On March 8 and 9, the Royal Albert Hall in London hosted a showing of Singin’ In The Rain, re-mastered and in high-definition on a large screen, with the soundtrack played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I was present for both performances, accompanied by a different friend each night.

What a fabulous weekend.

How to describe the show?? Not really a ‘show’ but a film screening with live music. It was like nothing else, ever. The Royal Philharmonic orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson, is superb, and John Wilson, who reconstructed the score by listening to the original orchestrations and transcribing what he heard, must be a genius. The original orchestrations, of SITR and of many other musicals — created by amazingly talented arrangers and musicians like Conrad Salinger, Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin — were destroyed by MGM and used as landfill in the making of a road in Los Angeles.

In preparation for the performance, they took out all of the music, leaving only the singing voices and the dialogue. Then they replaced the orchestral soundtrack with the live performance, synchronising it exactly.

The film was shown on a huge screen with the orchestra sitting in front on a lower level. The Hall was full, both nights, with every age from 5 to 85 I would think, male and female.

The atmosphere was incredible – people actually love SITR passionately. The middle-aged man sitting next to me on Friday was very excited throughout the showing, standing and cheering and generally enjoying himself. On Saturday, we met a lady in the next seat who had been a Gene Kelly fan since childhood.

The most amazing thing for me — apart from seeing Kelly on a HUGE screen — was his voice. When they were deconstructing the film they seem to have changed the timbre of the singing voices, and Gene sounded like he was right there, recording the songs with the orchestra. It was as if he was standing just behind the screen, ready to emerge and take a bow at the end. I admit to a few tears when listening to “You Were Meant for Me.”  His voice sounded absolutely wonderful with a smoky and plaintive quality, which reached right inside.

Then there was the dancing! The audience clapped and cheered after every number. It was a natural outpouring of appreciation and enjoyment. The senses were overwhelmed, watching him perform and seeing the complexity and beauty of his movements more clearly than you ever could on a DVD. “Moses Supposes” was just about the most amazing and mesmerising few minutes of the evening. Maybe we should remind ourselves that he was almost 39 years old when he did it. Donald was 13 years younger, but you never notice an age difference.

Parts of the “Broadway Melody” ballet were equally astonishing. The sheer cleverness and passion in the veil dance as seen on the big screen is mind-blowing. It is also extremely erotic! Thankfully that fact seems to have escaped the notice of the censors in the U.S. and England! And Donald’s “Make ‘em Laugh” number has to be seen on a big screen in order to truly showcase his physical comedy talents. He brought the house down.

The live music gave an immediacy and intimacy and an entirely new dimension to every part of the movie, as if someone had pressed the ‘refresh’ button. I’ve officially run out of superlatives.

There were a couple of things, however, that were not quite perfect. For instance, sometimes the music was a little loud for the voices, especially when the characters were speaking, and a couple of times the words and the mouths uttering them were not exactly in synch — just like in the movie!  But it was hardly noticeable. As well, sometimes the taps were a little too loud or not there at all, and there was no sound when Gene ran the umbrella against the railings in the rain number, though the squelchy taps in the dance were emphatic and convincing.

The Hall has a capacity of around 5500, and it was full, so far as I could tell, on both nights. That is 10,000+ people who were willing to pay around £45 each, in order to watch Singin’ In The Rain presented in this unique way. That says so much about the incredible hold this film has on the hearts of vast numbers of people all over the world.

The place was awash with love and joy and good feelings, and everyone had a smile on his/her face as s/he left.

SITR is still not my “most special” Gene Kelly film — I am waiting for them to give the same treatment to An American In Paris – and I know that Gene sometimes grew a little tired of the constant focus on SITR, seemingly to the detriment or neglect of acknowledgment of his other work, but at least he succeeded with this film more than any other, in his stated aim, to be a joybringer.

It was a privilege to be present on this great occasion, to be a part of the magic. And now I have more Gene memories to add to the multitude he has already blessed me with, to keep and to cherish until the stars turn cold.

*Sue originally posted this review on her site.

Gene Kelly Shoe Mold by Pasquale Di Fabrizio

Bid now on this original shoe mold made for actor and performer Gene Kelly by “Shoemaker to the Stars” Pasquale Di Fabrizio! This one of a kind mold was hand crafted (after a personal fitting) then was used to create footwear to match Gene Kelly’s specific needs.

Length from back heel to toe is about 10.5 inches. Measures about 2.6 inches from ankle to back heel and about 3 inches wide; labeled as a size 7.5.

Molds are in good condition, signs of aging and discoloration on tips and sides. Auction will also include the original box the molds were stored in and paper cut out designs used to create the shoes. A letter of authenticity will be included.

Pasquale Di Fabrizio was a well-known and respected shoemaker based in Los Angeles. He passed away in 2008.

A portion of the proceeds from this auction will benefit the Blind Children’s Learning Center. Their mission is to provide early intervention, education and services for blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind children and their families to empower independence.

The folks at Virginia Quarterly Review were nice enough to let me write an essay for them on Gene Kelly. In the piece I discuss

• the slew of centennial events celebrating Gene Kelly (some of which are still going on, btw),
• a few reasons Kelly and his image are circulating in pop culture of the twenty-first century,
• my attraction to and interest in the star, and
• Kelly’s complicated (masculine/feminine) star persona

So, if any of that interests you, head over to VQR‘s “Gene Kelly, Star Signification, and Centennial Celebrations.” Thanks for reading!

One of Gene Kelly’s television specials was the 1967 remake of the fairy tale Jack and The Beanstalk. Kelly wrote his own character into the story, but needed a young actor to play the part of Jack. Bobby Riha, a relative newcomer, won the role (below).

In a phone interview from his house in Long Beach, CA, Bobby relayed to me several anecdotes and memories of his time with Gene Kelly. While he had heard of Kelly from his mother, the 8-year-old Riha could not possibly appreciate the star power and legend he would work with for three months.

Bobby was a child actor who worked mostly in the mid-1960s until about 1976. He appeared in numerous television shows and specials including Bewitched, Gunsmoke, Quincy, and Bonanza. He also worked with Debbie Reynolds, Kurt Russell, and other actors of the time.

Bobby starred with Gene in this hour-long special that debuted on NBC Sunday, February 26, 1967. This new version of the old English folktale “Jack the Giant Killer” (1809) was rewritten with Gene Kelly playing a new character, Jeremy Keen, a peddler. Gene Kelly directed, produced, and choreographed this new version that featured a mix of live-action and animation. The animation sequences were produced and directed by William Hannah and Joseph Barbera, with whom Kelly and his frequent co-director Stanley Donen had worked on the Jerry the Mouse sequence in Anchors Aweigh. The music was provided by Jimmy Van Husen and Sammy Cahn with voiceovers by Dick Beals for Bobby Riha and Marni Nixon as Princess Serena.

Bobby or as he is now known Bob Riha Jr., was born in 1958 and lived in New York just prior to his role as Jack. Gene Kelly was casting for the lead in 1966 and had heard of Bobby’s work with Soupy Sales. Just when Gene got to New York to find Bobby, his family had already moved to Los Angeles. Gene looked over hundreds of kids for the role and narrowed it down to a few.

Obviously, the part of Jack had to go to someone able to dance. If he could sing also, that would be a plus. Bobby got the part and met Gene Kelly for the first time. Kelly asked the then 8-year-old actor to enroll in ballet lessons. He also wanted Bobby to wear tights to enable free movement during the dancing rehearsals. Children being children, Bobby shot back at Gene and said, “Only sissies wear tights and take ballet.” Anyone who knows Gene Kelly’s stance on dancing’s being something “for sissies” doesn’t know the anger a statement like this would bring on. But Gene loved kids.

Gene was a staunch proponent of the idea that dancing equated to sports (similar movements, discipline, etc.). Dancing was not, he reiterated throughout his career, an effeminate undertaking. Kelly’s own childhood was the same as Bobby’s as he also wanted to quit dancing after being beaten up and harassed by other boys in his Pittsburgh suburbs. I’m sure he had to take a breath after hearing this brash young man make similar statements while standing up for himself. As Bobby tells it, after their exchange Kelly made a reference to sports being similar to dancing and told Bobby that he would bring in a trampoline to help with working on the various movements that would be needed for some of the animation sequences.

Moreover, Gene told Bobby he would not have to take ballet or wear tights, but he did ask him to find some loose fitting pants to rehearse in. According to Riha, the two used the better part of three months to rehearse the dances, dialogue, and complex aerobatic sequences that would have to be shot in front of a blue screen and later filled in with the animation portions of the show.

Bobby recounted the deep passion Gene had for staging the scenes. Since much of the show was shot with only Gene and Bobby in front of a blue screen, Gene had to get Bobby to envision the yet-to-be-created animated characters and backgrounds. They had to imagine, act, and pretend to look at things that were not there. The prop men would hold objects off camera for them to fix their eyes on giving them a target. They both had to be in sync or the final production would not seem real.

These two separate productions had to be seamless when combined at a later date in post-production, not unlike Gene’s brilliant work (also with Hanna-Barbera) in Anchors Aweigh and later in Invitation to the Dance (1956). Anchors Aweigh had Gene dancing alone on an empty stage, and later, Jerry the Mouse was added frame by frame. The task was groundbreaking in 1948, not much easier for Invitation to the Dance, and still not yet any easier in 1966 with Jack and the Beanstalk. The digitization of movies and special effects was a long way off.

