From 1928 through 1969, musicals were not only the dominant genre of cinema entertainment, but a field in which Hollywood reigned supreme. Top stars such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra were as popular worldwide as they were in the U.S.A. Indeed, Sinatra once told me there were more members in his British fan clubs than his combined U.S. and Canadian. Admittedly, this was in 1967 when he was in England making that fine, under-rated thriller, “The Naked Runner”. In this book, we find him in “Can-Can”, “On the Town”, “Room Service”, “Till the Clouds Roll By” and “High Society”. Bing Crosby features in “High Society” too, of course, but we also find him starring in “Road to Rio”, “Road to Bali” and “Blue Skies”, as well as guesting in “Let’s Make Love”. All told, this book’s 199 pages cover no less than 185 great musicals, of which 55 are reviewed in exhaustive detail. And the really good news is that almost all are currently available in excellent DVD pressings, as indicated in the book.
Reid is a movie lover as well as a movie critic. While he bends over backwards to stress a movie’s solid entertainment qualities, he is not afraid to cite areas that failed or that could have been improved. It’s an asset to know how these qualities rate. If you’re prepared to be a little disappointed, you’ll find the movie more entertaining than you expect. Of course, the reverse also holds true. It’s a good policy to take over-enthusiastic reviews with a pinch of salt, and that way you’ll always come out smiling. In short, I would rate this book as an essential must-have item for all fans who enjoy movie musicals. (Print length: 199 pages). (Approximately 67,000 words).
Reid is a movie lover as well as a movie critic. While he bends over backwards to stress a movie’s solid entertainment qualities, he is not afraid to cite areas that failed or that could have been improved. It’s an asset to know how these qualities rate. If you’re prepared to be a little disappointed, you’ll find the movie more entertaining than you expect. Of course, the reverse also holds true. It’s a good policy to take over-enthusiastic reviews with a pinch of salt, and that way you’ll always come out smiling. In short, I would rate this book as an essential must-have item for all fans who enjoy movie musicals. (Print length: 199 pages). (Approximately 67,000 words).
