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Rating:  - Picky, picky, picky...
People quibble about the quality of these movies as a whole, but you will be more than pleased to see the full versions of the dance numbers that were mostly heavily edited in "That's Entertainment!".
Rating: - Classic Musicals? You bet they are.
This classic colection Vol 2 contains some movies very hard to find otherwise like Thats Dancing. This collection will keep musical fans happy for many an hour. The DVD quality is excellent, its almost like seeing these musicals for the first time. I loved every second.
Rating:  - Four Stars of Three Star Movies
Watching these films again, in the best restorations ever available, it is fun to reassign their status in the MGM musical pantheon. That Midnight Kiss, the first and now I think the most entertaining of the Mario Lanza musicals, gets new status for me. The Toast of New Orleans is slow to start and features an already plumper Lanza en route to Brandoland! The Belle of New York is a trifle but a trifle is a dessert and it is full of charming moments. Vera Ellen was never presented to better advantage while Fred Astaire, having some fun out of tails, looks more like Buster Keaton than Cary Grant's closest rival for best tailored movie actor. The Pirate is just short of wonderful which is very disappointing. Except for the score and a couple of novelty dances Royal Wedding is a dud. Stanley Donen's lack of experience as a director combined with the bad casting of a competent but not starry Sarah Churchill make you wonder why they didn't cast Margaret Truman in the Jane Powell role and have a truly puzzling historical document. That's Dancing is primarily tedious to a video generation that can see anything it so chooses. Words and Music has Hart (and Rodgers) but lacks truth and heart.
Rating: - MGM MUSICALS
The Pirate turns out to be the best of the bunch. I can't understand why it failed at the box office. Garland and kelly are both delightfully entertaining; not only that their song and dance numbers are great fun to watch their acting skills are first rate too! Gene Kelly's swashbuckling character is superbly agile; if he's not a better dancer than Fred Astaire, more athletic aside, he definitely is more colorful. Judy Garland's song number under spell reminds me of her in the Fiegfeld Follies where she is also under a different kind of spell, someone drunk by (or in) her own legendary status, which she was so good in it, if I'm not wrong, she was even nominated for an oscar, am I right? No? And last but not least the sight and sound are fantastic, especially, the picture clean and clear, brilliant!
I was anxiously expecting to see and hear Kathryn Grayson's opera arias outing but rather disappointed, expecially, in 'That Midnight Kiss'; because, every time she sings she is hampered by some emotional conflict restricted by the plot. Fortunately, I get to hear at least three arias unimpeded by the meddlesome story line in 'The Toast of new Orleans', talking about story line, there isn't much in both films. The three arias from 'Linda di Chamounix', 'Mignon', and 'La Traviata' if somewhat truncated are beautifully sung, but I'm surprised that she didn't end the first two arias in high C's, maybe higher than C's, anyway, thay always call a high note a high C. I always thought Kathryn Grayson is a very high coloratura, this is rather odd that she didn't hit the hell out of it, I mean the high C's. Mario Lanza? What can I say, everyone says he is a legend, one of the great. I have to admit that besides opera, he sings other kinds of music very well too, that is quite unusual. The only other opera singer that is also very good in pop tunes is soprano Eileen Farrell who is widely recognized as a great American soprano, but I have not yet heard her in popular music. Well, between 'That Midnight Kiss' and 'The Toast of New Orleans', I like the latter better. Not only there are more opera arias, the story is more colorful and interesting too. However, one complaint have to be made, the duet from 'Madama Butterfly' is again dictated by the plot that the fisherman finally realizes that he has been overdoing the high society etiquette that causes reverse effect, so that he decides to make amend in this duet by throwing the cigartte defiedly and grabs the arms of Butterfly and tries to kiss her and Butterfly is alarmed and tries to resist him. This is totally opposed to the plot of the opera, whereas Butterfly would melt into the arms of Pinkerton. Otherwise, it would have been a wonderful performance from both of them and again it is only the last half of the duet that is performed, well, what do you expect from musicals. I can tell that the MGM had been trying very hard to make popular the high art of opera. It's not an easy task I suppose.
'Words and Music', I can only say, mediocre. 'That's Dancing' is Okay, as for 'Royal Wedding' and 'The Belle of New York' both are disappointing.
Now I'm waiting for my interest income to be deposited in my bank account the end of this month to buy the the first volume of Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory. See you.
Rating: - At long last, Judy and Gene in THE PIRATE
If for no other reason, THE PIRATE is reason enough to buy this classic set of musicals. Nothing else in the collection measures up to the brilliance of this Cole Porter gem. The direction by Vincent Minnelli is witty. Both Judy Garland and Gene Kelly are at their most sophisticated and charming. Judy was never better on sceen than when she co-starred with Gene, and this magical film is proof of that. When it was released it wasn't the hit it should have been, but now contemporary audiences can enjoy the film in all its brilliance.
The other movies in the collection aren't up to THE PIRATE, but they all have moments of great MGM magic. Anyone who loves musicals from the Golden Age should get this collection. THAT'S DANCING is a nice bonus to highlight the importance of dance in MGM musicals.
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