Three Amigos (released in 1986) - A musical comedy starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short

Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Micheal Short star in this Musical comedy of 1986 and is directed by John Landis. The movie is co-scripted by Steve Martin who provides the ultimate comic touch, the real “Steve Martin” touch.
The movie opens with a raid in Santo Poco, a small village in Mexico by the Ruthless bandit El Guapo and his men. Carmen the daughter of the village head prays for a hero to save them and on one of her visits to the church sees the American silent movie featuring the three Amigos. Taking them to be real super heroes, she sends a telegram for help. But the clerk at the telegraph office whittles down her message as she does not have enough to pay.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Lucky Day, Dusty Bottoms and Ned Neerlander star as the three Amigos in the movie series. They demand a price hike from the studio head who fires them for their temerity and evict them from their houses. Down in luck and out in the streets they receive Carmen's telegram and mistaking her appeal as an invitation for making a movie with El Guapo, they break in to the studios costume room, steal the costumes and flee across the border to Mexico.



They reach a “cantina” near the village and are mistaken as associates of a sharp shooting German Pilot who has wreaked havoc at the bar. I really like this sequence when the three amigos actually belt out the song “my Little Buttercup” to the mean scraggy crowd at the bar. Its hard to keep a straight face through out the sequences and I wonder how the actors did it. They are found by the German and in the mix up that follows they are put up at the best houses and are flown to the village. Carmen soon arrives to bring them home. At the village they are feted and treated and soon some minor bandits arrive to get their protection money. Mistaking them to be talent scouts, the Amigos put up a show which scares the wits out of the bandits and they ride away. The ecstatic villagers celebrate and keep them in style.
El Guapo swears to find the Amigos and kill them by morning and rides into the village. As the truth dawns, the Amigo's are scared witless and beg forgiveness from El Guapo. El Guapo punishes the villagers and loots them, as the Amigos leave in disgrace. He kidnaps Carmen and intends to make her his bride to punish her for her involvement. As the Amigos trudge their way back home, Ned reminds them that they have none waiting for them. He exhorts them to go back and at least try to save Carmen and be real heroes. After many disagreements they come together to find Guapo's hide out and soon follow the German plane which delivers ammunition for the gang. Amidst the celebrations of the bandits wedding the Amigos sneak in to the hideout only to be caught. The German Pilot gets in to a shooting match with Ned and he wins to give them enough time to escape. As the Amigos reach the village they exhorts the villagers to fight the evil bandit. El Guapo in his last raid is brought down by the combined might and the Amigos ride in the the sun set as real heroes.
This movie was well received by critics and audience alike and is well crafted. I feel the funny quotient diminishes as the movie progresses, but still is eminently watchable.

Pennies from Heaven (released in 1981) - A musical film starring Steve Martin

Pennies from Heaven is a 1981 Holly wood musical adapted from the BBC drama series of the the same name by Dennis Porter. Porter was nominated for the Oscar for the “best adapted Screenplay category” eventually loosing to the acclaimed “Golden Pond”. Directed by Herbert Ross it stars Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in the title roles.
This depression era story is about Arthur Parker, a music sheet salesman who is down in the dumps with his relationships and finances. His relationship with his wife hits rock bottom as she frigidly resists his sexual advances. Frustrated by her lack of interest he moves out to sell his music. Joan, Arthur's wife is also un-supportive of his venture to open his own record store. Arthur leaves home threatening never to return.
That fateful day he meets Eileen, a plain school teacher with whom he falls in love at first sight. Eileen leaves with out paying any attention but becomes interested when he follows her to the farm. Soon Arthur and Eileen are engaged in a relationship and he lies to her about his wife. He plays on Eileen's sympathies for a sexual relationship. But soon Arthur returns home to Joan leaving her stranded. Joan and Arthur try to make their marriage work but are frustrated about their different outlook about relationships. Arthur and Eileen on the other hand are sexually compatible with Eileen enjoying his fantasies. Joan reluctantly finances his record store venture, but even that business languishes as customers are scarce. Eileen meanwhile gets pregnant and is fired from her job. She never finds Arthur as all his addresses turns out to be a fake one.



A desperate Eileen is forced to have an abortion and soon is drawn in to prostitution by a pimp, Tom. Arthur and Joan come to terms with their incompatibility and Arthur seeks out Eileen. He finds her as a prostitute and proposition her. Soon they decide to run away to start life anew. But as luck could have it Arthur is framed for the murder of a blind girl whom he helps across a bridge and Eileen runs out on him. Arthur is sentenced to the gallows where he sings out the song “Pennies from Heaven” to underscore the shortness of life. The audience is treated to a dream ending where Arthur and Eileen wind up together.
This movie was a box office disaster even though critical acclaim was more forth coming. The elaborate song and dance routine's sort of bored the audience in-spite of credible acting performances. Steve Martin as a music salesman was appreciated, but the audiences could never accept him in a serious role especially after the success of the comic caper like “Jerk”. It was nominated for 3 Academy awards and Golden Globes. Bernadette Peters won the golden Globe for her portrayal of Eileen. The song and dance numbers are still popular and are lip synced. But still the film lacks a soul to make the audience feel an empathy for the poor sexually starved characters.
I would never recommend watching this movie, better depression era saga's are made for movie lovers.

