At over 3 hours long this film is just too much of a good thing. It's not even so much scenes have to be cut out as existing scenes need to be cut down. A good example of this is the joke about Held wanting to get away from Ziegfeld only to change her mind at the last second is repeated one too many times. Likewise, the musical numbers are splendid but shallow in light of having no real thematic or narrative content. The film is a light musical comedy but 3 hours of it is just too much. It's like too much sweets.
The narrative could have been deeper and darker if the film was willing to explore Ziegfeld's flaws more. But without this backbone the material is fun but hackneyed and lacking enough dramatic weight. Yet Powell is charming,Morgan is hysterical and Rainer is delightful. Enough so that even after the film has been too long you are still mostly having fun. The bloat needed to be cut or the film needed to be deeper.
Nonetheless, much of this film-the musical numbers now-is still absolutely glorious, memorizing and enchanting."A Pretty Girl is like a Melody" might be the most daring musical number ever out to screen. They are all striking and at least that part of the film doesn't drag. Too bad the film isn't in color; at least seeing the follies recreated is an absolute blast.
The narrative could have been deeper and darker if the film was willing to explore Ziegfeld's flaws more. But without this backbone the material is fun but hackneyed and lacking enough dramatic weight. Yet Powell is charming,Morgan is hysterical and Rainer is delightful. Enough so that even after the film has been too long you are still mostly having fun. The bloat needed to be cut or the film needed to be deeper.
Nonetheless, much of this film-the musical numbers now-is still absolutely glorious, memorizing and enchanting."A Pretty Girl is like a Melody" might be the most daring musical number ever out to screen. They are all striking and at least that part of the film doesn't drag. Too bad the film isn't in color; at least seeing the follies recreated is an absolute blast.