User Reviews

If you're watching ZIEGFELD FOLLIES expecting a plot of any kind, or even an attempt at one, you'd probably be quite horrifically let down by this film. It's best to approach and accept it for what it is--a crazy filmic patchwork of song and dance and sketches, with some that undoubtedly work better than others, and some that are best left forgotten in the annals of film history. If you *do* bear this in mind, ZIEGFELD FOLLIES is an amusing way to spend a couple of hours as you watch these famous stars, including Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and many many more trying their utmost best to entertain you. (Admittedly, some with better success than others!)

The film opens with William Powell as Florenz Ziegfeld (reprising his role in THE GREAT ZIEGFELD for what really amounts to a cameo), looking down from heaven as he plans to put up one last, great Ziegfeld follies using the best stars of the day. What immediately follows is the trademark very very pink number, with girls galore floating by on merry-go-round horses, that segues into a rather surreal bit with Lucille Ball (properly attired in a pink fluffy concoction) brandishing a whip (oh dear) against several girls in very sexily-cut black leather body suits. It's an... interesting way to kick the film off, let's leave it at that.

There's no real way to summarise ZIEGFELD FOLLIES except by singling out one's own favourite numbers. And in the forest of boring (Keenan Wynn wastes his talents in a grating and predictable phone sketch), over-the-top (feast your eyes on Esther Williams' water ballet or Kathryn Grayson's operatic warbling as Cyd Charisse dances through bubble mountains) and just plain weird (Judy Garland performing what could well be the first rap in Classic Hollywood--it's not an altogether pretty picture), all of Astaire's contributions to the film stand out.

Astaire is the ostensible star of the film, appearing no less than four times with three gorgeous dance sequences that could certainly count among his personal best. In two of them he's partnered with Lucille Bremer to pleasing effect. "This Heart Of Mine" features Astaire in his rogue persona as he romances Bremer with dance (doesn't he always?) only to steal her jewelry... and for her to steal his heart. The better of their collaborations is the odd but intriguing "Limehouse Blues" with the two of them made up like Chinese (Astaire almost--*almost*--carries it off but ends up looking a little silly). Leaving aside stereotypes, the ballet in Tai Long's fevered dreams is quite stunning, and impeccably staged. I'm still trying to figure out how Astaire and Bremer managed to remember the exact way in which to flip their fans... I hate to think how many times they must have reshot that just to get it all perfectly synchronised!

My favourite number in ZIEGFELD FOLLIES, small surprise, is the one I was looking out for: the penultimate number, "The Babbitt & The Bromide", featuring Astaire and Kelly together on screen, performing the same routine for once in their long illustrious careers. It's a funny little number, with the two fellows they play meeting each other at every stage of their lives, only to have the same inane, mundane conversation. Then follows a small bout of onemanupship as they try to out-dance the other, right into the gates of Heaven. Watching them together is a real treat, because you know these are probably the two best dancer/singer/actors ever committed to film. It's a bit of a shame that their styles don't quite gel: Astaire floats his way through the routine as Kelly pounds the ground as only he can, so their dancing is polished, in perfect time (the timing is absolutely amazing!), but just a little bit off-kilter. It's still the best number in ZIEGFELD FOLLIES though, with Kelly's irrepressible mischief playing against Astaire's ruffled charm.

ZIEGFELD FOLLIES is really just a big, sparkly candy box of a movie--if you bear in mind that a plot was never particularly high on the mind of writers, producers, or directors, and you have a good book by your side to tide you through the (fortunately not too numerous) stretches of boredom, you're set for the evening. Keep the video ready for whenever Astaire breaks onto the screen; that's always a sign of quality. 7/10

This film is just what it says on the tin, a collection of pieces and sketches similar to those you would have seen in a real Ziegfeld show.

Introduced from Heaven by Ziegfeld himself (William Powell reprising his role of ten years earlier), the acts are rolled out one by one for our appreciation and enjoyment.

High points which spring to mind are Fred Astaire as a jewel thief, charming Lucille Bremer; and as a Chinese n'er do well wishing he could get Bremer the fan she wants. Cyd Charisse and others dancing through bubbles as Kathryn Grayson warbles 'Beauty'. Judy Garland as 'the great lady' mocking Greer Garson. And of course 'The Babbitt and the Bromide' which teams Astaire and Gene Kelly for the first time.

The comedy segments sit less well today and all are too long, however, they're not bad. Keenan Wynn struggles with a dumb telephone operator; Victor Moore has a tightwad lawyer who gets him into jail; Fanny Brice wins the Irish sweepstake; and Red Skelton advertises Guzzler's Gin.

Add Lucille Ball and her cat girls, a touch of La Traviata, and a bevy of lovelies to open and close the show, and you can see why this film was a hit on its first release.

Good for historical interest and the frequent highs, but you might find your attention wandering now and then.

The premise of this film is that Ziegfeld (with William Powell reprising his role) is in heaven thinking of his dream revue, with the rest of the movie just a playing out of that dream revue. I rather wonder about the direction, because this film managed to do what I've never seen done before - make William Powell appear hammy and amateurish in the opening moments as he plays Ziegfeld once again and then disappears for the rest of the film. Believe me, I say this as a huge fan of William Powell.