The Jerk (released in 1979) - a comedy film, Steve Martin's first starring role in a movie

This all out American comedy directed by Carl Steiner stars Steve Martin in the title role. It also stars Bernadette Peters, Jackie Mason and Emmett Walsh.
The movie follows Navin R. Johnson, the white son of poor African American Sharecroppers who feels faint suspicion about himself being adopted. All his black family members can belt out the blues while Navin cannot sing even for a penny. But he discovers his hidden talents of dance when he hears Roger Wolfe Kahn Orchestra Song called "Crazy Rhythm" on the radio and he hitch hikes to St. Louis to better himself. While at the boarding house he is awakened by a dog whom he assumes is trying to save him from the fire. He wakes up the entire hotel and is berated by the irate guests when it turns out to be a hoax. One of the guests name the dog shithead and the name is adopted by Navin throughout the movie.
Navin finds himself a job at a gas station and is thrilled to find himself listed on the phone book. But a psychopath, randomly picking up a name from the phone book zeroes on him to be his next victim. Navin oblivious of the danger is busy with his life and inventions. He tries to fix the slippery glasses of a customer using a nose break and a handle, and pleased with his effort the customer promises him a royalty if his invention turns out to be a success.



Meanwhile the assassin pursues Navin who is forced to run away from the gas station. He enrolls himself in a traveling circus where he meets the stunt women Patty Bernstein with whom he has sexual relations. Soon he finds the woman of his dreams in Marie Peters and both fall in love. But Marie realizes love sustains only with money and leaves him due to his financial insecurity.
As luck could have it, his glasses invention becomes a runaway success and is called “Optigrab” in the market. The royalties make Navin a wealthy man and he buys a huge mansion with his profits. He finds and marries Marie and lives an extravagant lifestyle. But one of the customers file a law suit against his invention as it makes him cross eyed and soon 10 million others follow. Navin is soon bankrupt and is forced on the streets with his remote, a paddle ball game and some matches. He leaves Marie to wander about in the streets. Marie contacts his family who in turn have become wealthy by careful investments of Navin's money sent to them. They pick him from the streets and take him to his now renovated old house. Navin realizes the wonder of family and all of them sing the blues away in perfect sync.
This rags to riches story was one of the greatest hits of the year and is considered as one of the best comedies of the century. It is recognized as one of the 100 best comic films by the American Film Institute and is also considered as the best performances by Steve Martin.
This is a Steve Martin movie all the way with the funny man presiding over all the frames and getting the best one liners. But it has tender moments and delivers a impassioned lookout for racism. It is really a feel good moment when Steve strikes out against “Iron-Mcginty” for calling African American's derogatory words. His relationships with both the women he meets is hilarious and sometimes tender. A nice movie to get the blues to energize you.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (released in 1978) - A flop musical movie

If you like utter confusion along with Beatle lyrics sung by the Bee Gees, then this film is entirely for you. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is an American musical film released in 1978. This movie was initially a Broadway show directed by Tim O'Horgan and has twenty sound tracks from the Beatles which act as the dialogue. Only George Burns has actual spoken lines which serves for the narration. The Sound-tracks include the Beatle albums 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and 1969's Abbey Road.
In the land called “heartland” lived Sgt. Pepper who with his music and band singlehandedly wins the World War one and returns home a hero to be immortalized on the top of of a wind vane in the town center. Pepper grows old and inevitably dies and his band is scattered. Cut to the present, Sgt. Pepper's grandson Billy wearing white overalls with his name emblazoned on it reforms the band and declares himself the new Sgt. Pepper. His new band has the Henderson brothers and they take Heartland by storm. They sing the Beatles number's so provocatively that you suspect the towns peoples sanity. The Mayor declares them the new phenomena and opens the town for them.



Anyways the new “it” boys are lured to Los Angeles where they go ga-ga over money, machines and women. In the mean time an unnamed villain gives his henchman Mr. Mustard a carte-blanche to destroy the innocence of Heartland. So Mr. Mustard plans to replace the pristine fields and the quaint town with gambling arcades and fast food restaurants. The villain also directs him to steal the original instruments of Sgt. Pepper and sell it to another bunch of bad guys, played by Steve Martin and Aerosmith. In the view of such debauchery and destruction, Billy's girl friend Strawberry fields set out in search for the saviors to Los Angeles.
As Billy and Co return Mr. Mustard gets nasty. Billy is electrocuted and is in a comatose state and even the sad songs from Strawberry Fields does not zap him to life. Then horror of horrors Strawberry is killed accidentally by Aerosmith. All this sadness brings the Sgt. Pepper weather vane to life (played by Beatles collaborator Billy Preston) and he zaps everything back to normal. Then all the bands sing “we are the world" with Tina Turner.
This movie has been a very odd wacky production which runs haywire. It started as a 1974 Broadway show, whose producer Robert Stigwood, determined to make a movie knocked out a script with all the Beatles songs. The end result was a patchwork story interspersed with songs pushing the audiences in to hysteria. Even critical acclaim was denied mercifully with majority of them pillorying the direction and script.
I for one thing would never recommend watching the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie even on a really good day. Even the most wackiest simpleton would never understand the motives for making this movie.

