I always thought it was hilarious that after the spectacular Minstrel/Mandy number, you'd expect a rousing standing ovation (even though it's only a dress rehearsal), and instead there's a pitiful, practically inaudible applause from three people. It might as well be crickets!
Last night at the dance, my little brother paid a buck to see your underwear.
Haha you're right. That reaction shot looks so awkward.
shareIt's just so weird ... they at least should have stood up and applauded. The general just sat there with his legs crossed and Emma goes, "Wonderful" in a whispering tone like she's afraid someone will hear her! :)
Last night at the dance, my little brother paid a buck to see your underwear.
LOL! I just watched this and thought the same thing. What was up with the 50's obsession with minstrel shows? I've seen other films from this period where they do minstrel numbers. I guess even in the 50's they couldn't get away with doing the whole number in blackface. And jokes in that number are godawful!
shareMinstrel Shows were big in vaudeville. Irving Berlin reached fame early in life when vaudeville was big. It's no wonder that entertainment form would still be in his "vocabulary" 40 years later. I think it is a tribute to his talent that he was able to sustain his ability to write popular music over such a span of decades 2 songs form this film stand out for me. I don't know when they were written but they were first used in this film and they were big hits recorded by the top recording stars of the time: "Sisters" and "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep". How many 66 year olds are writing top 40 hits today?
shareYeah, I always thought the same thing, but I always put myself in a happy place by thinking that it might have been the 10th time they saw that rehearsal...
Just once, I'd like someone to call me sir without adding 'you're making a scene' ~H Simpson
Happy place, I love it.
And the strangest part is, at the end of the movie they didn't even perform those numbers, just the "We'll Follow the Old Man" and "Gee I Wish I Was Back in the Army" songs. So much for saving the Inn. :)
Last night at the dance, my little brother paid a buck to see your underwear.
Just because we didn't see those numbers doesn't mean they weren't performed.
Besides when the minstrel number was rehearsed, the ploy was to bring business into the inn - not the spin they later put on it by bringing the whole outfit in. This could have been and probably was a one-off lineup of numbers specifically put together for that Christmas Eve show.