An American in Paris (1951) / Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Bob and Brad return to a golden age classic: An American in Paris (1951), directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. With its lush Technicolor visuals, elaborate ballet finale, and iconic George Gershwin score, this MGM musical remains a milestone in film history, but how does it hold up on rewatch?
To pair with this classic, Bob and Brad pour a bottle of Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon (White Label), a budget-friendly Kentucky straight bourbon that punches well above its price point. At 100 proof and aged at least 4 years, this bourbon is a staple for whiskey drinkers seeking bold flavor without breaking the bank.
Film & Whiskey Twitter
Email us!
For more episodes and engaging content, visit Film & Whiskey's website at www.filmwhiskey.com.
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:02,920
Hey everybody, it's Bob.
And I just want to let you know
2
00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,680
that today's episode is part of
our Season 10 Rewind, where
3
00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,520
we're revisiting all of our
episodes from season #1 this one
4
00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,400
was released early to our
Patrons, and it was released all
5
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,280
the way back at the end of 2023.
What that means for you guys is
6
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,960
if you would like to get the
kind of bonus content that our
7
00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,400
Patrons have been receiving for
two plus years, you can go to
8
00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:28,560
patreon.com/film Whiskey and
sign up at any of our 3 levels
9
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:29,960
of support.
Enjoy the episode.
10
00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,120
In 1951, director Vincent
Minnelli and star Gene Kelly
11
00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,400
gave the world a vibrant musical
that never stopped trying to
12
00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,640
prove itself.
In 2023, we try a fan favorite
13
00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,080
Bottled in Bond bourbon.
The film is an American in
14
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,120
Paris.
The whiskey is Evan Williams
15
00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,720
White label.
And we'll review them both.
16
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:55,000
This is.
The Film and Whiskey podcast.
17
00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,760
Welcome to the Film and Whiskey
podcast, where each week we
18
00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,400
review a classic movie and a
glass of whiskey.
19
00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,680
I'm Bob Book.
I'm Brad Gee.
20
00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:25,360
And this week, we are revisiting
1951's Best Picture winner, An
21
00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,480
American in Paris.
Brad, it's nice to revisit this
22
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,200
movie.
I have many thoughts.
23
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,520
I think I've changed my tune a
bit.
24
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:37,600
But have you?
There's something about.
25
00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:38,640
Yeah.
Go ahead.
26
00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,160
They were super high on this
film in season 1.
27
00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:47,160
There is something about like
going back to our first 456 ish
28
00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760
movies that like, even if I
don't love the movie as much as
29
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,520
I used to it, I have just so
much nostalgia for the beginning
30
00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,760
of this podcast, you know?
Yeah, 100%.
31
00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:03,360
Man, it is super fun to go back
and think through these movies
32
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:05,520
again.
It's it's fun to revisit them.
33
00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,480
We were just little baby
podcasters, man.
34
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,039
We were recording this in a
basement with a conference call
35
00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:13,720
microphone because we didn't
have two mics to put together
36
00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,720
between the two of us.
Yep man, Fun times.
37
00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,480
What a what a great time, man.
All right, we'll see you next
38
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,320
week.
Thanks for walking down memory
39
00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,120
lane with us.
And go watch an American in
40
00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,000
Paris.
Yeah, Brad, OK, let's just dive
41
00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,600
in with this.
I would like to hear general
42
00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,960
impressions on what did you
think of this movie The first
43
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,640
time around and has your opinion
changed this time without
44
00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:42,200
tipping your hand too much?
Oh man, I I think if I remember
45
00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,480
correctly, I think I enjoyed it
the first time but wasn't super
46
00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,640
high on it.
I'm guessing I gave it like a 7
47
00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:52,080
1/2 or an 8.
And I think that this time
48
00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,800
around, it just struck me how
much fun this movie is.
49
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,040
Like it's, it's just like, like
I chose the word vibrant very
50
00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,240
specifically.
Like it's just a really vibrant
51
00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:09,080
fun world that Minnelli and
Kelly have created here.
52
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:15,120
And I, I just absolutely love
his friend Adam, I think is his
53
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,560
name in the movie.
Who's the Who's the actor?
54
00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:19,960
Oscar Levant.
Yeah, yeah, Levant.
55
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,920
I don't know how he says it.
He is my favorite character in
56
00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:23,240
this.
Movie.
57
00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,520
Oh, he's so good.
There he is just.
58
00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,160
Incredible.
I don't mean to derail what
59
00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,080
you're saying, but there was a
moment, one moment in this movie
60
00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,920
where I laughed out loud.
And it's when he is like, he's,
61
00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:39,000
he's in the Cafe, Adam is, and
he's calling Henri as he's
62
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,800
eating dinner.
And he just keeps hinting that
63
00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,160
he wants to come up and eat
dinner.
64
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:44,920
And then Henri, he's like, no,
no, no, I, I see you later.
65
00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,280
And he hangs up the phone and
just goes, I'm hungry.
66
00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:54,360
Hangs the phone up and the way
he says it is so like starving
67
00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,360
artist pouting that it was.
It was just perfect and I needed
68
00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,240
to say that at some point in
this episode.
69
00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,720
Did the inner grad student in
your soul just, you know,
70
00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,240
empathize with him in that?
And it was also like, he was so
71
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,400
unkempt and just chain smoking
through the whole movie.
72
00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,160
I was like, I get it dude.
I get where you're coming from
73
00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:13,000
man.
I have.
74
00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,840
I have been there.
All right, so this time around
75
00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,079
you said it's a lot more fun.
I think that I'm I'm in an
76
00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:22,360
interesting place on this movie,
Brad, because if anything,
77
00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,480
watching another 300 or however
many movies we've watched in
78
00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,960
between has really solidified
for me that I love Vincent
79
00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,200
Minnelli as a director.
And I still don't think he gives
80
00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,800
enough credit.
He is a true like painterly
81
00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:40,200
artist with the camera and the
color palettes and the
82
00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,800
costuming.
Like it's just very much of a
83
00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,800
piece.
I think the thing for with this
84
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,480
movie for me is like Singing in
the Rain is a movie that you
85
00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,360
don't really need any context
for.
86
00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,160
If you have never watched a
silent movie, if you know
87
00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,280
nothing about that era in movie
history, if you know nothing
88
00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:01,520
about movie making, you can get
dropped into Singing in the Rain
89
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,680
And it it works for everyone
from like 2 to 102.
90
00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:12,200
Yeah, this movie, it still
works, but I feel like listening
91
00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,120
to a podcast like this will
probably help appreciate it
92
00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,520
more.
Like there's just a layer more
93
00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,880
of like, oh, you.
You probably need this context
94
00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,240
to understand why this movie is
considered important.
95
00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,280
It doesn't quite just work on
its face as well as a movie like
96
00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:29,040
Singing in the Rain does for me.
That's interesting.
97
00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,800
What, like what are some
specific things about the film
98
00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,280
that you're like, oh, I need to
explain this to to Brad, 'cause
99
00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:37,920
he clearly doesn't know what's
going on here?
100
00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,400
Well, I think one of the big
things is you got to kind of
101
00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,640
situate it like historically,
especially in Gene Kelly's
102
00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,760
career.
So Kelly, you know, comes off
103
00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,480
Broadway in the early 40s.
He becomes a really big star in
104
00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,040
MGM musicals by the late 1940s.
He's really surpassed even Fred
105
00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:55,600
Astaire.
Cause Astaire is starting to get
106
00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,800
started, to get a bit older.
And Kelly has been pushing and
107
00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,480
pushing for more kind of
directorial control and he wants
108
00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,760
to do something big and bold and
kind of operatic and and
109
00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,400
balletic with his movies.
And so even though Vincent
110
00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,480
Minnelli is the credited
director on this movie, and I
111
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,760
think he did obviously direct
the movie, it was really Kelly
112
00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,600
who was spearheading the whole
production.
113
00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,040
And he had basically been
begging MGM to let him do a
114
00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:24,040
movie like this.
So in 194849, they made the
115
00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,280
movie on the Town, which is a
really fun movie.
116
00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,320
And that was a Co Stanley Donnon
movie that Gene Kelly kind of
117
00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,440
helped Co direct as well.
And you get to American in
118
00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,880
Paris.
And he had been like begging
119
00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,360
Louis B Mayer at MGM for the
money to make this ballet
120
00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,520
sequence.
And you got to let me do it my
121
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,280
way.
Mayer is on his way out the door
122
00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,080
and new guys coming in.
And I think in that interim kind
123
00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,040
of change up, Kelly gets the
permissions that he needs to
124
00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:52,760
just kind of make his movie his
way.
125
00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:54,240
They give him a bunch of money
to do it.
126
00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,480
And this is the result.
And it's it's really one of the
127
00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:03,120
first MGM musicals that
emphasizes like the artistic
128
00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,360
side of things.
Like Brad, this movie closes
129
00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,040
with an 18 minute ballet.
You know what I mean?
130
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,080
Like they just weren't doing
stuff like this then.
131
00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:11,440
And do I think it?
Works.
132
00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:12,800
Can I say something?
Yeah, please.
133
00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,400
I don't like the 18 minute
ballot.
134
00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,560
That's what I'm saying.
Do I think it works perfectly?
135
00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,000
No.
But I think that that's the kind
136
00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,960
of layer I'm talking about where
it's like, OK, like if you want
137
00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,280
to appreciate this movie, it
might not work perfectly just at
138
00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,360
face value.
But if nothing else, I
139
00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,440
appreciate this movie probably
more than I like it at this
140
00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:33,720
point.
Yeah.
141
00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,480
Well, I mean, a few seasons back
we did a bunch of, you know,
142
00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,080
director series and and if
anybody remembers, we we would
143
00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,040
rate the directors right.
And we would use this scale.
144
00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,920
I think that this movie would
fall so low on the cohesion
145
00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,760
scale that we used because we
use it to talk about like within
146
00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,080
the world of the movie, how much
of the things that happened
147
00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,000
makes sense.
It does it feel like a cohesive,
148
00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,240
unified world, the the direction
of the script, things like that.
149
00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,440
And I'm like, this movie does
not make a lot of sense.
150
00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,360
And, and, and it's hard to say
that because obviously musicals
151
00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,080
in general don't make sense.
Like something that my wife
152
00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,160
always says about musicals,
she's like, this doesn't make
153
00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,120
sense.
People don't just break out and
154
00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,520
song and dance in normal
everyday life.
155
00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,760
And I'm like, yes, that is very
true.
156
00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:26,720
But that's part of the charm of
musicals, right?
157
00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,080
It's it's an exaggerated way of
looking at emotions and feelings
158
00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,840
in daily life.
