Singin' and Dancin' in Hollywood: The Role of Music, Song, and Dance in the Movie Musical

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(2) Chapter 1 The Interdisciplinary Struggle. While it is evident that music plays a vital role in film and the topic receives attention from music buffs, film buffs, and film studies, it has received scant attention from music scholarship. Its interdisciplinary nature is a major reason why the relationship between music and film has not received the academic attention which it deserves. Both music and cinema have their own specialized terminology, and in order to approach a serious discussion of the topic, each discipline has to understand the specialized terminology of its respective other as it applies to the complexities of their interaction. With regard to the lack of academic writing, K.J. Donnelly comments: Whilst film scholarship has largely ignored film music as a problem it would rather not face, music scholarship has persisted in the prejudice that film music is somehow below the standard of absolute music. 1. David Neumeyer, Caryl Flinn, and James Buhler note, Film music’s interdisciplinarity, like that of the cinema itself, produces and is produced by a wide array of methodologies that can sometimes operate in direct conflict with one another. 2. This issue was noticed as early as 1936, when in Film Music, Kurt London commented on the way film music was treated: The music which accompanies the film is still struggling for its place in the sun; the film people themselves invariably treat it very casually and are not quite clear in their own minds about its importance; musicians take it up more for the sale of fees than for art’s sake… the public finally does not trouble overmuch about music because it always fails to understand the cause and effect of film musical ideas. 3. In addition, there is the erroneous and widespread belief that certain types of music are inevitably required in a given situation. running, the music must “run” as well.. For example, many believe that if someone is. This concept restricts what music can and cannot do,. 1. Donnelly, Film Music: Critical Approaches, 1.. 2. Buhler, Music and Cinema, 3.. 3. London, Film Music, 126.. 2.

(3) limits its values, and is a disturbing fallacy as well.. In truth, music and film have an impact. on each other and it is through their interaction in which the forces of their combined efforts have an impact the developing narrative. Due to the interdisciplinary and internal complexity of the movie musical and the multiple discursive nature of music, it is impossible for any comprehension to conform to a strict methodological and analytical standard. While the functional role of music is identifiable and can be generalized, any example extracted can overlap into other categories. The roles considered here are meant to be only a vague outline of the associations between music and the movie musical. In this study, the analysis of musical numbers granted particular attention, are each treated with their own means of musical and visual analysis. Although three of the selections are popular songs, they are each unique in composition, function, and in the treatment given to their visual presentation.. The final example, an adaptation from a concert. piece, has its own unique qualities as well, and it is perhaps best not to subject to a traditional mode of symphonic analysis. The treatment and presentation of each musical number will be through their orchestration, choreography, camera angle, and editing.. While musical form is the. fundamental determinant, each is a unique expression of the music itself. As with the music, there is no absolute form of analyses for visuals and what the whole arrangement represents. Chapter one briefly addresses the interdisciplinary nature which has contributed to the lack of serious scholarship within this field.. It also gives a brief introduction to the roots of. the musical and presents common functions in which the music is responsible.. 3.

(4) Chapter two considers the contributions of MGM’s Freed Unit and Music Department to the movie musical. Their combined efforts, mutual appreciation of art, and desire to create complete works of art is what made the integrated musicals of the late 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s an entire collection of works which few later ones can be compared to. In chapter three, the impetus of An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) and two of its musical numbers are discussed.. The first number, “Love is Here to Stay,” is the first. theme associated with Jerry and Lise (played by Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron) and is used to establish their relationship. The second number is the “blues” excerpt from the An American in Paris ballet, an adaptation of George Gershwin’s concert piece of the same name.. The selected examples leads to a thematic duality and duel-ity with the music. associated with the two protagonists, Jerry and Lise. The fourth chapter examines two musical examples from the most well-known movie musical, Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952).. What relates and sets. the two numbers apart from each other is their physical location. In order to better relate the two selected movie musicals to each other, the final chapter compares and contrasts their musical treatment.. In the conclusion, the changes in. Hollywood and their impact on the genre are examined and future considerations are considered.. 4.

(5) Chapter 2 Music and the Musical. In the film musical, music is the descriptive device.. According to George Burt,. whether the audience is conscious of it or not, “music has an impact on film, and film on music.” 4. Be it implicitly or explicitly, it is the music which invariably evokes or suggests. something about a scene. exponentially:. In film musicals, this interaction and its effect multiply. The music is the film, the film is the music.. almost impossible to make movies without music.. To Bernard Herrmann, “it is. Movies need the cement of music.. never seen a movie better without it. Music is as important as the photography.” 5. I’ve. Of all. the film genres and according to music director Nathaniel Shilkret, “[the] effective use of film is not limited to pictures of a dramatic nature. its greatest use and development.. It is in musicals that film music has had. In these pictures music is an integral part of the whole.” 6. Without the musical numbers, the film musical would cease to be a musical! The film musical is the counterpart for adults of a fairytale for children. Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952) exemplifies this in the title number.. When. Don (played by Gene Kelly) jumps in puddles and splashes around in the rain, his action and the music take the viewer back to their ideal childhood days spent in the rain.. In The. Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939), Dorothy Gale, (portrayed by Judy Garland), sings “Over the Rainbow,” to describe the technicolor fantasy she dreams of. Music, the most abstract of the arts, is capable of making which makes the most direct connection to the psyche.. It is the communicative link between the narrative and the. audience. In the musical the music and lyrics not only advance the narrative, but are used 4. Burt, The Art of Film Music, 6.. 5. Karlin, Listening to Movies, xi.. 6. Ibid, 169.. 5.

(6) by the characters to express themselves and establish relationships through song and dance. Moreover, the music itself not only makes a statement, but “the arrival and departure of music in a film is its own statement because it is an event.”7. It is this event, an integrated. device, which functions to foreshadow, express, or recall the climactic points of the narrative. The use of musical numbers as an integral device are directly referred to in Summer Stock (Charles Walters, 1950).. When Jane (played by Judy Garland) asks Joe (portrayed by. Gene Kelly) about the excitement of show business and the theater, he explains: ‘We’re trying to tell a story with music, song, and dance, and well, not just with words.. For. instance, if the boy tells the girl that he loves her, he doesn’t just say it, he sings it.’ 8. When. he shows her, he not only demonstrates a musical number, “You, Wonderful You,” but their performance of it firmly establishes their plot-destined relationship celebrated in the finale. Furthermore, it is a musical number which makes a direct reference to the function of music, song, and dance in the film musicals. Moreover, the number is reprised later in a musical, Fall in Love, whose process and performance takes place within the film musical, Summer Stock. Thoughts are expressed as lyrics verses words, the music sets the tone, the dance is the kinesthetic expression, and the movement is an exploration of space.. However, the. musical structure is the fundamental determinant of what Jane and Joe dance to and visually express. Another example of this occurs in the dressing room scene in Du Barry Was a Lady (Roy Del Ruth, 1943). When Alec (played by Gene Kelly) wants to tell May (played by Lucille Ball) that he loves her, he plays the piano and sings his emotions to her with “Do I Love You”.. When she says he loves him, he tap dances out of her room and continues to. dance towards the stage. His dance is to the same tune; first backed by a chorus and the. 7. Falk, Foundations in Film Music, Fall 2008.. 8. Summer Stock, DVD, Chapter 17, 2006.. 6.

