Happy Birthday, Gene Kelly

[filkertom]

On this date in 1912.

What's your favorite Gene Kelly movie, and Gene Kelly role? I differentiate because my favorite Kelly movie -- i.e., one where he stars -- is, without question, Singin' In The Rain... but I just love him playing way against type as the reporter Hornbeck in Inherit The Wind.

Comments

[per_solo]

As much as I hate to admit to this guilty pleasure, I have to say Xanadu, but I think that's more because that was the first time I'd seen him onscreen.

If you can get past the horribly wooden acting of "the other guy", Gene and Olivia are having way too much fun in that one.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Brigadoon, no contest. (Plus there's Cyd Charisse. What's not to love?)

[bedlamhouse]

American in Paris

[aota.livejournal.com]

Oh I like several of his movies. I'll admit that I liked Xanadu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanadu_%28film%29) a lot. Brigadoon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadoon) is also one of my favs. Its Anchors Aweigh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchors_Aweigh_%28film%29) that I have the most fondness for since it was the first movie of his that I'd ever seen. The dance number with Jerry the mouse was a hoot.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

XANADU. I loved his dance number with Olivia Newton-John, as well as their duet "Whenever You're Away From Me."

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

"American in Paris" VASTYLY underated film. And its all pure Gene. He concieved, wrote, choreographed, directed and starred. Its so beautiful, like an impressionest painting brought to life.

His version of "The Three Musketeers" is also fun. He would have made a hell of an action star.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

American in Paris might be my favorite Gene movie too. Though it probably beats Singin' in the Rain by only a hair.

[ericcoleman]

Singin In the Rain is the definitive GK role ... but I love An American In Paris, his best dancing IMNSHO ... and they toss in Oscar Levant as a bonus

Gods above and below, but I miss that man...

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

My fave Gene Kelly films? Count me in as another vote for XANADU (what can I tell you? I'm a huge ONJ and ELO fan from way back) and INHERIT THE WIND (I'm also a fan of political [polemical?] drama from way back).

Fave dialogue:
XANADU: "Glenn Miller. He was before your time." "So was Beethoven, but I know who he was."
ITW: "Grandpa!" (addressing the organ grinder's monkey) "Come to testify for the defense or the prosecution? (no response) No comment? Well, that's fairly safe. But I warn you, you can't compete with all these monkeyshines."

And if you really want to OD on Gene-iosity, rent a copy of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT and/or its sequel, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT PART 2. Each has several instances of Mister K. at his most dazzling (along with a number of other great MGM musical stars).

[valkyrwench.livejournal.com]

Bugger - how am I supposed to answer that with just one film?

Singin' in the Rain vies with Brigadoon vies with Marjorie Morningstar vies with An American in Paris vies with The Three Musketeers for my favorite Gene Kelly movie. It's nearly as hard to say which role is my favorite - he had so much fun with them all - but I'd have to go with Don Lockwood from Singin' in the Rain. The sheer joyousness of that dance down the street will always stay with me.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

My two favorites are yours too. :)

My best friend in high school and I, both dancers from childhood, often felt we were born too late. Though I admit that Xanadu made me dreamy-eyed for a while just because it meant I wasn't quite born too late...

That man had a smile that could light up a room, could light up an entire soundstage, and you could always, always tell when he was the one who had done the choreography, from the early stuff right on through to Xanadu. There are just certain moves and nuances, something so characteristic... you could just always tell. There was something about his steps that just floated.

I cried the day I heard he'd died.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

...and now I have to go re-watch 'em all, darn ya. :)

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

OH! And his appearance on The Muppet Show. Notable because they kept trying to get him to sing "Singin' in the Rain", and the gag was that he wouldn't do it-- Rowlf kept saying "no no, sing the one that starts like this..." and playing a piano bit with the "doo doo doot doo, do do doo doo doot doo..." and Kelly kept starting up *other* songs that started in the same key and rhythm, like "S'Wonderful", and singing a few bars of them. And you'd giggle and cheer as you recognized yet another one. And then finally, of course, he did sing The Song. :) It was delightful.

[kshandra]

I just recently saw his Three Musketeers for the first time, and can't get it out of my head.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

He was a big influence for Cats Don't Dance, so in a way, I admire him for that.

[hiddenriver.livejournal.com]

Movie: Singing in the Rain
Role: Serafin in The Pirate (opposite Judy Garland)

[theturbonerd.livejournal.com]

I absolutely can't pick my favorite Gene Kelly movie. I love everything he ever did.

Still, if you are going to make me pick one, "An American In Paris" edges out the others by a split hair.

Dang, I just realised I own no Gene Kelly DVDs. Well, there goes the entertainment budget for the next couple of months...

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, those are good choices! (Hi, btw, nice to meet ya, all that stuff.) I was about to say Singin' in the Rain and I'll stick with it...but I'd forgotten he was IN Inherit the Wind. Which is an awesome flick. :)

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

Inherit the Wind, hands down, with Singin' in the Rain close behind. Playing E.K. Hornbeck was proof that the man was not merely a great performer, but a great actor in the full sense of the word. Just the way his face collapses at the end when Tracy delivers the "you're all alone" speech to him. And he got all the best one-liners.

A mild demurrer

[old-fortissimo.livejournal.com]

Much as I like Gene Kelly, his casting as Hornbeck in Inherit The Wind grates upon me.

The part is a thinly disguised H. L. Mencken and calls for a tongue dipped in acid and a soul reveling in schadenfreude. Tony Randall originated the part on Broadway and would have been brilliant, but I would have loved to have seen Clifton Webb.

Re: A mild demurrer

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

Personally, I always wanted to see what Alan Alda could have done with the role (in his M*A*S*H days, that is; he may be old enough now to play the Drummond role instead).

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Inherit the Wind. I can take song-and-dance or leave it, but I'm a sucker for people doing what they're not best known for/don't maybe find quite as easy. And I just love the film as a whole.

[rook543.livejournal.com]

The Three Musketeers. No question about it...