Some people love that, some
159
00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,039
people don't.
That's fine.
160
00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,120
But even within the world of a
musical, where people just
161
00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,200
randomly break out into song and
dance, it felt like they were
162
00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,440
reaching for for a few of the
things.
163
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,040
Yeah, I like, you know, I
wouldn't say that singing in the
164
00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,000
rain has a ton of plot, but
there's a lot of complications
165
00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,720
in singing in the rain.
Like this person gets fired and
166
00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,520
this person is angry and you
have to navigate all these
167
00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,840
relationships in this movie.
It really felt like a film in
168
00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,720
search of a plot.
Like they're they're a few
169
00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,880
people who are in a love
triangle and then there are a
170
00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,920
couple periphery characters and
every character gets a big
171
00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,880
either ballet number or dream
sequence or performance piece
172
00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,000
that are almost always unrelated
to the plot of the movie.
173
00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,520
And Brad, even when you look up
this movie on Wikipedia, like
174
00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,080
the first thing it says is that
it's a tone poem movie.
175
00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,920
And what they're basically
saying is like, it's, it sounds
176
00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:31,760
like an admission that this
movie has no plot.
177
00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,680
And they're just saying like,
you need to just go on vibes.
178
00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,400
Like this movie is all about
vibes and I I.
179
00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,800
Like like a licorice pizza.
Yeah, it's like the Terrence
180
00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:45,400
Malick of musicals and like, I
kind of agree with that.
181
00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,680
Especially like the 1st 15 ish
minutes of the movie where
182
00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:50,520
you're just meeting the
characters and hanging out in
183
00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,440
the neighborhood, but then they
start introducing these other
184
00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,120
characters like Gene Kelly's
benefactor.
185
00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,240
And I just don't know like which
plot is supposed to be the A
186
00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,720
plot and which is the B like a
subplot And and like
187
00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:06,360
everything's kind of given equal
weight and then we go off and do
188
00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:11,440
a dream sequence and like it.
It just really feels messy from
189
00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,520
a script standpoint.
Yeah, it it really does.
190
00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:19,640
And I don't think it necessarily
like it doesn't ruin the movie.
191
00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,160
I think there's still a lot of
fun sequences here.
192
00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,040
They build a really beautiful
vision of, you know, what it
193
00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,160
looks like to kind of struggle
in Paris.
194
00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,560
And overall, all of those things
work.
195
00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:36,920
I, I think the, the hard part
for me kind of revolves around
196
00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:41,560
the fact that I just, I did not
enjoy Leslie Quran this time
197
00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:43,720
through.
She she wasn't my favorite.
198
00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,280
I I don't think that her
character is given enough to be
199
00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:55,280
a draw for Gene Kelly and for,
I'm going to try to say his name
200
00:10:55,280 --> 00:11:01,920
Bob George Gwettari.
Is that is that good?
201
00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:03,800
Yeah, I think is it, is it
Gatari?
202
00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:04,800
I don't know.
We'll, we'll.
203
00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,640
Gatari.
George, we're going to call him.
204
00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:09,240
George, we'll call.
Yeah, we'll call him George the
205
00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:13,360
the gentleman who plays Henri.
Henri, I don't.
206
00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,400
Totally understand the obsession
with the with Leslie Koran.
207
00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,240
Well, I don't, I don't get.
It if I can briefly press pause
208
00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,360
on this thread because I think
this is an important thread.
209
00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:26,440
I've mentioned 100 characters in
this movie.
210
00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:27,840
You've mentioned the stars of
the movie.
211
00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,040
We haven't actually explained
this movie yet.
212
00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,040
And so I think it might be time
for us to throw over to our
213
00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,960
first segment of the day, which
we call, Brad explains.
214
00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,480
Brad's going to give us the
movie plots with only 60 seconds
215
00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,200
taken on the clock, so let's go
ahead and do your take with this
216
00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,960
little segment that we call,
Brad explains.
217
00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,000
Brad Explains is the part of the
podcast where Brad breaks down
218
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,400
the plot of the movie that he
has just seen.
219
00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,480
We're going to say for the
second time this year, Brad,
220
00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,280
have you watched this at all in
the interim?
221
00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,640
No, I have not.
That was a very confident no.
222
00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:03,920
Like, come on, no.
There's there's certain movies
223
00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,400
that I've come back to.
There's other movies that I've
224
00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:11,040
like, man, I need to get back
and watch, you know, XY or Z.
225
00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,760
Then there's other movies that I
haven't thought about since we
226
00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,560
recorded the episode.
I'm not going to say which
227
00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:18,360
category.
This one.
228
00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,880
Went to I mean, you already did.
So Brad, you have 60 seconds on
229
00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,240
the clock to break down the plot
of this movie.
230
00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:29,400
Tell us all about the weird plot
mechanics if you can spoil the
231
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:30,920
heck out of it.
So if you haven't seen an
232
00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,280
American in Paris, listen,
folks, I would still say that
233
00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,400
it's worth the watch.
It is a beautiful movie to look
234
00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,320
at, and you've got Gene Kelly
smiling and dancing like there's
235
00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:39,800
not.
Yes, the life doesn't get much
236
00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,600
better than that.
He has one of the best smiles.
237
00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,560
Just a beautiful man.
Yeah, all right, dude, it's
238
00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:48,520
incredible.
One minute on the clock and go.
239
00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,120
And American in Paris is a film
about a struggling painter, a
240
00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:57,640
struggling pianist and a super
successful singer who are all
241
00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,640
friends with one another.
Two of the three fall in love
242
00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:02,480
with the same woman but do not
know it.
243
00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:07,560
We follow mostly the painter
played by Gene Kelly, as he is
244
00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:11,400
courted by this extraordinarily
wealthy woman, even though he is
245
00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,640
in love with this beautiful
young dancer.
246
00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,280
That is that it?
Oh, OK.
247
00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:18,720
Is that the?
Whole I was just here waiting
248
00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:22,960
like and and then.
Well, I, I literally, I was like
249
00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,320
thinking, I was like, what else
is there to this movie?
250
00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,760
And I realized.
That's about it.
251
00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:29,520
Did you mention the love
triangle?
252
00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:33,880
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the the singer
and the painter are both in love
253
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:34,840
with the same girl.
Got it.
254
00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,960
OK.
And and the painter has a
255
00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:40,080
wealthy benefactor who's I
wouldn't even say she's in love
256
00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,480
with him.
She's she's in love with the
257
00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,640
idea of flings.
Yes, it seems to be.
258
00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:49,040
Yes, OK.
Do you want to go back to Leslie
259
00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:53,160
Quran or do you want to cause
'cause the the benefactor Gene
260
00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,840
Kelly relationship is kind of
like the thing I'm most excited
261
00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,160
to talk to you about so.
We can hit on.
262
00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,000
Let's talk about that, OK?
I actually really like the
263
00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,120
character of Milo this time
around.
264
00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,000
I do too.
And we actually, we spent a good
265
00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:08,000
deal of time talking about that
in our original episode on this.
266
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,240
And I was very proud of us that
we were like, I'm kind of on her
267
00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:12,960
side.
Like I don't understand why Gene
268
00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,720
Kelly is such a Dick to her all
the time.
269
00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:19,240
Yeah, yeah.
I I like her character a lot.
270
00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,320
I think that Nina Fock does an
incredible job, you know,
271
00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,760
portraying this woman who's
searching for meanings,
272
00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,880
searching for a relationship
that will help her cope with the
273
00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,760
daily, you know, struggles of
being wealthy there.
274
00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:38,960
There's a certain charm about
her in this film that I don't
275
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,200
know if I can fully describe,
you know, where it comes from.
276
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,960
But the way the Gene Kelly acts
towards her is so rude.
277
00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:48,960
Like truly.
Yeah.
278
00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,040
Like, she's very clear and
upfront about what she wants
279
00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,840
from the start.
She's like, hey, I I think
280
00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,040
you're attractive.
I like your painting.
281
00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,960
And I'm curious about supporting
you and kind of, you know,
282
00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,880
having you as a date to these
balls and, and things like that.
283
00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:07,800
And he's just like, no, I'm, I'm
interested in this other woman,
284
00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,840
but also you can, you can kind
of help me out and I'm going to
285
00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:12,480
use you.
Let's go a little bit deeper on
286
00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,280
the the actual like plot
mechanics here.
287
00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,000
So Gene Kelly is set up on a
street corner, not prostituting
288
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,880
but selling his paintings.
And she rolls by in her Rolls
289
00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,400
Royce or whatever and finds him
and says, I'll come back to my
290
00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:25,760
place.
I want to buy your paintings.
291
00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:27,160
And it's very clear what she's
doing.
292
00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,400
But, you know, he hangs up his
paintings.
293
00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,600
And she says, I'm throwing a
party later, come by.
294
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,840
And he comes back dressed all to
the nines.
295
00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,200
And it's just the two of them.
And he's like, hey, lady, I'm
296
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,240
not a gigolo.
And she's like, I don't want you
297
00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:40,840
for a gigolo.
I just wanted to get to know you
298
00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,640
better.
And you would have told me no if
299
00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,680
I'd been upfront.
OK, fine.
300
00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,400
Well, then she starts
bankrolling him and she's like,
301
00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,240
I'm going to set you up in a
studio.
302
00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,920
I'm going to get you a showing
in three months.
303
00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,600
And you can pay me back for
'cause you know, Gene Kelly's
304
00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,880
very proud about his money.
You can pay me back from the
305
00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,800
sales of your paintings.
And I think, Brad, that this is
306
00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:06,040
where the script really fails.
Because watching at this time, I
307
00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,320
think the script really wants us
to think that she is the the
308
00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,280
quote UN quote villain of the
movie.
309
00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,520
And it just doesn't work.
Like even at the end of the
310
00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,320
movie, they're at this big like
artist's ball and he goes with
311
00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,200
Milo, this woman, and they run
into Adam, Gene Kelly's best
312
00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,440
friend.
And Adam knows exactly who she
313
00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,560
is and kind of gives her a, you
know, a lashing of sorts and
314
00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:35,320
says, like, let's toast to my
friend Gene Kelly because he's
315
00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,880
got a big showing in a couple
months and he's going to take it
316
00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:39,320
in the neck or whatever.
Like he's going to get
317
00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,440
criticized because he sucks at
painting, basically.
318
00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:43,400
And she's like, oh, why do you
say that?
319
00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,880
And he says, well, he has a
benefactor that has more nerve
320
00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,640
than she does cash.
And what he's saying is like,
321
00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,760
she's forcing him into this
because she wants him so badly
322
00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,840
and this is her way of doing it.
But like, I just don't kind.