Thus there is no plot. It involves the big musical and comedy stars of MGM putting on a show of their various capabilities, and for all intents and purposes could be renamed "The Hollywood Revue of 1946" for those familiar with the original from 1929 which basically had the same purpose. Of course, technology has advanced considerably over the ensuing 17 years, but there are still some missteps. Basically, the musical numbers are good, but the comedy skits that punctuate them fall very flat and detract from the entire film. The highlight for me was seeing Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly perform together in a number. The musical numbers make this an above average film, but just barely.

It is most valuable because it shows MGM just as it begins to lose its grip as a leader in the film industry in the post-war era, and also because it reinforces what Buster Keaton always said - that MGM never "got" comedy.

No doubt the jaded postmodern cynical viewer will find plenty to pick apart in this fluff (facile metaphysics, etc.). That is their loss.

This is not one of the great MGM musicals, but at its best it does what great musicals do: it sweeps you along in a kaleidoscope of color, movement and sound. And because of these qualities this trifle IS art as surely as Citizen Kane or La Promesse are. Cinema is not just an art of--or forum for-- philosophy; it is an art of the color palette, and with The Ziegfeld Follies the technical forces of a great studio created a sometimes exquisite canvas to behold. Unfortunately, like many old films, the canvas is fading.

I first saw this film 20 years ago projected from an exceptional 16 millimeter print that brought out the full richness of the Technicolor cinematography. None of the video versions I've seen since have come close. The same is true for the 1949 John Ford western, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, which I saw many years ago in an unbelievably painterly 16mm Technicolor print. Prints of that film shown on the AMC network don't even come close to the richness of that print.

Its color alone is enough to make The Ziegfeld Follies visually entertaining for me, and that print I saw long ago convinces me that is one of the 10 or 20 most beautiful color films ever made. The merry go round scene (with Lucille Ball as I recall) in hot garish pink was particularly striking visually.

I contend that any film, even marginal or bad ones, made in the extinct and impossible to resurrect Technicolor process is worthy of seeing, because its very usage constitutes a lost art form in and of itself.

Like Ziegfeld Follies, middling films such as Kid Millions (1934), Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936), Jesse James (1939), Down Argentine Way (1940), The Gang's All Here (1943) and The Captain from Castile (1947) are worth seeing almost exclusively because of their amazing color schemes.

The biggest crack about "Tech," as cine buffs call it, is that it was not "realistic" color. Bogus line of reasoning, as no cinematic color process can ever be realistic in the sense of replicating human sight. OK maybe Roger Deakins came close in "Sid and Nancy." Admiring Ziegfeld Follies solely for its color may not be enough for you, but it's enough for me in our era of dreary cinematic color.

When I first heard about this movie, & saw that the real Fanny Brice, Red Skelton, Judy Garland, & all the other greats from this era were in this, I knew I had to see it. I only wish the whole film lived up to the sum of its parts. The star power in this movie would blow anything over.

I think the fault here is that the film comes off as a lot of dis-jointed performances which while well-staged & good, have nothing to tie you to the film & stay interested in it. The great musicals such as 2006's DreamGirls have that kind of thing. As a result, the main interest for someone watching this is to take a DVD of it with a scene menu & go to you favorite performers part in it.

After seeing Streisand play Fanny Brice, it is interesting to see the real woman as she was versus Bab's portrayal of her. This film is lavish & MGM's Technicolor is great as usual. The film just doesn't flow very well which is a shame. It looks like no one wanted to hire good writers for a script.

MGM made this on the presumption that just the stars would put people in the theater seats. I bet it did in it's time, but I only wish it had been done better now.

Let's give this movie credit for one thing: it doesn't claim to be anything other than what it is: an unconnected series of musical numbers and comedy sketches, meant to honor the late Florenz Ziegfeld. So, if that is what you want, terrific. If a particular scene bores you, you can fast-forward through it without missing anything.

The strength of the film was the wise decision to let Fred Astaire appear in more than one number. His dancing and on-screen personality are always delightful, because his joy in performing is obvious and catching. The highlight of the movie comes in the last performance, when he performs a wonderful tap-dance and singing number with Gene Kelly. They are so palpably having a good time that you almost forget how dreary so much of the rest of the film was!

The comedy sketches are absolutely the most miserable and un-funny things ever captured on celluloid. Painful, painful, painful. Good grief, do they drag on forever. Keenan Wynn performs an old Vaudeville sketch in which a man cannot get the operator to put his call through to a nearby number, while a parade of other characters have no problem putting calls through to the most obscure and distant locations on the planet. Potentially funny, yes? Well, yes, when Lou Costello did it two years earlier in "Who Done It" - that was the definitive version of the sketch. It is one of the funniest things Lou ever did. Why in the world would MGM have Wynn try to do the same sketch - he tries very hard to mimic Lou Costello's facial contortions and grunts and squeals of frustration - but it stinks.

