Musical

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) Jim Jarmusch, Bill Murray, Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, Comedy, Drama, Music

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
Eleven separate vignettes are presented. In each, celebrities, playing semi-fictionalized versions of themselves (with the exception of the characters of various wait staff, and one actor playing a lookalike cousin of herself), meet in a food service establishment with coffee/tea and cigarettes involved. Beyond the topic of discussion that brought them together, they often talk directly about coffee and cigarettes, more often that coffee and cigarettes, and by association caffeine and nicotine, are not healthy, especially if they are the only things constituting lunch. Other recurring themes include the Lee family, cousinhood, celebrity worship, the connection between the medical and musical careers, and Nikola Tesla’s belief that the Earth is a conductor of acoustic resonance. In all cases, the coming together for coffee/tea and smokes acts as a bridge to overcome disagreements, and/or makes uncomfortable situations less uncomfortable.
Read More »

The Devil’s Saddle Legion (1937) Bobby Connolly, Dick Foran, Anne Nagel, Smoke, History, Music, Romance, Western

The Devil's Saddle Legion (1937)
Tal is in a lot of trouble. Seems that his father has been murdered while he was in Montana and they put the blame on him. Also, he has been framed and sentenced to 10 years hard labor for another murder which he did not do. The crooks need convict labor to build the dam so they convict innocent people for a pool of cheap labor. But Karan believes that Tal, using the name Smith J. Brown, could not be a killer. Unknown to her, her step brother, Hub, is part of the gang.
Read More »

Pagan Love Song (1950) Robert Alton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Minna Gombell, Musical, Romance

Pagan Love Song (1950)
The bronzed and be-flowered Mimi, a half-American, half-Tahitian girl, was raised on the island but longs for the good old U.S. of A. “All my life’s been one long vacation,” she sighs, “and I’m bored.” Luckily, Hap Endicott arrives on the scene. He’s an Ohio schoolteacher who has come to manage his late uncle’s coconut plantation. The two meet cute, and love and singing ensue. Includes songs at the drop of the hat, some terrific Tahitian dancing, and a lovely moment when a lovelorn Hap looks up and sees Mimi swimming gracefully among the clouds.
Read More »

Tea for Two (1950) David Butler, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Comedy, Musical, Romance

Tea for Two (1950)
In this reworking of “No, No, Nanette,” wealthy heiress Nanette Carter bets her uncle $25,000 that she can say “no” to everything for 48 hours. If she wins, she can invest the money in a Broadway show featuring songs written by her beau, and of course, in which she will star. Trouble is, she doesn’t realize her uncle’s been wiped out by the Stock Market crash.
Read More »

Week-End in Havana (1941) Walter Lang, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, John Payne, Comedy, Musical, Romance

Week-End in Havana (1941)
A ship company employee, Jay Williams, is sent to Florida where one of the company cruise ships is stuck on a reef off of the coast. He obtains waivers from all of the passengers with the exception of Nan Spencer, a department store salesgirl who wants her vacation NOW, not later. Jay is instructed to take Nan to Havana and set her up in the best hotel and keep her entertained. She visits a night club where the star attraction is Rosita Rivas, and meets Rosita’s worthless manager, Monte Blanca, who makes a play for her. Trouble also comes in the form of Jay’s fiancée, Terry McCracken, when a romance develops between Nan and Jay.
Read More »

In Gay Madrid (1930) Robert Z. Leonard, Ramon Novarro, Dorothy Jordan, Lottice Howell, Drama, Musical, Romance

In Gay Madrid (1930)
Ricardo, a young law student in his home town of Madrid, is a carefree playboy who loves nightclubs and courting pretty girls. His father hopes to instill a more serious attitude in his son by transferring him to a school in the rural town of Santiago. At Santiago, his father’s old friend is to be his guardian. When Ricardo arrives at Santiago he joins a fraternity, and continues his carefree lifestyle while serenading and courting his guardian’s daughter, Carmina. But when Ricardo’s former girlfriend Goyita arrives for a visit, events take a serious turn …
Read More »