On Blu-ray - David Hare finds Charles Walters' SUMMER STOCK 'essential for intelligent life'

Click here for a link to "Friendly Star" on Youtube, written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon, sung by La Gumm, from Chuck Walter's very best musical, Summer Stock (1950). After the intro he shoots the number in just two fluid takes and a crane, with only an "invisible" reverse cut from high on the second chorus. 

And thus Walter's mise-en-scène literally elevates the meanings of the song and the sequence to something out of Carl Dreyer. All this takes place in a Metro musicaI, not from Arthur Freed’s unit, but from Joe Pasternak. There are sublime orchestrations (uncredited) by Conrad Salinger. 

Walters and Bob Alton staged and set up the "Get Happy" number in eight shots. Shots four and five are the longest. All but three of the cuts are made to accommodate the full chorus in spots where the marks can’t be otherwise reached without cutting. As for La Gumm, legend has it she put down the vocal track in two takes. Nevertheless she never worked for Metro again. It was only Pasternak and especially Gene who got her this picture and fought to keep her on it. It’s a terrific last musical for her great Metro period.

The movie also restores the American musical form through theme and delivery back to a model of almost total joy and purity. It's my number three or four of all time (after The Band Wagon, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, and Funny Face.) 

Warrner Archive's gorgeous new Blu-ray of Summer Stock is taken from a pristine inter-positive, from the three strip Tech negs and is essential for intelligent life.