Being a particular fan of the golden age of Hollywood musicals, this 90 minute documentary came as an added bonus for me, as it was included with the special features on the 'Singin in the Rain' 50th anniversary DVD. It was so much of a bonus that I tend to watch this rather than the movie at about a 15 to 1 ratio.
It charts the musical career of Mr Arthur Freed, the songwriter turned producer who through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor brought us the biggest and best musicals throughout the 1940's and 1950's.
With rare archive footage and interviews, we hear first hand from the actors, actresses, singers, dancers, composers, directors, choreographers and scriptwriters just what it was like to make movie musicals in the movie musical heyday and how Arthur Freed and his unit managed to bring us one hit film after another. Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron, Mickey Rooney, Anne Miller, Vincente Minnelli, Stanley Donen, Micheal Kidd, Andre Previn, Betty Comden and Adolph Green all speak candidly about their experiences and if this isn't a good enough reason to watch, then the film clips and dance numbers will be.
Almost all of Freed's movie career is covered with clips from such memorable films as The Wizard of Oz, Strike up the Band, Meet me in St Louis, The Harvey Girls, Zeigfeld Follies, Take me out to the Ball Game, The Pirate, On the Town. Royal Wedding, An American in Paris, Singin in the Rain, The Bandwagon, Its Always Fair Weather and Gigi, with superb song and dance routines featuring stars like Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Maurice Chevalier and Frank Sinatra.
It also takes an informative look at Arthur Freed the songwriter, who throughout the late 1920's and early 1930's with Nacio Herb Brown wrote some of the best known songs in American entertainment such as Wedding of the Painted Doll, Broadway Melody, Should I, Beautiful Girl and of course Singin in the Rain.
Any lover of classic musicals will adore this film as the main emphasis is on the musical performances, the songs and the dances. The story lines in these movies may have failed sometimes, but the musical routines were always the winning quality.
10 out of 10 for pure nostalgic excellence.
It charts the musical career of Mr Arthur Freed, the songwriter turned producer who through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor brought us the biggest and best musicals throughout the 1940's and 1950's.
With rare archive footage and interviews, we hear first hand from the actors, actresses, singers, dancers, composers, directors, choreographers and scriptwriters just what it was like to make movie musicals in the movie musical heyday and how Arthur Freed and his unit managed to bring us one hit film after another. Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron, Mickey Rooney, Anne Miller, Vincente Minnelli, Stanley Donen, Micheal Kidd, Andre Previn, Betty Comden and Adolph Green all speak candidly about their experiences and if this isn't a good enough reason to watch, then the film clips and dance numbers will be.
Almost all of Freed's movie career is covered with clips from such memorable films as The Wizard of Oz, Strike up the Band, Meet me in St Louis, The Harvey Girls, Zeigfeld Follies, Take me out to the Ball Game, The Pirate, On the Town. Royal Wedding, An American in Paris, Singin in the Rain, The Bandwagon, Its Always Fair Weather and Gigi, with superb song and dance routines featuring stars like Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Maurice Chevalier and Frank Sinatra.
It also takes an informative look at Arthur Freed the songwriter, who throughout the late 1920's and early 1930's with Nacio Herb Brown wrote some of the best known songs in American entertainment such as Wedding of the Painted Doll, Broadway Melody, Should I, Beautiful Girl and of course Singin in the Rain.
Any lover of classic musicals will adore this film as the main emphasis is on the musical performances, the songs and the dances. The story lines in these movies may have failed sometimes, but the musical routines were always the winning quality.
10 out of 10 for pure nostalgic excellence.