SUMMER IS THE time for musicals. I learned that at the old Avalon movie theater, which— even well into the home-video explosion of the 1980s — was Salt Lake City's go-to venue for golden oldies on the big screen.
Year after year the Avalon offered weekly double features that ranged from John Wayne westerns to "Gone With the Wind" to Marx Brothers comedies to "King Kong" to Humphrey Bogart thrillers to "Ben-Hur" to screwball comedies with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn or Myrna Loy and William Powell … and everything in between.
And one of the things Avalon patrons looked forward to each summer was an array of cheery, song-filled pictures designed to help you forget your troubles. For some reason the dog days and plots that were moved along by music just seemed to go well together (despite the fact that most of the pictures were not initially released in the summer months).
So perhaps that's one reason Warner Bros. has opened its vaults for new DVD releases of a half-dozen pictures this summer that are guaranteed to delight two very different generations of movie-musical fans (and maybe provide a tinge of nostalgia for us former Avalon regulars) — a pair of 1930s classical operettas starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, and the 1960s teen-oriented pop-rock musicals of Connie Francis.
On the surface, the duo from the 1930s and early '40s, and the pop sensation of the 1950s and '60s would seem to have little in common.
MacDonald & Eddy specialized in stylized, familiar operettas that were often stage-bound on studio sets and somewhat stiff, while Francis was a top-40 singing star thrust into a string of goofball teen comedies at a time when mores were beginning to change, making the films a bit anachronistic even during their initial engagements.
But they spoke to their respective generations, and a lot of fans out there have been eagerly awaiting DVD releases. Which is precisely what the Warner Archive burn-on-demand site is for, and since the stars were signed to MGM contracts and Warner Bros. now owns the films, here they are. At last. (Go to www.wbshop.com and click on "Warner Archive"; each is listed at $19.95.)
In 1935 when she was paired with Nelson Eddy for the first time, Jeanette MacDonald was already a movie star, having made several musicals with Maurice Chevalier, as well as a variety of comedies and dramas. But Eddy had only done a handful of singing walk-ons in a few pictures. His first real role was opposite MacDonald in "Naughty Marietta," a black-and-white adaptation of a 1910 Victor Herbert operetta (and with what would become one of their signature songs, "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life").
The film was a surprise hit and led to seven more, making MacDonald & Eddy one of the most successful musical teams in motion-picture history.
"Naughty Marietta" — a period piece starring MacDonald as a princess who trades places with her maid, while Eddy is a mercenary scout who rescues her from pirates — is one of the two newly released DVDs.
The other is "Sweethearts" (1938), with MacDonald and Eddy as modern-day married co-stars in a Broadway production of Herbert's title operetta. After the couple accepts a Hollywood deal to make movies, their Broadway co-workers plot to get them back.
"Sweethearts" is most significant, however, as MGM's first full Technicolor feature (a year before "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz"), and it won a special Oscar for the effort.
So how do they hold up? Well, to be honest, they're a bit creaky by today's standards, and Eddy was never much of an actor. But the star duo is also surrounded by terrific character players, and the songs remain glorious.
Fans are no doubt hoping the other six MacDonald-Eddy films will not be far behind.
Connie Francis acted in only four movies, often co-starring with another pair of up-and-comers, Jim Hutton and Paula Prentiss. And we children of the '60s went nuts over these silly teen musicals when we were teens ourselves (second only to the Annette Funicello-Frankie Avalon "Beach" pictures).
"Where the Boys Are" (1960) is the only title here that was previously issued on DVD, a comedy-drama following college students that invade Fort Lauderdale for spring break, and it is by far the best and most memorable of this quartet of song-laden teen flicks.
But not because of the discreet romance between the two nominal leads, Dolores Hart and George Hamilton. And not because of the tragedy that plays out with na?e Yvette Mimieux's character.
Rather, the film's success can be traced to the screen debut of Francis, vivaciously performing a pair of Neil Sedaka tunes and demonstrating a natural talent for comic timing, along with comedy riffs from Frank Gorshin, Barbara Nichols — and the warm and funny relationship that develops between Prentiss (in her first film and never more lovable) and Hutton (in his fourth film and at the peak of his casual charm).
Prentiss and Hutton demonstrated such terrific comic chemistry that they were quickly paired in three more pictures in a row before embarking on successful solo careers.
"Follow the Boys" (1963) doesn't fare nearly as well, with Francis, Prentiss, Janis Paige and Dany Robin in pursuit of the title characters around Europe (including Russ Tamblyn and Richard Long). However, Francis fans will enjoy her six songs (one of which she also wrote).
"Looking for Love" (1964) gives Francis the lead role this time around, and yes, she sings, while trying to break into show biz and pursuing eligible bachelor Hutton. Co-stars include Susan Oliver and Barbara Nichols, with cameos by her "Where the Boys Are" pals Prentiss, Hamilton and Mimieux. But the real draw may be Johnny Carson, playing himself in his only film (which provided him with a lot of self-deprecating fodder over the years for his "Tonight Show" monologues).
"When the Boys Meet the Girls" (1965) marks the third film adaptation of "Girl Crazy" (the most famous version stars Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney). Francis is teamed with Harve Presnell (in his 30s playing a college student!) and mixes Gershwin standards with '60s pop acts — Louis Armstrong, Herman's Hermits, Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, and … wait for it … Liberace! It's a real train wreck but worth a giggle, and Francis does get to sing four songs (two with Presnell).
Hey, it's summertime, and vintage silly musicals are making a comeback at a home theater near you.
EMAIL: hicks@desnews.com