Going My Way (released in 1944) - starring Bing Cosby and Barry Fitzgerald

This 1944 blockbuster was directed by Leo McCarey staring Bing Cosby and Barry Fitzgerald. This movie was the biggest hit and cemented the place of Bing Cosby as one of the biggest guaranteed box office draw of the 40's.
This movie is about a young priest who takes over the parish from a veteran and the feelings of displacement and jealousy involved in this take over. Father O'Malley is a young priest who is sent to the parish of St Dominic's in poor neighborhood of New York. He is to take over from Father Fitzgibbon for whom age is not on his side. The parish has nothing much going on for them, except the petty gossip and rivalries. Soon Father O'Malley revamps the entire going on's, reinvigorating the youth.
Father Fitzgibbon feels the parish slipping away from his hands as he watches O'Malley in action. The younger parish priest gets a grip on everything like the parish interludes and youthful capers. And slowly resentment sets in Fitzgibbon's mind. But O'Malley is aware of the confusion in the older man's mind and he is kind and considerate. He slowly chips away the armor and engages him.



O'Malley and his friend Father Timothy "Timmy" O'Dowd take Father Fitzgibbon for golf and he thoroughly enjoys it calling it the great outdoor pool. Soon he opens up about his parish life of past 50 years. He also mentions about his mother who is pushing 90 living in Ireland. O'Malley has his own personal demons to deal with with his interrupted love affairs. Soon pieces start to fall in to the right places. The choir is formed and the youth movement gains momentum with the prime mischief maker young Tony Scaponi comes to the fold.
Then tragedy strikes when the church is damaged in a massive fire on Christmas eve. But the spirit of togetherness kindled by Father O'Malley cannot be extinguished so soon. The newly awakened parish rally against odds and celebrate Christmas as a family in a temporary church. At this momentous occasion, Fitzgibbon's elderly mother reaches him all thanks to O'Malley efforts. But the joyous occasion has a sad tinge with O'Malley being transferred to another parish. But the builder builds for others and the fruits of his creation may not be for his sake but for the restoration of others. As the parish rejuvenates and embraces each other, O'Malley slips away for his new task.

This movie was a monster hit and was nominated for 10 academy awards winning seven. Bing Cosby won the Oscar for Best actor and Barry Fitzgerald won for the best supporting actor. Barry was nominated for the best actor award and lost to Cosby. After this the Oscar committee restricted the nominations to one category. It also won the Oscar for best picture, best director, best screenplay and best song. It was followed the next year by a sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's.
In 2004, Going My Way was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". A feel good movie worth a watch.

Road to Morocco (released in 1942) - Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour

This is the third installment of the “Road” movies starring Bing Cosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. This comedy film was directed by David Butler for Paramount Pictures.
Jeff Peters and Orville Jackson, stowaways on a ship are rendered asunder at sea due to an explosion. The explosion is caused by Orville's smoking in the powder room. As the jetsam and flotsam come ashore Orville reminds Jeff of his promise to Aunt Lucy about taking care of him. As they argue about the validity of the promise, they chance upon a camel and hitch a ride to Morocco.
At Morocco they are run over by the sinister sheik Mullah Kasim who is pursuing a princess. As they hide from the marauders in a restaurant, Jeff sells Orville for a large sum of money to an unknown person. Soon Orville is bundled off and Jeff moves on with the money. But Jeff is tortured by Aunt Lucy's spirit who remind him of his promise and Jeff tries to buy Orville back. He is distraught to know that Orville has been resold and tries to find Orville by singing his favorite song. AS he approaches a palace singing a note with Orville's locket is tossed at him with a warning to stay away or face torture. Fearing about Orville's safety Jeff scales the wall and to his surprise find Orville entertained by Princess Shalmar and her retinue.



An angry Jeff tries to fight Orville an is seized by the guards and Orville tries to feign ignorance about him. Shalmar forces Orville to admit the truth and allows Jeff to stay at the palace with Orville to his dismay. The palace wise man Hyder Khan tells the princess that the stars are in favor for her to marry Orville and the Princess agrees. This makes Jeff very jealous. Orville is waited upon by beautiful girls and the Princesses chief attendant Mirhmah, tells him that she loves him too. She asks Orville to run away with her. Jeff in the mean time convinces the princess that he is the right one and Shalmar falls in love with him.
In the mean time, Kasim confronts the Shalmar about two timing him and Shalmar tells him about Hyder Khan's prophecy, that the first husband of hers would die a violent death. She tells him that after Orville's death she would happily marry him. Orville overhears the prophecy and runs up to Jeff and acts like he is surrendering the Princess. Jeff is very happy and tries to get married. But the Princess who is in love with him refuses his hand and Hyder Khan who has discovered that his predictions are false because of the fireflies on the telescope rushes to Shalmar with the news. But the news reaches Kasim too and both Orville and Jeff are booted out. Kasim Capture the princess and turns them out in to the desert.
But the irrepressible duo come back to outwit Kasim to get the Princess and Mirhmah to a boat and sail away to the states. But Orville's smoking gets them stranded in the ocean but closer to new York. This movie was nominated for 3 Oscars, namely, the Best Sound Recording and Best Writing,Original Screenplay. In 1996, Road to Morocco was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". A very funny film and a perfect movie getaway to blow the blues away.