As part of the sequences, both Gene and Bobby had to be fitted with a harness and two wires connected at the hips. They would both have to be hoisted into the air and again filmed in front of a blue screen. According to Bobby, Gene did not like these scenes. While he was a great athlete, acrobat, and dancer, he had his limits. The trampoline work helped Bobby handle these scenes and the crew would even hoist Bobby in the air so that he could have lunch 20ft over the stage. Gene ate lunch on the ground.

It could be said that Gene was vain and enjoyed displaying his athleticism and well-maintained physique. He was able to wear tightly fitted clothing throughout his career. According to his daughter, Kerry, he used his dancing to maintain his physical appearance and stay in shape without a dedicated workout regimen. He’d gain a few pounds between movies and then quickly lose it when another movie started. The one thing he could not change was his genetic make-up: he began to lose his hair in his early 30s.

But MGM could make dreams come true, and its make-up department was able to keep the moviegoing public from noticing Kelly’s (as well as many other male stars’) thinning hair throughout his stint at the studio. Later in life, he maintained three hair pieces depending on the occasion. Bobby got to see Gene without his hairpiece between takes, and the little boy almost made a comment about it in front of Gene. Luckily, the crew warned him not to say a word. In this case, silence was golden.

When the filming was finished and handed over to the animators and post-production folks, Bobby got a very special gift from Gene: a fully optioned Schwinn bicycle. It was this grounded person that Bobby came to know and revere in Gene Kelly.

Jack and the Beanstalk won an Emmy for Kelly and while Bobby did not get a mention or nomination as virtually the only other actor in the production, his time with Gene was the highlight of his acting career and was a springboard to work all over Hollywood in the 1960s and 1970. Years later, Bobby saw Gene at a ceremony where they shared an embrace and fond memories of their award-winning production.

Bobby was able to move from child actor to adult and then went on to get a degree from Cal State. He became a successful photographer and works for USA Today. According to Bobby, most of his co-workers don’t know about his past. Still, he is sometimes recognized by TV buffs, still thinks about those days working with the legendary Gene Kelly, and is contacted on occasion by people (like me) to reminisce.

There are other child actors and performers out there still to be interviewed who worked with Gene. While not having the perspective of an adult professional, they nevertheless have some interesting memories and anecdotes to share about the unique and amazing talent that was Gene Kelly.

In blue. In love. In Cover Girl (1944).

“Life is always a tightrope or a feather bed. Give me the tightrope.” — Edith Wharton, novelist.

Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds), together again (1984).

Bruce Lee and Gene Kelly, “not quite dance and not quite violence.”

In her essay “Punchin’ in the Rain,” Violet Glaze compares Gene Kelly and Bruce Lee — both of whom, the author writes, are “small, powerfully built men, each five foot seven inches of hard-earned muscle, [...] incredibly competitive, natural athletes with an insatiable thirst for exertion, and blessed with the kind of charisma [...] that transfers easily to celluloid.” Indeed.

Glaze then contrasts the two stars with Fred Astaire, whose weightlessness, she delightfully points out, is most certainly “unrivaled by anything NASA can cook up.” However, what Astaire lacks that both Lee and Kelly share, Glaze claims, is “unadulterated power.”

I’ll quit summarizing now and let you read the post. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Is this an apt comparison between the two/three stars?

Tattoo from a hardcore Gene Fan (@laugh_erryday on Twitter).

One of 3,500 umbrellas used in the University of Pittsburgh’s world-record breaking tribute to Gene Kelly.

May 2013

• May 15: Watch Singin’ in the Rain with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago, IL.

March 2013

• March 8-9: Singin’ in the Rain – Live in Concert, Royal Albert Hall, London

October 2012

• October 25: University of Pittsburgh celebrates Gene Kelly’s centenary and its 225th anniversary [Review of event from audience member.]

September 2012

• September 19: Friday Night is Music Night: Gene Kelly-Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance (London, BBC Radio 2)

August 2012

• August: Gene Kelly festival at the Iowa City Public Library
• August 4–September 9: The Belcourt Theater (Nashville, TN). All seven films will be screened from archival 35mm prints.
• August 7, 14, 21, and 28: Gene Kelly Film Series (Coopersville, MI).
• August 15-17: “Hit Me with Your Best Shot: Singin’ in the Rain Edition” at The Film Experience (blogathon).
• August 20–25: Gene Kelly Centennial Blogathon (accepting posts from Classic Movie Blog Association participants only)
• August 23: “Gene Kelly Day” on TCM’s Summer under the Stars (begins at 6am EST)
• August 23: University of Pittsburgh shatters world record as it honors Gene Kelly with umbrella dance

July 2012

• July 4: “A Capitol Fourth” on PBS (8pm EST): musical tribute
• July 12: Singin’ in the Rain in theaters nationwide, U.S.
• July 13: An American in Paris (Boston, MA), presented by the Boston Harbor Hotel. (Thanks for the heads-up, @dancekellystyle!)
• July 13: Singin in the Rain at the Smithsonian’s new movie palace (Washington DC). (Thanks for the tweet, @vengrouskie!)
• July 13–26: Film Society of Lincoln Center’s 23-Film Salute (NYC)
• July 23–end of August (UK): Gene Kelly floral display in Blackpool Winter Gardens’ Floral Hall

For fear that it will be erased from the ‘Net one day, I’ve pasted the full story below.

Dancin’ on the lawn: Pittsburgh Freshmen Set a World Record

August 24, 2012 12:03 am

By Molly Born / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

More than 3,000 black umbrellas dotted the green outside the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center Thursday even though it wasn’t raining.

Pitt’s freshman class descended on the lawn, popped up umbrellas and performed a six-minute dance in unison — both to break a world record and to honor dancer and actor Gene Kelly, a Pittsburgh native and 1933 Pitt graduate who would have turned 100 Thursday.

The freshmen channeled Kelly’s performance in the classic film “Singin’ in the Rain,” in which he dances while twirling an umbrella in pouring rain. If more than 1,461 students showed up, the school would also earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Instead of stepping back to yesteryear for this event, Pitt chose the “Cupid Shuffle,” essentially Generation Y’s “Electric Slide.”

“It’s like any school dance you go to, this always plays at least once,” said 18-year-old Anna Brewer.

What would Gene Kelly have thought of this selection?

“I think really it goes beyond the selection of the song,” his widow, Patricia Ward Kelly said in a telephone interview. “It’s really about young people gathering [with] some kind of spirit and the attempt to come together in some form.”

Still, the “Cupid Shuffle” had little to do with Kelly and more with an effort to gather thousands of students for the choreographed dance. And trying to round up a freshman class of 3,700 to rehearse Kelly’s frolic from the 1952 musical wasn’t really feasible.

“We wouldn’t have known how to dance to it,” said Alyson Landis, 18.

Ms. Ward Kelly did encourage that, though. The “Cupid Shuffle,” she said, “wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

Kenyon Bonner, associate dean and director of student life, said the university chose the “Cupid Shuffle” because so many students are familiar with the song, and those that aren’t can follow the directions in the lyrics.

The freshmen seemed to be having fun at this pep rally of sorts. A line of cheerleaders pumped up the crowd before the dance started, while Top 40 hip-hop songs blared on loudspeakers.

Ms. Ward Kelly said she received text and Facebook messages throughout the day — also the 60th anniversary of “Singin’ in the Rain”– including one from a Pitt freshman and former Gene Kelly award winner, who texted from the lawn mid-dance.

Most of the students said they’d heard of Kelly — probably because of an earlier presentation on the actor and his connection to Pittsburgh during orientation. A few admitted they hadn’t recognized the name before today.

Mr. Bonner made little to no mention of Gene Kelly during the actual event, but the umbrellas were adorned with “Singin’ and Dancin’ in the Rain” and Kelly’s name.

“Once again, we’re here to break the record for the largest umbrella dance in one venue,” Mr. Bonner said to the crowd.

They did — the count came in Thursday night: 3,524 participants.

No rain, but definitely Gene Kelly-inspired.

]]> http://genekellyfans.com/fan-participation/pittsburgh/feed/ 1 http://genekellyfans.com/musicals/american-paris-script/ http://genekellyfans.com/musicals/american-paris-script/#comments Sun, 19 Aug 2012 14:53:08 +0000 Kelli http://genekellyfans.com/?p=5958 An American in Paris: Inside the Script (from the Editors of Warner Bros)

From the book description… [Order here.]

• The complete, authentically formatted shooting script for An American in Paris, in a new, customizable eBook format.

• 12 chapters of essays on the film and the story of its creation, including an in-depth look at the making of the film’s breathtaking Impressionist and Post-Impressionist inspired 17-minute dream ballet sequence.

• Reproductions of key historical documents including tickets to the film’s Hollywood premiere, detailed descriptions and lyrics from the continuity script’s musical numbers and set design paintings.

• Photo galleries with 159 zoomable, high-resolution images of paintings that inspired the ballet, costumes, on-set stills, movie posters and behind-the-scenes action.

• Glossaries of historical and film terms.

• Production timeline.

Thanks to @profmdwhite for alerting us!

