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Reviews
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
Certainly one of Sturges's best, with a mystery
This has been one of my favorites for thirty years, since the Village Voice critics turned me on to Sturges. It's a loony world where loony things happen, and it's important to realize that the central loony joke is that Claudette Colbert's Gerry gets things from men without having to put any effort into it at all. No, she's not prostituting herself -- she never trades anything for her prizes, she just keeps on looking pretty. Joel McCrea with Colbert is sexy and just right. He's not supposed to be silly -- he is the sane anchor in the chaos (and the romantic leading man). Rudy Vallee -- absolutely perfect deadpan delivery of some really great lines. Hurrah for the Ale and Quail Club, for Toto and for the Wienie King.
But the mystery -- I have always believed that there is an unfinished story in here, a movie that didn't get produced, about the twins. It's almost like Palm Beach is a sequel to that movie. If you don't know that Gerry and Tom are twins, the opening frantic sequences makes no sense at all; as it is it is difficult to make sense of, but this is the gist of it -- Gerry and Tom's twins want Gerry and Tom, Tom and Gerry want each other, so in order to get married Gerry and Tom have to lock their twins in closets and run to their wedding. This means the unwanted twins must have been up to some business before the wedding, but we never see any of it. Something's missing here, and I think that is the flaw in Palm Beach Story. I have never been able to find out where this story element came from. Does anyone know?
But still, watch and enjoy this great movie over and over. There was no other like Preston Sturges -- no one as honest or real. Or funny.
Great Performances: The Rodgers & Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty (1999)
1999 -- I am still fascinated ...
I can't believe it was as long ago as 1999 that I saw this documentary. I think it was the "Sing for your supper" performance -- the original "show-stopping" arrangement by Hugh Martin (who is interviewed in the program) that hooked me. I have been buying librettos, scores, and recordings of Rodgers & Hart shows since.
Get hooked -- you will love these shows. An adventure through REAL musical theater. See the TV show, then start listening to Rodgers and Hart CD's, original cast (few and far between), studio or revival. Listen to the singing actors performing the great lyrics and music in character, in context of show.
E.g.: Pal Joey -- the last Hart lyric was in the hit revival of this show: "To Keep My Love Alive", written for and archly, perfectly performed by Vivian Segal, forgotten, great musical comedy star.
Connecticut Yankee, Boys from Syracuse, Babes in Arms ... I have been having a great time learning about this team for 6 years now, and not done yet.