Because I need a break

THE RAINMAKER (1956)

(Week 15: Burt Lancaster)

THE RAINMAKER (1956)

Directed by Joseph Anthony

I love Hepburn in this film. She plays Lizzie, an unglamorous country girl who, despite her unrefined exterior, is shy, sensitive, and romantic. She is getting old and about to miss her last chance at marriage. She is smart, too, but not in the know-it-all sort of way but insightful and at times incurably honest. She would have had more of a chance had she learned to hold her tongue.

As Lizzie, Hepburn is incredibly lovable and moving. We feel sorry for her loneliness and root for her in her attempt to be a more proper lady. Her a father tells her to not be afraid to take a chance. Leading by example, he agrees to pay a stranger to make it rain, knowing that he's a con. It seems like too much of an effort to prove a point, but it resulted in more win than the family could imagine.

Starbuck, the conman/rainmaker played by Burt Lancaster, is theatrical and passionate. He lies to himself just as much as to others, and not out of malice but because his fiction is better than reality. He sees beauty in Lizzie and encourages her to believe in herself. Subsequently, his version of the truth ends up being more helpful than anybody else's. 

THE RAINMAKER is joyful and thought-provoking. This is the kind of film that makes you feel good without being cheesy. The heart of it is in the way the family members care about each other, each in his own way, despite their differences. It is full of smart and genuine dialogues that are impressive in their simplicity. It explores human issues in clever and intriguing ways, with lovable, naive characters played by actors that treat them with respect.

SUMMER STOCK (1950)

(Week 14: Gene Kelly)

SUMMER STOCK (1950)

Directed by Charles Walters

There is no reason for this story to be told again. Guy meets girl, and they put on a show. Originally this project was intended to reunite Judy Garland with Mickey Rooney, but due to his decline in popularity, they cast Gene Kelly instead.

This is the kind of movie I was afraid EASTER PARADE was going to be. The difference here is that I actually enjoyed that little story but got bored really quickly with this one. A theater troupe shows up unannounced to use a failing barn to put on a show. Garland's character, the barn owner, puts them to work and ends up taking over the lead role in the show. Surprise, surprise.

There is great chemistry between Kelly and Garland. They had worked together twice before, in FOR ME AND MY GAL and THE PIRATE. They shine when they dance together. However, they aren't giving their best performances here. The characters just aren't well written and give them little to work with. The love story isn't believable. The song numbers stick out of the story rather than being well integrated. Even though they are well choreographed and performed, they just don't help to tell the story. And when the musical numbers don't tell the story, they're just a waste of time.

Those who enjoy watching Garland and Kelly do what they do best will enjoy many of these song-and-dance numbers. Watching these scenes again, I enjoy them more out of context than in, including one of Garland's most iconic numbers, "Get Happy," which not only looks but also feels out of place within the context of the story, having been shot after the filming was completed and the number having nothing to do with the story or the character she portrays in the film at all.

If you are particularly fond of these let's-put-on-a-show stories, or if you are a big fan of Kelly and/or Garland, you might have a fine time watching this. Otherwise, I would skip it. SUMMER STOCK is a good, but far from great, movie musical.