Auntie Mame & the Young Girls of Rochefort

Auntie Mame was... an episodic movie that felt like it was about to burst into song at any moment, but it never did. Plus, the butler was a terrible stereotype, not as bad as in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but still pretty offensive. Plus, at least half the episodes sucked. Only a strong performance from Rosalind Russell makes me not regret watching it. And I'm still mainly regretting it, but I'm regretting reading all the positive reviews. I have read reviews that Lucille Ball's version is even worse. I know replacing Russell with Ball is enough to doom anything for me.

The Young Girls of Rochefort was fluff, and not nearly as good as the Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and not even an operetta (when I first heard talking, I was disappointed). Seeing George Chakiris singing and dancing was nice as well, even if no one actually sang for themselves (besides Danielle Darrieux and Kelly). I recognized some of Kelly's moves from his earlier movies, and he was great. Colors were just as good, Deneuve just as attractive, but there was no depth. That bittersweet aspect of Cherbourg made it much more than just a musical. However, this has Gene Kelly, and the long takes that make a musical a musical. To show that they're actually dancing. And they really can dance. Just wished for more plot. Well, less murderer subplot and more depth.