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JazzDigger Home > G - Jazz Artists > Judy Garland > Item 4
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Thousands Cheer
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Sales Rank: 589
Price:$13.99
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Listener Reviews & Comments
MGM turns out a middling production with Thousands Cheer. This film has the weakest plot I've seen in years. In fact, the plot is so thin that it becomes difficult for me to write anything cogent about it. Gene Kelly plays Eddie Marsh, an army private during WW2 who falls in love with a Colonel's daughter named Kathryn, played very ably by Kathryn Grayson. Mary Astor plays Kathryn's mother; and John Boles plays Colonel Bill Jones, Kathryn's father; but Kathryn's parents have long since separated. Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson get a chance to show off their acting skills but all this still remains mostly wasted on this flimsy plot. Just as Eddie and Kathryn have barriers to their relationship caused by the war, Kathryn's parents also have boundaries and problems in their own relationship because of Bill's devotion to the armed forces. Questions pop out at you: What becomes of Kathryn's parents--will they reunite after years of living separate lives? Will Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson's characters stay in love despite bumpy times on the base? You'll have to watch to find out; I hate putting spoilers in my reviews. SMILE You may ask: If Matt doesn't say much good about this movie, then why does he give it four stars? The answer is easy: you get a good show out of Thousands Cheer with song and dance numbers that save the film from ruination. For example, the dance scene with Gene Kelly using a rag mop for his partner proves that even when his career was just starting he was a very polished, naturally talented dancer with extraordinary abilities. The circus scene in the first half of the picture offers great acrobatics and the choreography of the circus scenes astounds me. Finally, the last half of the movie offers several remarkably wonderful performances by some of the greatest of the MGM greats. Eleanor Powell still tap dances with the very best of them; Judy Garland sings "The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall" as beautifully as ever with José Iturbi at the piano; and Lena Horne's elegant performance of "Honeysuckle Rose" will charm even the hardest of hearts. In addition, look for some fairly enjoyable comedy sketches with Frank Morgan, the actor who played The Wizard Of Oz five years earlier, Ann Southern, Lucille Ball, Margaret O'Brien, Red Skelton and Virginia O'Brien. Kay Kyser also turns in a great performance with his band. The color is fairly good for VHS but it isn't the same quality you might get on a DVD; however the cinematography reflects forethought that works especially well in the last half of the movie when most of the musical numbers take place. If you want a movie with a deep and meaningful plot, you will need to keep looking. However, fans of the MGM musical will enjoy this movie; and these fans will enjoy the movie even more if they skip the first hour and simply fast forward to get to the part where "the show" begins. Thousands Cheer also deserves "honorable mention" as a look at how young people felt when they found themselves in unexpected situations that came about as a result of WW2.
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Thousands Cheer
Price:$13.99
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