Dean's World

White Men Can't Dance

Dean

Challenge: in the last 100 years of American cinema, can you name me four minutes of sheer joy that exceeds this? I don't think you can.

(I hope YouTube won't take it down. You should own this DVD.)

Posted by Dean | Permalink | Technorati Trackbacks

(link)

Sandi (www):

Awesome!

10.31.2006 12:23am

(link)

Dean Esmay:

An interesting bit of trivia: Gene Kelly had a bad cold and he was running a 104 degree temperature when he gave that performance. He was sick as a dog.

I ask again: in the last 100 years of American cinema, can you name me 4 minutes of greater joy? I don't think you can.

Say all the nasty things you want about Hollywood and all its manifold flaws: Hollywood produced this. "Come on with the rain, I've a smile on my face!"

Only America could have produced this.

10.31.2006 1:01am

(link)

Sandi (www):

Dean,

The Club Canteen has links to a lot of old movies, musicals and cartoons that you might be interested in.

Also having grown up in the late 40s early 50s I enjoyed this clip from a 50s musical "Oh Them Dudes" by Betty Hutton and Fred Astaire.

10.31.2006 1:20am

(link)

Ender:

Try this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h62LzXog_o

10.31.2006 1:56am

(link)

KathyK (mail) (www):

This one - from the same movie...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfTvV4l2Rtk

10.31.2006 6:50am

(link)

clarenancy (mail):

Thanks! That definitely put a smile on my face this morning!

C

10.31.2006 7:10am

(link)

Dean Esmay:

It was Debbie Reynolds' first major movie, and she confessed that her feet bled almost every day that she made that picture.

It's a movie that simply must be seen.

10.31.2006 7:42am

(link)

Heather (mail) (www):

You know, it's funny, but until I saw this movie loooong after it came out, I didn't know Donald O'Connor could sing or DANCE like that -- I thought he made movies with an ass... *snicker* But seriously, I didn't know...

Same for James Cagney. I only knew he played gangsters in movies -- until I finally saw the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy. Wow!

10.31.2006 11:42am

(link)

Linda Frazier (mail):

Gene Kelly was my favorite "hoofer". I never could develop a taste for Astaire - too feminine. But Gene? Masculine to the core, and such a handsome heartthrob. More GK trivia: He ended up hating that number and refused to perform it in later years when he was doing the promotional spots, talk show circuit, etc.

Closest 4 minutes of bliss I can think of to rival Singing In The Rain is the "Shall We Dance" segment from The King and I, with Yul Brenner and Deborah Kerr, Another fabulous duo who had all the magic at the right time on the right stage. Trivia: Yul Brenner had the use of only one lung at the time, and was on portable oxygen whenever the cameras stopped rolling. Must have been a horror to have done that one.

Thanks for sharing my favorite number from my favorite movie. Always makes me smile!

Linda

10.31.2006 12:37pm

(link)

MaryJ:

Four minutes of sheer joy.

ABSOLUTELY! Thanks for posting it Dean. I played it several times ;-) It puts a smile in your heart and a tap in your feet!

10.31.2006 9:17pm

(link)

B. Durbin (www):

Gene Kelly in An American In Paris had me thinking "THIS is the reason men should learn to dance." You're very right that he was a masculine dancer. That's the kind of dancing that just hits you right.

(Trust me, guys? Learn to dance like Gene Kelly and the girls will swoon. And yes, I know that swooning is out of favor.)

11.1.2006 12:02am