(7) Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, then backed by the orchestra and joined by an ensemble of dancers.. The act of dance is not only a visual and kinesthetic interpretation of his thoughts,. but is an expression of joy and happiness through a visual exploration of space determined by the structure of the music. In order to discuss the relationship between music and the musical, these aspects need to be considered: (i) ambience of time and place, (ii) emotional appeal, (iii) character relations and continuity, (iv) theatrical celebration and finality, and and transformation.. (v) character realization. While these are dramatic score principles, they can be adapted and. applied to the function of music in the film musical as well. Due to the lack of scholarship in the relationship between the function of music in film, it is necessary to adapt dramatic score principles to the role of music in film musicals. In the case of the film musical however, music becomes a more literal and often visual form of expression to not only meet the demands and requirements of the narrative conflict and the interrelationships of the characters, but needs to consider the emotional shape of the scene as well.. According to George Burt, it is the music which “has the power to open the frame of. reference to a story and to reveal its inner life on a way that could not have been as fully articulated in any other way.” 9. Instantaneously, the music can heighten the effect of a scene. or sharpen its focus on a key aspect of the narrative. In addition to the principles about to be discussed, it has to be remembered that music is a temporal art; like film, it is an art which takes place in time. have a major impact on the pacing of events.. As a result, the music can. According to George Burt, it is the music. which “mov[es] things along when needed, dwell[s] on something that requires attention, [and] accent[s] this or that instant or event to help bring out the various connections and. 9. Burt, The Art of Film Music, 3-4.. 7.

(8) divergent points of view.” 10. While these inherent capabilities of music have been known in. opera for centuries, in film and especially film musicals, they are just as fundamental. 11. Ambience of Time and Place. Since most movie musicals contain nostalgic elements, and romanticized views of a time and place, along with costumes and scenery, music can be the vital element which assists this. This holds true even when preexisting music is altered and adapted to fit with the narrative.. The use of old popular songs is a powerful agent, and the fact that the. audience is already familiar with them makes this agent even more powerful. As Jane Feuer observes, “nothing succeeds better at evoking nostalgia than the popular songs of an earlier era.. By inserting old songs into new narratives, the Hollywood musical could have the best. of both generations.” 12 While the music in Easter Parade (Charles Walters, 1948) is a collage of old and new Irving Berlin songs, the new music stylistically fits with the old songs from the 1910s. And even though An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) is set in post-World War II Paris, all of George Gershwin’s music is from before the war. In romanticized biographical musicals based around the song catalogue of a composer or songwriting team, this idea is greatly exploited.. The songs are already associated with a. respective time period; most often the rise and success of the solo or team composer, and the tunes are familiar.. These movie musicals all use the music to trace the struggle, rise, of a. musical artist or artistic team: Till the Clouds Roll By (Richard Whorf, 1947) traces the life of Jerome Kern, Words and Music (Norman Taurog, 1948) is centered around Lorenz Hart and Richard Rogers, Three Little Words (Richard Thorpe, 1950) pays tribute to Harry Ruby and 10. Burt, The Art of Film Music, 4.. 11. Ibid, 4.. 12. Feuer, The Hollywood Musical, 97.. 8.

(9) Burt Kalmar, and Deep in My Heart (Stanley Donen, 1954) is a romanticized tribute based on the life and music of Sigmund Romberg. When original music is composed in an older style and blended with new music (original songs or prerecorded), it can attract old and young audiences. In Paramount’s movie musical version of Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978), original and prerecorded music are used to appeal to a larger audience. While the pre-existing music evokes nostalgia for the 1950s, the period in which the film is set, the new music is written in a similar style. The use of electric guitar and bass can attract the younger generation, while the musical style will attract the older generation and evoke in them their youth and the late 1950s. The 1980 cult film, Xanadu (Robert Greenwald, 1980), which is set in 1980, is a montage of original music; 1980s rock, 1980s pop, and 1940s big band music. Of all the music, it is the 1940s tune, “Whenever You’re Away From Me,” danced to by Olivia Newton- John and Gene Kelly, that most vividly recalls the musical numbers of classic Hollywood through camera angles and editing which treat it as a set piece.. Emotional Appeal. According to Elmer Bernstein, ‘film conspires with your imagination to remove you from your present reality and take you on a freewheeling trip through your unconscious.” 13 In order to get the audience to participate, there is no better medium to appeal to the audience than music.. In accordance with Bernstein, music is a “non-plastic, non-intellectual. communication between sound vibration and spirit.” 14. Invariably, this allows each listener. to make their own personal assessment of the how and what the music used makes them feel.. 13. Burt, The Art of Film Music, 10.. 14. Ibid, 10.. 9.

(10) With film and even more so for film musicals, music is the communicative link between the screen and the audience, and there is no better way to appeal to emotions than through music. In Laura (Otto Preminger, 1944), it is the haunting quality of the main theme which evokes the emotions of loss and melancholy. At the same time it embodies the mystique of the detective who has fallen in love with a ghost!. Regarding the music, composer David. Raksin comments: It is as though I am remembering somebody else, someone I understood very intimately although he lived more than a quarter of a century ago. I feel certain that the reason more people responded as they do to that melody, in the picture and on its own, is that it is ‘about’ love, specifically about that yearning particular to unrequited love… 15. Later, when Laura appears and turns out to be alive, there is no music; it stops just before her arrival in the apartment.. She is now a suspect in the murder case.. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Blake Edwards, 1961), the popular song “Moon River,” composed especially for the film by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, is the center of the drama.. Used selectively in the film, including the main title, Holly Golightly’s. (played by Audrey Hepburn) rendition, when the cat (associated with Holly) is found, and the end title, makes this popular song effective for the audience to identify with dreams, reality, and heartbreak of both main characters.. In addition, it is the character sketch for Holly, that. underneath all her sophistication, she is still a simple country girl.. Character Relations and Continuity. In musicals, it is through music that character relations and continuity are established and maintained.. Here, music can foreshadow or refer back to their specific musical number,. and function linearly to maintain continuity from the main title to the end credits. Through musical repetition and/or underscore, the relationships between the characters and their associated plot points can easily be traced through the narrative. 15. Prendergast, Film Music: A Neglected Art, 61.. 10.

(11) There are two musical numbers in Cover Girl (Charles Vidor, 1944) which connect the characters to the narrative.. Before the plot-destined couple, Rusty and Danny (played by. Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly) perform their number, “Long Ago and Far Away,” 16 the melody underscores two of their future-oriented conversations before they perform their musical number.. Yet, it’s Rusty, Danny’s heroine, who begins the number which Danny. responds to in verse. music visually.. To further their plot destiny, they dance and easy dance to express the. Just before the lovers are reunited, it is Danny who hums and sings the third. verse, which Rusty responds to and sings the fourth verse. A song which connects the three main characters to the narrative and their quest to find a pearl, their omen for success, is “Make Way for Tomorrow”. First performed to cheer themselves up after one of apparently many attempts to find a pearl, but are interrupted in the street by the policeman on patrol.. Their reprise to end the show, performed at the. same setting, is not interrupted as they celebrate their reunion. 17. This, combined with the. lovers reunited and the newly found pearl are the sign that their tomorrow is about to arrive. In Brigadoon (Vincente Minnelli, 1954), “The Heather on the Hill” is used not only to establish and further Tommy and Fiona’s relationship (played by Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse), but to maintain continuity and foreshadow their reunion to a choral reprise of “Brigadoon”.. To establish their relationship, Tommy sings “The Heather on the Hill” to. Fiona, followed by their dance among the heather. 18. When Tommy realizes he really does. love Fiona, they dance to the music again. After Tommy returns to New York City and realizes he is still in love with her, he hears Fiona sing the refrain in his recollection medley; “Waitin’ For My Dearie,” “Go Home to Bonnie Jean,” and “The Heather on the Hill”.. 16. Cover Girl, DVD, Chapter 15, 2003.. 17. Ibid, Chapter 28, 2003.. 18. Brigadoon, DVD, Chapters 10-11, 2005.. 11. Just.