With a new interest in modern musicals like Moulin Rouge!, Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera, Burlesque, Hairspray, Rock of Ages (right), Nine, Mamma Mia!, and the forthcoming Les Miserablés, it seems as though audiences are being reawakened by Hollywood’s finest predecessors. There was a time in cinematic history, namely throughout the 1930s and 1940s, in which some of the most successful motion pictures were those that featured a winning melody and an endearing lyric.

Critics might sneer at the thought of a musical. “Too fanciful,” they scoff. “Not realistic,” they say. And they have a point. Have you ever been caught spontaneously bursting out in triumph, singing flawlessly on-key, and breaking into synchronized dance in the company of strangers whilst trying on jeans at the Gap? (Well, perhaps you have…but you understand what I’m getting at.)

Of course musicals aren’t realistic. That’s the point!

The reason for their insurmountable victory in the ’30s and ’40s was the fact that they provided a delightful sense of escapism from the horrors that were taking effect outside of the silver screen. For about an hour and a half, audiences could be whisked away in an enchanting reverie filled with the likes of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing cheek-to-cheek.

I started watching musicals when I was fourteen. Well, I’d definitely seen a musical or two prior to that time, but I hadn’t looked on with the same reverence.

I really started to watch musicals when I was fourteen (perhaps I just needed to escape from being an awkward teenager?). Whatever the reason, I’m sure my parents were relieved that I was fixated on the yesteryear of Hollywood and not drugs, or whatever fourteen year-olds were doing at the time.

I also was a dancer, and very serious about it. Of course, when you’re that young, the only way to dream is to dream big. I studied meticulously under the influence of, what I considered to be virtuosos of the dance: everyone from Bill “Bojangles” Robinson to Eleanor Powell to Ann Reinking. But no one ever came close in my book to Gene Kelly, whom I stumbled upon while flipping through the channels and finally settling on Singin’ in the Rain (1952). While the other girls my age were crushing on Orlando Bloom, I only had eyes for Gene Kelly.

I become a habitué of musical sages such as Astaire, Garland, Merman, and Fossé. However, none of those people captivated me so much as Gene Kelly. I admired his unwavering work ethic and fiery Irish frenzy, especially when explaining that dancers are, in fact, athletes. Strong, energetic, and strapping (the guy was ripped!), powerhouse Kelly truly made dancing “a man’s game.”

As most who visit this site already know, Kelly incorporated innovation into his craft by creating the illusion that any layman could imitate the same suave softshoe; he often said that in terms of style, he represented the Proletariat.

I have come to identify such true “Kelly shtick” in perhaps one of his lesser-known musicals, Summer Stock. There’s actually nothing especially remarkable about the movie; in fact, Kelly and Judy Garland play roles much too juvenile for them. Kelly is a thirty-something year old still trying to make the big time. He’s in charge of a summer stock that’s without a location for its upcoming revue. His snotty fiancé-to-be, played by Gloria Dehaven, offers her spinster sister’s barn which will provide adequate space. Dehaven’s sister is portrayed by Garland (in my opinion, Kelly’s best on-screen match) who discovers that her true calling may lie in the stage, and not in agriculture. It’s also determined through a series of songs and shenanigans that Garland would make a much better fiancé for Kelly (surprise, surprise).

The musical is not without merit. There are two precious gems in Summer Stock (1952). One is a number at the end in which Judy Garland is sporting virtually nothing but a black fedora and blazer, showing off her amazing legs, and singing a(nother) song she would forever be remembered for: “Get Happy.” The other is a dance solo performed by Kelly that, I believe, outshines even his beloved “Singin’ in the Rain.” Case in point…

Cut to scene. After romancing his co-star in a barn, Kelly’s character, in high spirits, is left alone to dream of his ladylove. To the tune of “You, Wonderful You” (which Garland sang earlier in the film), Kelly conveys his emotions through the medium he knows best: dance. He performs a series of twirls intricate enough to divide his sole dance partner, a dated newspaper, into fours.

His tapping is the signature Kelly style: crisp and close to the ground while maintaining that athleticism he is still noted for today. He dons typical Kelly garb: simple polo shirt, loose pants (always too short) revealing a pair of white socks, and loafers. He is dashing, especially when he flashes that winning Irish smile. Oh, why can’t they make them like they used to?

Almost ten years later, I still am a musical enthusiast and still in love with Gene Kelly.  I don’t enjoy musicals for the same reason WWII audiences enjoyed them or for the same reasons my fourteen-year-old self enjoyed them — rather, I see my own life artistically represented in them. They are, after all, stories of having loved and lost and loved again, of having overcome trial and tribulation, and of reaching a point of self-discovery.

Embedded below as a PDF, the first instance discusses (no surprises here) Kelly’s competitive spirit and hairpieces. Perhaps the most amusing part:

He had three different toupees made for him. One was quite modest, his “I’m just sitting around with friends” toupee. The next was slightly fuller, his “I’m going into Beverly Hills or having lunch in a public place” toupee. Finally, there was what I call the “Looms of Mohawk” rug. That fuller-than-full toupee was reserved for awards ceremonies or television appearances and made him look twenty years old.

And embedded below the PDF, the second Gene Kelly reference in Mankiewicz’ memoir is devoted to a more somber occasion: Kelly, Fred Astaire, and others convene at Robert Wagner‘s home after the death of Natalie Wood (1981).

On Gene Kelly

On the Occasion of Natalie Wood’s (Mysterious) Death

http://youtu.be/gsdB7EKe7pc

Whenever I hear “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John, my mood is completely lifted — I feel happy, full of life, and occasionally, in the mood to get up and dance.

I get this very same feeling when I watch Gene Kelly on screen. No matter what role he played, he set the screen on fire with his choreography and dancing. His singing voice was soft and beautiful. And his acting — although never talked of in comparison to his dancing — was always brilliant. If the moment demanded pathos, he gave it with more realism than many of his contemporaries. If the moment demanded romance, he made you wish you were the woman he was swooning. And if the moment demanded comedy, then he delivered those lines with perfect timing.

I’ve always wanted to make a tribute to Gene. I cannot get over the talent this man possessed. He literally transformed the musical into a genre even bigger than Hollywood could have ever imagined it to be. Not just with his choreography, but his skills as a director meant that he revolutionised how musicals were filmed. Not to mention the fact that the Paris Opera Ballet invited him to choreograph one of their upcoming shows. For a Hollywood star, this is a truly outstanding achievement. His talents were never-ending.

He truly was a genius. I cannot think of an actor or performer who brought more vibrancy, energy, or fun to the screen than Gene Kelly.

I hope you enjoy this tribute and that it brightens your day.

Music used:
“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John
“PM’s Love Theme” by Craig Armstrong (from the Love Actually soundtrack)

Films included:
An American In Paris
Singin’ In The Rain
Anchors Aweigh
On The Town
The Three Musketeers
For Me And My Gal
Cover Girl

http://youtu.be/8HSavvZRzFY

Helen wraps up her discussion of the Gene Kelly course at the National Media Museum… [Entire series here.]

In the last session of our course we looked at Gene Kelly’s later career and legacy, beginning with his labour of love Invitation to the Dance (1956). Made in Europe but still in the MGM style, the experimental film tells three stories through dance, no dialogue. A clip of the “Sinbad the Sailor” animated sequence (right) once again demonstrated Kelly’s innovation in choreography and technical expertise. As an example of a film that was years in the making, discussion centred on Kelly’s desire to control all elements of the production as well as on the “camp qualities” and “homoerotic elements” present in his other musicals.

Looking at some of Kelly’s dancing partners and other female dancers he appeared with, our class decided that Kelly made better use of Cyd Charisse than possibly any of his other dancing co-stars, though his partnership with Judy Garland was perhaps the most successful. A clip of Charisse in the “You Knock Me Out” number from 1955′s It’s Always Fair Weather (below) showed her incredible ability and sex appeal, and in fact she and Kelly do not even dance together in the film. A discussion also centred round the male dominance of women in dance, perhaps not just a sign of the times, but also potentially inherited from the traditions of ballroom and ballet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRKe6idmPYw

We also discussed Gene Kelly’s physical appeal to female spectators — i.e., they envision him as athletic, sexy, handsome, and/or an idealised partner — and whether this aspect of the female gaze relates to a female solo dancing star such as Eleanor Powell. Does that explain why Powell was often dressed in androgynous costumes or stylised male tuxedos, some wondered. Discussion continued about the appeal of stars such as Katherine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Claudette Colbert, and Barbara Stanwyck for female audiences — strong independent women, often literally wearing the trousers. In the 1930s, film audiences were predominantly women creating the term “women’s pictures,’ whereas the musicals were seen more as family entertainment.   

There was further discussion around issues of race and representation in musicals and in film generally. The film industry was mostly segregated from 1910-1950. Examples included stars such as Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge who broke through into Hollywood, but their film careers were still very restricted, e.g. Island in the sun (1957) with the controversial dual mixed race relationships storyline. Mainstream Hollywood attempted to target black audiences occasionally in the 1950s with films such as Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959) but this was not really followed through. Though it was acknowledged that it was much easier for women to break out in Hollywood than black artists.

