Movie #1539 "Les Girls" --- is a musical on TCM I had never seen really from beginning to end, so I sat down and really watched it (well, kinda) the other day, and I didn't like it much. But the scenes I had seen before, I didn't like either so I wasn't surprised. It had the typical story of the womanizer who makes a play for all three of his musical background singers, whom he calls "Les Girls" in the act, and one falls in love with him, and another one sues him. The rest of the film shows what happened to break the act up --- from all different points of view (the three women and Gene Kelly, who plays a jerk through most of the film) and then miraculously everything rights itself and he gets the girl --- well, the one who fell in love with him. Watching it in this me-too movement , I couldn't help but dislike the way he tries to force his way upon these women, esp. when they say no to his overtures. He then "Plays them" and tries to manipulate them. I don't need to recommend this movie for that reason. I give it 3 out of 5, but it's a weak 3 --- I just liked the dance numbers.
"LES GIRLS" 1957 1 hour and 55 minutes NR
Tap-dancing lothario Gene Kelly romances three different showgirls (Kay Kendall, Mitzi Gaynor and Tania Elg) from three different countries. Their stories are told in flashback and set to a sprightly Cole Porter score. Costume designer Orry-Kelly won an Oscar for his work in the film. Les Girls was Kelly's last full-fledged MGM musical before his return decades later to narrate That's Entertainment.
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