(12) before he is reunited with her, “The Heather on the Hill,” an aural cue for the audience, underscores his return to the village.. Character Realization and Transformation. When the action and words are set to music in the musical, this combination is designed for the audience to remember the key plot points. Within the narrative, the integrated number can function to express the protagonist’s ability to find similar points of interest.. As a solo number, it can function as an expression of satisfaction with the self.. This allows the most often lead male protagonist comes to terms with himself and/or transforms through his relationship with his heroine. For example, in Easter Parade (Charles Walters, 1948,. when Don (played by Fred. Astaire) realizes that Hannah (portrayed by Judy Garland) is a talented singer when they perform “I Love the Piano” together, and not the exotic ballroom dancer he tried to turn her into. 19. While they do dance in this number, it is spontaneous and (apparently) unrehearsed. in comparision to their previous ballroom routine. Here, they realize their workable medium as a vaudeville act which foreshadows their plot-destined romance. In It’s Always Fair Weather (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1955), the solo number “I Like Myself,” 20 s performed on roller skates through the streets of New York City by Ted Riley (played by Gene Kelly). The number functions in several ways. Previously displeased with himself, Ted now has his girl, Jackie Leighton (played by Cyd Charisse), the successful woman he thought he would never get. Both in love and finally happy with. 19. Easter Parade, DVD, Chapter 14, 2006.. 20. It’s Always Fair Weather, DVD, Chapter 23, 2006.. 12.

(13) himself, Ted goes into this number to express this without regard to the fact that he does it on a city street with an audience of bystanders. The penultimate number in Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978), “You’re the One that I Want,” 21 performed by Sandy and Danny (played by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta) reveals both Danny’s change from “greaser” to an athlete, but the complete change Sandy undergoes with some help from the Pink Ladies, too. Through this duet, Sandy and Danny celebrate the changes they each made initially unknown to each other.. Theatrical Celebration and Finality. The final number can have a variety of functions which give closure to the narrative for both the characters and the audience.. While the main title introduces and sets the tone. for the narrative, the finale is the final reinforcement of plot points and meaning behind the narrative. In some cases, the protagonists are reunited (a cause for celebration), a resolution can be reached, or the number can be a gay, celebratory finale and directive to the audience. The finales in The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944), and Brigadoon (Vincente Minnelli, 1954), celebrate the concept of home and what it means to find it.. Dorothy Gale (played by Judy Garland) learns that. home is not where she sings about, “Over the Rainbow.”. She realizes home is the family. farm, and her realization is underscored by a violin melody of the song. For the Smith family, they realize home is right where they live, St. Louis. To further enforce their realization, “Meet Me in St. Louis” is reprised to underscore the final scene.. In Brigadoon,. Tommy Albright (played by Gene Kelly) discovers that home is where he believes it to be (Brigadoon), not where he is (New York City). His belief is so strong that a miracle happens and he awakens the village from its 100-year sleep to be reunited with Fiona. 21. Grease, DVD, Chapter 16, 2006.. 13.

(14) Campbell (played by Cyd Charisse).. However, his belief is expressed through a medley;. “Waitin’ for My Dearie,” “Go Home to Bonnie Jean,” and “The Heather on the Hill”. Even when a finale does not end the musical with a happy ending, it still gives closure to the narrative.. Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the ending of West Side Story. (Robert Wise, 1961) is tragic; Tony, Bernardo, and Riff die, but it does have some hope. The rival gangs, Sharks and Jets, realize through Maria and the three deaths what their hatred has done, and finally put their differences aside, ironically unified when Tony’s body is carried out into the night.. 14.

(15) ACT I: MAKE A GREAT MUSICAL. 15.

(16) Chapter 3 MGM: Hollywood’s Musical Lion and the 1940s-50s. With the advent of sound and domination of the studio system, Hollywood’s Golden Era soon gave birth to the movie musical. with this new invention.. At first, “the studios were unsure [of] what to do. Then, they hit on the idea of filming popular vaudeville acts.” 22. As Frank Sinatra narrates it: All of this… became a thing in 1929 when silence was out and sound was the king. The Broadway Melody of 1929 won an Oscar for “Best Picture” that year, and MGM was off and running with a new formula for success… the start of a new art form that would captivate audiences for years to come. 23. Eight companies dominated the film industry: ‘the big five’; Paramount, Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Warner Brothers, and RKO, and ‘the little three; Universal, United Artists, and Columbia. 24. By the late 1930s, RKO and Warner Brothers were. replaced as the movie musicals studios by Twentieth-Century Fox and MGM, which jointly dominated the genre until its demise. 25. Of the two new reigning movie musical studios, it is. without a doubt the best were made at MGM.. As narrated by Frank Sinatra:. Now, some studios can claim they made the finest gangster films or the greatest horror movies, but when it came to musicals, MGM, they were the champions. Musicals were fantasy trips for the audiences of their day. For instance, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy sings a song and gets girl. The plots were that simple. The musicals of the 1930s and 40s or even the 50s, may not tell you where our heads were at, but they certainly would tell you where our hearts were at. 26. A clear advantage at MGM and vital to the success of the musicals stemmed from the studio system.. According to Gene Kelly, in a 1976 interview, “the studio system had a lot. of drawbacks and had a lot of advantages.. The advantages were that, we were the only. 22. Kelly, That’s Entertainment, Part III, DVD, Chapter 3, 2004.. 23. Sinatra, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 3, 2004.. 24. Reay, Music in Film: Soundtracks and Synergy, 13.. 25. Engle, Blockbusters: A Reference Guide to Film Genres, 151.. 26. Sinatra, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 3, 2004.. 16.

(17) repertory company, musically, that ever existed in the whole world.” 27. Without a doubt,. MGM had a way to acquire talent. It’s been said they had “more stars than there were in the heavens.” Donald O’Connor notes: “When I was at this studio, we were up to our ears in tenors… baritones… tap dancers… pianists… and they were all good.” 28. As described by. Frank Sinatra: “The work was hard but it was great fun, because the people you worked with knew what they were doing.” 29. These creative talents, from everyone in front of the camera. to those behind the scenes, were all responsible and contributed to a uniquely indigenous art form: the American film musical.. The Arthur Freed Unit. MGM was the home to three musical producers, Arthur Freed, Jack Cummings, and Joe Pasternak.. Each producer made his own kind of musical, and while they were all. successful and shared the quality of enthusiasm, the absolute best were produced by Freed, head of MGM’s legendary Freed Unit, its “Class Unit,” and called by the Pasternak Unit, the “Royal Family.” 30. According to Angela Lansbury:. “The Arthur Freed Unit was really a. musical unit that was devoted to developing great musicals for MGM. It was manned by some of the most illustrious people in our business.” 31. Ann Sothern notes:. “That was a. little country of people that really knew what they were doing, and musically, they were perfect.” 32. 27. Kelly, Musicals Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, Chapter 11, 2002.. 28. O’Connor, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 17, 2004.. 29. Sinatra, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 3, 2004.. 30. Fordin, Musicals Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, DVD, Chapter 11, 2002.. 31. Lansbury, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 32. Sothern, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 17.