The Big Broadcast (released in 1938) - Starring W.C. Fields and Bob Hope

This movie is a Paramount Movies release and is the last of the big broadcast series. It stars the irrepressible duo, WC Fields and bob Hope along with Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Ross and Martha Ray. This movie is directed by Mitchell Leisen and consists of a variety shows aboard a ship.
Buzz Fielding, the famous Radio host is incarcerated in prison because of the non payment of alimony to his three wives. His lover, Dorothy Wyndham pawns her engagement ring to get him out on bail. Two ships SS Gigantic and SS Colossal are engaged in a trans Atlantic Race from New York City to Cherbourg. France. T. Frothingal Bellows to help Gigantic intends to send his brother SB Bellows and his unlucky daughter Martha on Colossal because SB causes accidents where ever he goes.
But as luck could have it, because of a golfing mix up, SB' golfing cart ends up in SS Gigantic and the unlucky duo are inadvertent passengers. Buzz fielding is the entertainer at the ship and to his utter discomfiture, his three wives, Cleo, Grace and Joan, along with current flame Dorothy travel together in Gigantic.



The first performance on the ship is by Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm (themselves), who play "This Little Ripple Had Rhythm" for a cartoon sequence. Buzz introduces the Mexican singer Tito Guizar who regale the audience. Meanwhile Grace distracts SB and Dorothy who brings food for the ships power source inventor Bob, are attracted to each other. Dorothy and Bob sing "You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart”. Opera Diva Kirsten Flagstad sing “The Ride of the Valkyries" and is followed by Honey Child, a comedy routine.
In the mean time the Colossal is way ahead of the Gigantic and Buzz has a tough time manipulating his wives. As Buzz lean depressed on the hull, Cleo cheer him up and they reminisce their happy days. Buzz and Cleo realize they have feelings for each other and give the audience a slice of their heart through “Thanks for the Memory”. Mean while the Gigantic has a power failure and Dorothy and Bob work together to fix the power source. With the renewed power source Gigantic close on to the Colossal while the comedy routine by WC Fields and Martha continue.
At the end Buzz and Cleo renew their romance and sing “the Waltz lives on” which fine tunes, polka, Waltz and a host of other dances. Gigantic closes on to the colossal and edges past it to win the race. Dorothy and Bob find love along with the many other characters.
The film has a tame and abrupt ending, but lives up to its reputation as the last and best of the big broadcast films. It won an Oscar for the beast original song by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin for the song Thanks for the Memory. This movie has the unique distinction in being Bob Hope's first feature film. The DVD of the film has been released and one can enjoy it to this day as an ode to the simpler musical times far gone.

New York, New York (released in 1977) - Directed by Martin Scorsese - a musical drama film starring Robert De Niro

Martin Scorsese is known for his movies about the seedier side of New York, with violence, emotional trauma, fast music; however, he has made a number of other movies with different tones. New York, New York is a musical drama, released in 1977, meant as a tribute from Martin Scorsese to his hometown of New York. The movie stars Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli in the lead roles (playing lovers who are musicians), and has songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb. However, the movie did not do well, earning less ($13 million) than the budget ($14 million), and the failure depressed Martin Scorsese, and sending him to drugs. The failure of the movie meant that the movie studio (United Artists) cut down the movie length by around 19 minutes, however, the deleted scenes were restored in a re-release in 1981. The Theme from the movie became famous when Frank Sinatra released a cover version in 1979. The movie opens on the day that the World War II ended in 1945, a time of glorious celebration.



During a celebration in a New York nightclub, with music provided by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, a smooth talking self-centered saxophone player Jimmy Doyle (Robert De Niro) bumps into an upcoming singer Francine Evans (Liza Minnelli). Jimmy wants to get Francine's number, but Francine wants to evade him. However, due to Jimmy's persistence and luck, they end up sharing up a cab the next morning and she also accompanies him to an audition. At the audition, their joint act impresses the owner, and he offers them a job. They also get into a relationship, but Jimmy is not ready for a deeper commitment, even when Francine gives birth to his baby, and he leaves. Separate, they prosper, and several years later, are both significant figures. But when Jimmy proposes that they reconcile, what does she do ?

The Doors (1991) - starring Val Kilmer

The Doors was a rock band that existed for a short period, but was incredibly famous, primarily due to its lead singer and lyricist Jim Morrison. The Doors existed between 1965, and went into a major problem in 1971 after the death of Jim Morrison, and was finally disbanded in 1973, but remain famous to this day. The Doors was formed by vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. Jim Morrison, or if you know him by his full name, James Douglas "Jim" Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971), had a very short life, all of 28 years, but in this short life, he became popular enough with his vocals, his persona, and his charisma to be counted at # 47 among the 100 greatest singers of all time (as enumerated by Rolling Stones magazine).
Why the name "The Doors" ? Well, it was adopted from a famous author, Aldous Huxley's book, "The Doors of Perception", and fittingly, refers to the use of psychedelic drugs getting doors open.



