Rating: 
Summary: anchors dvd is remastered but in mono
Review: Anchors Aweigh was one of MGM's biggest musicals of the forties, and saw the first of many successful teamings of Sinatra and Kelly. This first issue on DVD comes with Warner Bros packaging and barely a hint that it is an MGM film. WB are seemingly intent on burying the MGM legend as they now re-issue the MGM golden classics in packaging that implies they are Warner films. It is sad to see the MGM legend disappear as Turner (who bought the MGM library) is now owned by WB. Whilst the DVD copy is cleaner and clearer, be warned it is in Mono, as indicated on the box in miniscule print. All release information indicates it is in digital 2.0 surround. Some of the music tracks have been released on CD by Rhino in clear stereo but these mixes have not been used for this issue, disappointingly.
Rating:
Summary: A World War II masterpiece.
Review: Any decent movie-- if it is one of your first and you see it over and over again-- can start to look like the greatest ever. Maybe that has happened to me with "Anchors Aweigh." It was one of my first musicals, and I almost know it well enough to quote from whole scenes. Still, even I can hold back my praise, and maybe it reserve it for "High Society" with Frank, Bing, Satchmo, Grace, plus Cole Porter songs and a great play for its basis. So, no-- this is not the greatest musical ever made. However, I think MGM intended it to be the greatest musical to come out of the World War II era (which was a uniquely great era for American pop culture, so that is saying a lot in itself). MGM spent an enormous amount of time making this picture, even teaching Frank Sinatra how to dance for his numbers with Gene Kelly, and including countless numbers of the two together, apart, and of Kathryn Grayson with them or without, plus the famous half-animated scene with Jerry of "Tom & Jerry." They lavished the best effects of Technicolor on this film as well, creating dazzling reds and yellows and deep blues among subtle shadows. It really is a celebration of color, as well as music, such as Frank singing "I Fall In Love Too Easily." MGM also used this as an opportunity to promote classical music, with Jose Iturbi doing some fun pop-type classical pieces, as well as conducting a very corny (who cares) "Barber of Seville." Frank and Gene are magic together-- Frank as "Brooklyn" who can't get a girl so he goes to the library, and Gene as the "wolf" who saved his life. Most adorable is the young Dean Stockwell-- later, much later, not so cute in "Married to the Mob"-- as the little boy who runs away from Aunt Susie because he wants to "join the Navy." The plot is thin, it's true, but so thin, you might think MGM was on to something, using the charm of individual scenes to give momentum instead of any jarring turns and twists. With all those musical numbers, a funny and cute plot, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, and the U.S. Navy-- well, George Sidney put together one heck of a movie, a musical that deserves to be considered one of the best of all time. There, I said it.
Rating:
Summary: Anchors Aweigh (Kelly & Sinatra's first of 3 Musicals)
Review: During the 1940's & 50's MGM was the king of TECHNICOLOR musicals. They were colorful, upbeat and lots of fun.This DVD version of "Anchors Aweigh (1945)" shows us just how beautiful a movie can be. Extras include the making of the Kelly & Jerry (cartoon) dance routine. (an academy award). This movie was extremely long for the 1940's (2 hours) but the color, sets were eye popping. We must also remember this was a post World War II movie & the country was patriotic and happy!!! Kelly & Sinatra have the talent & chemistry to become a great song & dance team. Hollywood took advantage of this by teaming them in 2 follow on musicals (Take Me Out To The Ball Game (1948) & On the Town (1949). You'll love this movie. Kelly & Sinatra compliment each other and MGM's colorful musicals are upbeat & fun.
Rating: 
Summary: fairly standard musical
Review: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson and Gene Kelly star in ANCHORS AWEIGH, a fluffy confection of a musical. Produced by Joe Pasternak (who's responsible for more sugary-sweet, naff musical comedies than anyone else that produced for MGM), this sickly-sweet offering is everything it should be. A variation of HIT THE DECK and ON THE TOWN, this musical deals with Joe Brady (Kelly) and Clarence (Sinatra), two sailors on shore-leave who pursue a cute dame (Grayson), and still manage to dance and sing up a storm. Featuring Jose Iturbi (who played himself in a whole bunch of MGM musicals), Dean Stockwell (as a cherubic little boy), and Pamela Britton, this is 1940's sunniness at it's peak. The songs include "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings", and a cute number where Gene dances with Tom and Jerry, ANCHORS AWEIGH is sure to steal your heart.