(18) According to Hugh Fordin, Freed was the one responsible for the evolution of the film musical, 33 the uncontested master of the movie musical.. Dancer-actress Cyd Charisse,. claimed that “he changed the look of musicals, they suddenly were not old-fashioned looking anymore.” 34. What set his musicals apart from those produced by his peers is that they were. “slick, stylish, and ‘now’-looking. His films were the most innovative. Freed and his musical assistant, Roger Edens, were instrumental in bring a great many new musical talents to the studio, in front of and behind the camera.” 35 Throughout his musicals Freed remained faithful to his roots, songwriting. His collaborator was Nacio Herb Brown, and their song catalogue consisted of many numbers written at the time of Hollywood’s early musicals.. When he brought talent out to. Hollywood, specifically from New York, choreographer Michael Kidd said, “primarily, they were always music-oriented. songwriting.” 36. He remained faithful to his primary discipline, which was. Even though Freed and Brown were not the top song writers of the time,. Freed had an invaluable skill which contributed to the success of his musicals.. According to. Irving Berlin, Freed had the ability to recognize talent: I must say his greatest talent was his recognition of talent. You take [his musical assistant] Roger Edens and all the other talented people he had in his unit- he didn’t tell them what to do, but they did it. He was smart enough to know that they could do the job…. And he knew style. 37. Freed had a particular interest in composers and their song catalogues. His productions which focused around this include his film musical biographical pictures; Jerome Kern, Till the Clouds Roll By, (Richard Whorf, 1947), and Rodgers and Hart tunes for Words. 33. Sothern, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009, vii.. 34. Charisse, Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, DVD, Chapter 1, 2002.. 35. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 121.. 36. Kidd, Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, DVD, Chapter 2, 2002.. 37. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 526.. 18.

(19) and Music (Norman Taurog, 1948). Some of his films which focused around specific song catalogues, but were not biographical pictures per se. These include a collage of old and new Irving Berlin songs for Easter Parade (Charles Walters, 1948), the George and Ira Gershwin catalogue and Gershwin’s tone poem for An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951), and Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952), based on the songs he co-wrote with Nacio Herb Brown. Many of Freed’s musicals were nominated for and won Academy Awards, and three musicals received the award for Best Picture: The Broadway Melody of 1929 (Harry Beaumont, 1929), which Freed and Brown wrote the music for, An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951), and Gigi (Vincente Minnelli, 1958).. Ironically, the musical of. his which was nominated, but did not win any Oscar’s is perhaps the most loved musical of all time, Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952). At the 1952 Academy Awards, Freed received an honor which he greatly deserved. The Board of Governors of the Academy awarded him the Irving G.Thalberg Memorial Award for his achievements in the film musical. In three-time Thalberg Award winner Darryl F. Zanuck’s introduction, he said of Freed: Turning out musicals can be a routine job. It isn’t with Mr. Freed. In his hands the film musical has taken on a new scale. He has replaced mere prettiness of production with extraordinary beauty. He has brought a thorough knowledge of music and dancing to his job and learned to mix the elements of charm, humor and melody in a production which makes an Arthur Freed musical completely distinctive. His Show Boat and An American in Paris are perfect examples of creative art. It is no accident that the producer of An American in Paris is a connoisseur and collector of modern art. In that picture he did more to bring the French impressionists into the delighted consciousness of this country than ten thousand lectures could have done. By his achievements he has added stature to the whole industry. Arthur, will you come up, please? I am running out of superlatives. 38. 38. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 345.. 19.

(20) Roger Edens. A pianist Freed hired from Broadway, Roger Edens was “kind of the backbone of the Freed Unit in every department.” 39. The head of the Freed Unit music department, Edens. was an associative producer/vocal arranger/composer.. He was an integral part and member. of the Freed Unit who shaped the music of some of MGM’s best musicals. Screenwriter and composer Betty Comden notes: We used to say; [Freed’s] right-hand foot [was] Roger Edens. He was a great musician and he was very good on book... He had great taste and a marvelous visual sense, and he really was a very controlling influence… 40. According to film historian Rudy Behlmer, when Arthur Freed saw Edens at an audition for singers at MGM: He didn’t care too much fur the singer, but he thought ‘that guy, that fellow on the piano is very good’… When he interviewed him, he realized what a great musical talent he was; he gave him the opportunity to develop. Right from the beginning, he was doing vocal arrangements… 41. Originally a jazz musician, Edens played with some of the greatest jazz musicians and orchestras of the day; the Red Nichols Orchestra, the Dorsey Brothers, Gene Krupa, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, and Harry James. 42. From here, he became the vocal arranger for. Ethel Mermann, and went to Hollywood with her in the 1930s.. It was his strength in the. vocal arrangements for a singer Freed auditioned at the time which lead him to be hired as an integral part of the success of the Freed Unit. Edens brilliance was brought to Freed’s attention in The Broadway Melody of 1936 (Roy Del Ruth, 1936). For the song “Broadway Rhythm” (by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed), Edens came up with the idea how to handle the number: 39. Comden, Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, DVD, Chapter 5, 2002.. 40. Comden, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 41. Behlmer, Treasures from the Vault: The Master’s Behind the Musicals DVD, 2009.. 42. Wollen, Singin’ in the Rain, 28.. 20.

(21) Roger said, ‘Let’s have Francis Langford open and do the first chorus. Then, we’ll have Buddy Epstein and his sister, Velma, do what they used to call an eccentric dance. Then we’re going to have the Chorus come in and they’ll do a chorus. And then we’re going to have Nick Long Jr. and June Knight do kind of their dance rendition… And finally, the big finale will be Eleanor Powell. 43. Here, Brown and Freed realized just how much Edens was a visionary in creating musical numbers and how they needed to be handled. Subsequently, this lead to Freed to rely on him more and more, and according to Behlmer: “He became indispensable… he was a major, major part of what people refer to as the Freed Unit.” 44 Vincente Minnelli. While many talented directors,including Busby Berkeley, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, George Sidney, and Charles Walters, were under contract at MGM, Vincente Minnelli was the very best.. A protégé of Busby Berkeley, Minnelli directed some of MGM’s most. successful musicals: Cabin in the Sky (1943), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), An American in Paris (1951), The Band Wagon (1953), Brigadoon (1954), and Gigi (1958). A highly regarded Broadway set designer, Minnelli left his position as art director and producers at Radio City Music Hall to come to Hollywood, 45 and was brought to MGM by Arthur Freed.. It was his artistic and visual style which revolutionized MGM’s musicals.. His artistry as a director was recognized in Gigi, which not only won nine Oscars, including “Best Picture,” plus a special award for Maurice Chevalier, but Minnelli received the award “Best Director”. 46. 43. Behlmer, Treasures from the Vault: The Master’s Behind the Musicals DVD, 2009.. 44. Ibid, 2009.. 45. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 131.. 46. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 494.. 21.

(22) Gene Kelly. One of the most versatile contract talents of the Freed unit was Gene Kelly.. First. recognized and approached by Freed while in the Broadway production Time of Your Life, to come to Hollywood, Kelly said: “I wasn’t ready- yet.” 47. Selected and noticed by the writer. John O’Hara for the title role of the Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical Pal Joey, based on O’Hara’s Pal Joey stories, Kelly received his biggest break.. When Pal Joey opened. December 25, 1940 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, he not only became a Broadway star, 48 but he was then ready for Hollywood. According to Kelly: ‘L.B. Mayer saw me in Pal Joey and said, ‘We’d like you to come out to M-G-M’….. I’m sure Arthur [Freed] was behind all this…’ 49. Complications. ensued when a telegram was misread at MGM’s New York office over a screen test which Mayer deemed unnecessary, and Kelly, unaware of the misreading, but confident of his own talent, reacted and wrote a letter that essentially stated: ‘I’m sorry, I won’t work for you because you lied- I’d rather dance in a saloon.’ 50 Although this incident temporarily ended negotiations with MGM, David Selznick, L.B. Mayer’s son-in-law, head of his own studio, offered Kelly a contract, with no screen test required. Soon after his arrival in Hollywood, his contract was signed over to MGM, a studio which made musicals, and starred opposite Judy Garland for his film debut in For Me and My Gal (Busby Berkeley, 1942). The show was a hit and Kelly quickly became one of Hollywood’s two number one song and dance men.. 47. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 60.. 48. Ibid, 60-61.. 49. Ibid, 61.. 50. Ibid, 61.. 22.

