Les Girls

Rating:
Summary: little known musical
Review: (refering to VHS)
This is one of the lesser known musicals and perhaps it doesn't have some of the innovation of "Singing in the Rain," or "An American in Paris," it is still a delightful musical. I have been a big fan of musicals for years and of Gene Kelly in particular. Kay Kendall is a delight, Taina Elg is lovely and very Parisien, and Mitzi Gaynor is darling as the down to earth American that keeps Gene's feet on the ground. The success of "Chicago," hopefully shows Hollywood that musicals appeal is not gone just more sophisticated. Buy it for the fun of it.

Rating:
Summary: LES GIRLS-A brilliant musical cinema event
Review: ...LES GIRLS is my alltime favorite movie musical.
As an actor who has spent his life in musical theatre, the story is a delightful backstage romp that was reminiscent of some of the events that TRULY take place. Perhaps this is what the "other" reviewer found objectionable. Yes there are women running around in their underwear ...the leading man (Gene Kelly) has flirtations and... affairs w/his dancers... and winds up happy w/Mitzi, which I imagine is many a male's fantasy...BR>The score is terrific, and w/the delightful comedienne Kay Kendall handling the laughs, there are many.
So when it arrives on the 25th I'll be first in line to purchase several copies (for friends AND [loved ones]!!!).
Sit back, relax, enjoy the ride and savor what is truly one of the most "perfect" showbiz musical ever.

Rating:
Summary: Is this a musical?
Review: I recorded this off TCM, hoping to see Mitzi Gaynor in something better than "South Pacific." I knew it wasn't going to work out when I saw that it was directed by George Cukor, the infamous director of "Let's Make Love" and other disasters. After getting treated to some glitzy opening titles you get plunged into a mind-blowingly tedious scene in an English courtroom; after that there was some nonsense in Paris I couldn't be bothered to pay attention to. At this point I was too demoralized to even scan through the movie to look for the song-and-dance numbers (if there are any) and deleted it.

Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable!
Review: I showed this to my middle school dance class and they loved it. I did too! If you love musicals from this era, it's a must-see!

Rating:
Summary: Kay Kendall, Gene Kelly & Co. dance up a storm!
Review: LES GIRLS is a wildly-exuberant, wickedly-funny musical featuring songs by Cole Porter and direction by George Cukor, not to mention a fabulous cast headed by Gene Kelly, Kay Kendall, Taina Elg and Mitzi Gaynor.

Kay Kendall is the main reason for seeing this gorgeous film. She died 2 years later from the ravages of cancer. She is so beautiful in this film, not to mention hilarious! Her drunk scene is priceless and her number with Gene Kelly ("You're Just Too, Too") is full of the joys of life which Kay loved and embraced so much.

The story concerns Lady Sybil Wren (played by Kay Kendall) who has written a novel about her years touring as one third of the 'Les Girls' troupe founded by Barry Nichols (Gene Kelly). Sybil is taken to court and sued for libel by Angele (Taina Elg) because a passage in the book recounts when Angele tried to commit suicide. Angele is adamant that this never happened. Both Sybil and Angele tell their accounts of the event (both completely different). Could Joy (Mitzi Gaynor) hold the real story?...

This is a sumptuous movie, best viewed in its original CinemaScope proportions. Gene Kelly and the girls are in top form. Taina Elg is breathtaking as the vivacious Angele and Mitzi Gaynor dances beautifully as Joy. Though, as I mentioned before, Kay Kendall rises above all the others with her wit, acting and dancing skills. She is sorely missed.

Highly-recommended

Rating:
Summary: 'SWONDERFUL, 'SFABULOUS, 'STO BE SEEN OFTEN!
Review: Rarely seen - but retored to TOTAL fabulousness on this PRISTINE DVD ~ THIS IS A MUST-SEE!

ESPECIALLY, if you have never heard of the much, much lamented and sadly missed KAY KENDALL ~ what a fabulous performance! Miss Kendall is funny, witty, charming and she sings too! As for 'that' drunk scene ! AND - yes, in one or another way it IS a musical version of 'Rashomon ' seen through various bejewelled eyes and gloves!

Dance numbers? Different and timeless.

Sound? Great restoration by the experts.

AND the rest of the ladies? TANIA ELG, and MITZI GAYNOR [STILL 'HERE']form just a perfect trio with Miss Kendall. {Tania's audition is quite a hoot - as is the rather avant-garde Mitze Gaynor 'Wild Ones' [cycle gang] dance number with Icon Gene Kelly}.

Mr. Kelly is a smart, sexy, seductive and utterly brilliant leading man ~ a gracious legacy!

You cannot fail, but to be yanked out of the blues with this one!

Rating:
Summary: Ding-ding-ding-ding....
Review: The whole production is a beautiful enigma. On the one hand, it has Gene Kelly and George Cukor and the smart, smooth music of Cole Porter. But the stucture of the plot seems to be a bit bumpy, and most of this bumpiness seems to stem from the RASHOMON-like tale starting, stopping, and starting again over two hours. A lot of people seem to think that the Porter score was sub-par; I wholeheartedly disagree. An especially beautiful sequence is a rowboat scene between Kelly and Taina Elg which segues into the love song "Ca C'est L'amour." Also clever are the burlesque turn of "Ladies In Waiting" and the vaudeville-like "You're Just Too, Too" which pairs Kelly with the rapturous Kay Kendall. Kendall is, in many ways, the real star of LG with her deft comedy and her cool, elegant beauty. Knowing that she died shortly after completing this film (and so young) makes the experience all the more distraught. Still, Mitzi Gaynor is a dish (especially when dancing with Kelly in a sexy black dress) and Kendall is a comic revealation (drunkenly singing opera for five straight minutes!) Thank goodnes it's on widescreen DVD where it belongs.

Rating:
Summary: Reasonably Good
Review: Though this is not one of Gene Kelly's best movies, it certianly is quite good. The dance numbers aren't that great, even though they are well done. The exception is "Why Am I So Gone About That Gal?", which is both beautiful and red hot! The plot is a bit complicated, but it is very compelling. A must see for any Gene Kelly fan.