323
00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,720
Of like a it's kind of like a
Citizen Kane, you know, his
324
00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:01,960
second marriage.
Yes.
325
00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,120
Trying to force her to be an
opera.
326
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,119
Singer and I just don't buy it.
Like that's how artists make
327
00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,800
money.
Like you get a benefactor and
328
00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,839
she's doing, you know, whether
or not she is wanting, you know,
329
00:17:12,839 --> 00:17:17,160
to to jump on the Gene Kelly
train is a completely different
330
00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:18,760
point.
Like I don't see anything
331
00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,119
unethical in what she's doing
and she's pretty upfront about
332
00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,680
it.
Is train a euphemism?
333
00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,560
It sure is.
Man the the Gene Kelly disco
334
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,760
stick.
The the Gene Kelly Alfred
335
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,400
Hitchcock train going into a
tunnel type of deal.
336
00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:39,520
Yeah, that, that was the thing
that constantly confused me was
337
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:44,840
like, I feel like that, like you
said, that's the whole shtick of
338
00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:49,720
being an artist is like, I'm
going to make enough art until
339
00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:53,680
somebody with money notices me
and pays me for what I do.
340
00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,840
And if they don't, I will die
penniless and I'll cut my own
341
00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,280
ear off and life's going to be
miserable.
342
00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:02,680
Right?
Like I, I don't, I don't
343
00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:07,480
understand what the supposed
moral issue is that that Minelli
344
00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,560
and Kelly are trying to to
portray here with.
345
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:11,760
Script.
Yeah.
346
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,320
Once again, I feel like they
they just got the barest
347
00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:17,160
semblance of a plot that they
could try to link together all
348
00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:18,680
these really good musical
numbers.
349
00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,800
Like you can tell in their
planning process, whoever wrote
350
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,160
the movie, they were like, Gene
Kelly, what kind of dances do
351
00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:26,560
you want to do?
We got all these.
352
00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,280
We got the rights to all these
old Gershwin songs, which, first
353
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,040
of all, I am such a sucker for
George Gershwin.
354
00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:33,840
Like, I like.
Oh my gosh.
355
00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,200
But Kelly's like, all right, I
want to do this ballet.
356
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,400
I want to do, I got rhythm.
We could should probably throw
357
00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,080
in.
It's wonderful at some point.
358
00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,440
And they're like, great, we'll
write a story around that.
359
00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,520
And you can tell that they tried
and it makes absolutely no
360
00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,440
sense.
Well, here's the other part of
361
00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:51,920
it.
When we're looking at
362
00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:58,760
performances, I think Milo, you
know, just is so charming and so
363
00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:04,080
kind and, and like, she feels
like the most real human of all
364
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,920
the characters in this movie.
Like the scene where she gets
365
00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,880
upset in the car about, you
know, Gene Kelly going out with
366
00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,040
her and then completely, like,
mooning over this other girl the
367
00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:19,000
whole time was so relatable.
I'm like, yeah, I would be
368
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,200
upset, too if I, like, took a
girl out.
369
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,160
And the entire time we were out
together, she was like checking
370
00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:26,720
out some other guy.
Well, and even in that scene,
371
00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,840
the throw a fit, they're, you
know, all the companions are
372
00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,320
like, now, Milo, you've done
this before.
373
00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,800
You only ever want a fling.
And it's like, OK, first of all,
374
00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,400
there's nothing wrong with that.
If that's how she wants to
375
00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,880
approach relationships and she's
upfront and honest with people
376
00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,080
about it, then like you live
your life, Milo.
377
00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,280
But but it's like they keep
trying to make her seem
378
00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,680
villainous.
And it's, I don't know if it's
379
00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,520
just that she is such a good
actress, like she does such a
380
00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,880
good job in this movie that it
undermines that because like,
381
00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,480
maybe you needed a singing in
the rain type of, you know, Jean
382
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,040
Higgins performance in that one
where she's just like an over
383
00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,080
the top villain on purpose.
Maybe that's what it needed.
384
00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,360
But I I like what we got,
honestly.
385
00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,240
Well, I don't know if I'm, I'm
like going way too deep than a
386
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:19,400
1950s musical is asking for, but
it seems like, you know, the,
387
00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:25,840
the message they are trying to
to say is good, is like Nina is
388
00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:30,400
getting in the way of true love.
And true love can be established
389
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,280
in a moment like, you know, love
at first sight.
390
00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:38,280
And how dare she get in the way
of that and her version of love
391
00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,640
of like, hey, let's, let's try
to be open and honest.
392
00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,800
And I'm going to clearly.
That's not love at all.
393
00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,640
My desires for this
relationship, that's not love,
394
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,000
that's evil and bad.
And I'm like, I, you know, I'm
395
00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,600
sure that they didn't think
about that too deeply when they
396
00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,520
were making, but that's kind of
the message that I got as I was
397
00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,240
watching the film.
And I don't know, I I think that
398
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:01,320
true love is something of a
mixture of the two.
399
00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:02,480
Well, and.
Like, you know.
400
00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:08,040
Even if you grant them that, her
courting of him is somewhat
401
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,160
coercive.
Like, Gene Kelly does the exact
402
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,160
same thing to Leslie Caran's
character.
403
00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,520
He runs into her and she's like,
please leave me alone.
404
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:17,880
You just took me out of the
dance floor.
405
00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,480
I feel unsafe and uncomfortable.
And he's like, ah, come on,
406
00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:21,560
baby.
I'm Gene Kelly.
407
00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,120
And she's like, please, no.
Then he, like, finds out where
408
00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:26,640
she works.
He tracks her down.
409
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,600
He's, like, essentially stalking
her.
410
00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,360
And she's like, I would really
prefer if you leave me alone
411
00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:34,040
forever.
And then he just, you know, hams
412
00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:37,000
it up enough that she's like,
ah, OK, I'll go out with you.
413
00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,520
But you know I I know that.
It's supposed to be when when
414
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:43,320
Milo does that, it's not OK.
Right.
415
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,960
And I know that it's supposed to
come across as charming.
416
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,560
And because it's Gene Kelly,
like the audience is charming.
417
00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,240
Well, the audience inherently
trusts that he's not a creep.
418
00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,920
But then you watch it through
2023 glasses and you're like,
419
00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,320
oh, like she's she's very
clearly asking him to leave her
420
00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:00,960
alone and he's just not doing
that.
421
00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:06,120
I was going to say, I always
remember a bit of film analysis
422
00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:11,200
that has always stuck out to me
is Patrick Williams and another
423
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,440
YouTube talked about the movie
Passengers with Jennifer
424
00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:18,040
Lawrence and Chris Pratt.
And, and they talked about how
425
00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:23,040
if you filmed that movie solely
from Jennifer Lawrence's
426
00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,080
perspective, then it becomes a
true suspense horror film.
427
00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:31,080
Like is Chris Pratt evil?
Is he like, you know, is he
428
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,000
good?
Is he bad?
429
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,960
What's his motives here?
We don't know what's going on
430
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,720
and why he woke her up.
I think that if you filmed this
431
00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:43,800
movie solely from Leslie
Carran's perspective, I, I think
432
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,120
that it turns into like, you
could turn it into a
433
00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:50,680
psychological creeper drama
where Gene Kelly is this
434
00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,520
terrifying figure that won't
leave her alone and he keeps
435
00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,520
popping up at inopportune times.
And she's trying to, you know,
436
00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,840
be faithful in this relationship
to Henri.
437
00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,560
And and like, it could be a
completely different movie if
438
00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:05,280
you just filmed it from a
different perspective.
439
00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,280
Let's finish out talking about
these performances.
440
00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,800
So we've got, you know, at least
four more people to talk about.
441
00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,040
And we had touched on Leslie
Quran earlier in the episodes
442
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,880
and let's go back to her.
I don't remember, Brad, if this
443
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,720
is her actual debut movie, but
she was 19 years old when Gene
444
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,120
Kelly discovers, quote UN quote,
discovers her, wants to cast her
445
00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:28,000
in this movie.
Gene Kelly very famously, as he
446
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,400
gets older, wants to have 19
year old Co stars because it's
447
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,440
the same thing that happened in
singing in the rain the
448
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,000
following year.
It's an interesting thing, Brad,
449
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,440
because I don't think that she's
a very good actress, at least at
450
00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,360
this point.
You like really wouldn't acting
451
00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,280
It works like her.
Her ability to dance works
452
00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,800
really well for what Kelly wants
to do with the sort of like
453
00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,320
dialectic thing here.
You know, like we we talked in
454
00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,240
Singing in the Rain about how
Debbie Reynolds was not a dancer
455
00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,960
at all and Gene Kelly kind of
forced her into dancing and and
456
00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,120
it's good.
Like her dancing is very good,
457
00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:03,360
but it's really tap heavy and
you know, American jazz
458
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,880
inflected when you're first
introduced to Leslie Quran in
459
00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:11,280
that sort of embraceable you
dream sequence when when Aubrey
460
00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,960
is describing her and she does
like 8 different dances to try
461
00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:16,720
to piece together what kind of
girl she is.
462
00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,760
I was immediately like, oh, OK,
like this is this is what they
463
00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,720
used to do in movies.
Do you see like the level of
464
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,000
control and dancings that she's
capable of?
465
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,360
Like it's physically an
incredible performance.
466
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,680
Yeah.
Oh, it's absolutely beautiful.
467
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:38,280
The that see that sequence might
be my favorite like scene, you
468
00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,240
know, or sequence of scenes in
the movie because it feels like
469
00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:47,280
the plot and the vibe of the
movie.
470
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:51,000
That's like the one time in the
film that they are in perfect
471
00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,160
alignment.
Like the vibe of like, let's
472
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,920
let's think about this world
impressionistically and, and,
473
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,680
and, and the nuances of
character and what we bring to
474
00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,120
the table.
Like they illustrate that so
475
00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:08,200
well and so clearly.
And they they make it clear why
476
00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,120
Henri has fallen in love with
this woman.
477
00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,680
And I'm like, OK, I'm in that.
That I can do.
478
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,360
But you're right in saying that
Leslie Caran just isn't a great
479
00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:22,360
actress.
And also the script doesn't do
480
00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:24,680
her any favors.
You know, to go to go back to
481
00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:32,040
the the perfume selling scene,
Gene Kelly is just being AD and
482
00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:36,600
she out of nowhere goes from get
away from me, I don't like you
483
00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:42,600
to OK, let's go on a date.
And I'm like, wait, what?
484
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,760
What just happened?
This does not this does not flow
485
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,520
well.
There's, there's no continuity
486
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,360
here.
