Reviews

I still have all three tapes. The first in 1982, was the best. Actually 200 Stars appeared, each one was numbered on the screen at the time on stage. Best scenes, as they lit each candle on the birthday cake, a star would appear and tell all that happened during each decade. Lisa Minelli singing 'New York, New York' joined by 8 members of the N.Y. Yankees. James Cagney made his appearance in a wheelchair, and broke down crying. The clothes fashion number and organ music was terrific. The show closed with the remaining male stars escorted by a rockette on stage to the music "One." The finale showed all 200 star standing together singing "Until the parade passes by."

I thought Judy Garland gave an Oscar worthy performance in this movie. As for Gene Kelly, it was hard to believe that this was his movie debut, his acting made it seem as if he'd been around Hollywood for years. And oh, that musical score, remeniscent of some film scores by Irving Berlin. Not just your ordinary musical, this one has a fine story that fits in with the time of World War One. The title song as done by Garland & Kelly is a classical show-stopper. For sentimentalists, like my wife and I, there are a few scenes that tug at the heart strings, and provide for some misty eyes.

I will have to watch this movie once more before making a genuine comment. I could not make out any of the dialouge between Kidman and her daughter when they whispered. While I'll admit my hearing is not what it once was, I can still understand all the dialouge while watching the older films. Now, I sit down with the remote in my hand while watching a video, volume up for dialouge, volume down for special effects. This is one of the reasons my wife and I stopped going to the movie theaters three years ago, the Dolby Sound now employed by most theaters, just gives us both one heck of a splitting headache, which I assure you, is not due to the dialouge.