The movie about an iconic man was in turn directed by an iconic director, Oliver Stone. The movie starred in the lead, Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson (Morrison's companion). The further roles of the other band members were played by, Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger, Kevin Dillon as John Densmore and Kathleen Quinlan as Patricia Kennealy. This however happened after only a decade of casting for the leading man with many being considered (such as Tom Cruise, John Travolta, etc). Travolta was rejected by the band members, they wanted somebody with a wilder look. Kilmer in fact got the part by making a video of him singing, and then getting Stone to watch it.
The movie takes the viewer through Morrison's life, from his young self onto his arrival in California, his studying at UCLA, and the formation of the group. The group in turn starts growing in popularity; and it is this popularity that leads to Morrison going down the path of alcoholism and drug abuse, something that starts to affect the band. He starts going downhill, and eventually dies of "heart failure" in Paris in 1971.

West Side Story (1961)

There are many movies that have been adapted from screenplays or from books, and West Side Story is one of the most successful of the lot. The movie was adapted from a running screenplay of the same name, which was adapted from a very famous piece of work by Shakespeare called 'Romeo and Juliet'. The movie credits the direction by 2 people - Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Jerome Robbins was the first director, and he was also the director of the stage version, as well as being responsible for planning and directing all music and dance sequences in the film, as well as all the fight scenes. However, when around 60% of the movie had been shot, the producer of the movie (Robert Wise) felt that the costs had not been in check, and Robbins was fired. In the end, when the movie earned 10 Oscars (out of a total of 11 Academy Awards nominations), Robbins got a special award.



The concept of 'Romeo and Juliet' is an extremely old concept, valid in different cultures and across geographies. The theory that a girl and boy from 2 rival clans meet, fall in love, and fall victim to the enmity between their clans (and getting killed due to this rivalry) is something that finds mention in a lot of different cultures. This movie is also based on the same concept, with the clans being modified to be 2 different gangs set in New York in the 1950's. These are 2 rival gangs called the American Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks (and these are composed of members from different racial backgrounds), fighting for supremacy over the New York neighborhoods in which they operate.
The romantic duo are Tony (Richard Beymer), who is a former member of the Jets gang (and also its co-founder), and Maria (Natalie Wood), who is the sister of Bernardo (George Chakiris), the head of the rival Puerto Rican immigrants gang, the Sharks. These 2 meet at a dance, to which Tony has gone to convey a message about a challenger between the 2 gangs, something that would decide the rivalry once and for all.
The movie is a musical, so there are several song and dances about the tension in the gangs as they proceed to a final rumble (the challenge) between them, along with the excitement in the life of Tony and Maria as their love increases. The story climaxes when Maria requests Tony to stop the rumble, and Tony is subject to ridicule from the gang members when he tries to stop them. His attempts are met with scorn, and the Jets head Riff cannot stand to see this ridicule of his close friend and starts fighting with Bernardo. In this tussle, Bernardo kills Riff, and Tony kills Bernardo in revenge. At this point, the police arrive and the gang members disperse.
Maria is informed by another gang member Chino (Jose DeVega) about the fight and about Tony killing her brother. When Tony arrives, Maria is very angry, but Tony manages to convince her by detailing what happened at the fight, and by offering to surrender to the police. However, the story happens in tragedy when Tony and Maria are about to meet, Chino comes in and shoots Tony. It is in this tragedy that the gangs unite, when member of both gangs carry Tony's body.

Academy awards:

Wins:

Academy Award for Best Picture – Robert Wise, producer
Academy Award for Directing – Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – George Chakiris
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress – Rita Moreno
Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Set Decoration, Color) – Victor A. Gangelin and Boris Leven
Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Color) – Daniel L. Fapp
Academy Award for Costume Design (Color) – Irene Sharaff
Academy Award for Film Editing – Thomas Stanford
Academy Award for Original Music Score of a Musical Picture – Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, and Sid Ramin
Academy Award for Sound – Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD), and Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD)

Nominations

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium – Ernest Lehman

Singing in the Rain (1952)

The musicals had a great season in American celluloid in a period of the 40's and 50's; and one of the greatest musicals of all time was 'Singing In the Rain' (released in 1952). The movie is also acknowledged to be Gene Kelly's greatest work (with An American in Paris released in 1951 being another great movie). This was a movie that Gene Kelly had thrown his heart and soul into, with not only delivering a great acting role, but also co-directing, and being the choreographer. The movie had some great dances, with the dance on the title song where Gene Kelly danced with an umbrella, with water pouring, dancing in puddles, and generally having a good rain soaked dance being one of the greatest. It is even more admirable due to the fact that the dance happened when Gene Kelly had 103 fever.
The movie also picturised the transition that the American film industry had from the age of silent movies, to the age of movies with sound. This was a major change, and impacted not only the art of film-making, but also had an impact on the film stars of the silent era. Singing in the Rain captures the transition of some of the stars, while others failed to make the transition, and also heralded the appearance of new stars who were more suited for the sound era.



