hwa_117
Usually it is mostly the visuals that get mentioned here and, certainly, the Technicolor photography in this film is outstanding. However the sound track can be appreciated more fully now that it has been released in a complete form on CD. The MGM orchestra was in fine form on these sessions and the scores by Leo Arnaud do Mr Kern's music justice. My vote goes to "I Wont Dance" as the epitome of the MGM 'big band' sound of the era. It's hard to believe, listening to this track now, that it was recorded in 1951! Of course it was recorded in that wonderful studio on what was the MGM lot in Culver City. I have been in there and the studio is a bit dingy; I believe it doesn't get a coat of paint for fear of disturbing the acoustics!
bkoganbing
Neither the RKO 1935 version of Roberta or MGM's 1952 Lovely To Look At are anything like the original show on Broadway. RKO eschewed a male lead singer opposite Irene Dunne and went with Randolph Scott. In and of itself that necessitated change as the vocal chores got divided up between Irene Dunne and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers who were the secondary leads. In that version it was Scott who inherited the Parisian dress shop and romanced a woman who managed the place named Stephanie played by Dunne.Stephanie played by Kathryn Grayson is still running the dress shop known as Madame Roberta's. But here it's Red Skelton who inherits half the place from his late aunt. He's partners in an act with Howard Keel and Gower Champion and they want him to sell his half so that they can get the money for a Broadway show. The three of them have to cut Ann Miller in on the deal just to get passage over to Paris.Of course it's Keel who Grayson pairs off with and in doing so the film comes into balance vocally as the stage show did. Getting the dance numbers are Marge and Gower Champion, Marge playing Grayson's younger sister. I think I can see the way the minds worked at MGM. In 1950 they copped the Best Picture Oscar for An American In Paris with a nice Parisian setting. Then the following year, Keel, Grayson, and the Champions were in a remake of another Jerome Kern classic Showboat which did very well. What to do, but combine all that in a Jerome Kern show that's Parisian based in Roberta. Besides why let all those expensive sets recreating Paris go to waste.Also the fashion show finale was absolutely inspired by the fantasy ballet from An American In Paris. But the fantasy of Kelly in that film is replaced by a surreal reenactment of Jimmy Durante's famous line of 'everybody's getting into the act'.Sometimes these things work and sometimes they don't. In this case the sum was definitely not greater than its parts. Howard Keel in his memoirs said that he felt that Mervyn LeRoy did not do right by him in this film that he had to make up his own interpretation of his character. Maybe LeRoy had too loose a hand and the film needed an overall creative genius like Gene Kelly.
joseph952001
Once again, I have to start out that if you have never seen these old musical films on the big screen in the movie theaters, you've missed out experiencing the power and glory of these old films. You can't really experience this energy on a television screen and without the audience participation, that even adds to a let down in seeing these wonderful films. For instance, to watch "Who Was That Lady?" with Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, and Dean Martin in the movie theater with the audience reaction to the comedy makes it a delight, but to see it on the television by yourself without being in the audience makes the film not a very enjoyable experience! You must have the audience! So, what about "Lovely To Look At"? First of all, these movies were never really meant to be cinematic masterpieces. This movie, just like others, was a boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy chases after the girl anyway, and then - girl gets boy! Typical plot following Irving Berlin's song "A Man Chases A Girl Until She Catches Him". Everyone says see the Fred Astair/Ginger Rogers version originally called "Roberta". Well, even they had a formula: When Ginger meets Fred for the first time, she doesn't like him, but then in everyone of their movies, except for Barkley's of Broadway in which they played husband and wife, Ginger falls in love with Fred after they have their first dance together. This was the key plot in most of their movies, but - it worked, and the people went to droves to see them on the silver screen! But, there's another reason why these movies like "Lovely To Look At" are not considered any good today. First: You had o grow up in that era to enjoy this film and others like it! Second: There was much love in the world which the world is lacking! Third: Look at what's in the movies today. Either remakes of past classics like King Kong or violence, murder, crime, adultery, etc. etc. etc., but - where are the musicals? There aren't any! That's why no one can enjoy at film like "Lovely To Look At". Fourth: Where are our musical comedy performers in films? Where are the Kathryn Graysons, Howard Keels, Ann Millers, Gene Kellys, Fred Astairs, Cyd Charisses'? I saw Chicago and I really don't see anything musical about Richard Gere doing a tap dance in his undershorts! Forget the usual boy meets girl plot of "Lovely To Look At". The plot is only there to keep the glorious Jerome Kern music in the film, and what music? Lovely To Look At, Yesterday, You're Devastating, I Won't Dance, and the rest of the glorious score. You couldn't get a better cast including Red Skelton, Ann Miller, and Marge and Gower Champion, with a cameo by Zza Zsa Gabor who didn't really make that many movies but remained a Star! Irene Dunn? Please! You can't get any better than Kathryn Grayson who could sing rings around Dunn, and I and others consider Grayson to be the best singer that Hollywood ever turned out. We will never see the likes of her singing talent ever again in the movies.Sadly, most of these old musical performers have passed, and Ann Miller was right in an interview when she said: "We will never see the days of those glorious M.G.M. musicals again!" And she also said, "These performers were incredible! We'll never have another Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, or Gene Kelly!" And you know what? She's right! And for a little trivia, look at Marge Champions face, then watch Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. At the age of 19, Marge Champion was known as Margorie Belcher and she was hired by Disney to be the model for Snow White. They rotoscoped key frames of her modeling for Snow White directly on to celluloid frames and if you watch closely, you'll see the resemblance!
LaDiva
A lackluster reworking of Jerome Kern's "Roberta" threw the original plot out through the window, and the magic with it. What we are left with is no plot and mediocre interpretations of the music. None of the stars are in top-drawer form, and Red Skelton is enough reason to miss this film altogether. Skip this one and go straight for the Rogers-Astaire version, "Roberta".