And the "Pay him the two dollars" routine with Victor Booth and Edward Arnold - well, if this represents Vaudeville at its best, then I guess I don't regret not having been alive to see it after all. And Victor Hume takes a rare stab at comedy too; he appears to be trying to mimic Shemp Howard, and none too well at that.

The musical numbers in general are what you would expect from MGM - lavish, expensive-looking, and otherwise spectacular.

While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, I actually enjoyed the claymation at the beginning of the movie. One of the most bizarre and surreal scenes in any MGM movie ever has to be the 45 seconds of Eddie Cantor, in glorious claymation, and in blackface, for goodness sake, singing "If you knew Susie". It is hilarious, and the claymation really captures Cantor's performance style to a Tee - for comparison, I strongly suggest you watch "A Few Minutes with Eddie Cantor" (1923, in sound) on Youtube.

And speaking of classic Hollywood racial insensitivity, a long "drama in pantomime" features Fred Astaire and as a Chinese, stalking another white actress pretending to be Chinese. You really have to shake your head. And are Fred and Gene dancing in front of a statue of Civil War General Nathan Bedford Forrest? Perhaps not, but he sure looks Confederate....

Like I said, Ziegfeld Follies gives you get exactly what it claims to give you. But have the fast-forward ready.

How does one describe 'Ziegfeld Follies (1946)?' Well, I suppose the simplest description is that it's almost a live-action musical version of 'Fantasia (1940).' The film consists of a number of individual, self- contained musical numbers and comedy sketches, a tribute to the extravagant stage shows of Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., which were inspired by the Folies Bergères of Paris and ran between 1907 and 1931. William Powell, recreating his title role from the biopic 'The Great Ziegfeld (1936),' plays the master showman who, from his heavenly suite in the hereafter, decides to stage one final Follies using the stars of today. Certainly, by the 1940s, M-G-M had assembled such an astonishing selection of musical talent that their motto became "More Stars Than There Are in the Heavens" – the real-life Ziegfeld would have been licking his lips with anticipation! Fred Astaire naturally headlines the film, but he enjoys the support of an overwhelming (and eclectic) assortment of talented dancers, singers, comedians, directors, musicians and choreographers, the likes of which had never been seen before or since.

William Powell opens the film, as Ziegfeld, with his brief reminiscences on a lifetime in entertainment, utilising a rather bizarre style of stop-motion animation. However, once the music gets started – and, true to form, the Follies commence with a tribute to the American girl – we are treated to some of the most vivid and spectacular musical numbers ever devised. The world of Ziegfeld is often unaccountably weird: Lucille Ball cracking whips at dancers in feline costumes; Fred Astaire donning Oriental make-up; Lena Horne singing a fiery tribute to the fatal powers of love and lust. Judy Garland chimes in with a dead-on Katharine Hepburn impression, before performing a song that sounds suspiciously like cinema's first rap rendition. It all has the flavour of a dream, suggestive of something both fantastic and eternal. Even the out-of-place comedy sketches (Keenan Wynn eating a telephone, Victor Moore arrested for "expectorating" on public transport, Red Skelton as a drunken television host) take place in hyper-stylised surroundings, adding an element of abstract absurdism.

Astaire's three major performances are the highlights: "This Heart of Mine" and "Limehouse Blues" teamed him with the graceful Lucille Bremer. In the former, Astaire plays a sophisticated jewelery thief who charms, and subsequently falls in love with, a beautiful lady, the pair dancing and swirling elegantly on rotating floors and hidden conveyor belts. In the latter, Astaire improbably plays a proud Chinese labourer whose impossible yearning for Bremer finds life only in an atmospheric dream ballet, serving a similar purpose to the ballet in Gene Kelly's 'An American in Paris (1951).' Astaire's final, and most memorable, appearance sees him paired with Gene Kelly in "The Babbit and the Bromide," the first of only two occasions on which stars danced together, the other in 'That's Entertainment! Part II (1976).' And so, with Kathryn Grayson singing and floating gracefully through mountains of bubble bath, 'Ziegfeld Follies' draws to a close – the awakening from a long, colourful and timeless daydream, a stage performance beamed down from above.

Ziegfeld Follies is a musical comedy from 1946, from the time when they made lots of musical movies.There really isn't a plot in this movie, but who needs one anyway.As long the musical numbers are working, you really don't need a plot in a movie like this.And then there are also some really funny sketches in the movie.Especially I liked Red Skelton's and Keenan Wynn's acts.They really make you laugh.And then it is great fun to watch Fred Astaire's and Gene Kelly's musical number.This was their only musical act together.Ziegfeld Follies has many great musical numbers.The younger generation doesn't care so much about musical movies, but I'm a teen ager and I like these old musical movies.These kind of movies make me miss those times, and I wasn't even born back then!

I wasn't disappointed because there was no plot to this story. I didn't expect one, or care - I just wanted to see Fred Astire and Gene Kelly dance in the same film, and I wanted to enjoy the humor of Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, William Powell, Fanny Brice and others. It didn't hurt that Lena Horne, Kathryn Grayson, Esther Williams and more also were in this motion picture.

