Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory

This five-disc boxed set collects a quintet of lavish musicals from MGM's Golden Age, each one boasting big names, “hit parade” songs, and memorable production numbers. Vincente Minnelli's Ziegfeld Follies (1946), a star-studded revue featuring William Powell, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Lena Horne, Red Skelton, and Gene Kelly, among others, blends comedy with music and does its namesake Florenz Ziegfeld proud. Richard Whorf's Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), a highly fictionalized biopic of composer Jerome Kern, sports impressive guest-star turns by MGM players Garland, Horne, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Dinah Shore, and June Allyson (the film's highlight is a “digest” recreation of Kern's Broadway hit Show Boat). Another fanciful songwriter biopic, Richard Thorpe's Three Little Words (1950), stars Astaire and Skelton as tunesmiths Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, and features bouncy numbers such as “Who's Sorry Now?”, “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” and the title tune. Charles Walters' Summer Stock (1950) has a thin plot but great musical performances by Kelly and Garland, especially the latter's unforgettable “Get Happy.” Finally, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, hails from the tail end of the Golden Age and lacks some of the panache of earlier films, although there are some terrific dance sequences executed by Kelly, Dan Dailey, and Cyd Charisse. All told, this is a sensational collection that will offer countless hours of entertainment for those who love vintage Hollywood musicals. Boasting excellent transfers, the bountiful extras for these films include new featurettes, musical outtakes, vintage shorts, classic cartoons, and audio-only songs. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)