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EASTER PARADE – Irving Berlin, Johnny Green, and Roger Edens
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio was intent on making a new musical to showcase their stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Irving Berlin’s song “Easter Parade,” which inspired the movie, was first sung in his 1933 Broadway revue “As Thousands Cheer” by Marilyn Miller and Clifton Webb. Arthur Freed was place in charge of production with a $2.655 million budget, Charles Walters was tasked with directing, the trio of Sidney Sheldon, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett were hired to write the screenplay. Judy Garland would star as Hannah Brown, but casting went off the rails when Gene Kelly broke his ankle. Luckily, he was able to coax Fred Astaire to come out of retirement and take the role of Don Hewes. Cyd Charisse had to be replaced as she tore ligaments in her knees, so Ann Miller took the role of Nadine Hale. Joining them would be Peter Lawford as Jonathan Harrow III. Read more…
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS – George Gershwin, Johnny Green, and Saul Chaplin
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Producer Arthur Freed took in a Hollywood Bowl performance of George Gershwin’s music from the Jazz Age and was inspired by the show’s “An American in Paris” number. For the next three years he sought support in bringing his film version to fruition. He found a partner in Gene Kelly who sold MGM executives on the concept of a dance film by screening the film “The Red Shoes” (1948). Arthur Freed was assigned production with a $2.7 million budget, Alan Jay Lerner was hired to write the screenplay, Gene Kelly would manage the choreography, and Vincente tasked with directing, with assistance from Gene Kelly. Kelly had seen Leslie Caron performing a ballet in Paris and he personally recruited her for the role of Lise Bouvier. Joining her would be Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan, Oscar Levant as Adam Cook, George Guétary as Hank Baurel, Nina Foch as Milo Roberts and Eugene Borden as Georges Mattieu. Read more…
RAINTREE COUNTY – Johnny Green
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
As part of its new talent development program, MGM Studios awarded its distinguished Novel Award to author Ross Lockridge Jr. for his 1947 novel Raintree County. So impressed were they with the book, that they soon purchased the film rights for $150,000. Production was delayed by unforeseen issues, including the suicide of Lockridge and his very costly film rights demands, which delayed the project for eight years. Finally in 1955, David Lewis was tasked with producing the film with a budget of $5.5 million. Edward Dmytryk was selected to direct, and Millard Kaufman was hired to adapt Lockridge’s novel and write the screenplay. A stellar cast was hired with Montgomery Clift as John Witckliff Shawnessey, Elizabeth Taylor as Susanna Drake, Eva Marie Saint and Nell Gaither, Lee Marvin as Orville ‘Flash’ Perkins, Nigel Patrick as Professor Jerusalem Webster Stiles, Rod Taylor as Garwood B. Jones, and Agnes Moorehead as Ellen Shawnessey. Read more…
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