Kelly returned to a very different Hollywood and MGM after he finished An Invitation to the Dance. Studio head Louis B. Mayer, a great friend and supporter of producer Arthur Freed, had been replaced by Dore Shary with head of parent company Loew’s’ Nicholas Schenck desperately trying to reduce costs. In addition, Arthur Freed, MGM’s most successful producer of musicals, was not as visible at the studio by 1955 since he was focusing on both his award-winning Orchid collection and role as President for the Screen Producers Guild. More significantly though, the public’s appetite for film musicals and moviegoing in general began to wane. Other factors affecting studios and the star system: television kept a large chunk of audiences at home; major production factories (in which Kelly worked) began to shift to an independent package system; and the Paramount Case of 1948 forced an end to vertical integration (the practice of companies owning production, distribution and exhibition of films).

An inevitable comparison to Fred Astaire followed. As a group, we felt that Kelly was more of a personality who danced; he embodied central emotions.  He was egotistical and emotional, yet could be vulnerable and romantic, very expressive and often erotic and sexy.  One of his main legacies was definitely the integrated musical, his ability to really dance out the lyrics of a song. Astaire, on the other hand, was seen as less complex, more genteel, a man about town with a more routine style of dance.

From the late 1950s through the 1990s, Kelly worked behind the camera as well as either starred in or delivered cameo performances in both film and television drama and documentaries (That’s Entertainment, North and South, That’s Dancing!). We finished with Kelly’s “Singin in the Rain” number, which brought a smile to everyone’s face. And as a cheeky finale, Keith argued that Kelly’s legacy could still be seen in John Travolta’s male-on-display performance in Saturday Night Fever (1977).

I thoroughly enjoyed the course and highly recommend future ones at the museum if anyone lives nearby.  I must say a huge thanks to Keith Withall, Jen Skinner at National Media Museum, the rest of the course participants, and of course to Gene Kelly Fans for the original tip off.

Heads-up! Lindy-hop dancer/instructor Nick Williams plans “to attempt a recreation of Gene Kelly’s ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ number, not for film, but live onstage.” The goal, Williams says, is “to travel and perform it all around the world.”

Here’s Part 1 of his tribute project…

http://youtu.be/qrB8AihTxuI

Singin’ in the Rain

This wasn’t my first go-round with Don Lockwood and company on the big screen.  A decade ago, it was released to select theaters for its fiftieth anniversary.  Even so, I was still excited to see it again.  Singin’ in the Rain is immensely enjoyable when one watches it alone, but when seen with a crowd, the enjoyment factor seems to be multiplied by the number of people in said crowd.  Comedies are not meant to be seen in solitude.  Laughter is contagious.  Hearing and seeing others react intensifies the viewer’s own reactions.

Last Thursday night, I was fortunate to be sitting right next to someone who chuckled throughout the entire film.  One of his companions was someone who had never seen the film before, and I envied her for her many moments of outright howling with laughter.  So much of comedy depends on surprise, and to some degree, I took more enjoyment out of anticipating and subsequently witnessing the audience’s response to specific moments than I did in seeing them for the hundredth time myself.  For example, I can recall the first time I saw the film, and my reaction to the “no no no/yes yes yes” bit when the sound at the premiere of The Duelling Cavalier goes out of synchronization.  I was on the floor, in a manner of speaking, and so were many of my fellow audience members at this showing.

Laughter is not the only contagious product to emerge from viewing a film with an audience.  I am not exaggerating when I say goose bumps arose on my arms as the crowd cheered during the familiar opening moments of the film.  Oddly enough, I also experienced a wave of pride and joy whenever the audience cheered after a musical number.  I am almost embarrassed to admit that with it came a sense of ownership, as though it were my movie that all of these people were clearly so smitten with. No doubt many of them felt the same.  After all, it is my movie.  It’s their movie.  It’s everyone’s movie.

I felt proud and happy for “my” Gene Kelly as well.  I never met him, but through learning so much about him, and knowing how hard he worked to evoke that feeling of joy, I couldn’t help but think he would be thrilled to know that 60 years later, audiences young and old still adore what is considered his crowning cinematic achievement.

If Singin’ in the Rain is the pinnacle of movie musical perfection, the title number is the tippy top – the Mount Everest.  Like nearly everyone else who was born after Gene Kelly had more-or-less retired, the first thing that came to my mind when I thought about him prior to becoming a fan was his famous rain-soaked paean to the joy of being in love.  I knew this number before I ever even saw it.  It is almost cinematic wallpaper in that respect: it’s always there and we know it before we know we know it.

I have seen this four and a half minutes of film more times than I could begin to put a number to.  And yet it still moves me; it still fills me with joy and awe and a sense of pride and satisfaction – not because I had anything to do with it, but because a human being – one of us – created something so perfect and magical.  Part of its purity and perfection stems from its ending.  It’s one of the few Gene Kelly numbers (and the only one in this film) that does not hold a pose and invite applause at its finish.  This man who reportedly loved to have his ego massaged created his most enduring art when no one was looking, so to speak.  There was a modest sprinkle of applause as it closed, but the overwhelming reaction was a collective reverent hush.

It was at this moment that my friend Kelly leaned toward me to whisper: “This part always makes me sad.”  It seems a strange thing to say, but I completely and immediately understood what she meant, and realized that I’ve always felt that way as well, though I’ve never fully articulated it to myself.  It’s a moment that virtually trembles with poignancy.

First of all, there is the obvious fact that Gene Kelly never rose to such heights again, as the death knell of the classic movie musical was already beginning to sound.  As he waves a quiet goodbye to the policeman and saunters silently away in the rain, it is as though he’s waving goodbye to all of us.  He made many more movies, but he was (probably) never this good again.  Who could be?  There is also a more general melancholy that seeps in as we consider, consciously or subconsciously, the fleeting and ephemeral nature of perfection, of happiness, of all being right with the world.  This is an iconic moment, but it’s only four and a half minutes long, and then we have to move on to the more mundane and ordinary.  So much of life is spent rowing upstream, which makes moments like the one Don Lockwood has on a rainy Hollywood street all the more meaningful.

As big of a fan as I am of Gene Kelly and of this film, during my many home viewings, I confess I often stop watching Singin’ in the Rain as the title number’s music fades and he silently disappears from view.  Maybe I only imagined it, but it seemed as though there was a sense of deflation in the audience as well.  The rest of the film can’t possibly measure up.  The “Broadway Melody” ballet that follows shortly thereafter is enjoyable in and of itself (particularly the sequences with Cyd Charisse), but the way Gene’s ballets stop the driving force of the narrative dead in its tracks became very obvious to me when watching with an audience.  I love these islands of pure dance and admire the creative force of the mind behind them, but even I must acknowledge that they do not serve the story.

Still, the movie as a whole is about as close to perfect as a movie can get.  As I exited the theater, I smiled to myself as I overheard one young woman talking on her mobile phone.  “I have a new favorite movie and I can’t wait to watch it with you,” she exclaimed.  Nice work, Gene.  You made your mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ

While a few audience members reported “feed issues” (Fathom beams its events over satellite) and sold-out theaters, the majority of the feedback via social media and the like was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, even those who experienced digital interruptions or were turned away at the box office seemed okay with the situation, somehow just knowing that Singin’ in the Rain was playing widely in cinemas was enough.

We’ve asked fans of Gene Kelly and Singin’ in the Rain to weigh in on their experience, and they have. We’ve also culled some of our favorite tweets, Facebook statuses, and message-board entries below. Also, if you were there or were, sadly, turned away, please feel free to share your thoughts on the event in the comments section.

No Fast-Forward Button in Sight

Tonight my family saw Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen. It opened with TCM’s Robert Osborne giving context to the movie and interviewing Debbie Reynolds. What a treat she is!

We enjoyed the familiar songs and jokes, but seeing it larger and brighter gave new meaning to scenes that I, frankly, fast forward through. I like the “hoofing,” as Reynolds called it but I find the soundstage dance sequences tedious.

But experiencing those scenes in this way — big, bright and spectacular — conveyed to me the message that Kelly may have wished to impart: there is joy and artistry, color and drama in dance. And perhaps it can be seen in a way that does more than further the plot. I don’t think I ever would have “gotten it” had I not seen it on a screen bigger than 27 inches.

Seeing the details was delightful — from Gene Kelly’s profile to Donald O’Connor light blue eyes to the eye-popping costumes. It’s hard to think of the ‘20s being “bright,” but this was the ‘20s through the prism of the ‘50s. I wish more of the oldies could visit us at our local theatres. — Julia Pheifer

Tears Ten Seconds In

You know you’re about to see something special when you tear up during the opening credits.

What a joy to be able to see Singin’ In The Rain on the big screen. Everything about this film — from the costumes to the music to the hypnotic dancing of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor — remains as gorgeous and charming as ever. I challenge anyone to watch this movie and leave without a smile on their face and the desire to tap dance all the way home….rain or shine. – Dayna Johnson

Every Sequin, Every Bead

On my way to the movie theatre, it was pouring outside. What a great way to start off a screening of Singin’ in the Rain!  As I looked around before the lights dimmed, I was (pleasantly) surprised at the variety of people in attendance: young, old, men, women, children. And the theatre was mostly full.

