What has an all star cast, including Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Lucille Ball, Esther Williams, Fanny Brice, William Powell, Lena Horne, Red Skelton, and a myriad of great MGM supporting players, yet still has all the entertainment value of an Army training film? Why it's "Ziegfeld Follies," an overblown, pretentious, ineptly executed and tedious sketch musical/comedy, the worst musical I've ever seen. For those who are not familiar with them, sketch musical comedies are a serious of musical interludes and comedy sketches connected by the thinnest of plot devices. Here, the late Florenz Ziefeld (William Powell) plans a new musical follies from his mansion in heaven. Perhaps what best sums up the ineptitude of "Follies" is having Fred Astaire, arguably the world's greatest dancer, perform with Louise Bremer, who can't dance a lick(!) The director must resort to having Ms. Bremer on a rotating platform during one of the numbers.
Perhaps it's not fair of me to review this film, because my wife and I gave up after the first hour of tedium, having fast forwarded through the stale comedy sketches. Nonetheless, I believe viewers should be forewarned. If you don't like the first ten minutes, you won't like the first hour and you have been forewarned.
Perhaps it's not fair of me to review this film, because my wife and I gave up after the first hour of tedium, having fast forwarded through the stale comedy sketches. Nonetheless, I believe viewers should be forewarned. If you don't like the first ten minutes, you won't like the first hour and you have been forewarned.