The movie is about a popular star of the silent era, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly). He has risen through the industry while doing all sort of jobs, and is now the leading star. His leading lady is Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen); Don cannot stand Lina, while she feels that they have an ongoing romance (something created by the studio for more publicity). Once, Don gets to suddenly meet a lady Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) (he jumped into her car to escape from some fans); and after some initial back-and-forth, they start falling into love.
However, there is a major disturbance - a new talking film called 'The Jazz Singer' has been released by a rival studio and becomes a success. This forces a change of plans, with the studio boss R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) deciding to convert the upcoming Don - Lina film into a talkie. However, it wasn't so easy, and they eventually decide to get Kathy to dub for Lina, and to make the movie into a musical. Lina does not like Kathy and her romance with Don, and makes sure that Kathy cannot get screen credit for her voice-over; however, in the premiere, after some delay, the inevitable happens. It is revealed that Kathy is the voice, and also the upcoming star.

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

Mr. Holland's Opus was a very touching movie released in 1995, based on the story of a would be composer (trying to create his magnum opus, the piece of music that would become so popular that it would make him famous). Instead, as a result of circumstances, he is forced to take a job teaching music to a generation of students; it is this teaching the properties of music, the love of music, about confidence, respect. This development of his students is his actual legacy, his major achievement in life. Mr. Holland's Opus is a movie that celebrates the noble profession of teaching, where a good teacher can mould his students to become good human beings. The movie went to be a decent commercial success, not of the same level as the action oriented movies, but made a respectable $100 million worldwide.



The role surely is a role that Richard Dreyfuss will treasure as one of his best performances, and he was nominated for an Oscar for this role (he did not win, the Best Actor role going to Nicholas Cage for 'Leaving Las Vegas'). The movie reviews get 2 different types of reviews: Some see it as a great movie that spans 3 decades of a man's life, his most productive years and sees what he has made of those years (and that accomplishment does not necessarily mean being rich or having a great name); the second type of reviews see the movie as a tear-jerker that plays on one's emotions with a finale scene that is written to bring out the tears of the audience. I agree with both, but see the tear jerker as a natural part of the storyline.
The movie is set in Oregon in 1964 where Glen Holland is an aspiring composer and musician wanting to create his great work of music that will be his glory and lead to success; however, his responsibilities (his wife is pregnant) leads to him having to take up the job of a music teacher at a local high school. Like any other school, he faces a wide group of students, some are willing, some are rebellious, some are very talented and others not so. He strives to inculcate a love of music in them, using this as a method to better their character. At the same time his ambition to teach his son to become a great musician reaches a high level of frustration when he realizes that his son is deaf. He has to conquer this frustration and form bonds with his son while dealing with a wide variety of students, during a time when the US was going through major upheavals - Vietnam, civil rights, the assassination of John Lennon, etc. The movie also showcases the priorities of school life, with sports and science getting a much higher priority over music, and including the cutting of the music budget.
Probably the best way to summarize the theme of the movie is this line:
Mr. Holland might think himself a failure..." one former student laments near the end of the story... "and he would be wrong..."
The soundtrack of the film has the following songs:
1. Visions Of A Sunset - Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men)
2. One, Two, Three - Len Barry
3. A Lover's Concerto - The Toys
4. Keep On Running - Spencer Davis Group
5. Uptight - Stevie Wonder
6. Imagine - John Lennon
7. The Pretenders - Jackson Brown
8. Someone To Watch Over Me - Julia Fordham
9. I Got A Woman - Ray Charles
10. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) - John Lennon
11. Cole's Song - Julian Lennon
12. An American Symphony (Mr. Holland's Opus) - Michael Kamen

Amadeus (1984)

Amadeus is the middle name of one of the greatest composer of all time, the Austrian composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who lived in Vienna during the 18th century. And thus it is pretty natural that a movie on the life of this great composer (and another composer of the same age, Antonio Salieri) should have the name Amadeus in it. The movie, released in 1984 was a drama film about these 2 men, and caught the attention of critics to such a great extent that it cleaned up on the awards, winning 8 Oscars, and a clutch of BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. The movie was also a commercial hit (although on a smaller scale) since it made around $51 million on a budget of $18 million. Inspite of some creative licenses with the truth (the movie assumes that the murder of Mozart is due to a devious plan by Salieri, when this was not a proven fact).