I have seen Singin’ in the Rain close to 20 different times, and this was my favorite viewing by far. There was not a time during the movie  I wasn’t smiling, and I even got chills throughout. The (pre-movie) interview with Debbie Reynolds, Robert Osborne, Donald O’Connor, Cyd Charisse, and Gene’s third wife featured things we’ve all heard before about making of the movie and, you know, those “Debbie stories.” Still, it was a nice precursor to the event.

Onto the movie… First, the colors seemed more vibrant and brought out the backgrounds, costumes, and actors’ features. Boy, did Gene’s eyes and smile look phenomenal! As well, I could see every sequin or bead on on the costumes. The dance numbers would have to be my favorite part of seeing Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen; seeing every detail and preciseness of the dance, performance, and choreography was nothing short of spectacular for me.

Finally, the audience I was a part of was great. It was nice to be able to laugh and cheer amongst others who have just as much love for this amazing masterpiece as I do. This was a chance of a lifetime to see one of my favorite movies and Kelly’s most memorable performance on the big screen! – Brianna Wielbruda

Musical Chairs

I asked several people if they wanted to go with me to Singin’ in the Rain, and everyone turned me down. Judging from their reactions, I feared there was no longer the interest that this film deserves. I went off to the theater alone. I was prepared to argue that even though I was the only one there, they could not cancel the showing!

I arrived about 20 minutes early and was surprised to see a line at the box office. When I walked into the theater, it was over half filled with people of all ages, 5 years old to seniors. Soon the theater was completely filled with people scrambling for seats. Employees even had to bring in extra chairs, and several children sat in the aisles.

During the filming there was much laughter and clapping — all at the appropriate times.  At the end, people stood and cheered, whistled, and clapped. It was so thrilling that I had tears streaming down my face as I left.  Gene Kelly certainly lives on.  I will never forget the response to him from the multi-generational audience.  – Jane Fore

Gene’s (et al) Still Got It

I went to see Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen tonight. Wonderful! The audience clapped after every number. I saw two little girls about 6 and 7 years old as I was leaving the theater and asked them, “Did you like the movie?” “We loved it!” they said. Then, in the parking lot I saw and heard two teenage girls skipping and singing the title song as I was making my way to the car. Joyful entertainment! — DebraGene

I saw it 60 years ago today, the opening-day matinee at Shea’s Buffalo in downtown Buffalo, NY. Loved it then. Loved it now. — Brian Hawks

I went to the movies Thursday evening — a rare event because I’ve become disenchanted with the experience. But that changed when I sat among a sold out crowd of young and old at Movies 10 in Newport, Delaware. The packed house hadn’t come to watch the latest Batman movie or Ice Age or Spiderman. It was 1952′s Singin In The Rain, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Conner and Debbie Reynolds. It was refreshing to hear the amount of laughter at every comical moment as well as the cheering and applause that followed each dance number and the closing credits — all this in response to a movie most of the audience had already seen on television. It had been a long time since I left a movie theatre and felt the experience was worth the ticket price. – Author22

Singin’ in the Rain on Twitter

There were hundreds and hundreds of tweets regarding this release of Singin’ in the Rain, so many in fact, we couldn’t keep up with all of them. Here are some of our favorites:

• Singin’ in the Rain turns 60 years old today, and it has lost absolutely none of its movie magic. – Jake_Indiana
• Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen was simply magical. The best part? The little kid in the audience cracking up during “Make ‘Em Laugh.” – UnpluggedCrazy
• #SinginInTheRain Full house! 60 years later, Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds still packing them in! #TCM – HollywoodLegacy
• When the titular number kicked in, I thought of my grandma, and all the times we watched #SinginInTheRain together. I miss you, gramma. – J_Chlebus
• When Lina said, “Darn tootin’ she [lost her job] – I arranged it!” girl behind me cried indignantly, “Bitch!!” and I totally lost it. #LOL – eliz8726
• Singin in the Rain makes me want to drop my panties — Alexxithymic
• Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen w/ mom & grandma. 3 generations of enjoyment from one film. – PerspProsp
• As we are leaving theater last night, I noticed a blind guy in the back row. THAT is the power of these movies. #SinginInTheRain — joelrwilliams1
• At the end a woman yelled “Now show an American in Paris!” – SShavelson
• I smiled the entire movie. My heart hurts from an overdose of perfection. #SinginInTheRain #GeneKelly – GaeliLove

And we’ll leave you with these two tweets…and the photos to back them up.

• I thought I was the ultimate #GeneKelly fan, this guy takes the cake! – TravelBareFeet
• The cosplayers at Singin’ in the Rain are my favorite people. – Jess_Plummer

 A Few Words from Greensboro, NC

Joel Williams shares a few thoughts on his Singin’ in the Rain experience. Like most theaters Thursday night, it seems (mine included), his was packed.

Gotta dance!

Are you one of the lucky people who scored a ticket to the 60th anniversary screening of Singin’ in the Rain? If so, share with us your experience — no more than 200 words, please.

Submit Review!

]]> http://genekellyfans.com/musicals/review-singin/feed/ 6 http://genekellyfans.com/musicals/museum-utopia/ http://genekellyfans.com/musicals/museum-utopia/#comments Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:06:07 +0000 Kelli http://genekellyfans.com/?p=5363 This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Gene Kelly: National Media Museum.

Helen continues her discussion of the Gene Kelly course at the National Media Museum… [Entire series here.]

An introduction to Richard Dyer’s five categories of non-representational elements that suggest the feelings of a utopia kicked off our session on Kelly’s persona. Dyer’s five categories — Energy, Abundance, Intensity, Transparency and Community — were discussed in the context of Kelly’s films.

For example, in terms of Brigadoon, the village offers a community who appear to enjoy abundance despite an apparent lack of labour or much cultivation. The community is marked by transparency, the sense of which is that of honesty and openness. The visiting New Yorkers bring energy to the dream world, and the intensity arrives in the several romances of the plot.

Dyer’s categories are mainly apparent, not so much in the dialogue or action, as in the settings and the dancing. There is usually a need for Kelly’s character to undergo some kind of conversion within his films to be able to “achieve the transparency necessary for his union with the heroine.” As in Anchors Aweigh, Kelly’s vulnerable side is brought out by both Kathryn Grayson’s and Dean Stockwell’s characters of the aunt and young nephew. His brash, ambitious, and sexually confident persona has to succumb to a more gentle romantic vulnerability.

As discussed in my first post of this series, certainly within Kelly’s choreography, there are noticeable tropes/motifs that recur again and again throughout his films: particular dance steps, the use of ballet to evoke emotion, bricolage (the use of his surroundings and props), dancing/’teaching’ children, dancing with his hands in his pockets, certain formations of multiple dancers, etc. etc. But it his innovative use of the camera to film dance that was just as important as his choreography; in fact it was a collaborative process between camera and choreography, and for this in particular, he benefitted from the partnership with director Stanley Donen, himself a former Broadway dancer.

The Musical (and Drama) Turn Sour

In It’s Always Fair Weather the plot is the US dream turned sour and the struggle to resolve the alienation between the 3 wartime buddies, ten years on. Even more cynicism is present in this film and the resolution is forced through via the power of television, despite the negative portrayal of the genre. Keith argues here that the “utopian world that Dyer posits in the Hollywood musical appears to be declining alongside the decline of the genre itself in the 1950s.”

Such drama! (Marjorie Morningstar)

Similarly, touching on Kelly’s dramatic roles in the 1950s, a number of his characters showed a darker more cynical side whether in Marjorie Morningstar (1958), starring with Natalie Wood, where there is no conversion moment and he is therefore unable to consummate the relationship. See also his the wise-cracking big city reporter dispatched to Tennessee to cover the trial of the century in Inherit the Wind (1960).

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

The final screening of our course was Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (1967), Jacques Demy’s homage/pastiche to the great Hollywood Musical. I was especially excited to see this film as I, and in fact all of the class, had never seen it before.  As with Brigadoon, it split opinion with approximately a third of the class really enjoying it, another third hating it, and the rest a little indifferent.

Gettin’ down in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

I personally enjoyed Demoiselles, having recently seen Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964) also directed by Demy, starring Catherine Deneuve, and another homage to Hollywood Musicals. I confess that I was a little apprehensive as I had forced myself to watch it through to the end. Though it was disappointing that Kelly’s singing voice was dubbed in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, as were the rest of the cast too, his performance lit up the screen, gave the film gravitas and it was generally felt that he was underused. I also liked the quirky nature of the Gemini twins – real-life sisters Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac, especially as a Gemini twin myself!

French film star Danielle Darrieux playing the twins’ mother gives a warm-hearted engaging performance, as does her beau Michel Piccoli in what is a thinly plotted film focused on the coincidental search for love for three couples. As with the French chanteuse style, the rather unforgettable music and lyrics help to drive the narrative.

Demy’s approach to the mise-en-scene (use of pastel colours and stylised settings), filming of the dance sequences with a moving camera, joyful choreography, and lyrical romanticism echo the past glories of the heyday of MGM musicals. Kelly’s persona is much more relaxed, even a post-Pal Joey persona, with recognition of his illustrious past but transformed by love at first sight and the need to find his soulmate. Categorised as a “nouvelle vague” musical by one of the class, the film has clear references to films such as An American in Paris, though some felt it was too saccharine and a pale imitation of a Hollywood musical.

OMG, Gene, you’re going to make me buy a Blu-ray player. (Screenshot from Blu-ray disc.)

