Steineded How sad is this?

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

higherall7 Everything people say about the world is true. Granted it can be a dark place filled with viciousness and brutality, endless pain and unimaginable suffering. IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER, the little musical that could, makes its point resoundingly with comical numbers of song and dance. Somehow, the one anchor that you can always hold onto amidst all the cynicism and chicanery and corruption, is FRIENDSHIP. Friendship on any level, high or heavy-handed, soft pedaled or sold with Klenzrite, has the power to dispel the darkness and recharge the human condition with the zest it needs to keep on truckin'.That's it. Yes, it should be more involved that this and more complex, but it really isn't. Doug, Angie, and Ted sing their praises to friendship with no intention of keeping in touch in the intervening years, but vow to the doubtful bartender Tim that even ten years from now they will be as good a friends as they are now.This is a great film; not so much for its technical virtues, though the dance numbers are exhilarating; especially the garbage can number and the number Gene Kelly performs on roller skates, but because of its unabashed optimism about life. An optimism that is as quixotic as it is true to life. Right now I can see almost every scene in my mind's eye with the same sense of hilarity I felt when I first saw IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER. I love Cyd Charisse in this movie, taking the initiative away from Gene Kelly in the taxi cab by laying one on him and while he recoils in confusion getting a little work done. Doing her JEOPARDY contestant thing with the pugilists in Stillman's Gym and dancing her way into their hearts. Misquoting Shakespeare and being corrected by Kelly as he strolls coolly away. Manipulating Ted and his buddies onto the television show IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER with Ted's gangster pals in tow.This film has everything going for it and at the same time nothing at all. It is a walk through memory lane in triplicate for three devoted war chums who have nothing in common except when it comes to ducking for cover and standing up for each other in scrapes. It's about dreams that go up in smoke and reappear suddenly in a fist fist and a brawling free for all. It about wearing garbage can lids on your feet and a lampshade on your head while you're toweringly drunk and finding out you can't stand the guy you used to jump into foxholes with and you may need another ten years just to get over his revolting presence.Besides, we all got homes to go to so help Tim put the chairs up so that he can mop the place out one last time while he sings your favorite theme song about friendship to show he's finally got religion. Look around, boys, because it's Deja vu all over again, only this time Ted gets the girl to walk out into the darkness with him where the gangsters are waiting to settle old debts. It's still MIDNIGHT WITH MADELINE, but this city of little gray men really has a heart because IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER somewhere somehow in this crazy old world spinning and dancing to the throb of Manhattan and beyond.

MartinHafer The film begins with three very obnoxious soldiers in a bar. They are celebrating because the war is over and they are all about to go home. However, before they go, these lifelong friends vow to reunite in 10 years.Ten years pass. Doug (Dan Dailey) has NOT become a great bohemian painter but a very stodgy business with a busted marriage. Ted (Gene Kelly) did NOT marry the girl of his dreams but is a gambler and boxing promoter who has contempt for women. And, the most innocent of the three, Angie (Michael Kidd), is pretty happy--owning a burger joint and having a wife and kids. But, what they really discover about each other is that they have nothing in common and don't even like each other any more. And, in some cases, they also see that they don't even like themselves. Fortunately, through the course of the film this meeting ends up changing Ted and Doug for the better. And, it also provides a very strange opportunity to redo this reunion.Considering this film stars Dan Dailey and Gene Kelly, it's not surprising that it's a musical. As for Michael Kidd, most folks won't even recognize him but he was also an exceptional dancer. I honestly think the reason the studio picked this unknown guy was entirely because Frank Sinatra couldn't be in the film, so the producer found the actor who looked the most like Sinatra as possible. To heighten it, they also dressed Kidd like Sinatra and had him imitate his style. Kidd was fine in the film, but they really did NOT need to do this.So is it any good? Well, yes and no. As for the songs, some were absolutely hilarious--which is a shame, as apparently no one went to see the film when it came out in 1955. I loved the song where the three guys sang inside their heads about how much they hated their 'friends' when they reunited! It was hilarious. I also loved the surreal song and dance number in the gym. The song's lyrics were great but it was also great how cute these palookas were! You just have to laugh when they sing and behave so gentlemanly. But, on the other hand, a lot of the other songs fell a bit flat. The story itself was original but it also suffered, a bit, because at first it was very tough to like two of the three leading men--they WERE jerks. But, at least they changed! Plus, it also had a nice sense of humor that picked it up a bit--such as the ultra-horrible TV host! She was a hoot. I also was amazed seeing Kelly dancing on roller skates!! Wow...and a far cry from his embarrassing roller skating in "Xanadu". So overall, is it worth seeing? Well, if you like musicals, of course. If not, you might want to try another one first. Of course, even if you don't like musicals, you might want to see it so you can get a glimpse of Cyd Charisse in a sweater!

cocomariev "It's Always Fair Weather" is based on three GI's who are returning home after WWII. After everything that they have gone through, the three friends are certain that they will remain friends forever. Before going on their merry ways, they promise to reunite in ten years at the exact bar that they are at. The bartender who works there disagrees and comments that they won't even remember each other and a bet is made. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly present a great montage sequence following this scene. The montage highlights the important events during this time and I was able to see how each character differed from the others. I really enjoyed the dance sequences and thought that all three actors did a great job throughout the film. I've never really invested enough time into musicals so I'm not able to compare it too specifically, but it did remind me of 'Singing in the Rain.' It was a playful musical that was easy to like. I thought Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, and Michael Kidd did a great job on acting. I thought Gene Kelly did a fabulous job on the dancing. I noticed that there were some references to television at the time, and it's competition with film. I found it funny that it poked fun at the television industry, I thought that was really interesting. I do think that the musical was too easy to follow and rather predictable. It wasn't hard for me to keep focused, but I wish that it hasn't so simple. I liked that there was a nice balance between dancing and the singing, it wasn't overbearing. Overall, this musical was enjoyable and entertaining, but not excellent. It was a bit too simple for me. If you aren't too familiar with musicals however, I do recommend seeing this because there is the perfect amount of dancing and singing without getting obnoxious.

wadih_ws Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's It's Always Fair Weather is a musical unlike any other. This film contains not just comedy, but drama as well in this musical. This film was a hilarious, but at certain points in the film they have serious moments to make it that this movie isn't all comedy and no plot. This film is about three GI's who go to a bar to celebrate that they are done with serving in the military and it will be their last day together. At the bar they make a bet with the bar tender that in ten years they will meet at this same bar and still be best of friends. Ten years come and the GIs meet once again, but to find out how there lives have completely changed and that time apart had them to talking about their life after the war, but they all seemed to irritate one another, and problems grow and grow and throughout the movie they end up on a show that showed the people about their bet and all three of them end up fighting against the mob who fixes boxing matches, goes on and they then realized why they were best friends and go on to be best friends again and go celebrate at the bar from the beginning. This movie was directed as well as choreographed very nice, all the dances and songs were perfect for each other. This movie was very enjoyable to me and if you like musicals that include bar fights this may be a good choice for you to watch. Because this films both has a lot of fun for the whole family to watch. Overall this movie was enjoyable to watch, and it honestly couldn't have been much better than it already is.