FILM REVIEW: On The Town - HOME, Manchester

The town, the town,
We're On The Town!
We've got 100 minutes
To see the famous sites.
We find romance and danger waiting in it
On HOME's screen tonight
The town, the town,
We're On The Town!
The Bronx is up and The Battery's down
This Musical's the best thing I found
It's a helluva sound!

One of the best ever film Muscials. Good film musicals are those that work better in the medium of film than they did / do on the stage, and this is one of them. There aren't many, so it's easy to spot a gem when you do!

And with this one we are in august and esteemed company as the writing team behind this musical is one of the strongest and most successful ever.. Betty Comden and Adolph Green on book and lyrics from ideas by Jerome Robbins (from his ballet 'Fancy Free' also with music by Bernstein), whilst the music is served up by the incomparable Leonard Bernstein. And as if that wasn't enough the stars of this film are Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and others.

3 young sailors have 24 hours leave in New York city, and one of them has never seen the city before... What do they do? Where do they go? How do they spend their time? Sightseeing or getting drunk and laid?!... Gene Kelly (Gabey), Frank Sinatra (Chip) and Jules Munshin (Ozzie) are the three likely lads. They all cannot agree on what to do so they split up. One goes to The Carnegie Hall, one to the Art Museum, and the last goes in search of life and ends up finding the "subway people". The amazing Betty Garrett plays a down-on-her-luck cab driver who finds herself in trouble with her boss. She needs a fare, and Chip (Sinatra) is that fare... and yes, you've guessed it, it's love at first sight! Chip wants to sight-see, but Hilde wants to take him back to her place!.. and so it goes on.....!

The book / plot may not be the best that Green and Comden have come up with but the musical score and the dance numbers are fantastic! 'New York, New York', 'Lonely Town', 'Carried Away', 'I Understand' 'The Real Coney Island'. etc.

The film ends with the three sailors 'older and wiser' going back on board, and we watch as three new wide-eyed and innocent sailors walk down the gangplank to spend their 24 hours in the city!

It's a great, feel-good, toe-tapping, easy watch. There are few demands made on the viewer in this movie musical, except to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Reviewer - Chris Benchley
on - 22/12/19