DVD Beaver gives 5/5 stars to the new Singin’ in the Rain Blu-ray:

What a wonderful presentation this new Warner Blu-ray provides. Wow. Things tighten up from detail to the vibrancy of the colors and contrast has the more layered effect that we have come to expect from the 1080P format. There is a touch of depth and the grain is very fine. This is a success and fans will bathe in the image rendering on the dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. The deeper you look into the video the more advancement you see over the SD – smoother, brighter… livelier!

The 5.1 mix is solid via the DTS-HD Master at 2180 kbps with the musical numbers gaining a crisp edge. It adds another beneficial attribute to the viewing. Brilliant. There are optional DUBs and subtitles signifying and supporting the disc as being region FREE – playable on Blu-ray machines world wide.

Supplements include the old commentary and a new 2012, 50-minute, documentary entitled Singin’ in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation directed by Gary Leva . It has input from Paula Abdul, Rudy Behlmer Baz Luhrmann, Rob Marshall and others offering just accolades for the film. There is also a JukeBox feature to access the musical numbers and a 4-minute theatrical trailer.

Great price considering the immense value. I can’t wait to watch it again. Our highest recommendation.

“The set’s mise en scene is established through human movement.”

Alain Masson considers (somewhat densely) the “penetrability and transparency” of Don Lockwood’s house in this essay from the academic journal Continuum: The Australian Journal of Media & Culture 5.2 (1990). The piece was originally published in Positif 331 (1988): 50-54. 

More recently, Masson has written a book on Gene Kelly (currently only in French).

Helen continues her discussion of the Gene Kelly course at the National Media Museum… [Entire series here.]

The class’s next screening was the much-maligned Brigadoon. This musical is not one of my Kelly favourites although there are some delightful moments such as the “Heather on the Hill” number withKelly and Cyd Charisse (right) and the wonderfully fast-paced, noisy, neurotic New York scenes with Kelly and his “buddy” Van Johnson as his cynical, alcoholic, misogynistic sidekick. [For more on this "buddy" theme, see my initial post in the series.]

For many in the class, particularly those for whom it was their first viewing, they struggled to get past the artificial Hollywood representation of Scotland and frankly appalling Scottish accents. It was also felt that the film showed up Kelly and Charisse’s weaknesses as actors, and there was debate about the conviction of the central romance and chemistry between Kelly and Charisse.

The film Brigadoon was changed significantly from the successful Broadway stage production from which it was adapted, but many argued that it still felt like a stage production. On the other hand, others claimed as it was a fairy story and therefore fantasy, and so the Scottish representation in a studio setting was irrelevant. Finally, some would like to have seen a more abstract representation to articulate the mythical utopia of Brigadoon.

For those who had seen Brigadoon before (and I’d only ever seen it on TV and VHS), we enjoyed the opportunity to view the film in Cinemascope at a ratio of 2.35.1 in Anscocolor format, though one classmate commented that Technicolour should have produced the print for a better colour. It certainly makes a difference watching the marching drummers enter the “Wedding Scene” from all sides.

Many thought the film more pessimistic and darker than they’d remembered and that the verve, energy and enthusiasm of earlier Kelly and Minnelli films were lacking. The New York scene was popular with the majority of the class, particularly the articulation of the lost American dream, even echoes of what was to come in Sweet Smell of Success (1957). Others enjoyed the scene’s brilliant sound design, and the importance of the scene in recognition of the need for the audience to understand and accept the return and ultimate absorption of Kelly’s character into Brigadoon. There was a feeling that the challenges of pre-production — changing tastes amongst the viewing public, the slow demise of the big Hollywood musical, changes within the management at MGM studios, and the inability to use real locations as was initially hoped — all had a negative impact on the final version.

Boozin’ it up!

But there was one area that provoked a lot of interest: Van Johnson’s character (above, right). Was his character a repressed homosexual (allegedly Johnson was gay in real life), and does he subvert Kelly’s usual persona? Johnson’s character is more of an “extreme version of the familiar Kelly character.” Is his condition a reflection of the ‘empty, cynical and commercialised world of the large, modern city?”

For another take on Brigadoon, see Marc’s posts “Masculinity, Credibility, and Gene Kelly: A Scotsman’s Quandary” and “Brigadoon (and Gene Kelly Ceilidh) at the Glasgow Film Festival.”

To this end, I nearly glossed over the post. After all, I don’t need to read another critic blathering on about Kelly’s 103-degree fever, shrunken wool suit(s), and the milk/rainwater in “Singin’ in the Rain.” This is a TOTAL MYTH! No milk was used. But I’m glad I didn’t pass up this one. Feeney’s piece on Gene Kelly differs from most of the other recent write-ups I’ve seen. Aside from his claim “It’s impossible to talk about Kelly without talking about Astaire” (actually, it can be done), here are a few reasons I like it.

In my mind, this is the length of Thursday’s Singin’ in the Rain ticket line.

Huh, Girls? What Girls?

First, Feeney’s post opens and closes with two lesser-known Gene Kelly films, ones that most mainstream audiences and even some self-described Kelly fans have likely never heard of: Les Girls and The Young Girls of Rochefort.

Opening: “Why do you want this job?” Gene Kelly asks Taina Elg after she’s auditioned for his act in Les Girls (1957). “Because I’ve seen you dance,” she says. The answer makes perfect sense; his dancing’s that irresistible.

Closing: In The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) [...] here are all these French kids singing and dancing and, in a sense, doing their own version of Summer Stock [...] and Kelly’s delighted to be around them. He’s an elder statesman of the musical, yes, that’s why Jacques Demy has cast him. But he’s also part of the action (and even at 55 a better dancer than anyone else in the movie).

When I saw these references, I knew (or at least, hoped) I was reading a journalist more deeply familiar with the song-and-dance man’s legacy than the majority of the other critics covering Kelly’s centenary and/or the upcoming Singin’ in the Rain screening. So far, I believe I’m correct.

Girls, girls, girls. And Gene.

Gotta Dance?! Well, Not All the Time, Gene

Feeney is also confident enough in his knowledge of Gene Kelly’s (slightly?) ego-centric, pretentious persona and oeuvre — um, dude performs a number called “I Like Myself” (which is actually quite awesome) – to take down Kelly a notch or two. I actually laughed aloud when I read Feeney’s commentary on Kelly’s ballet sequences, which can be both riveting and frustrating to watch:

“That ‘Broadway Melody’ segment does go on. ‘Gotta dance’? Yes, but gotta stop, too. That said, it’s nowhere near the kitschy ordeal that the title ballet is in An American in Paris (1951).”

I understand Feeney’s argument here: for the most part, Kelly’s dream ballets do halt the narratives to which they’re (loosely) attached. But at the same time, I could never imagine Singin’ in the Rain without “Broadway Melody” or An American in Paris without that nearly 20-minute ballet in which freakin’ French Impressionist paintings come to life. Here, revisit a little bit of both numbers; I’ve included the sexiest parts for you cause that’s just the kinda gal I am:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YWBOfsXsDA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlvzGT1Ta2w

Along these same lines… while Feeney humorously mocks Kelly’s ballet sequences in his column, he also rightly acknowledges why the star creates, choreographs, and inserts such elaborate and imaginative numbers in his film musicals: “There’s this fundamental restlessness to Kelly. In terpsichorean terms, he’s always lighting out for the territory, seeking something new, better, different…” This, of course, also explains Kelly’s dancing with Jerry the Mouse in Anchors Aweigh, with trashcan lids in It’s Always Fair Weather, and with himself in Cover Girl.

Kineticism and Gene Kelly’s Writings

Third, I appreciate the enthusiasm and language with which Feeney discusses Kelly’s title number from Singin’ in the Rain:

Has exultation ever been expressed more memorably — let alone meteorologically? It’s also a marvel of economical filmmaking. Lasting 3½ minutes, the sequence consists of no more than eight cuts. Two of them are among the most gorgeous crane shots in movie history — yet so perfectly placed as to be among the least obtrusive, too. There are so many things to cherish in the number — how Kelly hums his way into the song, how he grins under that downspout, how he splashes in those puddles, how he turns his umbrella into a dance partner — but there may be nothing more exhilarating than the utter ease with which he leaps up onto that light pole at the very beginning. Kelly’s control of his kineticism is at once lovely in itself and an italicization of his athleticism.

It’s the last bit that especially makes me smile, this talk of kineticism, as it reminds me of some of Kelly’s writings.

When I browsed Gene Kelly’s archives at the Boston University library earlier this year, I came across a box of essays Kelly wrote for publications like fan magazines, Sports Illustrated, and Seventeen (yep, that one). It’s widely known that classical Hollywood publicists (as well as those today) penned, distributed, and planted articles and photos in the media on behalf of their star employers. A few reasons for such fabrication: to maintain the star’s image (the key goal), to skirt or detract from a scandal, to keep stars in the public eye, to offer fans “intimate” confessions and “real-life” looks at the star and his/her family. Regarding the latter, I came across several fan magazine clippings at the archives that highlighted “the real” Gene and Betsy, e.g., Betsy Blair and Gene Kelly, the nicest twosome around…eating steak and drinking milk…Gene’s world revolves around Betsy and their daughter Kerry…etc.

