Thursday, October 21, 2010

Great Endings: Modern Times

Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard, going down the road feeling good:



Epic/Brutal Dept: The first two minutes and thirty seconds are the epitome of a tormented soul that wants to believe every word she sings and just can't. Unfortunately, the final minute is all cliched bombast. But judge for yourself:

7 comments:

Roy said...

I've always found it difficult to watch/listen to Judy Garland in the last years of her life, especially the stuff from the TV shows. It's very painful!

K. said...

I almost chose an earlier rendition just because she looked more like herself, but couldn't turn away from the pathos of the first 2/3's of this version.

Frank Partisan said...

I like both.

Garland was soulful even in her last days.

Unknown said...

I agree with you about that first 2/3; very rubato singing, works nicely. Once she gets in lockstep w/the orchestra @ 2:30, that feeling is gone. Actually, I must say that I almost always have a hard time with those sweetened string settings--unless with Jimmy Durante--really worked with him.

Is Modern Times my all time favorite film? Gotta be top 5!

K. said...

I'm not a big fan of the strings either, although some of the female white singers of the 40s -- Lee Wiley, for instance -- worked well in that context.

nursemyra said...

Ah Judy Judy Judy, she always makes me feel sad

K. said...

She had the Sadness and Longing thing down like no one else ever has, that's for sure.