However to be honest and get to the point quickly: 1 - the comedy scenes were not funny and went on way too long (10 minutes and more in some skits); 2 - the song and dance numbers weren't much. I am a big fan of tap dancing and was very disappointed there was very little of it, although seeing Astaire and Kelly together in one number made me glad I watched this movie at least this once; 3 - The songs, in general, were not to my liking.

Now, to others who like those kind of ballads or that kind of dancing that was in here, this will good stuff to watch. It also offers some wild, almost garish color at times, and some pretty extravagant costumes. The musical numbers are far better than the weak comedy. Overall, it just didn't measure up to my expectations. My VHS picture wasn't the best, either. Perhaps I would change my mind with a good DVD transfer.

The Ziegfeld Follies were legendary stage shows that consisted entirely of musical numbers and comedy routines performed by some of the greatest stars of the day. When sound began to roar in the late 1920s, the movie studios followed the Ziegfeld form and quickly produced a series of films that were variety-show in nature. But the musical review is a form that really works best on stage before a live audience: in short order the movie-going public turned its back on the style in favor of musicals that offered increasingly complex, sophisticated, and sometimes unexpectedly dark stories.

In the 1940s MGM, famous for its musicals, unexpectedly decided to revive the form--and to do so in the style of producer Florenz Ziegfeld. The result was an outrageous budget that would have made Ziegfeld himself blanch, a wave of imaginative visuals that could have never been crammed onto even the biggest Broadway stage, a host of legendary performers, and the occasional comedy routine for relief from the sheer spectacle of it all.

The big hurdle for modern audiences is the fact that we have become accustomed to variety shows through television; they no longer have a unique appeal and it is difficult for us to sit through two hours of it. Even so, most musical fans will probably find ZIEGFELD FOLLIES worth the effort; although it has a few weak spots, it is easily one of the most visually stunning flights of fancy ever put on the screen.

The weakest links in the chain are the comedy routines, all of which seem insubstantial at best, slightly clunky at worst; still, they are amusing in an old-fashioned sort of way and it is always a pleasure to see the legendary Fannie Brice, no matter how inconsequential the script may be. Fortunately, the film weighs in heavily on the musical side, and while the actual material may be a bit weak at times the look of the thing is absolutely eye-popping.

The opening number is nothing short of stunning: Fred Astaire introduces a riot in pink and black that includes a spinning Cyd Charisse, a turning merry-go-round with real white horses, and a formidable Lucille Ball keeping a host of leopard-like women in check with a whip! Truly, musicals are the most surreal of all performing arts genres, but this seems to stretch the boundaries quite a bit.

The film is filled with notable performers. Virginia O'Brien, the great comic singer, dismisses the ladies in favor of the men--indeed, it seems, almost any man will do. Esther Williams swirls elegantly in front of lavish underwater sets. James Melton and Marion Bell offer memorable performances of the most famous duet from LA TRAVIATA in a memorably designed setting. Katherine Grayson is surrounded by some truly unexpected sets, walls of bubbles, and gold-clad bathing beauties. Certainly no one can complain that there is nothing to see on the screen! Along the way we also have some truly legendary moments, chief among them two amazingly beautiful dance numbers performed by Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer. The first, "This Heart of Mine," finds Astaire playing a jewel thief bent upon seducing Bremer at a ball: red and white with elaborate costumes, hidden treadmills, and decoratively turning platforms, it is both clever and very elegant. Even so, "Limehouse Blues" is finer still, introducing a mysterious Chinatown--and then suddenly bursting into a fantasia of white and blue and red as Astaire and Bremer dance out a love story that never was and never could ever be.

The film also offers two of MGM's most celebrated singing stars. During her MGM career Lena Horne was typically saddled with excessive movement and frequently peculiar costumes--but both actually work to her advantage here, and her performance of "Love" has tremendous tropical sizzle, to say the least. It may be a bit more difficult for modern viewers to know how to react to Judy Garland's "The Interview," for its references are lost; not only is it very much an industry insider joke, it is very much a take-off on "serious" actresses of the time who specialized in playing biographical roles, with Greer Garson a very specific target. Still, Garland nails it as only Garland can, and that says a great deal indeed.

The film also contains a true rarity: the only serious pairing of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, who lightly send up rumors of their rivalry--and then proceed to demonstrate just how truly competitive they could be in some of the finest choreography ever put on the screen. "The Babbit and the Bromide" is truly a remarkable thing to behold; you are constantly torn in your attention between the two men, each with very different styles and yet each truly incomparable.

In spite of its array of stars and remarkable visuals, ZIEGFELD FOLLIES was not among MGM's box-office knockouts of the 1940s and it was rarely seen after its original theatrical release. It is presently available only in VHS, and although the print is good it isn't the best possible--and since the visual spectacle is a prime reason for seeing the show you may want to hold out (and cross your fingers) for a full restoration on DVD. On the other hand, the out-of-print but still available VHS package does include the soundtrack on CD, which is a very strong plus.