(23) In the documentary That’s Entertainment! (Jack Haley Jr., 1974), Fred Astaire narrates: From the start, Gene was constantly experimenting… he was determined to broaden the horizons of the film musical, and in doing so, he became one of the most versatile and original performers the movies have ever known…. More than any other star, I think, Gene Kelly became the symbol of the MGM musical in the 1950s…. The finale to the Broadway Ballet from Singin’ in the Rain seems to exemplify the genius of Gene Kelly: actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director…. He’s one of those rare talents who really understands what the movie musical is all about. 51. In his autobiography, Saul Chaplin recounts an instance in Cover Girl (Charles Vidor, 1944) regarding Kelly’s ability to take the multiple elements which integrate the musical number into the story. The number in question is the reprise to “Put Me to the Test,” performed by Kelly and Phil Silvers. He laid out everything he thought might affect the number: the set, the other characters, the method of shooting, the plot to where the number occurs, his and Phil’s attitude- everything. I recall thinking to myself ‘This is impossible. I can’t write anything that has to take all of those elements into consideration.’ I contributed very little to the discussion and was getting more and more concerned when Gene suddenly said, ‘Look- make Phil as funny as you can and don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of myself.’… I worked with Gene many times since then, and his attitude has never changed. He was always concerned with the entire project and was indeed able to take care of himself. 52. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly: Stylistic Differences. Although Fred Astaire, Kelly’s generation counterpart, typically portrayed a professional performer, Kelly most often portrayed the complete opposite: an everyday character with the ability to utilize song and dance as a means of expression.. It is his. portrayal of and his style as a performer which makes his characters much more accessible to the audience.. 51. Astaire, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 21, 23, 2004.. 52. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 52.. 23.

(24) Of their stylistic differences, Kelly described it as: “Fred represents the aristocracy when he dances, and I represent the proletariat.” 53. Unlike the contained movements of. Astaire, Kelly favored a more open style, and he not only integrated song, music, and dance to tell a definite story as an event itself, but integrated it into the narrative as well.. Whereas. Fred Astaire was the first to photograph the full figure of the dancer, Kelly freed up the camera so that it could dance with the musical number. Fred Astaire’s style remained closer to ballroom and seemed to float across the screen, while Kelly went for “dramatic dancing,” and described his style as “an American style.” 54 As Kelly said of choreographer Robert Alton: Bob Alton was a very underrated choreographer.... he was the first fellow who really knew that what I was doing dancewise was different; he recognized it and said, ‘Go ahead and do it.’ He was a great help to me and always encouraged me very much. My form of dancing? I wouldn’t know what to call it; it’s certainly hybrid…. I’ve borrowed from the modern dance, from the classical, and certainly from the American folk dance- tap dancingjitterbugging. But I have tried to develop a style which is indigenous to the environment in which I was reared- the classical ballet is completely foreign to that. 55. MGM’s Music Department: The Masters Behind the Music. In addition to producers who really knew how to produce musical pictures, artistic directors, and versatile talent, the talent of MGM’s music department was a significant factor which makes the musicals what they are.. In the documentary That’s Entertainment! (Jack. Haley Jr., 1974) Peter Lawford narrates: “The films we made here had a certain style. A look that was unmistakable… somehow, you could always tell it was an MGM musical.” 56. A. major contributor to this style comes from the music. In the words of André Previn: When. 53. Kelly, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer, DVD, Chapter 8, 2002.. 54. Ibid, Chapter 3, 2002.. 55. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 238.. 56. Lawford, That’s Entertainment!, DVD, Chapter 8, 2004.. 24.

(25) you think of David Raksin, Alex North, Alex Courage, Conrad Salinger, and Lennie Hayton, those were really brilliantly gifted people. 57. Johnny Green. When Johnny Green was appointed as general music director at MGM studios, he “put together a music department like none that ever existed.” 58. In 1944, he made the. unpopular decision to replace half the orchestra with some of the world’s finest musicians. Green went on to revolutionize the placement and use of microphones in order to create a richer sound than any heard previously on film. 59 These changes among others had a major impact on the sound and quality of the music in An American in Paris, specifically in the ballet sequence. An increase in size from 50 to 72 players, the MGM Studio Orchestra was now the MGM Symphony Orchestra, a name change which gave a certain prestige to it, with its expansion done primarily for its use in the ballet. 60. Essentially, Green was the conductor responsible in bringing about a new. sound to MGM. 61 According to Hugh Fordin: The first thing he did was to replace the mixer on the recording stage with a man equipped with a trained ear and musical knowledge. Next he reseated the orchestra, backing it against the long wall of the rectangular stage and ordered vitally necessary acoustic adjustments. Green also restructured the orchestra by getting new talent to unseat old-time, second-rate players. With this general rejuvenation Green brought around a new M-G-M sound, of which the track for the An American in Paris ballet is a prime example. As a conductor’s. performance, this recording is regarded as one of the finest ever made. 62 57. Previn, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 58. Ibid, 2009.. 59. Stewart, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 60. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, CD Liner Notes, #, 1996.. 61. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 324.. 62. Ibid, 324.. 25.

(26) Saul Chaplin. Saul Chaplin acted as music supervisor on some of MGM’s best musicals, including On the Town (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1949), Summer Stock (Charles Walters, 1950), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Stanley Donen, 1954), Three Little Words (Richard Thorp, 1950), An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951), Kiss Me Kate (George Sidney, 1953), High Society (Charles Walters, 1956), Les Girls (George Cuckor, 1957), and West Side Story (Robert Wise, 1961). 63. Chaplin relates the process at MGM as follows:. You start from the beginning. Somebody writes a song, the musical supervisor (which I was most of the time) or arranger has to decide how it’s going to be sung after the producer or director has decided who will sing it. Then the orchestra has to play it, so the arranger has to be the one who puts down the notes for what each instrument is going to play. And the musical director is the one who has charge of the instrumentation, what the general sound will be, and who has charge of how it’s sung and everything else. The supervisor is above the musical director, [because] he’s in charge of the entire pattern. The composer writes the post-scoring, but the music supervisor and director is the one who decides how it’ll be. The other thing, at the end of the movie, the music supervisor sits in with the dubbing mixer that combines all these tracks. 64. During preproduction for Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952), Chaplin became the assistant-associate director to Jack Cummings.. This was brought about. when Cummings complained to Dore Schary, then head of MGM, that “Freed had Roger Edens, that Pasternack had an able assistant (Irving Aaronson), but that he had no one.. He. requested that I be assigned to him as an assistant-associate on a permanent basis, and Schary agreed.” 65. The catch with this promotion and more authority was that Chaplin had to leave. the Freed Unit.. Although, with the Cummings Unit, Chaplin experienced musical success. with Lovely to Look At (Mervyn LeRoy, 195x), Three Little Words (Richard Thorp, 1950),. 63. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 253-254.. 64. Chaplin, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 65. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 144.. 26.

