Thursday, February 15, 2018

Thursday Movie Picks-movies with songs in them but not musicals


Well, there’s a mouthful....and I was a bit lost with this but then a lightbulb went off, mind you it is only 40 Watts, and I came up with some movies that fit the bill. Head over to the brainchild, Wandering Through The Shelves and see what the others have chosen.

1. BALL OF FIRE-1941


This is a funny yet sweet screwball comedy that stars Gary Cooper as a very innocent (HA!) professor who ventures into a nightclub to learn about American Slang,-research for his book. In enters Sugarpuss, played by Barbara Stanwyck who sings a song and sees how much the young professor is taken with her. She soon needs a hideout because her mobster boyfriend is wanted by the cops and they want to question her. What’s Snow Not So White to do but go home with the be-smitten professor and she does just that not realizing he lives with 7 elderly professors. Little does she know how much these old gents take her heart and same for the innocent(HA!) prof whom she teaches the art of yum yum. A great movie that has some very funny moments in it along with sweet ones. An interesting take on Snow White and the 7 Dwarves.

2. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM-1966


Now this is a burlesque farce in the best sense of the word. You have the best that actually worked in burlesque and vaudeville-Phil Silvers, Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford and the great Buster Keaton. You also have the young Michael Crawford who created the role of the Phantom on the  broadway version of the Phantom of the Opera. This film takes place in Ancient Rome where Zero plays a slave who tries to become a free person. He gets involved with his owner’s son who loves a girl who is trying to find her long lost brother and father. You have vestal virgins, bordellos (not sure I could tell the difference), an army looking for the slave, and Buster doing his thing. This film has more than one musical number but it is more a comedy than a musical. Even the musical numbers make me laugh. Interesting that both Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford were blacklisted during the McCarthy witch hunts.

3. BLAZING SADDLES-1974


If you want a politically correct western with little offence....then this is not the movie for you because this is Mel Brooks so that means anything but politically correct which is just how I love it. First...Cleavon Little was perfectly cast as the young sheriff riding into town to begin a new life except the townsfolk are not happy that this man is their new lawman because they are a bunch of bigoted idiots. Poor Cleavon ends up meeting the Ringo Kid played so well by Gene Wilder who helps him see the light while Cleavon helps Gene become sober. In comes Madeleine Kahn with a hilarious send up of Marlene Dietrich who is hired by the evil Harvey Korman to seduce the sheriff since the town is to be blown up to make way for a new railroad. Things don’t go as planned for Mr. Evil and everyone starts beating up on everyone where they end up on a musical set directed by Dom Deluise. There are more than one musical number like the send up of Marlene but this is so much a great comedy despite some crudeness( men eating beans at the campfire). This is one of the best Mel Brooks movies and one that always makes me laugh.

What are your 3...

57 comments:

  1. Blazing Saddles is his best movie and one of my favorites! Not politically correct, but Brooks was accurate in his parody of politics and racism.

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  2. I know you are NOT going to believe this, but I am actually early this week AND I have seen one of these films. Yep, Blazing Saddles is a fabulous look at bigotry, racism, and politics. Korman sort of reminds me of our (U.S.) president, but in a far more hilarious and lovable way. I loved the Grauman Chinese Theater and the way the entire town worked together to get rid of the hated Korman and company. Great choice for this theme.

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    1. Wow! You saw a movie!! I think I might shed a tear of joy:) This film is so good and I love that ending

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    1. You have to see one of these and I bet you will

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  4. I lose it every time I see the horse get punched in Blazing Saddles. lol

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  5. Out of all the Mel Brooks films I've seen (except Dracula, that was by far the worst of them) I liked Saddles the least

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  6. Blazing saddles is my hubbys favorite film...I always know when he is sneaking a peek as the house is filled with laughter....annoying when I am in bed!...and the whole of the next day will be full of blazing jokes....still keeps him happy...
    Enjoying a lazy day today catching up on tv....hugs xxx

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    1. Oh my..I bet he knows all the lines. I hope you are feeling better

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  7. Hi, Birgit!

    I have seen Forum and Blazing Saddles but have not yet seen film #1 Ball Of Fire. Thanks to you I am eager to watch it. I enjoy screwball comedies and the picture stars two of my favorites, Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. I couldn't help noticing that the "7 smartest professors in the world" are all old white men. Hmmmmm. :)

    Phil Silvers always cracks me up. Thanks for the reminder that Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford appeared on the infamous Hollywood blacklist (along with Marsha Hunt, subject of my Oct. post). Blazing Saddles is hilarious and breaks all the rules. I like that in a movie.

    Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!

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    1. You will love Ball of Fire and of course they are all white...the film was done in the early ‘40s when racism was much more rampant in Hollywood mainly due to the big studios who wanted to see tickets and the South went to many movies

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    2. My point was that the profs were all white and all MALE as well.

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  8. I love Ball of Fire and Barbara does a great job with Drum Boogie, though I believe she was dubbed by Martha Tilton. A very sweet film and SO much better than the musical redo A Song is Born.

    I really need to rewatch A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I saw the play about three months ago for the first time (it was a blast) and have been trying catch the movie to compare ever since, it's been a long time that I watched it last.

    While I don't love Blazing Saddles that much Madeline Khan is spectacular in it as she always was.

    I thought this would be incredibly hard but it turned out there were more films with a musical number stuck in them than I realized.

    Adventures in Babysitting (1987)-When Chris Parker (a phenomenal Elisabeth Shue) agrees to babysit the Anderson kids after her date cancels at the last minute she has no idea that she is embarking on the rollercoaster ride of her life thanks to her friend Brenda (a hilarious Penelope Ann Miller) being stuck at the bus station in the city. Going to help against her better judgement she and the kids have one harrowing madcap adventure after another including an unexpected but spirited impromptu performance in a jazz club. Disarming and just plain fun.

    The First Wives Club (1996)- At the funeral of one of their college roommates who committed suicide when her ex-husband married a younger woman three women (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton) reunite for the first time in nearly 30 years. When they realize the reason for their friend's suicide, they discover a common bond-all of their ex-husbands have taken them for granted as well-they decide it's time for revenge and unite to get back at their exes. Scheming and chicanery topped by a musical number follow.

    My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)-Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) panics when her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) calls out of the blue and tells her he is getting married the next weekend to pert, ultra-wealthy Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). Once upon a time Julianne and Michael had made a pact to marry each other if they hadn’t found someone by their 28th birthday, with this news she decides Michael is the man for her and sets out to stop the wedding against the advice of her other best friend George (a scene stealing Rupert Everett). Hilarity and an unexpected musical number ensue. Disarming romantic comedy with Roberts’s superstar charisma totally responsible for making her rather contemptible character someone you almost root for.

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    1. I’m glad you like my choices and I want to watch Forum again as well but I did watch it about a year ago again. I don’t mind the Danny Kaye version but this one I still much better and yes, Stanwyck was dubbed by that gal. I haven’t seen your first pick but I have seen the other 2 and they fit quite well. I loved the scene when Goldie Hawn’s character gets too much Botox....too bad Goldie Hawn didn’t take heed of her character. Best Friend is funny and you are right that Roberto’s character is not that nice but she makes her well rounded

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    2. You really owe it to yourself to see Adventures in Babysitting, it's a delight.

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  9. Casablanca
    Nashville
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off

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    1. Great picks and I still have to see Nashville.

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  10. A lot of films from the late 1920s through the 1940s had a musical interlude or two. It can often be annoying.

    I'd like to see Ball of Fire. When I was a kid, Barbara Stanwyck was just "that old lady from The Big Valley," but as an adult I got to see a lot of her older films and became quite smitten with the lady.

    I was recently having a conversation with someone last Sunday in which he and I were agreeing that they could never make Blazing Saddles today. Mel Brooks has said that at an early screening of the film, the studio "suits" said something to the effect of "We love it! Of course, you'll take out the scene of the man punching the horse, the campfire scene, and all the n****r references..." and naturally, Mel agreed.

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    1. Barbara Stanwyck was one of the most well liked actresses by everyone. She had no airs, learned everyone’s name and preferred the company of the grips and cameramen than the fellow actors. I’m so glad Blazing was made when it was because they couldn’t do it today because everyone 5akes themselves too seriously and don’t get the real point because they forget that Mel is Jewish and knows racism and hate well.

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  11. Hi Birgit - I remember the Funny Thing happened on the way to the Forum ... but will need to watch the other two ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Glad you saw this one film. Have a great weekend

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  12. Three great movies here! "Ball of Fire" was where I learned I was in love with Barbara Stanwyck, who looked beautiful in that one. And Gary Cooper as the confused professor, with S. Z. Sakall as another one, was hilarious.

    "Comedy Tonight" is a fun song and a perfect kickoff to "Forum." And the cast was perfect. I especially liked how Phil Silvers wore his glasses despite the fact that they hadn't been invented yet. Just added to the madness.

