old King Cole proclaims that the would-be thieves are to be dunked in the pond and then banished to Bogeyland. (Justice in Toyland makes no sense as there are no trials just punishment, which is never anything short of total banishment.) Ollie is the first one to be punished, but the pulley breaks under his weight. Bo-Peep puts an end to things when she agrees to marry Silas, who then asks the King to call off the punishment.

Stannie and Ollie are punished as thieves. 

Later, Bo-Peep and her mother are waiting with dread for the wedding ceremony to begin. Ollie has been selected to give Bo-Peep away, even though he doesn’t want to. Mother Peep goes to plead with Silas but to no avail. Ollie arrives with the bride, who is covered up with a heavy veil. The wedding goes on, but before Silas can kiss his bride, Ollie demands the deed. Only after Ollie rips it up, Barnaby lifts the veil to find that he’s married Stannie rather than Bo.

Silas vows revenge and later that night tries to kidnap one of the Three Little Pigs. He is rebuffed by Willie and Jiggs but does manage to grab Elmer and stuff him in a bag. He takes him back to his house and has evidence planted in Tom-Tom’s that point to his guilt, including linked hot dogs as if to suggest he has also eaten him.

Old King Cole, based on this, sentences Tom-Tom to banishment in Bogeyland and has two of the king’s guards deposit him there. Ollie and Stannie start to eat the hot dogs and discover they are not made of pork, but beef. Stannie then discovers Elmer in Silas’ cellar and takes him to the King, who reverses his order and offers a reward for Silas’ capture.

Stannie and Ollie got to Bogeyland to save Tom-Tom and Bo-Peep.

While Ollie and Stannie take chase, Bo-Peep rushes to Bogeyland to retrieve Tom-Tom. Silas jumps down a well and while Ollie and Stannie think they have him trapped, he escapes through a secret passage to Bogeyland. There he finds Tom-Tom and Bo-Peep and calls the Bogeymen to capture them.

Ollie and Stannie finally follow after Silas from the bottom of the well and find the path to Bogeyland. While they manage to rescue Bo-Peep and Tom-Tom, they don’t escape Silas’ wrath. He leads the bogeyman to attack Toyland.

Mickey Mouse (a monkey) gets into a blimp.

Back in Toyland, Stannie and Ollie are treated as returning heroes and Ollie is bragging to the King about ridding the village of Silas and the bogeyman just as the attack starts. The village is overrun before Mickey takes to the air in a toy blimp and drops miniature torpedoes on the bogeyman.

Stannie and Ollie fight back with darts before unleashing the 100 toy soldiers stored in a warehouse. The wooden soldiers are relentless in their pursuit of the bogeymen and manage to drive them out of Toyland. Silas is trapped under an avalanche of spelling blocks that spell out RAT.

100 Wooden Soldiers pursue the bogeymen who have invaded Toyland.

Stannie attempts to shoot a parting volley of darts at the fleeing monsters, but the cannon tips over and covers Ollie's backside with darts.

The film was released on November 28, 1934. Despite good reviews, Hal Roach would later admit the film lost money on its first release. It was re-released several times over the years, with the title changed to Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge Is Sweet (for a 1948 European reissue title), and March of the Wooden Soldiers.

On TV, the film, now called March of the Wooden Soldiers, would become a perennial during the 1960s and 70s between Thanksgiving and Christmas and still does appear on TV to this day.

In a rather twisted history, this is one of the few films released by MGM that now resides (at least partially) in the MGM library. Hal Roach sold the film to Federal Films, which in turn leased the rights to Lippert Pictures. In the early 1960s, Prime TV took over the distribution of the film, eventually passing it on to WPIX which became part of Tribune Broadcasting. In the 1980s Tribune leased the film to The Samuel Goldwyn Company, the legacy company of that famed film producer.

In 1991, the film was restored and colorized by The Samuel Goldwyn Company for TV and home video release. Non-Goldwyn produced films became part of Orion Pictures, which MGM purchased as part of the assets of the bankrupt company.

It should not come as a surprise that there was a remake of the film. In 1961, Walt Disney Productions made their own version for TV, starring Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, and Annette Funicello.

While Laurel and Hardy may be the stars of this film, this doesn’t really feel like a Laurel and Hardy movie. In fact, it feels like a real mess. Laurel and Hardy are good and funny as they usually are. I’m impressed that their blend of dialogue and physical slapstick humor are still funny to this day but the rest of the film seems like a premise with songs looking for a story.

The whole idea of a Toyland populated with nursery rhyme characters from Mother Goose seems a bit like a mixed metaphor, which I’m sure isn’t the right term, but it feels like a jumble of ideas. While that mixing originates with the original operetta, the film goes a step further and maybe a step too far emptying out Mother Goose to populate the village. If this were Storybook Land, that would make more sense, but there is also a mixing in of Santa that sort of confuses the concept further.

And then there are the songs, which are sung in that opera-style that you see in the films of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. I find this sort of singing to be my equivalent of fingernails on the chalkboard. Here the singing is done by the likes of Felix Knight and Charlotte Henry. Henry whom I found to be a disappointment in her starring role in Alice in Wonderland, is slightly better here, but not spectacular by any stretch. She is cute and has talent, but not the kind that appeals to me.