(27) Kiss Me Kate (George Sidney, 1953), and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Stanley Donen, 1954).. Conrad Salinger. One of f Hollywood’s greatest orchestrators of the day, was MGM’s chief orchestrator, Conrad Salinger, who treated orchestration like painting.. He knew about. timbre, which instruments blended well together, and how to get the most out of the mood for a scene.. Like MGM’s best musicals, his arrangements are undateable and timeless. A. sample of his orchestrations include: Meet Me in St. Louis, (Vincente Minnelli, 1944), Words and Music (Norman Taurog, 1948), Easter Parade (Charles Walters, 1948), On the Town (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1949), Show Boat (George Sidney, 1951), An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951), Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952), The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953), Brigadoon (Vincente Minnelli, 1954), and Gigi (Vincente Minnelli, 1958). According to Saul Chaplin, “among musicians, there is a thing known as the MGM sound in musicals and that’s Connie Salinger… the way he treated strings and woodwinds, he’s responsible for that.” 66 In an interview with Michael Feltenstein, Chaplin remarked: He knew how to do “what” with anything, and I don’t know how he knew. Everybody tried to imitate him, and nobody could and nobody understood why that was. But he had something, I don’t know, I can’t tell you. I’ve been asked that so many times, and it’s one of those things. There’s never been anybody like him. 67. Hugh Martin notes: What an artist he was. He was our number one orchestrator. When it came to a ballad, nobody could make MGM starts sound sweeter and lusher than Connie Salinger…. With Connie, you didn’t have to leave a bunch of instructions on what you wanted here, or when the oboes came in, or anything. He could tell me more than I could tell him. He would get the feeling of the movie and read the script. He was a theater man… a beautiful artist.. 66. Chaplin, Treasures from the Vault: The Masters Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 67. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, Liner Notes, 37, 1996.. 27.

(28) When you listen to his work, it stands out in bowed relief. does not date. 68. That music and his treatment of it. The talents of the Freed Unit, MGM’s Music Department, and countless others were vital to the success of the Freed Unit musicals, which has often been hailed as the best of the best at MGM:. These men and women were more than stars, musicians, entertainers, and. creative individuals.. 68. They were artists.. Martin, Treasures from the Vault: The Master’s Behind the Musicals, DVD, 2009.. 28.

(29) ACT II: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS IS HERE TO STAY. 29.

(30) Chapter 4 An American in Paris: From Symphonic Hall to Celluloid. Of MGM’s musicals from the 1950s, An American in Paris won not only six Oscar’s from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, including ones for “Best Picture and “Best Scoring of a Musical” for Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin, but special recognition was also received by producer Arthur Freed and actor Gene Kelly. Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. 69. Freed was honored with the. The same night, most notably for his contributions. towards the An American in Paris Ballet, Kelly was unanimously selected and received his Honorary Oscar: In appreciation for his contributions to the creation and improvement of the motion picture musical film; not only because of his extreme versatility as an actor, singer, director, and dancer, but because of his specific and brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film… 70. An American in Paris is considered a significant part of American culture, especially in the entertainment and musical genre of the Hollywood film musical, and it was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1993. The idea to use George Gershwin’s tone poem, An American in Paris as the setting for a movie stems from Freed’s interest of building film projects around the song portfolios of particular composers, but to produce a “biography” utilizing selected numbers from the George and Ira Gershwin song catalogue was not considered by Freed; Warner Brothers, MGM’s biggest competitor at the time, had already produced the romanticized biographical picture Rhapsody in Blue (Irving Rapper, 1945) based on Gershwin’s life and career.. 69. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, CD Liner Notes, 23, 1996.. 70. Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 344.. 30.

(31) On the evening of November 21, 1949, over a Saturday evening game of billiards, Ira agreed to sell the rights to An American in Paris under one condition: that all the music come exclusively from the Gershwin catalogue. 71. This stipulation not only enabled MGM to. acquire the use of the Gershwin song catalogue, but Ira Gershwin would remain an active participant in the project, adding new lyrics if requested. 72. What Freed envisioned to do. with Gershwin’s symphonic tone poem, An American in Paris, was to set it to an original screenplay written by Alan Jay Lerner, and highlight it with musical numbers set to popular songs from the Gershwin song catalogue.. The tone poem was to be as the music for a. cinematic ballet, the artistic highlight of the film. To direct the film, Freed chose Vincente Minnelli.. An ardent Francophile,. Minnelli’s natural affinity for the project was supported even more by his personal friendship with the Gershwins dating back to the 1930s. Moreover, Minnelli had been one of Freed’s prized directors for several years, though he had not directed a musical since The Pirate of 1948. In order to write the screenplay, Freed approached Alan Jay Lerner, a member of the Lerner and Loewe music collaboration team which had already met success on Broadway with Brigadoon (later adapted to a film musical by the Freed Unit and directed by Vincent Minnelli). With the main elements of the concept in place; the use of Gershwin’s tone poem for the ballet, access to the Gershwin song catalogue, and Kelly portraying the American in Paris, it was up to Lerner to weave these elements together into a cohesive scenario for the cinematic audience.. 71. Tucci, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer, DVD, Chapter 13, 2002.. 72. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, CD Liner Notes, 4, 1996.. 31.

(32) Also fascinated with the project and the Parisian milieu was Gene Kelly, who was selected by Freed to play the romantic lead and painting protagonist, Jerry Mulligan. Kelly was certain that this project, one with a major ballet as its centerpiece, would be a worthy next step following his landmark achievements as star, co-choreographer, and co-director of Freed’s musical project, On the Town (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, from 1949). 73 To develop story ideas, Lerner considered Gershwin’s impetus to compose An American in Paris; which is an impressionistic musical expression of Gershwin’s Parisian living experiences in the 1920s. During his tenure in Paris, Gershwin studied musical composition, as well as painting. As a result, Lerner decided to make the protagonist a painter, a concept which greatly fit with director Minnelli and Kelly’s mutual appreciation of the great Parisian artists of the 1800s. The film would be a love story, in which Gershwin’s music and songs would be utilized to express the essence of its characters.. Set against a. Paris represented by French and Dutch (Van Gogh) impressionist painters, the artistic climax of the piece would be the An American in Paris ballet. Set in post-World War II France, An American in Paris is the tale of Jerry Mulligan, (played by Gene Kelly), an ex-GI and painter living in Paris, France, the art center of the world and modern utopia; an ideal environment for sensitive romantics.. A love triangle. ensues between Jerry, Lise, (played by Leslie Caron), and French musical star Henri Baurel, (portrayed actor Georges Guetary), with both men unknowingly falling for the same girl. To complicate matters, Jerry’s art patron, Milo Roberts, (played by Nina Foch), is an American art enthusiast and heiress who resides in Paris, is attracted to Jerry for more than his abilities as a painter; financing his career and supplying a studio for him to work in. This results in Jerry giving Milo his rather reluctant attention. It is Jerry’s, relationship with. 73. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, CD Liner Notes, 5, 1996.. 32.

