Monday, October 20, 2008

Ring a Bell for Joan Blondell

This number always just blows me away. I think it contains Joan Blondell's finest moments on screen. And singer Etta Moten really adds a whole lotta soul. If you get bored around the middle during all the marching, take a closer look at all the wounded WWI soldiers and think what they went through. Some of the people on YouTube said it better than I can:
- "They fought in 'the war to end all wars' and came back to poverty and despair."
- "First comes the war. When they come home, the world they knew is completely different. 10 years later, the depression. after the depression, comes ww2-which their kids fight in. After the second war is over, things become a little better-but they're too old to enjoy it. And, during their final years, everyone hates them-because they're supposedly all racist and sexist bigots. Not a good time to be born."
- "Joan Blondell really conveyed such heartfelt emotion that I can't help but be moved by it. The singer is wonderful and her voice is so strong and powerful. I remembered seeing this movie years ago and was surprised by this downbeat ending. It's as if the director knows that even though this movie is a comedy, the reality of life cannot be ignored."
Well--just watch it anyway. It's got a catchy tune!

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

Hey!
Was that John Wayne??? (One of the last wounded soldiers before the sandwich and coffee line scene.)
The end looks very like the scene in Metropolis where the heroine dances as her “evil twin.”!

That is catchy…I’ll be “marching” all day. Hmmmm.