Evening star., 1951-12-02
The Passing Show
The Passing Show
Why Not q Musical
As 1951's Best Film
Just 'Snobbisn1,' Says Gene Kelly
Raising An Uncomfortable Point
By Joy Cormody


Gene Kelly said something to Bob Thomas Of the Associated
Press the other day in Hollywood that lot of people in show
business to broodng. " ~
What Kelly said that only "snobbisn" keeps musicals and
their stars from winning Kelly was not
cessu musical the making of which so much do
Neither he nor the picture need plaques to fory their
position in the entertainment scheme of things
Musicals Most Improved Dromo Form
keiy simply was thinking aloud on a subject that merits
than gets Moreover he bringing
at time when the musical ndpuaby most improved and
creative as well the most popular entertainment
stage and
Despite this vaultng brought Oklahoma
South Pacific Anchors Aweigh" IAN American
That it involves the most vivid coined out
the highest gayest and brave spirit artistic
every hearing-unti it comes time to prizes
Critics As Guilty As Others
This is where Keys charge "snobbs in and the
critics will have to plead guilty to along with all others They
will spend their greatest but
they will not give 1t top place their best lists besow
it their year-end prizes.
The to this is that musicals
awaroef don JUDICIAL robes and adorn themselves with all the
soemnity Of tribal elders confronted That
year after in no changes the or the ayd b
sustains it. 1t is absurd. but that is the way
This seasons preliminary thinking Academy
tons shows the winds blowing direction
AS OF this December morning the front among
Named and detective story Before the month
ends Stanley Kramer will release the film version
Salesman" to put it in the running for the awards
Common QuoIity Is Seriousness
The first three of these superatve pictures the fourth
taken for granted learned
the trick Of sometimes improving Broadways highest
what quality the deepest
sideration for honors? Their seriousness course.
The dramatic point they make brilliantly is
that life is grim business.
The dramatic point they do not make however
not exclusively dor and terrifying That
An American in Paris. although be confessed
there are few such musicals as this MGM production.
What reminds of is that although
dies and Montgomery Cliff executed that Blanche
is driven bersek by e brutality and music
still to be found the world 1t is bit eloquent
the other pictures theirs and times delightful
Kelly the snobbish custom to ignore all this.
KeIys Charge Diseomfitine
hope for the musical exists however the
not quite comfortable these days ignore musicals
shunt aside easily in the old days when they all seemed be
made by the formula which Producer George
The merits of such AN American in Paris
begins think uncomoraby that perhaps he better
reexamine his whole definition Of what best picture
An evasion of this obligation Of possible by creating
special category for musicals 1t has been done especially in the
of the great stage trumphs such "Oklahoma!"
This however lacks the virtue of logic musicals
special category not the thing comedies
fantasies meodrama Or why continue practice that
namely than selecting what
the best deadly drama the being
honest enough to refer to it the universally best?
If he nothing than induce spirit discomfort
consideration 195s best entertainment Kelly
has done at least this much
1t might lead to something more, say less snobbsm