The movie also served to make a lot more people aware of the life history of Mozart, and his amazing musical skills. The depiction of his talent was pretty good, wrapped in a story that touches all the human emotions of skill, envy, jealousy and anger, distress, depression, hatred and downfall. All of these were exhibited in the inter-twined life history of Salieri and Mozart, down to the downfall of both of them.
The story is all set in flashback, when a priest visiting Salieri in a mental health institution visits him, trying to get a confession from Salieri about having committed the murder of Mozart. Salieri is initially uninterested, but then opens up and discloses the full story, including his role in the downfall of Mozart. Salieri had a troubled start to his musical career, since his father was not interested in letting his son study music, but then his death opened the door to a musical career. Salieri was not an exceptional musician, and was happy being the court composer to the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, believing his talent to be God's gift. And then Mozart burst onto the screen.
Mozart was funny, he was brash, he was lewd, and he was a genius. He started out with taking a work that Salieri had spent time making, and modified that into a new musical work (conversion of "March of Welcome" to "Non più andrai" march from Mozart's opera 'The Marriage of Figaro'). Salieri is sinking into depression, believing that actually god is laughing at him for his mediocre music. In the meantime, Mozart goes through a whole gamut of emotions; feeling happy at his success and with his wife Constanze and his son Wolfgang, and then getting shaken by court rivalry, depression over his father Leopold's death. He starts to fall down as his family expenses increase and the income starts to fall.
And then the ultimate plan. Salieri decides to deceive Mozart, so he disguises himself to be like Leopold (Mozart's dead father), and gives Mozart a down payment to write a requiem mass (also known as a funeral mass). Mozart starts down to write his best piece of work, not aware that the plan was for Mozart to be killed in the end, and Salieri would then appropriate the Mass and deliver it (in a delicious irony), at Mozart's funeral. Mozart drives himself to madness while writing this work, and his wife leaves him along with their son. His condition continues to decline, and he collapses during a performance. Salieri takes him home, and continues to make Mozart work during his illness.
Mozart's fie returns the next morning, and is shocked to see his condition. Salieri has by now abandoned his plan, and he credits Mozart with work on the composition, and Constanze locks the manuscript away. However, all this is in vain, since Mozart dies, and the composition is left incomplete. Mozart is taken away and buried in a pauper's grave (although his body is recovered later and buried more appropriately). The work remains incomplete, and Salieri is driven to the mental asylum with the thought that God would kill Mozart rather than let Salieri share the glory of the beautiful composition.

The music from the movie:

(all composed by Mozart except as noted)

* Disc One

1. Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K 183, 1st movement
2. Stabat Mater: Quando Corpus Morietur and Amen (Pergolesi - performed by the Choristers of Westminster Abbey, directed by Simon Preston)
3. Early 18th Century Gypsy Music: Bubak and Hungaricus
4. Serenade for Winds, K. 361, 3rd movement
5. The Abduction from the Seraglio, Turkish Finale
6. Symphony No. 29 in A, K 201, 1st movement
7. Concerto for Two Pianos, K. 365, 3rd movement
8. Mass in C minor, K. 427, Kyrie (Mozart)
9. Symphonie Concertante, K. 364, 1st movement

* Disc Two

1. Piano Concerto in E flat, K. 482, 3rd movement
2. The Marriage of Figaro, Act III, Ecco la Marcia
3. The Marriage of Figaro, Act IV, Ah Tutti Contenti
4. Don Giovanni, Act II, Commendatore scene
5. Zaide aria, Ruhe Sanft
6. Requiem, K. 626, Introitus (orchestra introduction)
7. Requiem: Dies Irae
8. Requiem: Rex Tremendae Majestatis
9. Requiem:Confutatis
10. Requiem: Lacrimosa
11. Piano Concerto in D minor, K. 466, 2nd movement

Movie awards at the Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri), Best Director (Forman), Costume Design (Theodor Pistek), Adapted Screenplay (Shaffer), Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Sound

My Fair Lady (1964)

There have been many movies that have been adapted from successful plays or musicals, less so in recent time; but much more in earlier times. One of the best adaptations of a stage musical was the creation of the movie, 'My Fair Lady', released in 1964. The movie was a great success, both commercially and critically. The movie and the stage musical are both based on the famous play, Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw. The movie also starred some famous names, such as Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn, and part of the success of the movie can be attributed to the presence of these 2 stars.
The movie was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and won 8 of them, a pretty large number. In addition, it won the BAFTA Best Film. The movie picked up the 2 Oscar awards that defined the movies: Best Picture, and Best Direction. The awards that the movie got nominated for and won were:



Wins:

* Best Picture - Jack L. Warner
* Best Director - George Cukor
* Best Actor - Rex Harrison
* Best Cinematography - Harry Stradling
* Best Sound - George R. Groves, Warner Brothers Studio
* Best Music Score - Andre Previn
* Best Art Direction - Gene Allen, Cecil Beaton and George James Hopkins
* Best Costume Design - Cecil Beaton

Nominations:

* Best Adapted Screenplay - Alan Jay Lerner
* Best Film Editing - William Ziegler
* Best Supporting Actor - Stanley Holloway
* Best Supporting Actress - Gladys Cooper

The movie is seen as an all time great, one of the 100 best movies. The concept of the movie is interesting, about a person so confident of his linguistic abilities that he is willing to bet that he can turn any woman (of any upbringing) from the street into a proper refined lady who can deceive anybody.
And so, the arrogant Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) boasts that he can turn the young flower seller girl, Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) on the street, the one with a strong accent that can be as un-aristocratic as you can believe; in fact, he is positive that he is willing to pay for the expenses of this transformation and has a bet with a new friend, Colonel Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White). And so starts the whole project. In fact, in the beginning, this whole effort seems to be headed for failure - the desired transformation is difficult, and Henry is a strict teacher. However, just when they all seem to be giving up, Henry lightens up and gives her a good explanation of the history of the English language, along with its beauty. This speech seems to have done the trick, and Eliza now seems to be able to speak with an upper class accent.
Eliza is now able to start acting the part, and she is able to make a good impression in the races at Ascot with a new sophisticated way, except for when she lapses back into a cockney accent. And then comes the decision time, Eliza appears at an embassy ball as a mysterious lady, of an obvious noble rank, and passes the bet even with the evaluation of an expert. However, now that the bet has been won, Higgins starts getting distanced from Eliza, being seemingly callous to her future prospects. She is not happy and walks out. He soon starts missing her, and tries to get her back; but his ego again comes in the way and she refuses. He reaches back home, seemingly initially unconcerned about her not coming back, but misses her and plays her phonograph records. And then, she comes back and things are now right.