And it just, I don't know, it's
487
00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:51,480
not the worst thing in the
world.
488
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:54,200
It's, it's just, you know, some
of my, my nitpicks.
489
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,400
Let's talk about our Boy George
as Henri Burrell.
490
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,960
He's really good in the movie.
He's a very charming like it it.
491
00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:04,240
You look at the guy and you're
like, I understand why you would
492
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,640
be a famous French singer.
Like you're very French, but
493
00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,320
you're really good looking and
super dapper and like, that's
494
00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,640
kind of all he's there to do.
Like he again, not a great
495
00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,040
actor, you know?
And and they did this thing a
496
00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:18,720
lot in Hollywood musicals where
they would try to introduce like
497
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,280
a famous opera singer is now
going to be a movie star.
498
00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:22,560
And they try that for two
movies.
499
00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,480
Then it didn't work.
So they'd go back to the drawing
500
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,200
board.
Like it's really clear that
501
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:30,000
they're trying to introduce this
guy to American audiences and it
502
00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,400
works for what this movie is
supposed to work for.
503
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,680
And I have really have not much
else to say about him.
504
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,400
Yeah, he's super charming.
I think he's pretty funny.
505
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,880
The the inner.
It's the innocence in him that's
506
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,360
funny as a character that, you
know, especially because he kind
507
00:26:45,360 --> 00:26:49,880
of gets put opposite of Oscar
Levant a lot of the movie.
508
00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:54,680
He has that world weariness.
You know, Henri has this, like,
509
00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,720
world innocence, and he's just
taking things as they come.
510
00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,520
And I'm going to go to America
and go on tour and get married.
511
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,800
And even at the end of the film,
it's implied that, you know,
512
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,400
Leslie Quran tells him that
she's actually in love with Gene
513
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,080
Kelly.
And so he just naively is like,
514
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,000
well, all right, then that makes
sense.
515
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,520
You're in love.
Go for it.
516
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,200
And just releases her.
Yeah.
517
00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:18,720
And I'm like, that's, that's
charming.
518
00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:20,440
It's fine.
Yeah, I do love that.
519
00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:25,720
Like, the the French stereotype
of how they think about love is
520
00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,480
embodied in this guy.
Like, you imagine what that
521
00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,480
conversation is like in the car.
And, you know, to a Frenchman in
522
00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,000
the world of this movie, it's
like, well, love, love conquers
523
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:37,520
all.
Love is the supreme thing that
524
00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:39,800
we worship.
So like, I can't get in the way
525
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:40,920
of that.
Of course, I had to take you
526
00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,640
back to Gene Kelly instead of
being like, yes, you've been
527
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,080
doing what, behind my back.
You know what I mean?
528
00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:50,200
Yeah.
And it's not like, you know,
529
00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,680
there's there's a world where
back in the day, people would
530
00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,440
just go on dates with each other
and they they didn't mean as
531
00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:59,240
much as they do nowadays.
And so this wasn't that.
532
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,360
This was like a man who was
desperately in love with her and
533
00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:06,480
ready to marry her.
And she's, you know, leaving or
534
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,720
she's not going to his
performances because she's
535
00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,840
hanging out with Gene Kelly.
She's, you know, leaving dates
536
00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,240
with him early so that she can
be with Gene Kelly like she is.
537
00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,480
She is being a slimeball here,
to be clear.
538
00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:21,960
I do love the, I don't know what
it is about the French.
539
00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,320
Even in old Hollywood movies,
they're always, they're always
540
00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:28,200
chasing after the barely legal
girls, You know, like, the back
541
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,880
story here is like, she came to
my family during the war and she
542
00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,120
was just a little girl.
And we didn't fall in love until
543
00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:36,320
she wasn't a little girl.
And I'm like, OK.
544
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,120
Until she was.
Yeah. 18 years old and one day
545
00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:40,280
I.
Was like, OK, bud?
546
00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,280
Yeah, yeah.
You've had no feelings for her
547
00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:44,040
until then, you freaking
groomer.
548
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,120
Poor Leslie Quran.
Like, the two options in the
549
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,000
world that she has are guy who
stalks her and guy who has been
550
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,360
grooming her since childhood.
Yep.
551
00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,360
Yeah.
Big, big, big red flag, man.
552
00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,360
We are.
We're really off the rails
553
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,000
today.
OK, Two people left to talk
554
00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:03,920
about Oscar Levant.
We've already touched on him a
555
00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,920
bit.
He is all of the Comic Relief in
556
00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,680
this movie.
They try to give Gene Kelly a
557
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,480
couple funny things to do, and
they don't work.
558
00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,240
And so like, when you're
watching Oscar Levant piece
559
00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,760
together that Gene Kelly and
Henri are talking about the same
560
00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,640
girl, and he's, like, fumbling
with his cigarette and dropping
561
00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,160
it in his coffee.
And there's some really great
562
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:28,240
physical humor to go along with
the drawl, sarcastic voice.
563
00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,200
I just absolutely loved every
moment he was on screen.
564
00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:37,720
Yeah, it feels like William
Wyler took a little bit of that
565
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,520
scene at the cafe and
implemented it in Roman Holiday
566
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,680
when, when Cary Grant is like,
you know, tripping his friend
567
00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,400
and spilling coffee on him.
And, and there's this like,
568
00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,600
playfulness there that like
those two scenes reminded me of
569
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,760
each other.
And I yeah, you're right, man.
570
00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:58,280
Oscar Levant, there's something
about his character and his his
571
00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:03,920
performance that felt the most
real out of anybody in this
572
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:05,880
movie.
And I and so, yeah, I'm, I'm
573
00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,240
with you, man.
I love me some Oscar in this
574
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:09,600
film.
Right.
575
00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,920
I think maybe let's let's hit
pause here.
576
00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,680
We'll talk about Gene Kelly
after the break because he did
577
00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,560
spearhead this whole project.
And I think that talking about
578
00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,520
his performances, talking about,
you know, the musical numbers
579
00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,160
themselves.
I want to talk about the
580
00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:24,960
costumes in this movie because I
think Gene Kelly's costumes are
581
00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,400
like next level stuff in this
movie.
582
00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,920
And then we'll kind of finish
out talking about the fact that
583
00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,440
this movie won the Oscar for
Best Picture and that was a
584
00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:38,040
controversial pick even in 1952.
So let's take a break here.
585
00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:39,920
Let's try this.
Evan Williams, what do you say?
586
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:50,120
Let's get to it.
All right, so today we are
587
00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:54,960
checking out Evan Williams
Bottled in Bond colloquial,
588
00:30:55,400 --> 00:31:01,320
colloquially known as
colloquially known as Evan
589
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,800
Williams white label because the
regular Evan Williams has a an
590
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,800
all black label.
This one is the complete
591
00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,760
opposite, all white with black
lettering on it.
592
00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,800
It is as most bottled and Bond
whiskies are.
593
00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:16,360
It is 100 proof.
It has a four year age statement
594
00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:17,960
on it.
I I, I don't think it's most
595
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,800
Bob.
I I think it's all every single
596
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,160
one.
You can have like a five year
597
00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,840
bottled and bond.
This one is very specifically
598
00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:27,680
like meeting the bare minimum
required.
599
00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:29,400
I thought you were.
I thought you were talking about
600
00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:31,320
the proof point I.
Was like, Oh yeah.
601
00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,280
It's kind of all of it's 100 or
100 proof.
602
00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:38,920
That's a good point.
So Brad Evan Williams is,
603
00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:42,160
according to the Heaven Hill
Distilleries website, the second
604
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,320
largest selling Kentucky
Straight bourbon whiskey in the
605
00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,000
world as a brand.
So this is the 100 proof version
606
00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,760
of that.
I have found out since we first
607
00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:56,160
recorded this many, many years
ago that Heaven Hill's mash bill
608
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,440
for some of their bourbons is
identical across brands.
609
00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:06,320
So the Evan Williams mash bill
is 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted
610
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,880
barley.
So it's a low rye mash bill.
611
00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,920
It's the exact same mash bill
that they use for Elijah Craig
612
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,240
and also for some of their more
inexpensive bottle than Bonds
613
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,760
like JW Dance.
And I just happened to have a
614
00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,440
bottle of Elijah Craig and a
bottle of JW Dance on my shelf.
615
00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:27,160
And so I thought it would be
kind of fun, like to not only
616
00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:29,840
pour the Evan Williams, but to
pour the other two and to see
617
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,680
like, is this just the same
whiskey in three bottles or
618
00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:33,960
like, what are the differences
here?
619
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,520
I mean, is that is that cool
with you if I just kind of do
620
00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,200
this project while you give
reviews of what the whiskey at
621
00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:41,960
hand?
Bob, you live your best life.
622
00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,960
I don't think you have so much
fun with this.
623
00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,880
I won't stand in your way.
I'll put up no obstacles.
624
00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:53,720
I will say that JW Dance sounds
like a cheap local hometown
625
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:59,000
lawyer that like you call when
you've gotten like hassled by
626
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:00,080
the police or something.
There's.
627
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:02,840
Just something about the
initials.
628
00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,440
JW Yes, yeah.
Like it just seems like a like a
629
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,000
really shady lawyer.
Yeah, like the judge kind of
630
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,880
sighs heavily when he sees him
walk into the courtroom.
631
00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:14,240
All right, man, so I'm going to
say this.
632
00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:17,840
Part of the reason that I poured
both of these other two brands
633
00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:21,440
is I have never been a huge fan
of Evan Williams bottled and
634
00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,960
Bond.
It is a beloved budget bourbon
635
00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,880
among a certain sector of
people.
636
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,240
It's just never been my thing.
And so I really want to see
637
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,080
like, am I just falling victim
to the bottle?
638
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,560
Like am I just seeing that it's
Evan Williams and telling myself
639
00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,360
I don't like it?
Or is there an actual difference
640
00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,760
between this and Elijah Craig
and JW Dant?
641
00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:45,800
So without further ado, let's
dive into to the Evan Williams.
642
00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,000
Brad, what are you picking up on
the nose here?
643
00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,720
This is a decent nose.
It's definitely a little bit
644
00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,240
alcohol forward.
The the proof points are coming
645
00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:58,720
through and and not in the most
pleasant way, but it it's got
646
00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:01,760
some nice brown sugar.
There's some caramel vanilla, a
647
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:07,080
little bit of oakiness.
It's a decent nose hovering on
648
00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:13,920
the edge of being like solid.
I'll give it a 6 1/2.
649
00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:18,440
Yeah, close to A7.
All of our scores today are
650
00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:22,560
going to be considering the fact
that this is like a $15 bottle
651
00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:24,840
of whiskey.
So like, you know, it is what it
652
00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,400
is.
