#100yearsofmoviemusicals — Public Fediverse posts

100 Years of Movie Musicals: The Pirate (1948)

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the movie musical, and to celebrate I’m embarking on a two-year project to watch 100 movie musicals from 1927 to the present!

Title: The Pirate
Release Date: May 20, 1948
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Judy Garland as Manuela
• Gene Kelly as Serafin
• Walter Slezak as Don Pedro Vargas
• Gladys Cooper as Aunt Inez
• Reginald Owen as the advocate
• George Zucco as the viceroy
• Specialty Dance sequence by the Nicholas Brothers
• Lester Allen as Uncle Capucho
• Lola Deem as Isabella
• Ellen Ross as Mercedes
• Mary Jo Ellis as Lizarda
• Jean Dean as Casilda
• Marion Murray as Eloise
• Ben Lessy as Gumbo
• Jerry Bergen as Bolo
• Val Setz as juggler
• Gaudsmith Brothers as themselves
• Cully Richards as Trillo
• Dorothy Tuttle as dancer (uncredited)

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

A girl is engaged to the local richman, but meanwhile she has dreams about the legendary pirate Macoco. A traveling singer falls in love with her and to impress her he poses as the pirate.

My Thoughts:

Judy Garland inexplicably stars as a character named Manuela, fated to marry a dull older man when she dreams of the romance of the pirates of the Carribean.  A traveling performed named Serafin falls for Manuela, and attempts to woo her by pretending to be a notorious pirate.  Serafin’s aggressive approach and womanizing comes off very creepy, not just in our time, but in the movie itself when Manuela responds by throwing every object in the room at him, very appropriate in context.  But the musical numbers are wonderful with Kelly and Garland playing to their strengths, and a cameo performance by the Nicholas Brothers.

Rating: ***

100 Years of Movie Musicals: The Pirate (1948)

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the movie musical, and to celebrate I’m embarking on a two-year project to watch 100 movie musicals from 1927 to the present!

Title: The Pirate
Release Date: May 20, 1948
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Judy Garland as Manuela
• Gene Kelly as Serafin
• Walter Slezak as Don Pedro Vargas
• Gladys Cooper as Aunt Inez
• Reginald Owen as the advocate
• George Zucco as the viceroy
• Specialty Dance sequence by the Nicholas Brothers
• Lester Allen as Uncle Capucho
• Lola Deem as Isabella
• Ellen Ross as Mercedes
• Mary Jo Ellis as Lizarda
• Jean Dean as Casilda
• Marion Murray as Eloise
• Ben Lessy as Gumbo
• Jerry Bergen as Bolo
• Val Setz as juggler
• Gaudsmith Brothers as themselves
• Cully Richards as Trillo
• Dorothy Tuttle as dancer (uncredited)

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

A girl is engaged to the local richman, but meanwhile she has dreams about the legendary pirate Macoco. A traveling singer falls in love with her and to impress her he poses as the pirate.

My Thoughts:

Judy Garland inexplicably stars as a character named Manuela, fated to marry a dull older man when she dreams of the romance of the pirates of the Carribean.  A traveling performed named Serafin falls for Manuela, and attempts to woo her by pretending to be a notorious pirate.  Serafin’s aggressive approach and womanizing comes off very creepy, not just in our time, but in the movie itself when Manuela responds by throwing every object in the room at him, very appropriate in context.  But the musical numbers are wonderful with Kelly and Garland playing to their strengths, and a cameo performance by the Nicholas Brothers.

Rating: ***