    Mary and I have both agreed they couldn't make "Blazing Saddles" again, not with the PC police breathing down their necks. That was mostly the brainchild of Richard Pryor, one of the funniest men to have graced the planet. That said, Cleavon Little was a better choice for Black Bart than Pryor would have been. He and Gene Wilder worked so well together in that movie, and Little had just a bit more smartass in him, which the part called for.

    I think the original "The Producers" would fit this category well. There was just the one musical number in that one. "The Mask," with Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz, is another. And a third would be "Breakfast At Tiffany's."

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    1. Stanwyck was one classy dame and had no airs about her. Love Forum and I never even thought about Phil’s specs. Saddles wouldn’t get done today which is a shame because the PC police miss the point. The Producers is great and love that song Springtime for Hitler. The other 2 are great as I totally forgot about Audrey singing Moon River...in her own voice

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  13. As I read the description of the first movie, I realized I'd seen it! Didn't recall the title, but definitely recall the plot.

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    1. I bet you have seen it as you have seen many old films

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  14. Mel brooks captured the human spirit in this western with uniquely disparate range of characters. I guess the sheriff being the newbie, its hardly his fault he fell for sweet Madeleine, sent to trick him, break the rules and gets results.

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    1. Oh she fell more for him than the other way around. I loved when she got into something more comfortable

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  15. Birgit,

    The first two flicks I don't know so I appreciated the intro. "Blazing Saddles" I do and love! Just thinking about it cracks me up. Mel Brooks really knows how to write comedies!

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    1. Does he ever know and had a great ensemble

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    2. Birgit, yep! "Young Frankenstein" is my Brooks' film! We quote lines from that all the time. lol

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  16. I remember Blazing Saddles coming out and laughing hysterically at it in the cinema.

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  17. I've seen these but can not recall the titles. But thanks for jogging the memory!

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  18. Ball of Fire. Now I know the title of that movie. I saw it years ago and liked it a lot. Could go for seeing it again.

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  19. Mel Brooks sure threw the PC away and made a great movie with Blazing Saddles indeed. Rio Bravo was one that popped in for me.

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    1. Oh wow...great pick and I forgot all about that part..I love that song

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  20. I've been enjoying this theme all day and I love that you've included clips so we can refresh ourselves.

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  21. Good morning, Bridget.
    I haven't seen Ball of Fire, but after reading your review I definitely want to.
    Hugs

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  22. Blazing Saddles is one of my all-time favourite films!
    By the way, thank you so much for the lovely comment you left on my blog after the death of my mother. I tried to email you via your blog but I'm not sure I did it right.
    That's Purrfect

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  23. Ha! We were just talking about Ball of Fire at dinner last night. Great film.

    So many in this category for me...

    Say Anything...
    Live and Let Die
    The Spy Who Loved Me
    Karate Kid
    With Honors
    Brothers McMullen
    The Commitments
    Toy Story 2
    Priscilla Queen of the Desert

    I could go on for a long time.

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  24. Everything about Blazing Saddles is perfect. Great call!

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  25. I love Blazing Saddles. Such a funny movie. I watched it all the time in high school and college. :) Love it!
    ~Jess

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  26. Blazing Saddles is a classic isn't it?
    Hope your weekend has been filled with sunshine and sparkle.
    Hugs

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  27. You're doing some really good oldies in your last posts! Blazing Saddles STILL gets me laughing and I've seen it many times. Cleavon Little was perfect in the role & actually, all the characters were well cast. I like watching Ball of Fire when TCM shows it...Not sure I've ever seen #2 though. TFS

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  28. I blush to admit I never saw A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. I'm probably the only one of my generation that hasn't.
    Hope your day is purrfect...or close to:)

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  29. I haven’t seen any of these, but I’ve heard a lot about Blazing Saddles.

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  30. The Producers also comes to my mind.
    I just watched your clip of A Funny Thing Happened - it's so silly and uplifting. The names alone (Zero, Eroneous...) make me laugh. Thank you, Birgit.

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  31. Hi Birgit dear,
    Hope your day has been productive, pleasant and pain free.
    Hugs,

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  32. Wow, some great ones in here!

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  33. You did a great job. I honestly can't think of another movie with a song in it that isn't a musical. Unless "Ghost" counts.

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  34. I saw Blazing Saddles years ago. I remember that I laughed until I cried. I’d like to see it again. When you said songs from movies two jumped to mind - Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and the Goodbye Girl.

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