I just finished nosing all three
653
00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,120
of these, Brad, and my
suspicions have really been
654
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,800
confirmed here.
So Elijah Craig has this really
655
00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,440
kind of fruit character to it.
Like there's a lot of red apple.
656
00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,600
I got some orange.
It has a much more like, it
657
00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:44,800
smelled more like a cocktail
than straight bourbon, and I
658
00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,880
like that a lot.
But then I went to knows this JW
659
00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:52,080
Dance, and it was like sawdust
and manliness and like, it had
660
00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,159
much kind of like darker,
mustier notes to it.
661
00:34:55,159 --> 00:34:57,920
And I really like that as well.
JW Dan.
662
00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:01,000
Yeah, exactly.
JW Dan is one of my favorite
663
00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,960
budget pours.
The Evan Williams is like, it's
664
00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,840
not even in between those two.
It's like if you just kept going
665
00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:11,040
down the dark musty hallway into
a door you're not supposed to go
666
00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:12,720
into.
Like it just smells a little bit
667
00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:15,000
too oaky.
It smells a little bit like it's
668
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,240
going to be bitter.
I don't get those kind of
669
00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:20,880
classic vanilla brown sugar
notes on this so much.
670
00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:26,200
It just seems like a like an
excessively oaky spicy bourbon.
671
00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:29,800
I'm going to give it a 6th and
1/2 on the nose but I have a
672
00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,720
feeling I know where this is
going on the taste.
673
00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,920
Yeah, as as I got into the
palate, the the note I took was.
674
00:35:38,720 --> 00:35:42,520
Like.
Like it's not quite orangey.
675
00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,400
It's kind of like the essence of
orange, but a little bit sour,
676
00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:48,960
and it's just kind of a hint of
orange there.
677
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:51,600
There's some vanilla, there's
some pepper.
678
00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,440
It the the texture.
That's not even the right word.
679
00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,880
There is something about it that
reminded me of Pop Rocks a
680
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,720
little bit that I don't know
what it was, the way it
681
00:36:02,720 --> 00:36:05,480
interacted with my palate, but
it kind of reminded me of Pop
682
00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,240
Rocks.
It's OK, it's not bad.
683
00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,120
I'll give it a 6 1/2 here.
Yeah.
684
00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,120
So again, like, I just, I drank
the Elijah Craig and then I
685
00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:17,640
drank the JW Dance, and there's
market differences there.
686
00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,920
The damp, I'm going to be honest
with you, the damp tastes really
687
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,920
cheap, but it tastes cheap in a
way that's like, it appeals to
688
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,280
me who is forever a poor college
student at heart.
689
00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:33,600
Like it has like a lot of oak.
It gets a little bit bitter.
690
00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:36,480
There is like more rye spice to
it than I was expecting.
691
00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,200
And then you get like a fake
sweetener note at the end.
692
00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,280
Yeah.
The Evan Williams is all of that
693
00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:46,080
without fake sweetener for me.
Like I just don't, I don't get
694
00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:50,360
much on this except just like
here's a bunch of oak and here's
695
00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:53,320
some really bitter notes.
I have a feeling that people
696
00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:56,960
like this because it probably
mixes really well in like an old
697
00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:00,320
fashioned or any whiskey based
drink because it's higher proof
698
00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:03,760
and it just brings like the wood
character to it.
699
00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:07,040
But sipping it neat.
I, I, I just don't know that I
700
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,560
love this man.
I'm going to give it a 5 1/2 on
701
00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:13,880
flavor.
Yeah, for me, I'm actually at a
702
00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:19,320
5 1/2 on the finish.
The the finish is just dry oaky
703
00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,400
there.
There's some black pepper going
704
00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:27,640
on, but it's just kind of saps
my soul a little bit.
705
00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:32,320
And it, it's, it's fine.
It like a 5 1/2 is not a good
706
00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,000
score, but it's also not a bad
score.
707
00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:37,400
So it's it's OK.
It's nothing to write home
708
00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:39,720
about.
I'm trying to find the right
709
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:43,280
word to describe this whiskey
because it's not like today I
710
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,760
had to have a cup of coffee at a
place that I don't usually get
711
00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:47,320
it.
And you know what?
712
00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:50,280
You're just like used to.
Drinking a not the gas, not the
713
00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,920
gas station.
No, it's even worse than that.
714
00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,600
You know, like sometimes when
you get like mass produced, like
715
00:37:55,600 --> 00:38:00,640
Folgers, it just kind of tastes
like they've accidentally or
716
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:04,160
purposefully ground up bits of
cardboard instead of coffee.
717
00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:07,800
Like there's a, there's like a
stale old paper flavour.
718
00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,000
Yeah.
I'm trying to decide if, like,
719
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:11,920
this is the whiskey equivalent
of that.
720
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:17,320
I know I wouldn't call it stale,
but it definitely tastes like if
721
00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:22,240
someone stuck this in front of
me, it would be, like, my least
722
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:24,640
favorite kind of bourbon.
Yeah.
723
00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:28,600
Like all the notes that I I
tolerate in other bourbons, it's
724
00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,360
like those are the only notes.
Here, yeah, they're prominent.
725
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:34,680
You know what I mean?
Yeah, no, I mean, I love the
726
00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:39,760
coffee analogy because for me, I
remember growing up and thinking
727
00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:42,800
that coffee smelled pretty good,
like when my parents made in the
728
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:44,760
morning.
But once I was a teenager and I
729
00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,400
tried it a few times, I
literally remember I would have
730
00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:53,600
to brush my teeth twice and then
also like chew a stick of gum to
731
00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:59,120
get that bitter coffee out of my
off of my palate.
732
00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:03,680
And it wasn't until I was in my
late 20s that I had a really
733
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,240
good cup of coffee and was like,
oh, I could like coffee.
734
00:39:07,240 --> 00:39:11,520
That's not, you know, Maxwell
House like.
735
00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:14,480
And I, I'm with you, man.
There's definitely some whiskeys
736
00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:18,760
that fall into the Folgers
Maxwell Houses of the world.
737
00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,200
Now, again, I don't know if this
is one of them, but it has a
738
00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:24,880
similar thing where it's like
this is a completely different
739
00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:26,760
kind of coffee.
This is a completely different
740
00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,280
kind of whiskey that I do not
prefer.
741
00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:33,400
So I'll give it a six on finish.
I'll give it a six on balance.
742
00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:37,640
And that is because this is
like, again, a $1520 bottle of
743
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,800
whiskey.
Brad, what is this currently
744
00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,720
retailing for in the state of
Ohio?
745
00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:46,680
Yeah, Bob, this is a $19.99
bottle of whiskey in the state
746
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,720
of Ohio.
I am seeing it online for as low
747
00:39:49,720 --> 00:39:54,200
as 1099 on sale at some places
so it seems like we got to move
748
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:55,640
some units here.
Heaven Hill.
749
00:39:56,160 --> 00:39:59,640
I don't think this is a great
value even at 1999.
750
00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,920
I'm drinking this JW dance right
now.
751
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,720
It is.
I think 15 bucks now you can
752
00:40:05,720 --> 00:40:07,520
only get it in like Kentucky.
I get that.
753
00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,520
It's just significantly better
at $5 cheaper.
754
00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:17,440
I'm going to give this AI don't
know, a six out of 10 on value
755
00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,280
just because a $20 bottle of
whiskey is is pretty much a good
756
00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:24,200
value no matter how bad it is.
So like I can, I can only give
757
00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:28,400
it a low enough score to punish
it a bit, but I'm coming out to
758
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,320
a six on value.
What are you at, Brad?
759
00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:35,520
I, I'm also at a six.
I, I, I think that this isn't a
760
00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:38,000
terrible value.
I think it's a decent bottle of
761
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,000
whiskey that you can use as a
mixer and some of your, your
762
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:44,520
mixed drinks.
But overall it, it just doesn't
763
00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:46,160
have quite enough going on for
it.
764
00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:51,520
And there are other options here
in the 20 to $25.00 range that I
765
00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:53,080
would much more highly
recommend.
766
00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:56,080
And, and, you know, we'll go to
the classic Rebel 100.
767
00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:59,000
I'm coming out to a 30 out of
50.
768
00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:00,640
Brad, where are you sitting on
this one?
769
00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,960
I am at a 30.5 all.
Right.
770
00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:10,840
So our average is a 30.25 out of
50 or a 60.5 out of 100.
771
00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:12,840
This is nothing to write home
about, folks.
772
00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:16,400
And even amongst budget
bourbons, you know it.
773
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,920
It's likely that people just
have their preferred budget
774
00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:21,720
whiskey.
I just, I struggle to understand
775
00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:24,560
the cult that has formed around
this bottle because I just
776
00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:26,800
don't, I don't find it to be
anything special.
777
00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:28,000
Brad.
Yeah, I know.
778
00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:31,120
I'm, I'm with you, man.
I, I think that this is an
779
00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:36,160
example for me of like following
the big name brands and just
780
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:39,800
having a loyalty there for some
unearned reason.
781
00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:43,600
I I don't understand it all.
Right, man.
782
00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,160
Well, before we get too
philosophical on that front.
783
00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:48,960
Was that was that harsh?
Yeah, it was a little harsh, but
784
00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:52,200
also like we're opening a can of
worms that we do not have time
785
00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:56,240
to dive into today.
So let's get back into talking
786
00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:58,120
about an American in Paris.
What do you say?
787
00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:05,880
Let's get to it, Bob.
All right everybody, That was
788
00:42:05,880 --> 00:42:10,400
Evan Williams white label, a
whiskey that we will gladly tap
789
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:16,520
dance away from Bob.
I am super excited because we
790
00:42:16,560 --> 00:42:19,200
are in the midst of a great
season for two facts and a
791
00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:21,200
falsehood.
Yeah, we're only a couple
792
00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:25,200
episodes in, man, but I am, I'm
feeling more optimistic about
793
00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:28,400
this season just 'cause I know
the movies better, you know, I
794
00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,720
can go back and listen to a full
episode's worth of context that
795
00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:35,160
we've already recorded and hope
that you're not doing the same.
796
00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,160
And so maybe some of the tidbits
that you've shared are going to
797
00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:39,720
come up again.
We'll see.
798
00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:41,480
I don't know.
I'm feeling good about myself.
799
00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:44,040
It may just be because we're
watching a Gene Kelly movie.
800
00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:47,200
But Brad, that means that it is
time for our next segment, which
801
00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:52,080
we call 2 Facts and a Falsehood.
Brad is going to try to stump
802
00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:56,360
you.
Ball 2 are right and what is
803
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:00,400
wrong?