(33) Lise which gives him the needed burst of creative energy and inspiration to paint enough canvases for his first show, although Milo thinks otherwise and that she is his inspiration. Musical supervision on An American in Paris, was the responsibility of Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin.. Not only was Green a talented conductor, composer, and arranger, he. was also the head of MGM’s massive music department at the time, and had a prior association with the Gershwins as a music copyist for their Rosalie in 1927. 74. In addition to. being one of the major guiding forces behind the film and its music, Green had been a one-time Gershwin student. 75. Chaplin was vital in adapting the vocal music, adapting the. paired ballet themes and paintings to fit with the order that the paintings would appear in the ballet sequence. After a collaborative effort with Johnny Green for MGM’s Summer Stock (Charles Walters, 1950), Chaplin received a call from Green saying, ‘We’re going to be doing An American in Paris!’ 76. The only aspect of the film known at this time was that all the music. would be from the Gershwin catalogue and that the famous tone poem would be used for the ballet.. In selecting numbers for routines and others which would be assembled into the. score, attention given to the music was crucial. Chaplin, Minnelli, and Kelly met periodically at Ira’s to go over the songs to be considered for the film. Before meeting with Ira Gershwin they all unknowingly picked the same ballad for the love song: “Love is Here to Stay.” It was the last song George Gershwin composed. 77 While it was originally meant for The Goldwyn Follies (Samuel Goldwyn, 1938), “Love is. 74. Feltenstein, An American in Paris , CD Liner Notes, 6, 1996.. 75. Feltenstein, An American in Paris , CD Liner Notes, 26, 1996.. 76. Ibid, 26, 1996.. 77. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 132.. 33.

(34) Here to Stay” became popular as a result of An American in Paris. 78. Other standards. chosen for inclusion in the film included: “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You,” “S’Wonderful,” and Vincente’s favorite, “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise.” 79. 78. Feltenstein, An American in Paris, CD Liner Notes, 27, 1996.. 79. Chaplin, The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me, 132.. 34.

(35) Chapter 5 Lovers by the Seine. Throughout the narrative of An American in Paris, the protagonists, Lise and Jerry, are connected by one of two themes; a popular ballad, “Love is Here to Stay,” and a “blues” theme which they dance to in the An American in Paris Ballet sequence. It is to these two themes their relationship develops. The first time we hear the first of their love themes, “Love is Here to Stay,” occurs when Lise and Jerry dance at the Café Flodair. In a medley of Gershwin tunes played by the house jazz ensemble, the Benny Carter Orchestra two short snippets of their theme are heard. The “A” section is heard twice: first when Jerry goes over to Lise’s table and invites her to dance, it is heard in its entirety and the opening lines when Jerry sings to her while they dance.. While they make their way onto the dance floor, the entire “B” section is heard. under their dialogue.. The minute the music stops, Jerry and Lise stop dancing and we do. not hear this tune again in this café scene.. While it is unknown to the characters that they. are destined to be together, the music sets up and emphasizes this key plot point for the audience, which comes to fruition in the end. The end of the café scene is not the end of this theme and its association for Jerry. While he’s in the car with his benefactress, Milo, he sings the refrain of “Love is Here to Stay”.. It’s clear he’s thinking about Lise and not the company his evening started out with,. Milo.. The following morning, Jerry hums the same melody when he calls Lise at the. perfume shop for a date, only to be rejected. Right after Jerry’s unsuccessful phone call, the main theme of the symphonic poem is heard without any dialogue.. Before their nighttime. musical number on the banks of the Seine, Jerry again sings the refrain to Lise and she hums it in the midst of their dialogue.. After their dance by the Seine, this theme is heard while. Jerry paints Lise’s portrait, both by the Seine and in his studio.. 35. When it’s heard in his studio,.

(36) it interrupts the painting medley montage, “Tra-La-La” and “Love is Here to Stay”; only to be interrupted when Milo arrives.. Milo’s arrival not only interrupts Jerry and Lise’s theme,. but the work Jerry’s doing on Lise’s portrait which he hides with another painting in progress.. The Music is Very Clear. Musically, “Love is Here to Stay,” foreshadows the romance between Jerry and Lise. This song is one of two forms of thematic material associated with these two characters. The other theme which hints at and weaves its way into its eventual prominence is their ballet theme, the so-called “blues” theme.. Section A. Measures 1-8. B. 9-16. A. 17-24. B’. 25-32. Table 1.. Detail Two two-measure phrases, repeated Cadence in measure 4, thwarted in measure 8 Circle-of-fourths, descending-thirds sequence, doesn’t cadence “It’s very clear” replaced with “But, oh my dear,” same music Technological objects replaced with geographical, same musical shape Refrain is added at the end. Musical form of “Love is Here to Stay”. Figure 1. Excerpt from “Love is Here to Stay,” No. 1. Gershwin. 36. Music by George Gershwin.. Lyrics by Ira.

(37) Even though the pick-up measure to the “A” section begins with a C7 (V7 in F major), the expected arrival on I is thwarted with a move to a G9 (II) chord. This thwarted arrival is a feature of this song, and forms a strong relation between harmony and lyrics. Four measures after the start of the “A” section and on the word “stay,” the tonic arrives. While the fourth line has a similar musical shape to the second, there are two alterations which thwart the expected tonic chord. Both the first and second half of the “A” section have a similar melodic shape.. In. the first instance, while the fifth and seventh measures are identical in melodic pitch to the first and third, this is not the case for the alternating measures. two and four are raised a third in measures six and eight.. Rather, the F in measures. The other alteration is that the. desired tonic chord is changed and a bVII—(V/ii) is used, which sets up the harmony for the “B” section. (Figure 1). Figure 2. Excerpt from “Love is Here to Stay,” No. 2. Music by George Gershwin. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin. 37.

(38) The “B” section is characterized by a circle-of-fifths, descending-thirds sequence and secondary dominants. The only time a tonic chord appears, it does not function as one. While the I△7 is a resting point, it occurs in the middle of the text, and the forward motion of the lyrics which thwart this tonic chord as a strong resting point. Here, it functions as a secondary dominant (V△7/IV) which moves swiftly to its resolution, a IV Major 7. Throughout the “B” section, while there are no functional tonic chords or cadences, but there is a sequence.. At the close of the “B” section, measures 14-15, the harmoniy break away. from the sequence and resolution of the G7 (V7/V) in measure 14 is delayed until measure 16, which is the return of the “A” section. (Figure 2) There is a strong relationship between the end of the sequence and its timing with Ira’s lyrics. The sequence is present until the word “go,” where it ends and is gone. Musically, the B section’s sequence represents the advancement and changes in technological devices; the radio, telephone, and movies.. However, while the description of the devices. and its musical association end, the phrase does not cadence on a tonic, but a minor ii7 chord. Yet, if a strong cadence was used here, there would be no need for the following two verses, nor would the eventual arrival of the tonic be as significant as it is. But, oh my dear, Our love is here to stay; Together we're Going a long, long way.. The return of the “A” section is identical to its initial appearance, down to the bVII substitution for the tonic to lead into a truncated circle-of-fifths, descending-thirds sequence. The refrain is stated within the first two lines, the latter half of the verse supports the thesis. From here, the music goes into a coda, the truncated reinforcement and restatement of the first three verses.. 38.

