Sunday Drive: Begin the Beguine

 One of my all-time favorite tunes, from MGM's Broadway Melody of 1940.  Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell were the top dancers of the time, and it shows.  Consider this:  there is no animation or special effects in this film.  All the music was performed by human beings on real instruments, and all the dancing was done by human beings who rehearsed and rehearsed for weeks on end until every step, every move was perfect. 

Computers hadn't been invented yet - hell, even transistors hadn't been invented.  There was no videotape. either - all that you see was created by light and sound on 35 millimeter film, which had to be bathed in chemicals before it could be projected and viewed.  A great collective work of artists in many fields, in front of and behind the camera.  Human creativity at its peak.  I'm afraid we will never see such a thing again. 

Part 1 is slow and languid as a tropical night:

Part 2 picks up the pace:

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Tired Old Queen at the Movies: Blithe Spirit (1945)

Click to enlarge.

Steve Hayes reviews the classic celestial fantasy, filmed in glorious Technicolor in England at the end of World War II, based on the play by the great Noel Coward.  Never mind what the critics said at the time, or later - this is a beautifully filmed, delightfully upper-crust comedy of the kind that isn't made anymore.  And darling Margaret Rutherford, the old dear, is a complete hoot!  If you've never seen it, your're in for a treat - enjoy!

Bonus:  The English country house that was used for exterior shots is still standing just outside London, and just as lovely as it looks in the film.  Check out the real estate listing from 2019 to see some stunning photos of the inside and outside.

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Sunday Drive: Near You

That thumping left-hand rhythm is still a thrill all these years later.  Big band leader Francis Craig composed the 1947 #1 hit, since recorded by many other artists.

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Sunday Drive: Green Eyes

Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell front the Jimmy Dorsey band in this classic rendition of their 1941 hit:

Note:  M.P. and I had a little Irish pub dinner on Friday night, but he's already up and working on a big St. Pat's Day dinner for tonight.  As soon as we get the pics back from the drugstore, I'll post them for you all to see.  The main dish will be be corned beef, which just began an all-day swim in the crock pot.

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What I'm Watching: The Making of Fantasia, 1940

My class got bused downtown to see this wonderful film when it was re-released in 1964 or 1965.  The 2000 remake was very good, but nothing can match the magic of the original for me.  Here's how it was made with human skill and ingenuity - and not a damn computer in the world at that time.

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