2 facts and a falsehood. 2 Facts
804
00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:03,080
and a Falsehood is the part of
the show where Brad presents me
805
00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:06,280
with three items about the
making of this movie, all of
806
00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:10,360
which are presented as fact, one
of which is a complete lie, and
807
00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:12,400
I have to figure out which one
that is.
808
00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:15,600
As I've said, I'm very
optimistic.
809
00:43:15,880 --> 00:43:17,800
I don't know if I actually have
reason to be.
810
00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:22,120
But none of this goes from here.
Hit me with your two facts and a
811
00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:24,840
falsehood.
Fact number one In an interview
812
00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:27,760
later in her life, Quran says
that she found the dancing
813
00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:31,440
particularly difficult as the
studio floors were concrete and
814
00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:34,680
not sprung as she was used to.
Also, the bright floor paints
815
00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:36,600
made the surfaces quite
slippery.
816
00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:40,560
Fact number 2IN spite of the
fact that the film was almost
817
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:45,200
entirely shot on MGM's Lot 44 in
Hollywood, they experienced
818
00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:48,320
multiple rain delays due to a
historically wet summer in
819
00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:50,520
California.
It rained so hard that they
820
00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:52,560
couldn't work around the sound
of the downpour hitting the
821
00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:56,720
roof.
Fact #3 Arthur Freed originally
822
00:43:56,720 --> 00:43:59,360
just wanted to buy the rights to
George Gershwin's number
823
00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:02,520
American in Paris, but Ira
Gershwin said that he'd only
824
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:05,680
sell on the condition that if a
musical were to use the song, it
825
00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:08,560
would only use Gershwin numbers
as its other songs.
826
00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:11,360
I like that.
I don't know if it's true or
827
00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:14,160
not, but a bit of Hollywood
history here.
828
00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:17,880
We haven't really talked much
about Gene Kelly in terms of his
829
00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:21,040
place in Hollywood, but
obviously his biggest competitor
830
00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:24,480
in the market was Fred Astaire.
And Fred Astaire very famously
831
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:27,680
made a movie called Swing Time
where all of the songs were
832
00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:29,960
Gershwin songs.
Now, this is when George
833
00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:33,000
Gershwin was still alive, and so
Gershwin wrote every single song
834
00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:37,560
for that movie specifically.
But it seems plausible to me
835
00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:42,120
that any subsequent Gershwin
movie or movie using Gershwin
836
00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:45,240
would have to use all Gershwin.
Say he could also like know
837
00:44:45,240 --> 00:44:49,560
about the rivalry between the
two and be like, I got, I got
838
00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,160
all these ones for here.
Here's a easy payday.
839
00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:54,240
Yeah.
If you if you want to be like
840
00:44:54,240 --> 00:44:57,680
your competition, you better
hire me for the whole thing. #1
841
00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,520
sounds really plausible too.
You know, this was Leslie
842
00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:02,600
Caron's first major movie in
Hollywood.
843
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:05,000
I can't remember if it's
actually her first Hollywood
844
00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:09,280
film, but the idea of dancing on
concrete sounds terrible.
845
00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:12,360
And there are many, many horror
stories from the golden age of
846
00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:15,400
musicals about bleeding through
shoes and everything else.
847
00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:20,440
So I'm going to say that one's
true #3 sounds pretty true, and
848
00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:23,800
#2 sounds really innocuous.
So I'm just going to go ahead
849
00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:28,480
and say #2 is the falsehood just
because I found it to be the
850
00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:34,080
most boring fact?
Wah wah, boring Bob, you are
851
00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:35,760
correct.
That is the Gall said.
852
00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:37,640
All.
Right.
853
00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:39,680
Congratulations, Sir.
Thank you.
854
00:45:39,680 --> 00:45:41,120
You have.
Won nothing I've.
855
00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:44,960
Won absolutely nothing except
the chance to lose next week and
856
00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:46,960
balance out this win.
That's right.
857
00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,920
All right, man, let's get back
into talking about the movie.
858
00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:53,320
And when I say the movie, I mean
Gene Kelly, because we've talked
859
00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:55,840
about everything else except for
Gene Kelly so far.
860
00:45:57,000 --> 00:46:00,360
Brad, I I mean, it's kind of
hard to talk about Gene Kelly
861
00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:04,280
performances in musicals because
he is one of these guys that I
862
00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,200
think he's a very good actor and
he had a number of dramatic
863
00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:09,320
roles where he wasn't singing
and dancing.
864
00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:14,480
But when you talk about Gene
Kelly in a musical, more than a
865
00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:16,960
character, he's just being Gene
Kelly.
866
00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:21,400
Like the Gene Kelly persona is
inserted into different
867
00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:24,840
situations.
And so it's kind of like, how do
868
00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:26,680
you talk about Gene Kelly in
this movie?
869
00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:28,560
We've already talked about him
and singing in the rain.
870
00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:31,760
Just go listen to that.
And so I think maybe part of
871
00:46:32,640 --> 00:46:35,720
part of the conversation needs
to be like, what didn't work
872
00:46:35,720 --> 00:46:37,600
about Gene Kelly in this movie
for you?
873
00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:42,240
And or we've both already
established we like singing in
874
00:46:42,240 --> 00:46:44,880
the rain better.
What's different about Gene
875
00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:48,000
Kelly there than here?
And and why does it make such a
876
00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:53,960
difference?
Man, I think that An American in
877
00:46:53,960 --> 00:47:04,000
Paris feels more just a little
slipshod, a little more rough
878
00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:06,760
around the edges than Singing in
the Rain does.
879
00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:11,240
Singing in the Rain just feels
like it has this, this airtight
880
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:15,680
command and vision behind the
film that just drives it
881
00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:18,480
forward.
Whereas this one just feels kind
882
00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:22,800
of fluffier around the edges.
It doesn't quite have the clean
883
00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:26,080
ascetic that you have in Singing
in the Rain and I I think that
884
00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:29,800
affects my view of Kelly in this
movie versus singing.
885
00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:33,120
Yeah, it's it's weird because I
completely agree with what
886
00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:34,840
you're saying.
It is rough around the edges in
887
00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:39,200
that it feels more unfocused,
but it doesn't feel like a more
888
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:41,960
rough and tumble movie.
Like if anything, it feels much
889
00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:46,800
more stately and kind of not not
stoic, but stayed, you know,
890
00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:50,400
like it's just it's it's very
inert as a movie, even though
891
00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:52,800
there's a lot of movement that
was just great ballet sequence
892
00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:57,280
at the end.
Like Vincent Minnelli was such a
893
00:47:57,320 --> 00:48:01,840
good composer of shots.
And so in a lot of these musical
894
00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:07,720
numbers, like there's a number
where Henri and Gene Kelly are
895
00:48:07,720 --> 00:48:10,080
singing the songs wonderful.
And they're just walking down
896
00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:12,640
the street and all the camera
does is just kind of track
897
00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:15,400
alongside them.
And then at the very end, it
898
00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:18,320
cranes up because they're going
in opposite directions on the
899
00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:20,000
street.
And so in the top right corner
900
00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:23,280
of the screen is Gene Kelly, and
in the bottom left is his friend
901
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:25,960
Henri.
And that's literally the extent
902
00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:28,680
of the camera work in those
sequences.
903
00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:32,000
It's very much like Minnelli's,
like, here's the shot, move
904
00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:33,920
around within it, and that's
what you get.
905
00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:37,720
Whereas, you know, Brad, I was
listening back to the Season 1
906
00:48:37,720 --> 00:48:41,600
version of this episode and was
reminded, and I totally forgot
907
00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,360
about this.
Minnelli actually had to move on
908
00:48:44,360 --> 00:48:47,880
to making a different movie and
just basically turned over the
909
00:48:47,880 --> 00:48:50,760
movie to Gene Kelly.
And so Gene Kelly directed most
910
00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:53,800
of the ballet sequence.
And if you watch that ballet
911
00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:56,600
sequence, like the camera is
weaving in and out of people.
912
00:48:56,600 --> 00:48:59,720
It's kind of like chasing Gene
Kelly through situations.
913
00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:01,800
There's a ton of really weird
looking close-ups.
914
00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:06,320
And it's clear that Gene Kelly
wants the camera to be a
915
00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:10,680
character in these dance
sequences instead of just like
916
00:49:11,120 --> 00:49:13,600
Minelli, which is you are
watching my painting.
917
00:49:13,760 --> 00:49:16,080
You know what I mean?
Like the camera is not there.
918
00:49:16,080 --> 00:49:18,880
You're just looking through this
porthole that I've established.
919
00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:23,040
And I think I say all that to
say, like Singing in the rain
920
00:49:23,040 --> 00:49:29,280
works so much better because
Kelly is able to do this huge
921
00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:33,600
like vaudevillian energy through
that whole movie.
922
00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:37,720
Like it's just you could you
could put that movie poster up
923
00:49:38,040 --> 00:49:41,760
and just hum.
And it's like, that's the energy
924
00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:44,440
of that movie.
It is like a breakneck pace.
925
00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,160
It's goofy, it's silly.
He totally buys into the
926
00:49:47,160 --> 00:49:50,280
slapstick of it.
Whereas this movie, he's like, I
927
00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:53,600
want to make it feel like I'm a
man of the people, but I'm in
928
00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:57,280
Paris and everything is so
painterly and like, it's just,
929
00:49:57,280 --> 00:49:59,840
it's almost like they're at
odds, Minelli and and Kelly.
930
00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:03,080
And so I feel like Kelly's
performance suffers as a result
931
00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:05,560
of that.
Yeah, I mean, you have him
932
00:50:05,560 --> 00:50:09,920
narrating the opening about, ah,
so beautiful to live in Paris.
933
00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:12,920
And my friends, I have so many
friends.
934
00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:16,680
And then like the average
American is like, yeah, no, I I
935
00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:18,680
don't know anything about Paris.
Never been there.
936
00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:22,000
Like I also don't have friends.
We have a pandemic of loneliness
937
00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:23,840
here.
Move along please.
938
00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:30,840
So it just, yeah, this film just
it suffers there.
939
00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:35,720
There's undeniable issues with
kind of the vision of of what
940
00:50:35,720 --> 00:50:37,040
they're trying to accomplish
here.
941
00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:39,160
And I think you're right.
I think Kelly is trying to shoot
942
00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:43,240
for something different than
Minelli and that like that's not
943
00:50:43,240 --> 00:50:46,880
the end of the world, but it it
definitely leads to a few
944
00:50:46,880 --> 00:50:48,920
drawbacks that the film has to
overcome.
945
00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:53,560
OK, Brad, I, I mean, I really
don't have much more to say
946
00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:55,520
about Gene Kelly.
