1954 Anything Goes w/ Ethel Merman on Netflix Instant

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 2:27am

For those interested the abridged Anything Goes is on Netflix Instant.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70197401&trkid=5148013&t=Anything+Goes

[brettarnett]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 2:40am

I have to say that watching this show is worth is for the jingle "commercials" but more impportantly the most awkward kiss screen kiss ever (between the Merm and Sinatra). Isn't well know that they had a difficult time working together on this program?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 9:43am

It couldn't have gone too badly. Sinatra had her back to appear on his television show in 1958.

People like to make up stories about other performers hating her because it fits with the image of her as a gorgon. In reality, she was a consummate professional.

Here's their "You're the Top":

http://youtu.be/Vc7152gQK-U

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 9:51am

And here's her "Blow Gabriel Blow"

http://youtu.be/KmhC_M93bLA


And here's the big treat of the video: Merman and Bert Lahr do "Friendship," which they performed in DuBarry Was a Lady in 1939.

http://youtu.be/Q_t82ir4REQ

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 9:53am

No, I don't believe that Merman and Sinatra "didn't get along" during this show, and yes, it's something of a mess, as most live TV shows were in the 50s, but it's kind of fun to see them together anyway.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 2:41pm

Thanks for those clips. I never thought I'd find myself using adjectives like "flirty" or "cute" with Merman.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 3:09pm

Her "I Get a Kick Out of You" is stunning. Really accents the terrible sadness in that song.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 5:57pm

Wish they'd have the TV version of Wonderful Life which is *awesome* even with the cuts.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 5:57pm

UGh and I of course meant Wonderful Town...

[greensgreens]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 11:14am

Yeah, I love this broadcast (the commercials DEFINITELY make it just that much better). So odd to see the show intertwined with the commercials so seamlessly. On the closing credits though, it seems the production is from "The Ethel Merman Show," but earlier, it's part of the Colgate Comedy Hour. Can someone explain this discrepancy? (I'm thinking the original broadcast was Colgate and it was re-aired on Ethel's show later?)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 2:19pm

It gets better on subsequent viewings. The musical arrangements, I notice, are by a very young Buddy Bregman, who was the nephew of composer Jule Styne.

Two years later, Buddy Bregman helped make music history when he did the arrangements for Ella Fitzgerald's first in her Songbook series: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 2:26pm

Here's an interesting memory from Buddy Begman himself:

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur3697354/comments

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 2:27pm

I love the shot at the start when Merman holds a pose and the camera stays on her ..her eyes dart off to one side as if to say "Are we still live??"

[zamedy]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 9:42pm

Love it. Love it. Love it. It's amazing how many hit songs Merman introduced and/or were written for her. I remember reading in one of her biographies that she didn't care for Cole Porter's first version of 'Blow, Gabriel Blow,' so he rewrote some or all of it to her satisfaction. We can thank her for that.

Funny things to note...
-Sinatra flubs one of the lines in "You're The Top," so the verse ends up not rhyming.
-Bert Lahr calls her 'Annie Oakley' before quickly correcting himself. He was a bundle of nerves on this live broadcast (which was primative for its time).

Merm was an abolute pro and was a complete joy to watch in these clips... which show her in her prime doing what she was born to do. And she looked pretty darn good doing it.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/14/11 at 10:16pm

I suspect the "Annie Oakley" reference was supposed to be a joke, a mention of Merman's biggest Broadway hit.

I believe both Gershwin and Porter named Merman as their ideal singer. Not bad, as kudos go, particularly when you consider she then proceeded to give Berlin his biggest hit!