Final thought on the film: unless you are a serious fan of MGM musicals you may want to skip this one, but if you are willing to make the act of acceptance the film requires you'll find ZIEGFELD FOLLIES a drop-dead gorgeous show.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I'm a huge fan of this kind of entertainment, but I have to say I was mightily disappointed. Standouts were Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Fanny Brice. But some of the scenes were tedious and unwatchable. With such a great line-up of stars, this should have been a much better movie. With a few exceptions, I didn't care for the choice of music. I can always watch and enjoy Astaire and Kelly, but even those two were, I thought, not showcasing their best material. I was surprised to see Fanny Brice looking in her prime. I thought she belonged to a much older generation. Was she still active in the forties? Apparently so. An appearance by Eddie Cantor, arguably one of Ziegfeld's top stars would have been a real treat.

The kind of talent displayed here can be found in almost every neighborhood in America. Some of it is, in fact, sub par, as the dance numbers could be performed by anyone in a dance program at any local university better than what you have here. Most tragic is that the glory of the 1936 "Great Ziegfeld" in its scenes of unique musical numbers and the attendant birthday cake number make this new "Ziegfeld" a throwaway by comparison. Its almost indecent for this to carry the name of "Ziegfeld" after MGM's careful crafting of the fabled showman's Broadway smashes, which are nowhere apparent here. Everything suffers mightily in comparison. The people we consider stars were truly embarrassed by this movie or they are just performing whatever is in front of them for the money or to fulfill a contract. The general public is not going to consider this dud as anything but what it is: a glaring mistake that, unfortunately, brands all old movies as being this cheap and unwatchable. Try to get anyone under 70 to watch this. It's about as bad as you can get.

If you get easily bored with those old movies that seem to roll and roll forever, this is for you. It really has no plot, but you really don't need one. You could call this movie the Grand Ball, because it really is a set of dances. (Except for a few comedy scenes) Overall, I strongly believe that it is a really good movie, especially in those Fred Astaire numbers (Here's to the Girls, This Heart of Mine, and the Limehouse Blues) This movie is a real MUST for classic movie and Ziegfeld lovers alike.

Although Florenz Ziegfeld only ever worked on the stage, his influence over Hollywood in its golden age was considerable. Not only were many of the early talkie stars Ziegfeld veterans, his extravagant musical numbers also left their mark in the work of Busby Berkeley or the "ballet" sequences of 40s and 50s musicals. His shows really epitomised grand style for its own sake. So when MGM wanted to splash out on a lavish burst of post-war indulgence, what better than a modern day re-imagining of a Ziegfeld Follies revue, just as the great man might have envisaged it himself?

Like the original shows after which they are named, Ziegfeld Follies presents a sequence of acts with no linking plot, only a continuous aim to dazzle and entertain in a variety of ways. After a rather twee preamble with William Powell as a heavenly Ziegfeld, interspersed with some nice puppetry, the opening musical number closely follows the style and ethos of the Follies, with row upon row of elegant chorus girls bedecked in over-the-top period costumes. Its call of "Here's to the Girls" is a clear homage to Ziegfeld's own "Glorifying the American Girl". Directed in a somewhat presentational style by George Sidney, it takes us back to the experience of seeing an original Follies from thirty years earlier. The second number however features something Ziegfeld could never have done justice on the stage – Esther Williams doing her mermaid ballet act. From here on the style is consistently cinematic, and it becomes clear this is more than anything else a display of modern MGM talent and the scope of musical cinema.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the five numbers directed by Vincente Minnelli. Minnelli, an incredibly musically sensitive filmmaker, was able probably better than anyone else to make the camera part of the choreography. He will pull backwards so that dancers appear from the foreground, sliding softly into view without moving much themselves. There are moments in the drinking song from La Traviata where branches are whipped on and off the screen to balance out the shot as the dancing couple turns, a move only making sense in the context of the movie frame that would be ineffective on a stage. In the final number, "Beauty", most of the performers do not even move at all, the lens slinking rhythmically over them. However Minnelli is also sensible enough to know when to settle down and simply let a dance play out, but even here the specific angle and composition are delicately precise. Cinematic techniques such as close-ups on jewellery in "This Heart of Mine", or the shots in "Limehouse Blues" from inside the bric-a-brac shop allow a certain intimate storytelling not normally possible in dance, and even make these two numbers rather poignant. I should point out by the way that not too much should be read into Mr Minnelli's association with the excellence of these segments, since it follows that as MGM's best musical director he would be assigned to the best and biggest numbers anyway.