And I, I hate to say it like
947
00:50:55,520 --> 00:51:00,520
that, but like he's Gene Kelly,
folks like, you know, he exudes
948
00:51:00,720 --> 00:51:05,080
this radiance and this joy.
Yeah, Charm, charisma, all the
949
00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,720
things.
If I had to list like my all
950
00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:12,040
time favorite Gene Kelly musical
numbers, like obviously the
951
00:51:12,040 --> 00:51:17,080
Singing in the Rain number is is
#1 but right behind it, Brad is
952
00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:20,680
when he sings I got rhythm
surrounded by a bunch of small
953
00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:24,400
French children.
And it's just, Oh my gosh, dude.
954
00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:28,320
Like, it's just how do you not
watch a sequence like that and
955
00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:31,000
whatever's going on in your
life, just feel 10 times better
956
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:36,840
about like, it's his persona and
he was an exacting, not very
957
00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:38,960
kind person to work with from
what I've heard.
958
00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:44,200
But the persona that he could
put on when they called action
959
00:51:44,720 --> 00:51:48,320
is like unparalleled in the
history of movie making.
960
00:51:49,160 --> 00:51:53,160
Yeah, and it had to feel jarring
for, for the people working with
961
00:51:53,160 --> 00:51:57,640
him to be like, man, what what
happened to the the guy who was
962
00:51:57,640 --> 00:52:00,680
just yelling at me 10 seconds
before and and now he's the
963
00:52:00,680 --> 00:52:02,920
nicest person.
Like, I don't know if you have
964
00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:05,520
this experience with your
parents, but like, I remember
965
00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:09,000
one time my brother and I were
just being little crap heads and
966
00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:11,960
my mom was like yelling at us.
And, and it it's like one of the
967
00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:14,920
few times I remember her
swearing at us, she and it
968
00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:17,720
wasn't even anything.
She was like, you guys just
969
00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:20,480
don't give a damn about me.
Like, like that was it.
970
00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:26,280
And then we walked in to get ice
cream and her whole, hey, how
971
00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:28,480
are you guys?
It's great to be we'd love to
972
00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:31,440
get some ice cream.
Like the nicest, happiest human
973
00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:33,240
being.
And I was like, look to my
974
00:52:33,240 --> 00:52:34,400
brother.
And I'm like, what just
975
00:52:34,400 --> 00:52:36,840
happened?
Like she was just yelling at us
976
00:52:36,840 --> 00:52:40,920
and crying like 10 seconds ago.
And I feel like that's probably
977
00:52:40,920 --> 00:52:42,960
the experience people had to
have had with Kelly.
978
00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:46,240
That's really funny.
OK, So I want to transition to
979
00:52:46,240 --> 00:52:49,200
talking about the Oscars
because, you know, we've noted
980
00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:50,520
it in the first half a little
bit.
981
00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:52,720
This movie wins the best picture
Oscar.
982
00:52:52,720 --> 00:52:55,640
It was a huge surprise.
Part of it is because the
983
00:52:55,640 --> 00:52:58,920
producer of this movie, Arthur
Freed, who was the the producer
984
00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:03,040
of all these big musicals, he
won the Irving Thalberg Memorial
985
00:53:03,040 --> 00:53:05,080
Award this night.
And so like he was already
986
00:53:05,080 --> 00:53:09,040
getting, you know, fated by by
Hollywood.
987
00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:12,680
And so in addition to that, they
come on stage, they announce
988
00:53:12,680 --> 00:53:14,360
that this movie has won best
picture.
989
00:53:14,680 --> 00:53:17,640
And it was a complete shock.
Nobody expected this movie to
990
00:53:17,640 --> 00:53:20,440
win.
And I, I've been thinking about
991
00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:25,200
it a lot, Brad, because in the,
in the current climate of the
992
00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,200
Oscars, I feel like the
complaint we hear from average
993
00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:31,320
people all the time is like, I
have never heard of these films.
994
00:53:31,320 --> 00:53:34,800
I have never seen these films.
They only award like these
995
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:38,840
boring Oscar bait movies.
I wish that they would give
996
00:53:38,840 --> 00:53:42,240
Oscars to normal movies.
And then you have an example
997
00:53:42,240 --> 00:53:44,400
like this.
An American in Paris wins best
998
00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:48,400
picture and it wins over some
pretty heavy hitters like A
999
00:53:48,400 --> 00:53:51,760
Streetcar Named Desire with
Marlon Brando where Marlon
1000
00:53:51,760 --> 00:53:57,040
Brando basically introduces the
world to both himself and method
1001
00:53:57,040 --> 00:53:59,400
acting and it is like a
sensation.
1002
00:54:00,240 --> 00:54:02,680
There's another movie that comes
out this year called Quo Vadis,
1003
00:54:02,680 --> 00:54:07,000
which is this big epic in Roman
times, A Place in the Sun with
1004
00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:09,000
Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth
Taylor.
1005
00:54:09,240 --> 00:54:11,560
Very controversial movie, but
well liked.
1006
00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:15,880
And I, I can't help but wonder,
Brad, if the reason this wins is
1007
00:54:15,880 --> 00:54:20,080
because Hollywood is kind of
sitting on the edge of a bit of
1008
00:54:20,080 --> 00:54:22,440
a revolution here in terms of
how movies get made.
1009
00:54:22,880 --> 00:54:25,720
And they just don't.
The older members of the Academy
1010
00:54:25,720 --> 00:54:29,000
especially, like, don't want to
get dragged into the 1950s.
1011
00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:33,520
And they're like, let's give it
to what we know works and what
1012
00:54:33,520 --> 00:54:37,200
we like and what is inoffensive
and not controversial.
1013
00:54:37,200 --> 00:54:39,720
And that's Gene Kelly and an
American in Paris.
1014
00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:45,720
But I also wonder, like, looking
back on it now, I don't know
1015
00:54:45,720 --> 00:54:48,360
that anyone would even say today
that this is the best movie that
1016
00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:52,640
got made in 1951.
So it's like, do we want normal
1017
00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:56,440
movies to win over like stuffy
dramas or do we actually want
1018
00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:59,040
the best movie to win?
Because this still kind of
1019
00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:01,680
sticks out like a sore thumb.
I don't know why this movie wins
1020
00:55:01,680 --> 00:55:04,000
best picture.
And even as a guy that likes it,
1021
00:55:04,080 --> 00:55:06,720
I don't know that I would say
like it deserves to win best
1022
00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:08,120
picture.
Yeah.
1023
00:55:08,120 --> 00:55:13,360
And then that's the difficult
thing is how do you as a 2020,
1024
00:55:13,360 --> 00:55:18,520
whatever person, go back and
really judge what was happening
1025
00:55:18,520 --> 00:55:22,120
at that time?
But I think that you can say
1026
00:55:22,120 --> 00:55:25,360
this about American in Paris.
I don't think it deserved to win
1027
00:55:25,360 --> 00:55:30,240
in the best picture.
Just just flat out like I, I
1028
00:55:30,240 --> 00:55:37,040
remember watching The Bishop's
Wife with Cary Grant and I never
1029
00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:38,520
knew this.
It's, it's one of my favorite
1030
00:55:38,520 --> 00:55:40,920
like Christmas movies.
And I watch it maybe not every
1031
00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:43,440
year, but every 3rd or 4th year,
I'll put it on.
1032
00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:46,920
And I looked it up and I
realized it was nominated for
1033
00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:50,800
best picture in like 47 or 48
whenever it came out.
1034
00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:54,640
And I just, I, I was watching
it, I was like, this is not a
1035
00:55:54,640 --> 00:55:57,280
best picture nominee.
It's a, it's a great film.
1036
00:55:57,280 --> 00:56:00,080
I have nostalgia with it.
It's not a best picture nominee.
1037
00:56:00,520 --> 00:56:03,880
And I, I think that American in
Paris is probably worthy of a
1038
00:56:03,880 --> 00:56:07,800
nomination, but I, I don't know
if it's a, it's a best picture
1039
00:56:07,800 --> 00:56:09,600
winner.
And like, I don't know if this
1040
00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:12,160
is how it happened, but it seems
like one of those things where
1041
00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:15,360
you know you're going to give
this memorial award to the
1042
00:56:15,360 --> 00:56:16,960
producer.
And so they're probably like,
1043
00:56:17,680 --> 00:56:20,040
the hell, like, let's just put
American in Paris up for best
1044
00:56:20,040 --> 00:56:23,960
picture as like just another pat
on the back, like it'll never
1045
00:56:23,960 --> 00:56:26,080
win.
And then they start counting the
1046
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:28,040
votes that they're just like,
oh, crap.
1047
00:56:28,280 --> 00:56:31,680
Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no.
Like as they get farther down
1048
00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:33,960
the list, I think it's one of
those situations.
1049
00:56:33,960 --> 00:56:37,000
And again, like, maybe not.
Maybe everybody really did love
1050
00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:40,320
this movie.
But to read articles from the
1051
00:56:40,320 --> 00:56:43,920
time, headlines from the time it
seemed like this was out of left
1052
00:56:43,920 --> 00:56:46,520
field and did not really go over
well.
1053
00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:50,000
But it's just, it's funny to me,
Brad, that the the debate has
1054
00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:54,360
never stopped where it's like,
do we reward the movie that
1055
00:56:54,360 --> 00:56:57,240
makes people feel good but is
clearly not the best?
1056
00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:00,840
Or do we give it to movies that
everyone's going to look back on
1057
00:57:01,080 --> 00:57:03,520
15 years from now and just say
that was boring and stuffy.
1058
00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:06,840
So it's like we, we can't, we
can't have it either way,
1059
00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:08,440
apparently.
Yeah.
1060
00:57:08,440 --> 00:57:10,840
And that, and that's that's the
difficult part.
1061
00:57:10,840 --> 00:57:15,400
Like you can be in the common
rabble as we often portray
1062
00:57:15,400 --> 00:57:20,240
ourselves and and, you know,
bemoan the the Oscars and how
1063
00:57:20,240 --> 00:57:23,960
out of touch they are.
But I also just look at it and
1064
00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:28,840
go, hey, man, like the people
who choose these movies are not
1065
00:57:28,840 --> 00:57:32,240
the common rabble.
Like they are the best of the
1066
00:57:32,240 --> 00:57:36,200
best, the people who have been
in the industry for forever and
1067
00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:39,840
they are looking for different
things in their movies than we
1068
00:57:39,840 --> 00:57:42,960
are.
And, and there's times where it
1069
00:57:42,960 --> 00:57:46,280
seems like, you know, they'll,
they'll put popular movies in
1070
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:48,720
there.
