On which corner, Cyd?

ptb-8

This almost unknown musical, like the (better) also forgotten IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (1955) are two of MGM's real treasurebox surprises: modern time musicals instead of fantasy or historical setting musicals. VEGAS is yes, an advertisement for Las Vegas.... and the pre ratpack snazzy nightclub 1955 Las Vegas we all can dream about having been able to visit. With excellent MGM star cameos and even stylish and breathtaking Lena Horne solos this is a raucous rude musical with star turns in slot machine heaven. Jerry Colonna hosts a genuinely riotous number called 'My Lucky Charm" with showgirls dressed in such a funny array of hilarious goofy costumes, I am sure Mel Brooks pinched the 'look' when adding a new level of ridiculous to 'Springtime For Hitler" in "The Producers". The same idea turns up a year later in PAL JOEY with the "My Funny Valentine" tawdriness and costumes. It is a really funny number and as other commenters on this site will tell you, has Cyd wander drunk onto the stage and hilariously wreck the whole routine. The ballet sequence: Frankie and Johnny is a sensation and appears in one of the MGM That's Entertainment/ Dancing films. However, one really scary and sinister dance number is called 'The Girl in the Yellow Collar" with rough bumpkin men hounding Cyd alone around a tree, and is almost like a pack rape scenario. It is a horrible number, subconsciously un nerving with all these lustful rednecks pursuing this gorgeous dancer like a pack of sex hungry men. Otherwise this film is a dance and time/vogue sensation and well worth seeing in Cinemascope.... not the irritating and ridiculous pan and scan cropping of VHS.

score 7/10

ptb-8 17 June 2006

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1395410/