The handful of non-musical comedy sketches are by far the weakest elements of Ziegfeld Follies. They feature some pretty fine comedy actors, with newcomers like Keenan Wynn and Red Skelton alongside old hands like Victor Moore and Fanny Brice, representing one of the few links to the original Follies. But no matter how well played it is, each sketch runs as little more than a handful of feeble jokes stretched to breaking point, plus a lot of face-pulling. I think the main problem is that it's movie humour, the sort that only works as a comic relief subplot when woven into a larger narrative. These film writers weren't used to the sketch format. As an example of the difference, Keenan Wynn was excellent when he turned up for two minutes in The Clock (also 1945), but here he is an embarrassment. By the way, the camp Texan in Wynn's sketch is Grady Dutton. He had bit parts in dozens of pictures over the years, most of them fleeting but always memorable.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the few comedy moments that really do work are those which take place within musical numbers. "The Great Lady has an Interview" is one of the earliest examples of Judy Garland's comedic talents, while "The Babbitt and the Bromide" shows Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly at their most playful (as well as featuring some great sight-gags with that horse statue in the background). Of course part of the secret of these numbers is that they merge the comedy with the glamour and musicality. But they both also happen to be numbers which satirize the movie industry itself. Judy Garland's act is a gentle poke at dramatic actresses (especially Greer Garson) moving to more raunchy roles, and she has great fun playing up the self-absorbed luvvy stereotype. Astaire and Kelly lampoon their own screen images, slyly referencing Kelly's status as an up-and-comer, and even dancing a little waltz together (although, if you look closely, being very careful not to quite hold each other's hands properly). Ziegfeld Follies once again proves itself to be a product of and about the cinema. The title and outline may be Ziegfeld's, but the spirit belongs to MGM.

The MGM stables at a time prior to Olivia de Havilland suing Warner Brothers over contract feuds were looking lovely, but just a year prior to the latter occurring, the studio looks in need of an alarming lift. Howard Strickling’s favourite campaign, “More stars than there are in the heavens” may have been true in comparison to other studios, but a lot of them were burning out, and too few were shining amongst the rest. "Ziegfeld Follies" is certainly dazzling and lavish to look at, but little else. It certainly is on the whole, enjoyable, light musical and comedic relief, and has some brilliant highlights, but I am only thankful that "Follies" had plenty of production problems and therefore someone had the intelligence to keep a stopwatch handy as the revue could have run well into three hours.

William Powell, who is not featured in enough footage himself, explains his purpose, by using Fred Astaire as a puppet on strings to help us understand the purpose of the show, that the Follies “never had a plot”. That may be the case, but the legendary showman could have drafted his dream show a little better than by pooling into the talent pools at MGM alone. Hasn’t he forgotten about his favourite, Marilyn Miller? Perhaps on all accounts the stars were a little exhausted by their better show effort of 1946, “Till the Clouds roll by.”

Of course Esther Williams smiling and swimming through a seabed of imaginary coral couldn’t actually have been incorporated into the life story of Jerome Kern so she has been badly slotted within a roster of another two dozen or so people. The first comedic sketch is somewhat a disaster and a painful reminder of what national telecommunications systems are like in Australia. Lena Horne’s so-called brilliant number “Love” is forgettable, and Lucille Ball is a painful reminder of what never to include in a musical.

Those who are psychically prone to suffering nausea and with weak stomachs are best advised to skip Kathryn Grayson in another cotton candy pink outfit singing “Beauty”, first in a kaleidoscope of bad colour, then in a massive bubble bath. Why anyone gave her the all-important finale remains a mystery, although she executes her operatic range routinely well, despite another diabetic causing sugary, wholesome performance.

However, the most disappointing of all is Judy Garland. As always, she is a welcome presence, but the number is a parody of the First Lady Greer Garson and is merely an eyesore for a person who wasn’t anything like prescribed. Her singing pipes and dancing stems are in good order, but it can’t recapture the stronger numbers from “Clouds” like “Who?” and “Look For the Silver Lining”. It’s quite alarming to think that she had to go back to the 1890s to wear a nicer looking gown than the one worn in “The Interview”. “Madame Credamante” is certainly amusing, but generally, like the whole musical, lacking in style. The worst part remained was sitting through eighty minutes of the musical waiting to see possibly the worst Judy Garland number in eight movies.

The definitive piece of work is always stated to be Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer in the beautiful “This Heart of Mine”, definitely one of the top three performances in the film. Not so good, but again enjoyable is the other Astaire-Bremer pairing, “Limehouse Blues” which is a better story than the film itself. Red Skelton puts forward the best performance of all the comedy sketches, but also great is Fanny Brice and to a lesser extent, Victor Moore in the “Pay the two dollars sketch”. Cyd Charisse and Virginia O’Brien appear briefly, and for the better.

The best number was the delightful “The Babbit and the Bromide” performed by the Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant of dance, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and the only actual film in which the two greats met for a tap dancing match. As always, both dancers radiate brilliance, wit and charm, and make everything they dance, pure magic. Their quips, “Rita Hayworth” and “Ginger” are just perfect. Forget everything else. This is definitely a masterpiece of musicals.

Behind “Follies” was probably the entire writers department at MGM, who couldn’t even come up with one decent story. At least eight directors of all sorts were involved, and music and lyrics from at least four musical teams. Lavish costumes and a generously huge budget, and all of it couldn’t compensate for the “Follies” having some at least orderly fashioned plot and planning.

All this almost makes one wish back to the days of teenaged Rooney-Garland. At least their eager approach to “Come on, let’s put on a show” seems more naturalistic than Ziegfeld imagining his life as a puppet show on the life of his stage. “Follies” is one of those musicals that wants to be a part of the greats at MGM with “Singin’ in the Rain”, “The Wizard of Oz” and “An American in Paris”, but cannot get past the stages of longingly pressing its nose up against a glass palette window. Too many flaws unfortunately overshadow some of the great mastery of some of the elegant pieces, some of which could command a better audience, if only there were placed in the right film.