Being a musical, the movie had some great music. Here are all the songs from the movie.

Act One

* Overture (conducted by Previn)
* Why Can't The English? (Harrison)
* Wouldn't It Be Loverly (Nixon)
* An Ordinary Man (Harrison)
* With A Little Bit of Luck (Holloway)
* Just You Wait (Hepburn/Nixon)
* Servants Chorus
* The Rain in Spain (Hepburn/Nixon and Harrison)
* I Could Have Danced All Night (Hepburn/Nixon)
* Ascot Gavotte
* Ascot Gavotte [reprise]
* On the Street Where You Live (Shirley)
* Intermission

Act Two

* Transylvanian March
* Embassy Waltz
* You Did It (Hyde-White and Harrison)
* Just You Wait [reprise] (Hepburn)
* On The Street Where You Live (Shirley)
* Show Me (Shirley and Nixon)
* Get Me to The Church on Time (Holloway)
* A Hymn to Him (Harrison and Hyde-White)
* Without You (Hepburn/Nixon)
* I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face (Harrison)
* Finale
* Exit Music

The Sound of Music (1965)

'The Sound of Music' is an award winning musical film released in 1965. The film was based on a successful Broadway musical by the same name, and the movie itself was one of the most successful music themed movies ever made. In fact, the movie, made at an approx budget of $ 8 million, made over $155 million at that time (and if this figure is inflated adjusted for the current, the movie made $ 1 billion at current prices, making this one of the most successful movies of all times). At the Oscars too, the movie was extremely successful, earning a total of 10 nominations, and willing 5 of them, including the treasured ones of Best Picture and Best Director.
The movie is very famous for the songs, and is actually known as a Rodgers and Hammerstein movie (so named due to the 2 song writers & musicians - Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (who died before the movie version was started)). The movie, although a musical, is based in Austria in very serious times, at a time when the Nazis were becoming more and more powerful, and is about the eventual escape of a family from the clutches of the Nazis.



The Academy awards for which 'The Sound of Music' was nominated were:

Wins

* Best Picture
* Best Director (Robert Wise)
* Sound
* Best Adapted Score
* Film Editing

Nominations

* Best Actress (Julie Andrews)
* Best Supporting Actress (Peggy Wood)
* Best Cinematography
* Best Art Direction
* Best Costume Design

The movie was essentially based on the Von Trapp family, headed by a widower naval commander, Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), and his seven cute children Liesl (16), Friedrich (14), Louisa (13), Kurt (11), Brigitta (10), Marta (7), and Gretl (5). In the midst of this comes Maria (Julie Andrews), studying to be a nun; she is sent to be the governess of these children. After some initial confrontation with the children and their father, she wins them over with the power and fun of her music and song (and these songs are the ones to watch).
The Captain warms to her when he sees the children getting closer to her, and Julie in turn finds herself falling for the Captain, but he is engaged to the wealthy baroness, Elba. Elba realizes the Captain is getting close to Julie, and sends her back to the convent. However, the Captain soon makes it clear that things will not work with the Baroness, and when Maria gets back to the house, they wed.
However, politically things are not turning out right. The Nazis take over power in Austria, and want Captain von Trapp to serve in the military. He however is not willing to serve, and buys time by taking part in a concert, from the entire family escape over the hills to Switzerland.



Songs from the movie:

* "Prelude and The Sound of Music"
* "Overture" (Main Titles, consisting of "The Sound of Music", "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Something Good" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain") seguéin= into the Preludium
* "Preludium: Dixit Dominus", "Morning Hymn" (Rex admirabilis and Alleluia, based on traditional songs)
* "Maria"
* "I Have Confidence" (lyrics and music by Rodgers)
* "Sixteen Going On Seventeen"
* "My Favorite Things"
* "Salzburg Montage" (instrumental underscore based on "My Favorite Things"
* "Do-Re-Mi"
* "The Sound of Music" (reprise)
* "The Lonely Goatherd"
* "Edelweiss"
* "The Grand Waltz" (instrumental underscore, based on "My Favorite Things")
* "Ländler" (instrumental based on "The Lonely Goatherd")
* "So Long, Farewell"
* "Processional Waltz" (instrumental underscore)
* "Goodbye Maria/How Can Love Survive Waltz" (instrumental underscore, incorporating "Edelweiss" and the deleted song "How Can Love Survive?")
* "Edelweiss Waltz" (instrumental, Act 1 Finale, based on "Edelweiss")
* "Entr'acte" (instrumental, consisting of "I Have Confidence", "So Long, Farewell", "Do-Re-Mi", "Something Good" and "The Sound of Music")
* "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
* "My Favorite Things" (reprise)
* "Something Good" (lyrics and music by Rodgers)
* "Processional" (instrumental) and "Maria"
* "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" (reprise)
* "Do-Re-Mi" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
* "Edelweiss" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
* "So Long, Farewell" (Salzburg Folk Festival reprise)
* "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (reprise)
* "End Titles"