(39) In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, They're only made of clay, But our love is here to stay. After the second instance of the sequential passage, there is a two-measure break from the sequence, which is commented on musically and lyrically.. Like its accompanying lyrics,. “they’re only made of clay,” also a comment on the previous two lines of text, these two measures are harmonically “unstable,” an bVII7-II7-IV-vio (Eb9-D7-Bb-Ddim) chord coloration. At the same time, the harmony is the musical impression of the lyrics. Centered around the fifth, to anticipate the arrival of the tonic, the mediant and subdominant form harmonic counterpoints to the erodable topography. The harmony, construction, and treatment of “Love is Here to Stay” prove that this not “just another popular song,” and, as with nearly all songs of this period, it is a narrative in itself.. The Scene by the Seine. At night and away from the masses of Paris, Jerry and Lise do their musical number on the banks of the Seine.. Placement of the scene at night and in the shadows further. enforces the secrecy in which they keep their relationship from their respective other; Milo for Jerry, Henri for Lise. In a later scene, it is clear that Lise wants to keep it a secret when she exclaims to Jerry, “Oh!. Jerry, we have so little time together.. Can’t we have our own. special world and not talk about anything that happens when we’re apart?” 80. The secluded. area allows Jerry and Lise to move freely, uninhibited by a crowded dance floor as when they first danced together. Moreover, they isolate themselves from the mainstream of Paris, and this further enforces the clandestine nature of their relationship.. Even when Jerry works on. Lise’s portrait, he does so in an isolated area, be it by the Seine or alone in his studio.. 80. An American in Paris, DVD, Chapter 24, 1999.. 39.

(40) For the number to be integrated into the film, there should be a way to segue into the musical number to make it appear as though it occurs naturally, spontaneously, and part of the developing drama.. The segue in this scene begins with two aural cues; first Jerry sings. the same two lines he sang at the nightclub to Lise, then she hums the same two lines soon after. These cues are both signals and reminders to the audience that music plays an integral role in the advancement of the plot and romantic development of the protagonists.. Shot. Shot Type. Action. 1. Mid-range. 2. Close-up. Lise to camera Lise stops Lise out of shot Lise turns, leans against wall, looks at Jerry. 3. Mid-range Panning Close-up. Jerry on Seine bank, sings Jerry gets up, slowly walks to Lise Jerry against wall, next to Lise. Section of Music A. A B B A. Lyric/Instrumental Detail* “clear”, music starts “stay” “year” Last line, “day” 1st line 2nd line “But” “way”. Coda 4. 5. Crane. Crane pulls away from action. Jerry in front of Lise Dance #1 Jerry stops Lise (hand) Pirouette #1 Pirouette #2 Dance #2 Kiss Jerry and Lise walk away from camera, arm in arm. “clay” ABA, instrumental. A, Coda, instrumental. “stay”, “year” “together” “passing fancy” “love” “stay”, violin line remains. *The orchestra plays the melody throughout the dance break. Table 2. Love is Here to Stay, Scene. To allow for continuity from the previous shot focused on Jerry and Lise sitting on the bank of the Seine, Jerry does not begin to sing to Lise until after she gets up and slowly walks towards the camera.. Until the musical number, aside from the aforesaid aural cues, there is. no music in this scene until Jerry starts to sing. For three beats, he sings a capella and music is not heard until he sings “clear”, as the strings make a smooth, gradual entrance to accompany Jerry’s lyrics.. 40.

(41) When he sings “stay,” Lise, the camera, and musical line pause on the word; the cadence point of the four-measure musical phrase and all the musical information needed to construct the “A” section of the music.. On “stay,” Lise smiles towards the camera, but Jerry. cannot see this and does not know that he is closer to winning her over. Both the pause of the camera, action, and Lise’s reaction in the scene enforces this musical sense of arrival and further enforces what Jerry is saying through music. The action that does continue to maintain continuity and the flow of the musical line is accomplished via Jerry’s lyrics. (Table 2) The next shot, akin to a prolonged cut, allows the audience to see Lise’s reaction as Jerry finishes the first verse; Jerry continues to sing and leads both the audience and Lise into the “B” section of the music and the third shot. Key regarding Lise’s reaction is the way it is captured by the camera, and that it is the first time Jerry sees her smile in the musical number. (Table 2) The third shot slowly pans across the scene as Jerry walks toward Lise, moving in tandem with the action and music. Interesting to note while Jerry sings to convince Lise that he’s correct, this takes place during the most harmonically complex section of the music, the secondary-dominant and descending-thirds sequence.. The concluding line of this return. of the “A” section has the camera, lyrics, and action choreographed together in such a way to further enforce Jerry’s thesis.. Jerry does not sing “Together we’re going a long, long way,”. until he leans against the wall and next to Lise. This is the first instance in the musical number where they are next to each other and either do not try to vividly move away from the other.. (Table 2). 41.

(42) It is in the midst of the continuing movement of the close-up towards Lise and Jerry that the coda begins, a summary and restatement of Jerry’s thesis.. The first three lines of. the coda are similar in their intent to the “B” section, but natural objects versus technological advances are the comparative material used. When the camera arrives at a close-up of Jerry and Lise, Jerry’s relatively minute actions occur with the music.. In time with a harp glissando, (the instrument used to subtly. draw attention to key moments in this scene), Jerry puts his hand on the wall and moves out of the shadow as he sings the line, “Our love is here to stay,”; the pause in any motion but the instrumental to maintain continuity into the next shot and the audiences attention, gracefully orchestrated in such a way that visually and aurally Jerry’s thesis is confirmed. The meticulous attention and acute movements raise a particular consciousness which suggests that movement will eventually dominate as a kinesthetic interpretation of the music, emotions, and the scene.. (Table 2). The fourth shot signals the start of the dance sequence, an enforcement of Jerry’s thesis, in which the development of the choreography determined by the progression of the music.. This shot encompasses the majority of the dance number, a visual interpretation of. the four verses and the music.. In contrast to the first half of the musical number, the. strength of the orchestra increases as it now functions as both melody and harmony for the dance, with the dance being Lise and Jerry’s apparently spontaneous interpretation of the music.. (Table 2) The largest motions in this shot occur in a series of balletic leaps and pirouettes when. the orchestra is at its fullest, notably the prominence and color of the strings and the action occur during the instrumental equivalent of the fourth verse.. While Jerry is sure of himself. and what he has stated, Lise is not yet convinced, made evident in how she is a bit hesitant to dance with him. Their paired choreography reflects Lise’s slowly diminishing uncertainty;. 42.

(43) their action literally circling around the issue.. Still, while Lise follows Jerry’s lead and the. camera follows their actions, the timing and pacing of these movements is determined by the music.. The strings gradually open and it is not until the music has expanded that Lise. displays her first instance of trust with Jerry, enforced by the close-up from the camera, and aurally represented through the music.. After the instrumental equivalent of the word “stay,”. Lise tries to leave Jerry and walks toward the camera, but she fails to do so; he grabs her hand to stop her in an instance when the camera stops its action as well.. At the same time,. continuity is maintained by the musical line. That is the only form of motion while the camera and action are paused.. (Table 2). When the dance sequence arrives at the “B” section of the music (as stated previously, the most harmonically complex), Lise’s trust towards Jerry has grown exponentially, and it continues to grow throughout this section of the dance. During the dance sequence, the orchestral color develops, though it remains restrained to set up for later instances of musical contrast.. For the first time, Chaplin moves the orchestration away from the sole use of the. strings and trumpet heard at the start of the “B” section.. This trumpet solo is prominently. heard above the strings until the instrumental equivalent of the first half of verse three, the first verse in the “B” section.. (Table 2). Immediately afterwards, at the start of the next line, the orchestration reverts back to strings only.. For the remainder of the shot, a return of the “A” section, the orchestration. returns primarily to the strings.. A marked change in this return to the “A” section is the. prominence of the harp glissando heard as Jerry and Lise spin together, their action a kinesthetic interpretation of this glissando and bisecting the instrumental verse. Furthermore, the orchestration reverts back to the strings and only the strings after the spin and for the conclusion of the main portion of the dance sequence.. 43. (Table 2).