Rating: 
Summary: First in Kelly/Sinatra Series
Review: Fun, albeit fluffy, entertainment with the megawatt stars and high gloss usually associated with M-G-M musicals. Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra do much to elevate an otherwise predictable premise (think On The Town-lite) and bring enough dynamic energy and invention to their musical numbers to make you forget the rest. The two standouts in this smorgasbord are 1) Gene's animated dance with Jerry the Mouse in a cartoon landscape to "The Worry Song" and 2) Sinatra's melancholy "I Fall in Love Too Easily" solo at the Hollywood bowl. Those are classic. Kathryn Grayson looks like a valentine come to life in glorious Technicolor, providing good balance to the shenanigans of Kelly and Sinatra with enough charm, humor, and personality to make you wish "You Knew Susie," too. And that voice! -- that voice is a stunning instrument in itself. When she trills to that last crescendo in the Tchaikovsky inspired "Thrill of the Night" -- breathtaking stuff. Throw in concert pianist Jose Iturbi, a young Dean Stockwell (hey there WAS life before Quantum Leap!), and the U.S. Marines, and you have a musical that pretty much encapsulates much of American popular culture during the World War II era. Incidentally, Gene snagged his solo Best Actor Oscar nomination for this. Not an A, but a solid B+. Anthony Kim
Rating:
Summary: Not the Best, But Still Has Sinatra and Kelly
Review: Hollywood in the 40's produced a sizable number of fantastic musicals. This, unfortunately, is not one of them, despite the incredible talent that went into it. It is an average musical with one sequence that is firmly in the fantastic category. Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra do a fine job in the leads but did the sailor thing even better in such movies as On the Town. The romance and the comedy are not as well polished as in future musicals, either. This movie's fame rests on the fantasy dance sequence, shoe horned in, in which Gene Kelly gets to dance with the animated Jerry (of Tom and Jerry fame). This is beautifully done and it seems a shame to return from the mountain top of this sequence to the valley below to finish the movie. An intesting movie in the careers of Sinatra and Kelly but not great one.
Rating:
Summary: Any Gene Kelly/Frank Sinatra movie is a must see!
Review: I have been a fan of Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra for a few years and this movie is one of the best. It has Gene's INCREDIBLE dancing (w/ Jerry Mouse and Frank) along with Frank's swooning voice (I Fall In Love To Easily/What Makes the Sunset?). One of my favorite songs of the movie is That Kiss and The Susie Song, they are both filled with comedy and entertainment, as is the entire movie. Any Kelly/Sinatra movie is a plus in my book.
Rating:
Summary: New Thanksgiving Tradition
Review: I saw this movie on Thanksgiving '99. I taped it, my 2 and 6 year-olds love it. They love other Kelly movies and they hear Sonatra on the radio. (My husband loves 'Friday With Frank') I know this will a new thanksgiving tradition right on up there with "Miracle On 34th Street"!
Rating:
Summary: Any Gene Kelly Movie is a Must See!!
Review: I will watch ANY Gene Kelly movie!! Even the ones that do not have much of a plot. The dancing is mainly my point of interest (along with Gene Kelly's singing voice). It could have been better in a few scenes, but nontheless, if you love Gene Kelly, I recommend you watch it at least once. Gene Kelly can make anyone a star: just ask Jerry!!
Rating:
Summary: Attention Ladies!: Gene Kelly at his sexiest!!!
Review: I'm so in love with Gene Kelly, I'd watch him brush his teeth for two hours! Kelly is at his sexiest in this film, the way he caresses the phone when he's talking to Lola, etc. After I watched this video, I had to take a cold shower! Frank Sinatra is so effective as a kid with no girl-experience, he makes my heart ache. And little Dean Stockwell is absolutely adorable here! He was a great actor all the way from the beginning of his career -- a real talent. The only thing that keeps me from giving this five stars is its lenghth. Everyone had to have at least two solos and it kind of drags.
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