Rating: 7/10

MGM Technicolor musical, light on plot but big on music and comedy. It's a sort of spiritual sequel to The Great Ziegfeld, with William Powell reprising his role from that biopic as Florenz Ziegfeld. Up in Heaven, Ziegfeld looks down on Earth and reminisces (through stop motion puppetry!) about his Follies. Then he wonders what kind of show he could produce if he had access to MGM's stable of stars. From there we get nearly two hours of routines featuring these stars doing musical numbers and comedy skits. I won't bother to list all the talent or numbers. The best are Virginia O'Brien's man-crazy number, Esther Williams swimming, all the Astaire numbers (including Limehouse Blues in yellowface, beautifully staged regardless of controversy), and Judy Garland's fun "The Great Lady Has an Interview." The best musical number of them all is easily "The Babbitt And The Bromide" with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The worst is probably Lena Horne's forgettable piece. The comedy skits are all pretty corny. I didn't laugh once. The main reason to see this, besides the stars and the tunes, is that it's a beautiful-looking picture, filmed in glorious Technicolor with lovely costumes and sets. A visual delight with some fine musical numbers. Just don't get hung up on the lack of plot.

Ziegfeld Follies, seeing it again takes me back to the first time I did see it. At the old Ziegfeld Theater now converted to a movie house where for $2.00 I could spend the day with Ziegfeld. A triple feature ran that day. The Great Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld Girl, and Ziegfeld Follies ran back to back. Things started around 10:30 am. and I didn't leave the theater until 7:30 pm.

This film was MGM's attempt to create the Ziegfeld Follies and what it was like to see it on stage. At a time when every studio was creating all star musical films as morale boosters for the war, Ziegfeld Follies is the only one of the whole bunch that has absolutely no mention of the war. In fact it's a one and only throwback to the all star musical films that sprouted out at the beginning of the sound era. It more properly belongs with films like Paramount on Parade, Fox's Movietone Follies, and The King of Jazz.

MGM had more musical talent at its studio than any other and in Ziegfeld Follies they used it all and then some. The introduction is provided by William Powell reprising his role as Florenz Ziegfeld. He's in his heavenly digs now, reminiscing about the great times on earth and the great shows he put on. If he were doing a show today, he'd first begin it with a great star like Fred Astaire. Then Fred takes over and the show begins.

Arthur Freed who also contributed some lyrics here as well, produced Ziegfeld Follies and under his banner various directors and writers and performers all got to do their thing. Two performers Fanny Brice and Victor Moore got to do some of the comedy they did back on the stage and for Ziegfeld. It's a pity Eddie Cantor who was still alive and very much active couldn't be brought in. He's only seen at the beginning in an animated version. W.C. Fields who also starred in the Follies as well on stage probably was in bad health, bad temper or both.

I'm sure that Ziegfeld would have loved the talent assembled here. It ranges from the Metropolitan Opera's James Melton to vaudeville's Red Skelton. In fact my favorite comedy number from the film is Red Skelton doing the Guzzler's Gin Program and lamenting the fact that next time he gets oatmeal for a sponsor.

My favorite musical number is Lena Horne singing the song Love in a Caribbean setting. One of Ziegfeld's famous headliners was the famous black comedian Bert Williams. To not have a black performer in this cast would have been an insult to Ziegfeld's memory as well as a whole race of people. Lena Horne's act isn't exactly the same as Bert Williams's, but her singing of Love is the musical highlight of the film.

Until That's Entertainment II, Ziegfeld Follies was the only film in which Fred Astaire got to dance with Gene Kelly. Although Astaire has a few numbers here, this is Kelly's only appearance. They do George and Ira Gershwin's The Babbitt and the Bromide which Astaire did with his sister Adele back in the Twenties. It's not the best work for either of them, still it's a twice in a lifetime treat.

Films like Ziegfeld Follies can never be done again because the studios that had all that talent under contract are gone. But Arthur Freed shot almost double the amount of numbers and many things were cut. I think it would be great if we could get the footage restored if MGM bothered to save it.

A director's cut Ziegfeld Follies. To really fill your day with the magic of a Ziegfeld show.

They sure don't make movies like this anymore.

ZIEGFELD FOLIES starts off a little badly, with an embarrassing bit with William Powell has Ziegfeld himself. This moment is creaky and sorta creepy. Then we see a brief history of Ziegfeld and his stars represented in puppets, which is, hmm, intriguing.

When the film finally starts, Fred Astaire introduces the first musical moment. Interesting tidbit, Fred Astaire was 45 years old when he made this! We then see Lucille Ball surrounded by a bunch of beauties. Lucille sure was a statuesque beauty when she was young. Not very graceful though. And she doesn't sing or even speak. Thank god. The aura would have been destroyed with her raspy voice. This moment also includes one of the most surreal bits in this very surreal film: we see Lucille whipping a bunch of slinky cat-girls into a frenzy. It's very kinky but tasteful nonetheless. This moment is beautiful but not overwhelmingly so.

