Oddly, when Frank Borzage's oeuvre, most of it long unavailable on home video, started to creep out on DVD, much of what appeared was lesser works from late in his career: no Moonrise, but instead China Doll (1958, released in the UK), and Magnificent Doll (1946, released in Spain). The balance was corrected by the sumptuous Murnau, Borzage and Fox box set (see The Notebook's coverage of that here, here, here,here, here and here).
The Doll diptych would be a doubtful introduction to Borzage's world, but both films are rewarding to the viewer who has already seen a few of the classics. Particularly of note is the way China Doll blatantly recycles a wonderful moment from Street Angel (1928), where the hero holds his cigarette lighter by the heroine's face to see her on a dark night, showing how consistent Borzage's concerns had remained over thirty years.
Magnificent Doll at first...
The Doll diptych would be a doubtful introduction to Borzage's world, but both films are rewarding to the viewer who has already seen a few of the classics. Particularly of note is the way China Doll blatantly recycles a wonderful moment from Street Angel (1928), where the hero holds his cigarette lighter by the heroine's face to see her on a dark night, showing how consistent Borzage's concerns had remained over thirty years.
Magnificent Doll at first...
- 3/24/2011
- MUBI
Kathryn Grayson on TCM Schedule and synopses from the TCM website: 3:00 Am Seven Sweethearts (1942) A father insists that his seven daughters marry in order, from eldest to youngest. Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, S.Z. Sakall. Dir: Frank Borzage. Bw-98 mins. 4:48 Am Short Film: We Must Have Music (1941) Bw-11 mins. 5:00 Am Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (1941) On the verge of graduation, a high-school boy decides he needs a social secretary. Cast: Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Kathryn Grayson. Dir: George B. Seitz. Bw-101 mins. 7:00 Am Two Sisters From Boston (1946) Two girls with Broadway aspirations find work in a Bowery saloon. Cast: June Allyson, Kathryn Grayson, Jimmy Durante. Dir: Henry Koster. Bw-112 mins. 9:00 Am Anchors Aweigh (1945) A pair of sailors on leave try to help a movie extra become a singing star. Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson. Dir: George Sidney. C-139 mins. 11:30 [...]...
- 8/10/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Singer and Hollywood star best known for her roles in MGM musicals of the 1940s and 50s
When coloratura soprano Kathryn Grayson, who has died aged 88, sang five songs, including an aria from La Traviata, in MGM's all-star patriotic parade, Thousands Cheer (1943), she began her 10-year reign as the prima donna of Hollywood. With her china-doll features, little turned-up nose and patrician manner, Grayson raised the tone of more than a dozen musicals. Although opera managers did not beat a path to her door, her clear, slightly shrill, small voice carried well on film in popular classics and operatic scenes.
Her classical training led her not to the opera house, but to the radio, in particular The Eddie Cantor Show, on which she was discovered by an MGM talent scout at the age of 18 in 1940. In the same year, she married the minor film actor John Shelton.
In her first film,...
When coloratura soprano Kathryn Grayson, who has died aged 88, sang five songs, including an aria from La Traviata, in MGM's all-star patriotic parade, Thousands Cheer (1943), she began her 10-year reign as the prima donna of Hollywood. With her china-doll features, little turned-up nose and patrician manner, Grayson raised the tone of more than a dozen musicals. Although opera managers did not beat a path to her door, her clear, slightly shrill, small voice carried well on film in popular classics and operatic scenes.
Her classical training led her not to the opera house, but to the radio, in particular The Eddie Cantor Show, on which she was discovered by an MGM talent scout at the age of 18 in 1940. In the same year, she married the minor film actor John Shelton.
In her first film,...
- 2/20/2010
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Here's the lovely Kathryn Grayson singing "You, The Waltz and I" from Seven Sweethearts (1942). She died yesterday in Los Angeles at 88.
The Grayson performance I've seen most often is her ornery stage star 'Lilli Vanessi' from her penultimate film, the 3D musical Kiss Me Kate (1953). No, James Cameron didn't invent 3D. If I recall correctly Kathryn does throws things at the screen during her temper tantrums. She even made a blink and you'll miss her cameo in my diva loving music video "She's a B****".
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
I have only seen a handful of her films -- including the Gene Kelly musicals of course -- but I'm always sad when the golden age performers go. Especially the singing stars. Sigh. We shan't see their like again. We definitely shan't hear the likes of Grayson again... since this style of soprano singing is only heard nowadays when someone pops in a Snow White DVD.
The Grayson performance I've seen most often is her ornery stage star 'Lilli Vanessi' from her penultimate film, the 3D musical Kiss Me Kate (1953). No, James Cameron didn't invent 3D. If I recall correctly Kathryn does throws things at the screen during her temper tantrums. She even made a blink and you'll miss her cameo in my diva loving music video "She's a B****".
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
I have only seen a handful of her films -- including the Gene Kelly musicals of course -- but I'm always sad when the golden age performers go. Especially the singing stars. Sigh. We shan't see their like again. We definitely shan't hear the likes of Grayson again... since this style of soprano singing is only heard nowadays when someone pops in a Snow White DVD.
- 2/19/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Kathryn Grayson, the lilting soprano who starred in the classic MGM musicals "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate" and "Anchors Aweigh," died Wednesday at her Los Angeles home. She turned 88 last week.Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953). Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
- 2/18/2010
- backstage.com
Kathryn Grayson, the lilting soprano who starred in the classic MGM musicals "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate" and "Anchors Aweigh," died Wednesday at her Los Angeles home. She turned 88 last week.
Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.
Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953).
Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.
Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.
Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953).
Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.
Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
- 2/18/2010
- by By Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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