But I, I don't always blame them
1071
00:57:48,720 --> 00:57:52,080
for putting in the things that
make sense for them to put in
1072
00:57:52,080 --> 00:57:53,120
there.
I don't know.
1073
00:57:53,120 --> 00:57:54,280
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
1074
00:57:54,280 --> 00:57:57,480
And it's also like, it does
strike me sometimes too, that
1075
00:57:57,480 --> 00:58:01,080
like, sometimes a populist movie
wins and everyone agrees, like,
1076
00:58:01,200 --> 00:58:05,600
hey, Casablanca was actually a a
very worthy best picture winner.
1077
00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:09,520
But then it's like this movie
wins and everyone's like, like,
1078
00:58:09,520 --> 00:58:12,200
rumbling about it.
And it's like, OK, well, I think
1079
00:58:12,200 --> 00:58:14,680
what you're saying is I just
don't like this movie as much as
1080
00:58:14,680 --> 00:58:16,760
Casablanca.
So I'm going to concoct a
1081
00:58:16,760 --> 00:58:21,640
scenario where this was just an
old boys club awarding one guy.
1082
00:58:22,040 --> 00:58:24,440
And like, they're like, let's be
real here.
1083
00:58:24,720 --> 00:58:28,680
The Oscars is just a boys club
awarding one guy every year.
1084
00:58:28,680 --> 00:58:31,080
It's just that some year we
like, some years we like the
1085
00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:33,160
movie better than others.
Let's just be real.
1086
00:58:33,440 --> 00:58:37,040
Yeah, 100% and that's OK.
It's like the Brad G Awards at
1087
00:58:37,040 --> 00:58:39,680
the end of every season, you
know you've only got to impress
1088
00:58:39,680 --> 00:58:41,720
one person.
That's it man.
1089
00:58:42,280 --> 00:58:46,560
If you impress me, the rest of
your life is basically set you.
1090
00:58:46,560 --> 00:58:49,200
You can die a happy person.
That's what I've been trying to
1091
00:58:49,200 --> 00:58:52,640
do for 10 seasons now, Brad.
Good luck man.
1092
00:58:53,160 --> 00:58:55,560
All right, let's get into our
last segment of the day, which
1093
00:58:55,560 --> 00:58:57,840
we call.
Let's make it a double.
1094
00:58:58,040 --> 00:59:01,320
We're near the end of the
episodes of Things, listening to
1095
00:59:01,400 --> 00:59:04,240
the film and Whiskey Show.
Let's have another film with
1096
00:59:04,240 --> 00:59:05,680
this one, even if it's
struggling.
1097
00:59:05,680 --> 00:59:07,040
It's the final.
Segment of the day.
1098
00:59:07,040 --> 00:59:09,400
Now let's make it a double.
Let's Make It a Double is the
1099
00:59:09,400 --> 00:59:12,680
part of the show where we pick a
movie to pair up with this one
1100
00:59:12,680 --> 00:59:14,400
to make the perfect double
feature.
1101
00:59:15,120 --> 00:59:16,920
I'll get mine out of the way
really quickly here, Brad.
1102
00:59:16,920 --> 00:59:19,760
It is another Gene Kelly Vincent
Minnelli pairing.
1103
00:59:20,000 --> 00:59:22,240
It is one of my personal
favorite musicals.
1104
00:59:22,320 --> 00:59:25,320
It has all of the same faults as
an American in Paris.
1105
00:59:25,760 --> 00:59:28,840
It's a little too long, a little
too static.
1106
00:59:29,240 --> 00:59:33,920
It's it gets a little boring,
but I am like in awe of the
1107
00:59:33,920 --> 00:59:37,440
setting and the songs.
And so I it's a 10 out of 10 in
1108
00:59:37,440 --> 00:59:40,880
Bob Book's book.
And it is Brigadoon.
1109
00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:43,680
Dude, you've you've brought up
Brigadoon a few times.
1110
00:59:44,160 --> 00:59:46,600
It's going to be like a prime
candidate for if we ever do
1111
00:59:46,600 --> 00:59:48,880
another one of those seasons
where we just pick like 15
1112
00:59:48,880 --> 00:59:51,800
random movies that we would
never, we would never do any
1113
00:59:51,920 --> 00:59:54,760
otherwise.
And it's very clearly like a
1114
00:59:54,760 --> 00:59:57,760
movie that Brad will give a 7 to
and be like Bob.
1115
00:59:57,760 --> 01:00:00,200
I don't get it.
And and I just have to shrug and
1116
01:00:00,200 --> 01:00:02,640
be like I don't know why this
works on me, but it does.
1117
01:00:03,040 --> 01:00:05,120
It's another School of Rock
situation.
1118
01:00:06,480 --> 01:00:08,400
No, the School of Rock is a 10
out of 10 man.
1119
01:00:08,640 --> 01:00:12,920
It's not Bob, Bob.
You could give that movie a nine
1120
01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:16,120
out of 10 and I wouldn't give
you crap because sure, why not?
1121
01:00:16,720 --> 01:00:18,400
That movie is not a 10 out of
10.
1122
01:00:20,120 --> 01:00:21,960
All right, man, what's yours?
Let's make it a double.
1123
01:00:22,560 --> 01:00:25,280
My let's make it a double.
I think I'm going to choose
1124
01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:27,560
another musical.
We're going to stay in the vein
1125
01:00:27,560 --> 01:00:32,760
of musicals that is from a
similar era and one that I have
1126
01:00:32,760 --> 01:00:35,600
not seen in a while, but from
what I remember it, I remember
1127
01:00:35,600 --> 01:00:39,520
it being shaggy a little too
long and and have some issues.
1128
01:00:39,520 --> 01:00:41,000
So basically I'm doing what you
did.
1129
01:00:41,400 --> 01:00:43,040
I'm going to choose Guys and
Dolls.
1130
01:00:43,360 --> 01:00:47,040
Oh yeah, that's a.
Really is way too long.
1131
01:00:47,280 --> 01:00:52,120
Oh it's so long, but I for some
reason, man, it is so much fun.
1132
01:00:52,360 --> 01:00:54,360
I just remember really loving
that movie.
1133
01:00:54,680 --> 01:00:56,560
I love it, dude.
Let's just keep talking about
1134
01:00:56,560 --> 01:00:58,320
musicals.
That's what we really should do
1135
01:00:58,320 --> 01:01:01,360
is a season of film and whiskey
musicals.
1136
01:01:02,120 --> 01:01:04,040
Yeah, that's not going to
happen, Bob.
1137
01:01:04,040 --> 01:01:07,440
I don't think I can do it.
I I love musicals, but man oh
1138
01:01:07,440 --> 01:01:10,600
man, that would be a lot.
All right, Brad, let's give this
1139
01:01:10,600 --> 01:01:12,920
movie some final scores and get
out of here for the day.
1140
01:01:13,800 --> 01:01:15,920
This is a hard one because I
think this movie is pretty
1141
01:01:15,920 --> 01:01:20,200
objectively like a 7, but it is
so artistically made that I'm
1142
01:01:20,200 --> 01:01:23,560
like, I could, I might enjoy
this movie just as much if I
1143
01:01:23,560 --> 01:01:26,680
just had it on mute in the
background on you know how they
1144
01:01:26,680 --> 01:01:28,760
make those TV's now?
They call them like the frame
1145
01:01:28,800 --> 01:01:31,080
and they, they're supposed to
look like a painting in your, in
1146
01:01:31,080 --> 01:01:33,320
your living room.
Like you could just put this
1147
01:01:33,320 --> 01:01:35,880
movie on the frame and people
will be like, wow, what a
1148
01:01:35,880 --> 01:01:37,440
beautiful impressionist
painting.
1149
01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:40,640
That sounds like the snootiest
thing I've ever.
1150
01:01:40,640 --> 01:01:43,040
Oh, it absolutely is.
But then you could just be like,
1151
01:01:43,040 --> 01:01:45,640
ha, ha, it's Gene Kelly.
It's not an impressionist
1152
01:01:45,640 --> 01:01:48,520
painting.
Yeah, I'll give it a 7 1/2, but
1153
01:01:48,520 --> 01:01:50,520
I think that's pretty much the
highest I can go on this one,
1154
01:01:50,520 --> 01:01:53,080
Brad.
Do you think that the frame was
1155
01:01:53,080 --> 01:01:55,200
like directly inspired by Harry
Potter?
1156
01:01:55,920 --> 01:01:59,200
Oh 100% 'cause that just.
Sounds like a like like somebody
1157
01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:00,480
who is obsessed with Harry
Potter.
1158
01:02:00,480 --> 01:02:02,360
Like we need to make moving
pictures now.
1159
01:02:04,480 --> 01:02:06,240
Also, can we talk about movies
that way?
1160
01:02:06,240 --> 01:02:09,320
Can we just keep calling movies
moving pictures like we're in
1161
01:02:09,320 --> 01:02:11,280
the 1920s?
Hey.
1162
01:02:11,280 --> 01:02:12,880
Go to see the moving picture the
other day.
1163
01:02:13,400 --> 01:02:15,360
I saw the new.
I saw the new talkie.
1164
01:02:17,680 --> 01:02:20,760
Tom Cruise in the latest Mission
Impossible talkie was wonderful.
1165
01:02:23,120 --> 01:02:27,200
7 out of 10 for me, Bob.
Yep, yeah, I had nothing more to
1166
01:02:27,200 --> 01:02:28,240
say.
It was really good.
1167
01:02:28,560 --> 01:02:31,280
I'm done.
That brings our average out to a
1168
01:02:31,280 --> 01:02:34,320
7.25 out of 10.
But we want to know what you
1169
01:02:34,320 --> 01:02:36,280
think.
Have you seen an American in
1170
01:02:36,280 --> 01:02:39,720
Paris lately?
Let us know on all of our social
1171
01:02:39,720 --> 01:02:44,040
media accounts, Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and
1172
01:02:44,040 --> 01:02:47,600
YouTube at Film Whiskey.
Or jump onto the Discord.
1173
01:02:47,600 --> 01:02:51,200
We are on there every single day
talking to you guys, the fans of
1174
01:02:51,200 --> 01:02:53,920
the Film and Whiskey podcast.
So if you'd like, you can find a
1175
01:02:53,920 --> 01:02:56,160
link to our Discord at the end
of every single one of our show
1176
01:02:56,160 --> 01:02:57,960
notes.
All right, next week.
1177
01:02:58,680 --> 01:03:01,800
So join us for that one.
But until then, I'm Bob Book.
1178
01:03:02,120 --> 01:03:04,840
I'm Brad G.
And we'll see you next time.