This is followed by Virginia O'Brien, who sings/deadpans "Bring on the Wonderful Men." Personally speaking, this is best moment in the film. It captures the true spirit of a Vaudeville show.

Next, Esther Williams plays a goldfish in a bowl.

Then it's the first of several comedy sketches, this one with Keenan Wynn. It's the best comedy sketch in the film.

The "La Traviata" moment is OK but it's way too short.

Next, "This Heart of Mine,", the second of 4 moments with Fred Astaire, the first of two co-starring with Lucille Bremer...Lucille who? (she looks like Bette Davis). This is the most colorful moment in the whole film. It's death by Technicolor. The story doesn't make any sense but who cares.

This is followed by a comedy sketch with Fanny Brice...hmmm. I now know why she wasn't a movie star.

Lena Horne in a very brief musical moment. Good but way too short.

The second musical moment with Fred and Lucille Bremer. Limewhouse Blues. It's beautiful, in its old Hollywood kinda way.

Judy Garland plays an affected movie star surrounded by a bunch of men in "An Interview". One of the best moments in the film. Almost perfect.

Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire dance together cheek to cheek...why? Dunno. They make a cute couple though! Arf.

In the finale, Kathryn Grayson sings while Cyd Charisse dances AND takes a bubble bath.

All in all, it's a very good film. Not a classic but definitely worth watching for fans of Technicolor musicals.

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.

I have enjoyed reading the various postings about this movie, but found it somewhat depressing to find so many viewers have been obviously conditioned by present day "standards of talent." (and by that I mean there is no one today to fill the shoes of these musical giants). Speaking for myself, this was quite an amazing achievement in the form it was meant to be -- a "Review" -- not a musical with a storyline -- and I think it is only fair to judge it on those terms, rather than what you wished it would be. My opinion: most of the comedy numbers were OK, but one should remember that these numbers were directed at a 1946 audience, who appreciated this kind of gentle humor more than present day viewers. As for the musical numbers -- I don't think MGM ever mounted anything as lavish and, in particular, "This Heart of Mine". One posting said the storyline didn't make any sense (it certainly did to me), and more than one decried the inadequacy of Lucille Bremer as a dancer. Lucille Bremer was not only beautiful, but was an excellent dancer and for me, they were perfect together. "Limehouse Blues" (filmed on the "Dorian Gray" set) is one for the history books. Judy Garland looked beautiful and, in an early example, showed what a terrific range she possessed. The Technicolor was magnificent. By the way, contrary to what was posted, this was one of MGM's highest grosses of he 1940s.

Ziegfield Follies is an unusual film as it has no plot. That's a good thing because you don't have to worry about unrealistic plot lines or the lack of depth in characters. It doesn't need a plot at all. Instead, it is a series of musical/comedy numbers which have nothing to do with each other. Most of them are musical, only two or three are comedy sketches.

Although SOME scenes do drag on for a while, you can simply press FWD like I did. But some are just simply lavish in every way: costume, dance, colour, sets, props... the glory of technicolour! It is truly beautiful, you have to appreciate the hard work they put into this magnificent show.

The singing, dancing and music is wonderful. My favourite is the dance between Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, or maybe the Finale. I definitely recommend this movie to all musical buffs... to others, this film may appear incredibly boring. Personally, I very much enjoyed it. A joy.

I missed this film when it was first released just after the war ended, but I noted the incredible array of stars featured and decided to watch it whenever a suitable opportunity offered. However it dropped out of attention before this occurred, and it was only very recently that I noticed it was scheduled to be screened again by TCM on television. I therefore took the opportunity to see it at last. After watching for a few minutes I felt I knew exactly what was being shown - it was an overlong and very tedious T.V. advertisement for MGM Studios that took the form of unrelated sequences featuring the various stars they had under contract. Whether it was more acceptable on the big screen I do not know as I never saw it there, but even if it were to be shown in a local cinema again I would certainly not be prepared to pay good money in order to find out.

On television, the longer it ran the clearer it seemed that my initial impression was precisely correct. The only link provided between the various sequences was the attempt to parade them in the form of a Broadway show devised in Heaven after his death by Ziegfeld himself - presumably so that we were encouraged to think of him as remaining an honorary member of the MGM Studio team. The various stars who were "encouraged " to take part in this travesty of a film probably felt quite ashamed of their part in it. It was nominally directed by Vincente Minnelli, but history appears to indicate that he should not be too severely blamed. I understand that he had no part in directing the totally disastrous first segment, and he was only responsible for some of the others, even during these he has been reported to have been on a very tight rein. He too I am sure would prefer his no doubt enforced role in this film to be quickly forgotten.

Out of kindness to the talented and hardworking participants who clearly tried very hard and deserved much better, I will rate this at 3. For a film buff this is almost certainly justified by the sequence starring Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly dancing together. I believe this is the only film in which this occurs and, apart from the great opportunity to admire the incredible timing they both showed, it was extremely interesting to be able to compare their very different techniques at such close quarters. But the rest is best quickly forgotten.