It’s Always Fair Weather *** (1955, Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse, Dolores Gray, Michael Kidd) – Classic Movie Review 5673

Back on the town, following On the Town (1949) that is, three wartime GI buddies, Ted (Gene Kelly), Doug (Dan Dailey) and Angie (Michael Kidd), meet up again at a New York bar on 11 October 1955 a decade after VJ Day in directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s jolly and attractive 1955 MGM musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

Like with all those well-meaning reunions, the trio find they now have little in common. But a TV station wants to bring the three men together again on a live show and in a separate sub-plot, gangsters are after Ted.

It was hopefully advertised as ‘M-G-M’s Gigantic and Joyous Musical’. Alas, even though Comden and Green were Oscar nominated for Best Story and Screenplay, there is an old, familiar, thin and creaky plot that doesn’t command too much attention. But, against that, there is excellent dancing from Kelly, Dailey and dancer-choreographer Kidd, as well as plenty of tremendous song and dance numbers, including the famous dustbin dance. As so often with MGM musicals, it is all about the performances and the numbers.

Other highlights are Kelly’s fantastic roller-skate solo, Dailey’s amusing drunk turn, Cyd Charisse’s thrilling dance number and Dolores Gray’s ingratiating performance as the excitable hostess. So there are least half a dozen things to recommend it. It’s a good show they put on.

Also in the cast are David Burns, Jay C Flippen, Steve Mitchell, Hal March, Paul Maxey, Peter Leeds, Alex Gerry, Madge Blake, Wilson Wood, Richard Simmons, Almira Sessions and Eugene Borden.

André Previn was also Oscar nominated for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Comden voices the woman who dumps Kelly over the phone.

Robert Bronner shoots in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor, Arthur Freed produces, the music is by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Michael Kidd choreographs, and the set designs are by Cedric Gibbons and Arthur Lonegan.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5673

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