Ziegfeld Follies (1946)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Directors:

Lemuel Ayers
Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

John Murray Anderson (writer)
Lemuel Ayers (story)

Release Date:

8 April 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Flashing...smashing SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT! DAZZLING IN ITS BEAUTY...PACKED WITH GLORIOUS Melodies! (original print media ad - many caps)

Plot:

The late, great impresario Florenz Ziegfeld looks down from heaven and ordains a new revue in his grand old style. |

Plot Keywords:

Revue | Florenz Ziegfeld | Heaven | Ziegfeld Follies | Puppetry

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Himself (in "Here's to the Ladies") / Raffles (in "This Heart of Mine") / Tai Long (in "Limehouse Blues") / Gentleman (in "The Babbit and the Bromide")
Lucille Ball	...	Herself in 'Here's to the Ladies'
Lucille Bremer	...	Princess in 'This Heart of Mine' / Moy Ling in 'Limehouse Blues'
Fanny Brice	...	Norma in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket'
Judy Garland	...	The Star in 'A Great Lady Has An Interview'
Kathryn Grayson	...	Herself in 'Beauty'
Lena Horne	...	Herself in 'Love'
Gene Kelly	...	Gentleman in 'The Babbit and the Bromide'
James Melton	...	Alfredo in scene from 'La Traviata'
Victor Moore	...	Lawyer's Client in 'Pay the Two Dollars'
Red Skelton	...	J. Newton Numbskull in 'When Television Comes'
Esther Williams	...	Herself in 'A Water Ballet'
William Powell	...	Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
Edward Arnold	...	Lawyer in 'Pay the Two Dollars'
Marion Bell	...	Violetta in scene from 'La Traviata'

Also Known As:

Ziegfeld Follies of 1944 (USA: Spanish title) (working title)
Ziegfeld Follies of 1946 (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The horse ridden by Lucille Ball is the Lone Ranger's Silver.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "A Great Lady Has An Interview," Judy Garland is continuously pushing her hair back out of her face during the interview portion of the scene. However, when the musical part begins her hair is firmly fixed up off of her face and stays that way until the end of the number when her dance moves have obviously loosened it up enough to start falling in her face again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.: Ah... Saturday, September twenty fifth. Another heavenly day. Ah, yes. Always a heavenly day.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie (1993) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Wot Cher!

Fluffy all-star musical is lavish entertainment in the grand MGM style...

Originally, 'Ziegfeld Follies' included a number of other sketches that were discarded after several previews revealed their weak points. What was left was finally released two years later, a post-war musical that provided the kind of escapism fare audiences were still seeking from MGM. For me, the high point of the sketches is the Fred Astaire-Lucille Bremer number, 'Limehouse Blues', filmed using some of the old sets left over from 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. Another Astaire knockout is the amusing 'This Heart of Mine' where he is a pickpocket after Bremer's jewels. Judy Garland shows a wonderful sense of humor with her 'The Great Lady Gives An Interview' routine. Her comic timing was never delivered with more polish and sophistication. Some of the other musical numbers are appealing but all of the comedy scenes seemed to be straining for laughs and do nothing but date the film badly. A good technicolor print of this one will blow you away with its palette of rich colors and design. I liked the opening number with Lucille Ball cracking a whip over a bevy of cat-like beauties. If you're not keen about MGM musicals, stay away from this one. For me, it was pure gold.