In other words, I am aware all of this manufacturing existed then, just as it does now (heard anything about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes lately?). At the same time, after reading “Gene Kelly’s essays” from Box 3 (of 29) at the BU archives, I don’t know that someone else penned them. If so, it had to be someone who was a dancer and choreographer and stage performer and filmmaker. Some of the details are too specific, the terms too technical, the history of cinematic and Broadway dance too exhaustive for a marketing professional. So while I cannot confirm that Kelly wrote these articles, based on their content, I’m going to assume he did. (Another scholar who’s spent more time in the archives than I agrees; she thinks he penned them and a publicist perhaps helped clean them up.)

In these lengthy papers — some around 10 double-spaced typed pages — on cinematic dance (or cine-dance), Kelly writes eloquently and knowledgeably about his body, the dancer’s body, and its relationship to the camera, frame, and narrative. For example, in one essay for Sound Stage (1965), the musical star informs his readers that because dancing is “a three-dimensional art-like sculpture,” it is actually not a good medium for motion pictures. In fact, he continues, when such movement is transferred to screen, “you lose most of the muscular or physical force (dancers call it ‘kinetic‘ force). You also lose the presence of the dancer, which might be termed his three-dimensional personality — not necessarily the facial expressions, the look, or the feelings, but the personality of the dancer’s whole body, which coupled with line and style, form the basis of a dance performance.” These are some of the reasons Kelly (and his co-director Stanley Donen) worked so arduously to modify the way dance numbers were shot onscreen.

Kelly also discusses in this article why singing doesn’t translate as well onscreen as it does onstage (“a song can sustain four times as long onstage as it can on film…”) and the rarity of triple-threats, which can now “be counted on one hand”  (at the time of writing, his hopes were pinned on Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke). And among other things, Kelly waxes poetically about the future of film musicals, which were dying rapidly by this point in time: “It’s like trying to walk across a foggy moor on the flatlands of Wales. You know what might lie ahead, but you can’t see it. You can only sense a stir, a feeling of excitement, an undercurrent of movement toward a great new world of the original movie musical.”

This sense of optimism as well as love of the industry and the people therein is something else Feeney points to in his Boston Globe column:

Kelly’s career has one other defining quality: generosity. What’s most American about him isn’t his wearing jeans or looking ‘like a guy on your bowling team, only classier,’ as Bob Fosse once said. It’s his creative stance toward others. Kelly’s is an inherently egalitarian talent, or as egalitarian as virtuosity allows.

I don’t know that I’ve much more to add at this time as Feeney has done a nice job “Remembering Gene Kelly, True Song-and-Dance Man.” I do hope, however, that whoever’s reading this will recognize some of the above attributes in Singin’ in the Rain on the big screen Thursday night. You are going, right?

Originally published at MediAcademia.

Helen continues her discussion of the Gene Kelly course at the National Media Museum…

Now focusing on Kelly as a dancer and choreographer, our class at the National Media Museum explored the star’s style, influence and recurring motifs, and the development of his techniques both in front of and behind the camera. In particular, we examined how his wartime experiences in a film unit sparked his interest in the technical aspect of filmmaking and how he used and adapted this knowledge. Additionally, we looked at how Kelly’s experience of working with gifted directors like Stanley Donen and Vincente Minnelli changed the way dance numbers were choreographed and filmed for the screen.

Anchors Aweigh (1945) demonstrates the achievements of Kelly, Donen, and the animation team in developing new techniques to show shadows as well as Kelly and Jerry the Mouse (right) moving behind each other in the dream sequence. What is striking here (and elsewhere in the Kelly canon), in comparison to earlier musicals, is the difference in mobility of the camera and how the camera travels with Kelly as he dances up and down (stairs, pavements, buildings etc), side to side (often in ‘exterior’ locations) and along wide-open settings (usually streets).

Another recurring feature is Kelly’s ability to make props dynamic, animating the everyday (this is also visible in Fred Astaire’s later MGM musicals too, no doubt influenced by this significant change). As one of the class stated, “The world’s his stage.”

But it was the focus on creating integrated film musicals, pioneered by producer Arthur Freed and Minnelli, that Kelly was particularly interested in developing.  The creation of an integrated narrative was one of his lasting achievements whereby the dancing and singing helped to drive the story rather than interrupt the flow of the film.

In discussing the look and feel of MGM musicals, and especially the lush colours in dream sequences, Keith (our instructor) drew our attention to Technicolor’s influence in the representations of colour and colour coding. For instance, Natalie Kalmus, Technicolor’s colour coordinator on most of the MGM films, had very fixed ideas as to which colours represented different emotions. Thus, colour was a major influence on a film’s design, particularly the dream sequences.  A classic (non-Kelly) example is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s dream ballet (or rather nightmare) in Oklahoma! (1955).

Kelly’s and Vera Ellen’s “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” number from Words and Music (1948) sparked a discussion around female representation in film musicals. In the 1950s female representation was changing and in the musicals, women could be the centre of male attention rather than merely one-half a dancing couple (Eleanor Powell was always the exception!). See, for example, Jane Russell dancing with men in a gym in 1953′s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (right) and Cyd Charisse dancing with boxers in It’s Always Fair Weather (1955).

The famous scene of Kelly dancing with a newspaper and squeaky floorboard in Summer Stock (1950) prompted chat about the star’s proletarian, working class, Irish persona and desire to develop an “everyman” dance style, very much of the street.  However, as we learned, his naturally cocky character often needs to be softened by other characters to help to humanise him, whether that’s Frank Sinatra in Anchors Aweigh, Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949) and On the Town (1949), or children in An American in Paris (1951) and Anchors Aweigh.

By this point in the course, the class was sharing articles, book references and general Kelly facts and figures, adding to the meticulous preparation, planning, research and excellent handouts by Keith.

More in the next installment…

I thought I’d also include here some of the tweets from those who watched the program live (my favorites from @HerbCarmen and @buckle2). So many Gene Kelly fans around the country…

• @videosawyer: Is it weird to do a tribute to Gene Kelly with no dancing in it ? Yes. Yes it is. But they did it anyway.
• @clairegeldart: The salut to Gene Kelly?! Could this be a better 4th of July special?! I don’t think so.
• @matthewphilbin: The National Symphony Orchestra’s tribute to Gene Kelly was fantastic. #Cap4thPBS
• @Eddiecantor67: Tribute to Gene Kelly is s’wonderful! #capital4thpbs
• @yasmineelsabawi: The Gene Kelly tribute at #capitalfourth is gold. I have a real appreciation for orchestral music (and showtunes!)
• @hellodisney: Loving the Gene Kelly tribute for his 100th Bday on the Capitol 4th!
• @dashthecrux: Ahhh GENE KELLY MONTAGE!!!
• @KylaMJohnson: Watching Capital 4th. Now I want to watch gene Kelly movies and West Side Story!
• @HerbCarmen Thank you, Gene Kelly, for signing the Delcaration of Independence. #Cap4thPBS
• @taylorleewest: For the record, I’m a HUGE Gene Kelly fan. Love that #Cap4thPBS has a tribute to him tonight.
• @buckle2: Gene Kelly would have been 100 this year…and probably would still out dance everybody on the planet.

Before you click play, please note: the selected footage (from On the Town especially) is of horrible quality — and, yes, it looked even worse on HD television.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG-bISNPq0s&feature=player_embedded

Helen continues her discussion of the Gene Kelly course at the National Media Museum…

I was excited to see a 35mm screening of The Pirate (Vincente Minnelli, 1948) on the big screen in the Museum’s cozy Cubby Broccoli Cinema, as I’d only ever seen it on TV and VHS. From the outset I was transfixed by the bright colours, outlandish costumes, Minnelli’s camera movements, and Kelly’s general swagger and athleticism. I’d also forgotten just how funny the script is and particularly how wonderful Judy Garland is, despite her well-documented troubles offscreen.

One of the highlights was Manuela’s “Mack the Black” daydream (right): Kelly in a skimpy, sexy, black outfit brandishing swords and flying through fire – it really does take your breath away, and it’s still surprising that the sequence made it past the censors although they had removed the voodoo references! [For another scene that skirted past the censorship board, see Kelli's "A Brush of Sorts in The Pirate."]

Other highlights for me included the opening Kelly number “Nina” (below), in which his character captivates every woman in the village, young and old, with his overtly flamboyant, flirtatious, and athletic prowess; I also enjoyed the fight scene between Kelly’s Serafin and Garland’s Manuela – perfect comic timing from both.

“When I arrive in any town, I look the ladies up and down…”

In our class discussion of The Pirate the following week, for many it was the first viewing. Feedback was mostly positive although some felt let down by the “Be a Clown” ending without a romantic conclusion, claiming the scene somehow felt like an afterthought. This is understandable since in some ways, Garland’s character is a substitute for Kelly’s recurring male “buddy” role (discussed in my previous post), and moreover, the film’s Freudian and surrealism influences and sexual connotations within the film overshadow any romantic narrative.

A strong influence of modern dance and ballet is also evident in The Pirate as is Kelly’s swashbuckling homage to Douglas Fairbanks’s silent film The Black Pirate (1926). Kelly was certainly influenced by Agnes de Mille’s use of ballet in Broadway musicals, Martha Graham’s groundbreaking modern dance, and of course classical ballet, in which he had received training and for which he had a lifelong passion. This is evident in the fantasy-dream formats repeated in his musicals, used to expression real emotion and in this case, passion. The fantasy framework freed Kelly and his collaborators from the constraints of contemporary drama.

