Mary Martin Twofer--One Touch of Venus and Lute Song

The Decca CD issue of these two show recordings are grouped together, as Mary Martin starred in both, so I might as well keep them grouped together for my purposes, too. These are not cast albums, but rather the music of the shows sung just by its stars (Ms. Martin and Kenny Baker).

About a little more than a week ago I watched and listened to a Kurt Weill opera from his Weimar days. With One Touch of Venus, we get Weill in his Broadway incarnation. Broadway in the early 40s seems to have been very transitional. Venus is very transitional for Weill. While the sung material is much more lyrical than his German works, I wouldn't quite say Weill is Americanized yet. I was particularly glad to hear the dance music included on this CD; this music hearkens strongly to the Weill of Mahagonny or Seven Deadly Sins.

I have long loved the songs of Venus. "That's Him" "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" and "Speak Low" are all great songs. "Foolish Heart" is good. The quartet "The Trouble with Women" (sung here mostly by Kenny Baker) is also good. I even like "Westwind" although it has the most inane lyrics ever. Mary Martin proves herself a real singer, both in a slightly belt way and more successfully in legato singing. Kenny Baker has a likable tenor, that's slightly nasal in the way tenors seem to have sung in the 30s and 40s.

Lute Song was the next Broadway appearance after Venus for Ms. Martin. This seems to be a very dated style of musical; the songs are not strongly integrated with the book. There are some lush Big Band-like songs that are likable but not very translatable to the concert stage because the lyrics are strange--like "See the Monkey" about how a monkey shouldn't be tamed. At least one song "Where You Are" is slightly racist. The song that the liner notes says was the hit of the show is "Mountain High, Valley Low" which sounds a bit like "Bali Hai" to me but with more insipid lyrics.

One Touch of Venus
Music by Kurt Weill
Lyrics by Odgen Nash
Opened in 1943
Cast on this recording: Mary Martin, Kenny Baker

Lute Song
Music by Raymond Scott
Lyrics by Bernard Hanighen
Opened in 1946
Cast on this recording: Mary Martin

Ziegfeld Follies--film on DVD

Okay, it's time for me to get back to what I said I was going to listen to--Broadway cast albums. It's been so cold, I've been content to let the DVDs be delivered to my mailbox. And some of the Hollywood musicals have been interesting and worth seeing, but they are not really what gets my juices flowing. And in the dead of winter I need some juice.

Unfortunately, I didn't get much from the musical revue film Ziegfeld Follies. As this was a commercial success when released in 1946, I'm certain it attracted a good percentage of a generation being nostalgic about pre-War entertainment. But if this film is indicative of what a Follies show was like, then I'll give up ever being nostalgic. With a cast of thousands, as many stars as are in the heavens, and the entire set, costume, and music staffs of MGM studios, I could have hoped for better. I think this may be a case of too many cooks ruining the pot.

The comedy scenes (featuring Fanny Brice, Red Skelton and others) fall flat to me. They are probably classic vaudeville routines, but they didn't reach out to me across the footlights--well, really across the living room. The musical numbers--while often lavishly produced with a seemingly endless string of costumes, lighting effects and chorus girls--also did not arouse much interest in me.

There were three possible exceptions to my dim view which warrant mention. Lena Horne sings an interesting song "Love" that has a lovely melody, although needs a better B-section. Regardless, Ms. Horne is an incredibly watchable performer. The satire song that Judy Garland sings has potential, but doesn't get to its point quick enough. The routine of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire has some very nice dancing.

I watched the extras to this DVD before watching the feature. Included is an interview with Kathryn Grayson who relates the story of her great dislike of the song by Roger Edens which she sings in the finale. While listening to this story, I thought "How bad can it be?" Well, stay tuned to the finale and listen to the cloying lyrics and go-nowhere melody of "Beauty."

Better yet, don't, and go to a real Broadway show instead.

