Weekend Music
A couple of Saturday nights ago my wife and I watched a movie--actually we watch a movie almost every Saturday night--and after it was over I switched to Turner Classic Movies, which is a sort of idle habit of mine. There was a 1940 musical called Too Many Girls playing. It featured Lucille Ball, whom neither of us had ever seen in anything before her I Love Lucy years. My wife was intrigued, but as the movie was well under way at that point I went immediately to Netflix and put it at the top of the queue. So last Saturday night that was what we watched.
It was pretty bad, definitely not more than a period piece. I'm not a big fan of musicals, although I do enjoy some of the really good ones, like My Fair Lady. Although it's by Rodgers and Hart, the music didn't strike me as very engaging or memorable (granted, that was only one hearing), though the ersatz college fight song "Pottawattamie" ("PAHtahWAHtamy") was witty.
When it was over, we looked at the extra stuff on the DVD, and found this, which was really more enjoyable than the movie for the most part. I like the drummer. She looks awfully young. And she looks like she's having a great time.
What strikes me about the video is how un-"dated" both the set design and the costumes seem. It's really beautiful and sleek and sophisticated-looking. Much less out-of-fashion than '50s or '60s or (God help us) '70s styles now look.
To say nothing of the overt sexuality that the number infuses the act of conducting an orchestra with. One wonders if Toscanini ever thought of accomplishing that much "when he just wiggled his thumb...."
Delightful.
Posted by: Jeff Woodward | 08/12/2012 at 07:38 PM
I didn't really think about the set, but about Ms. Carrol's dress, definitely. "(God help us) '70s styles"--indeed. And that's some fairly risque dancing she does. I've heard people express amazement that what's-his-name--Qtub or something--who founded a radical Islamist movement was so appalled by American culture in the '40s, but if you look at it according to the standards of a puritanical traditionalist culture it's no surprise at all.
I wondered why there is what seems to be a Viking ship in the background on the set.
Posted by: Mac | 08/12/2012 at 08:33 PM
I just have not been able to get this to download.
I keep reading the title as "Father Carroll."
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 08/12/2012 at 10:31 PM
It's long for YouTube (10 minutes or so), but that shouldn't make any difference as to whether you can stream it or not. Don't know why you're having the problem.
Posted by: Mac | 08/12/2012 at 10:39 PM
I finally got it to work. I missed my calling.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 08/13/2012 at 12:11 PM
As a band leader? drummer?
Posted by: Mac | 08/13/2012 at 12:28 PM
Saxophone.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 08/13/2012 at 01:22 PM
Can you actually play it, or just wishing you could?
Posted by: Mac | 08/13/2012 at 06:55 PM
Wishing.
AMDG
Posted by: Janet | 08/13/2012 at 07:41 PM