I saw "Damn Yankees" shortly after seeing another George Abbott/Stanley Donen collaboration, "The Pajama Game," which set the bar so low that just about any musical would seem better.
"Damn Yankees" on its own terms is a little flat and never explodes into the energy it probably has on stage, but it comes close, and much closer than "The Pajama Game" ever does. Gwen Verdon is almost exclusively the film's appeal -- not especially pretty, there's nevertheless something about her (call it good old-fashioned show-biz chutzpah) that makes it impossible to take your eyes off of her when she's on the screen. And this film benefits from a slew of dance numbers choreographed by Bob Fosse, the most memorable being the "Who's Got the Pain?" number that Fosse himself dances with wife Verdon (though I'm not sure whether or not they were married when they made this movie). If for no other reason, see this film for that number, which captures two theatre legends at their best.
Grade: B
"Damn Yankees" on its own terms is a little flat and never explodes into the energy it probably has on stage, but it comes close, and much closer than "The Pajama Game" ever does. Gwen Verdon is almost exclusively the film's appeal -- not especially pretty, there's nevertheless something about her (call it good old-fashioned show-biz chutzpah) that makes it impossible to take your eyes off of her when she's on the screen. And this film benefits from a slew of dance numbers choreographed by Bob Fosse, the most memorable being the "Who's Got the Pain?" number that Fosse himself dances with wife Verdon (though I'm not sure whether or not they were married when they made this movie). If for no other reason, see this film for that number, which captures two theatre legends at their best.
Grade: B