Ziegfeld Follies of 1946
Music by who cares
Lyrics by many
Directed by Vincente Minnelli and others
Cast: Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, Fanny Brice, Fred Astaire, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, Cyd Charrise, Judy Garland, Esther Williams

A Pair of Cole Porter Bio-pics

To end my calendar year, but not my Musical Year, I have a compare and contrast...

These two films are night and day in terms of how they present their story and even differ in major biographical details of their subject, Cole Porter. While the films are separated by much more than the 58 years between their making, both are enjoyable in their own ways.

Night and Day was made in 1946 and stars Cary Grant as Porter and Alexis Smith as wife Linda. De-Lovely was released in 2004 and stars Kevin Kline as Porter and Ashley Judd as Linda. In both cases Mr. Porter should feel flattered, not just in that two very attractive actors portray him, but also in their very nuanced, sympathetic performances.

The earlier bio-pic contains what must be many untruths in its rather whitewashed version of the Porters' lives. Mr. Porter's homosexuality is, of course, not revealed or discussed in the slightest way, according to the codes of the day. The marital troubles between the couple seem due to Cole's focus on his work. Linda Leigh's first unhappy marriage is never mentioned, and in this version Cole meets Linda much earlier in life than really happened. At the end of the film, though, when Linda returns to the United States and Cole's arms, Mr. Grant does not give the typical "happy ending" face. The music presented all falls in shows-within-the-movie settings and are mostly production numbers. They are good, even if they often go outside the confines of what would be possible on stage; the Busby Berkeley-like shots from above are particularly irksome.

The Kline/Judd version of the story is a lot more prurient and focuses a lot (maybe too much) on Mr. Porter's homosexuality, Mrs. Porter's declining health, and the couple's marital spats. The story-telling technique is also quite different, in that Porter is looking back on his life presented as a sort of stage show, with the Angel Gabriel (Jonathan Pryce) as guide. The songs and production numbers sometimes are within the story, but are more often commenting on Porter's life. Many of the songs are performed by singers outside the world of musical theater, with varying results. Diana Krall and Natalie Cole are very successful with their songs; Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morissette, less so in my view. John Barrowman (now known for Torchwood, but with a musical theater past) is rather charming in his small role and one song. Elvis Costello is physically nearly unrecognizable as a band-leader; but then he sings and it sounds just like Elvis Costello. The other men (Robbie Williams, Lemar, Mick Hucknall) who sing songs within the film were unknown to me. The finale ("Blow, Gabriel, Blow" from Anything Goes) is a good number, but felt just slightly under produced for my tastes.

In all, though, both films make we want to listen to more Cole Porter in my Year. Particularly to the novelty songs that may not be in shows--like "Miss Otis Regrets" and "Experiment". I have an Amazon gift card that may just help in finding CDs of this stuff, so, let's do it.

Night and Day
released in 1946 by MGM
Cast: Cary Grant, Alexis Smith, Monty Wooley (as himself)

De-Lovely
released in 2004 by MGM
Cast: Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce, James Wilby, John Barrowman, Diana Krall, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole

Annie Get Your Gun film on DVD

Perhaps this film suffers a bit from my having very recently seen Calamity Jane, but I didn't like the film version of Annie Get Your Gun as I had hoped. Both films feature strong women from the backwoods who have to subjugate themselves to win the man of their dreams--in both cases, that man is played by Howard Keel. I subjugate myself over and over thinking of the virile baritone.

Betty Hutton was a last minute replacement for Judy Garland as Annie, and it's hard for me to imagine Garland in the role, especially in the broad manner that Hutton presents. The DVD extras include the two musical numbers that Garland filmed before Hutton replaced her. They are wildly different than what is in the finished film.

I've done Annie on stage and loved it. One of my favorite songs from the score that didn't make it to the screen version is "Moonshine Lullaby." I also miss the quodlibet song "Old Fashioned Wedding" that was written for the revival of Annie in the 1966.

Annie Get Your Gun
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields
MGM film released in 1950
Cast: Bety Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn, Louis Calhern