There is a melodramatic feel to the film, emphasized by the Snidley Whiplash-like villain, Silas Barnaby, played by Henry Brandon. A German-born actor, Brandon was only 22 and in his first credited role in Babes in Toyland. He would on to appear in over 100 films in a career that would last until 1989. Given the stereotypical limitations of the role, Brandon is fairly good and plays older than he really is. I would hope that with time and better roles, his acting would improve.

The rest of the cast seems to be caught in their own narrow range of acting choices. There is not much you can do with Tom-Tom or Old King Cole without risking audience expectations. I seriously hope and doubt that this is anyone’s best film role unless this is their only film.

Babes in Toyland has a surprisingly claustrophobic feel to it. You’re always aware that this is being shot on a soundstage, which ruins some of the potential fantasy quality of the film. The way the film is edited with a lot of medium shots only adds to that feeling. While contemporary reviews called it “packed with laughs and thrills” and “quite the merriest of its kind that Hollywood has turned loose on the nation's screens in a long time”, I must admit to being disappointed.

Not surprisingly, Babes in Toyland has not aged well for what is supposed to be a holiday perennial film. I’d like to say that it appealed to its original audience, but since it didn’t supposedly make money on its first release, perhaps it didn’t work that well back then either. I’m frankly surprised this film is as highly regarded as it is with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I wonder if those rating it have actually seen it or are just assuming that it is better than it really is.

If you’re a big fan of Laurel and Hardy, then you might want to check this out. They are funny and a joy to watch, but they are not enough to save this film from itself. 

To read reviews of other Christmas films, please see our Christmas Review Hub.

Stubs - A Star is Born (2018)

A Star is Born (2018) Starring Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott. Directed by Bradley Cooper. Screenplay by Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters. Based on A Star Is Born by A Star is Born (1937): William A. Wellman, Robert Carson (Story); A Star is Born (1954): Moss Hart (Screenplay); A Star is Born (1976): John Gregory Dunne, Joan Didion, Frank Pierson (Screenplay). Produced by Bradley Cooper, Bill Gerber, Lynette Howell Taylor, Jon Peters, Todd Phillips Run Time: 135 minutes. USA Color Drama, Musical, Romantic

One of the most remade stories in Hollywood, which loves a remake, is A Star is Born. It is to the credit of the filmmakers that all the versions have been something of a success. The original version won an Academy Award for Best Story, the first remake provided a comeback for Judy Garland and was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, the second remake turned it from breaking into the movies to music, with then-popular Barbara Streisand, and won several Academy Awards and now a new version is out, which apparently follows the 1976 blueprint fairly closely.

Though there had been many casting announcements, the new film stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, the latter of which is making his directorial debut. And with the other films, this newest version is a well-made film as well.

The story is, as it always is, a male star on the decline discovers an unknown talent who rises quickly to stardom and eventually eclipses her mentor, who continues his decline, eventually ending his life.

Lady Gaga makes her film debut as the lead in A Star is Born (2018)

Lady Gaga, who makes her film debut in the leading role of Ally, the unknown singer, seems to have found a role that perfectly fits her talent. We all know that she can sing and her acting, which had been mostly limited to television, shows that she has dramatic chops as well.

Bradley Cooper, who surprises me with his musical abilities, plays Jackson, a performer who has a large following (we see sold-out shows), lots of money and a huge drug and alcohol addiction problem. He plucks Ally from obscurity and gives her the confidence she needs to succeed. Cooper is not a surprise as an actor as he has put in several good performances prior. I’m not sure how much of a test of his directing skills this film is, not that he doesn’t do a good job but he’s chosen a film with a well-established blueprint to follow.

Andrew Dice Clay give a good performance as Lorenzo.

There are some other good performances as well, including Andrew Dice Clay, who continues to impress in supporting roles. Here he is Lorenzo, Ally’s father, a chauffeur-driving-wannabe-singer. Dave Chappelle shows up as a childhood friend of Jack’s. He’s good but the part sort of comes out of nowhere and then disappears again.

Sam Elliott plays Jack’s brother and tour manager, Bobby. Elliott is one of those actors that always seems to bring his A-game. He is solid once again in this latest A Star Is Born.

While I am unfamiliar with Anthony Ramos's work, he does a really fine job as Ramon, Ally's friend from before she was a star, who is sort of like a touchstone for her throughout.

Also good is Rafi Gavron, who plays Rez Gavron, a music manager and promoter who takes Ally's career to a new level and also manages to further drive Jack in his downward descent. I've never seen Gavron before but he does have a good screen presence.

Jack (Bradley Cooper) and Ally (Lady Gaga) star as lovers on different career projections.

If I have any complaints, it would be with the screenplay. I can see why Ally would be attracted to the lifestyle but I'm not really sure why she falls in love with Jack, a very flawed man, other than the screenplay says so. There are also some actions that seem a little out of left field but you can overlook these given the other performances.

Anthony Ramos, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott, Lady Gaga and Dave Chappelle
all give strong performances in A Star is Born (2018)

For a film with a well-trodden past, the new A Star is Born does a very good job of retelling an all too familiar story. Lady Gaga, more than anyone, impresses and proves that she will no doubt have a film career if she wants one. Cooper shows a lot of promise for working behind the camera but I would like to see him take on a project that is less well known.

Overall, I would recommend A Star Is Born and expect it to do well when Awards season rolls around. If nothing else, it will most likely get a Best Song nomination.