The Pirate‘s inclusion of the extraordinary Nicholas Brothers (below), though woefully underused, provoked a broad-ranging discussion about the stereotypical portrayals of African-Caribbean actors/dancers in Hollywood film (i.e., they were mostly relegated to speciality acts or subservient roles such as butlers, maids, and servants). This was highlighted by a clip of the hugely influential, ex-vaudeville tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and Shirley Temple dancing together in The Littlest Colonel (1935).

http://youtu.be/vfGOz8imMvo

Whilst flicking through Twitter one evening, I spotted a tweet from @GeneKellyFans promoting a course at the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK. to celebrate the centenary of Gene Kelly’s birth. Long story short, I immediately cleared my Wednesday nights for the next seven weeks and signed up.

I must confess to both a personal and academic interest here as I start a part-time PhD later this year, researching fantasy dream ballets in Hollywood film musicals. With that in mind, I thought this course would be a fitting warm-up.

I’ve also been lucky enough to visit film archives in Los Angeles and New York whilst studying for my Master’s degree (researching Arthur Freed’s musicals unit focusing on Gene Kelly films). But of course, like many others, I’m a life-long Kelly fan. I grew up watching his films and being spellbound by his extraordinary dance talent, confident and charming persona, and, let’s be honest, his rather handsome features on display in musicals, dramatic roles, and documentaries. But I digress…

The course — Gene Kelly: Star, Choreographer, Director – was led by Keith Withall, a freelance teacher/writer on film and regular at the National Media Museum, and was managed by the Museum’s Film Education Officer, Jen Skinner. It was essentially a mixture of screenings (e.g., The Pirate [1948], Brigadoon [1954], Les Demoiselles de Rochefort [1967]) and discussion focusing on Kelly’s place in the classic MGM musicals, role as dancer and choreographer, star persona, and contribution to the film musical genre.

I joined a group of about 10 locals of all ages. Most were regulars at the Museum and had taken Keith’s courses before, so they were well-informed, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic, unafraid to share their views (positive or negative). Notably, some participants weren’t Kelly fans and had not seen most of his films; they, in turn, gave us long-time fans a fresh perspective as well as an opportunity for nurturing them in this endeavor. Via this series, I’ll attempt to outline some of our discussions and experiences.

Gene Kelly 101

Gene Kelly was billed to us as the “greatest innovator in the Hollywood musical,” which was evident in a montage from That’s Entertainment III (1994). But first, we needed to understand the context in which Kelly arrived in Hollywood. So Keith introduced us to a brief history of the movie musical across the different studios with clips of

• Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell in Warner Brothers’ 42^nd Street (1933),
• Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) at MGM,
• Fred and Ginger in Swing Time (1936), and
• Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland in Babes in Arms (1939) at MGM.

Following that were first of many lively discussions about film and dance styles, techniques, stars, and directors; pre- and post-Hays Code influences; the classic romance and backstage narratives; the influence and appropriation of black culture through tap and jazz; and the use of the Great American Songbook. We also explored how the different studios approached musicals, e.g., Warner Brothers’ snappy dialogue and focus on mass movement, MGM’s stars and interest in the central romantic couple, and RKO’s escapism and stylised set design.

Then, we returned to Gene…

The year 1942 marked the onscreen arrival of Gene Kelly in the black-and-white musical For Me and My Gal, co starring Judy Garland (right). The film showcases Kelly’s Pal Joey persona (his turn in the Broadway production of Pal Joey earned him a ticket to Hollywood) — cocky, confident, charismatic, and lots of smiling/grinning. Arguably, this character defined his Hollywood persona.

We then moved on to the alter ego sequence from Cover Girl (1944), which introduces recurring tropes visible throughout Kelly’s musical career:

• dancing “outdoors” (although technically, most of the “exteriors” were made in a studio),
• use of movement and levels, both camera and action, and a
• hybrid mixture of dance styles.

In addition, Cover Girl brings in the Kelly sidekick or buddy, the use of props, and signature solo dances. And we learned that Gene Kelly doesn’t quite fit the traditional musical narrative, as he has no regular romantic partner throughout his films.

Please tune in next for our discussion on The Pirate. 

A musical tribute to beloved American legend Gene Kelly, in celebration of his 100th birthday, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra performing a medley of Hollywood classics including SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.

Broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, A CAPITOL FOURTH will air live in HD on PBS Wednesday, July 4, 2012 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings), as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network.

The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide.

More info may be found here and on PBS’s site.

The group Girls’ Generation features Singin in the Rain in their newest Japanese single Paparazzi.

There are apparently three lots in all, one of which includes money clip (details below).

Gold  and  enamel  money  clip  (2  3/8  x  1  1/4  in.;  62  x  33  mm),  depicting  a  man  in  a  green  suit  holding  a  black  umbrella  and  a  briefcase  standing  amidst  falling  blue  raindrops,  the  briefcase  engraved  with  the  inscription  “Gene    Many  Thanks    Cyd,”  stamped  14K,  gross  weight  =  26.4  dwts  (41  grams);  scratching  and  nicking  to  surface  but  enamel  intact,  good  condition.  Accompanied  by  an  autograph  note  by  Kelly  presenting  the  money  clip  to  his  daughter,  “Cyd  CH—to  Gene  to  Kerry—money  clip.”

That’s right! Singin’ in the Rain in (U.S.) theatres for one night only.
Participating theatres are listed here.

Here’s the official announcement from Fathom:

Turner Classic Movies Presents Singin’ in the Rain 60th Anniversary Event
 in Select Movie Theaters Nationwide on Thursday, July 12 at 7:00 PM (local time)*

The event begins with a Turner Classic Movies original production featuring TCM host Robert Osborne in an exclusive specially produced interview with star Debbie Reynolds. In this interview, audiences are taken behind the scenes of one of the greatest musicals of all time as Ms. Reynolds shares memories of working with the late great Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor.

Immediately following these exclusive behind the scenes extras be carried away by the songs, story and romance of one of the greatest musicals of all time - Singin’ in the Rain - as it graces the silver screen for only one night fully remastered and more beautiful than it ever has been before!

Don’t miss this timeless classic on the big screen for only one night on July 12th and celebrate the release of the Blu-Ray™ on July 17th.

*Additional matinee showings available at select movie theater locations. Check your local listings for details.

TICKETING: Tickets will be on sale to the public on Friday, June 8th!

The event, which you can read more about here, celebrates and honors outstanding performances and productions of high-school musical theatre. Think Glee, but arguably better and with fewer melodramatic plots revolving around student-teacher hookups, texting while driving, and teen marriage. (Er, we hope that’s the case anyway.)

The winner this year is Avonworth High School who staged a production of Sweeney Todd (above), a dark, bloody, and unsettling musical with rather difficult music/lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

After the awards, PBS announced its upcoming documentary Broadway or Bust, which “follows some of the 60 high school student performers from 30 regional musical theater competitions [...] as they progress to New York City to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards program.” The Gene Kelly Awards will be featured in the project, scheduled to air in September 2012.

The rest of the 2012 Gene Kelly Award winners may be found on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

And here, a few attendees live-tweeted their experience at the awards:

• The marquee
• Those up for nominations (we’re guessing?)
• Stage from afar
• Stage from up-close

Animation Magazine remembers Gene Kelly’s contribution to onscreen animation:

Over the course of five decades, he more than paid his dues in the toon trenches.

Kelly was actually a pioneer in the art of the seamless melding of live action and animation, first in the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh, in which he had a fantasy-sequence dance number with Jerry Mouse. [Read more...]

Last night, the Academy held a tribute ”to celebrate the 100th birthday of the incomparable Gene Kelly (1912-1996) with a special gala evening of film clips, stories and personal remembrances of the multi-talented motion picture legend.” Here is the Academy’s summary of the evening.

A few attendees live-tweeted their experience of the event:

• @FilmNoirBlonde: Getting ready for the Gene Kelly tribute at the Academy. Can’t wait! #GeneKelly
• Glee‘s Harry Shum: One of the coolest nights ever at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater for the Centennial Tribute to Gene Kelly.  #inspired #myhero
• @TheBGSituation: Gene Kelly (aka the first love of my life) tribute at the Academy. These are the nights I’m happy to live in Hollywood.
• @BJanine: Heartfelt and emotional tribute to Gene Kelly’s life and work @ Samuel Goldwyn Theater.  Amazing and wonderful night.  @TheAcademy
• @GlamAmor: #GeneKelly tribute @TheAcademy was SO MOVING. Feel I got to know him. Rare film clips + audio. Personal stories. Celebrity tributes. I cried.
• @sharonleal17: Centennial tribute to the lengendary #GENEKELLY  at Academy of Motion Pictures…..amazing.

Some attendees took pictures:

• Pics of the program cover on Twitter and Instagram.
• Inside the program.
• The stage.

And here’s Justin Timberlake’s, uh, “tribute” and Hugh Jackman’s below:

When he wasn’t entertaining Cannes lunch crowds in 1959, Gene Kelly served as a member of that year’s festival jury. (via Vanity Fair, looking back at Cannes)