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Lucy doned her It's Today costume for a celebrity fashion show in 1982 and was interviewed on Hour Magazine.

Cool wish I could see that clip too.  I really enjoy that despite mixed reviews Mame became something Lucy is well know for and beside this 1982 and 1984 appearance it was referred to in 1986 at Kennedy Center and at her death

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  • 1 month later...

LOL, anyone remember this little gem from four years ago?

I'm glad things have remained far calmer since then.

 

http://www.lucylounge.com/index.php?/topic/2015-lucy-and-mame-oil-and-water/page-1

 

Yes, we certainly sent him/her heading for the hills!

 

As I appealed to our webmaster at the time:  (cue 4-bar intro music)

 

"If I say our fangs are showing, 

Brock, pull in your Claude

It's simply that who else but us Lucy Lounge-rs

Will get a new poster outlawed."

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  • 3 months later...

So I watched Mame in one sitting for the first time today. Way back when I first rented it, I watched it over the course of a few days and was not enthralled. I've owned the DVD for quite some time now, but whenever I take it out, it's to skip around to all my favorite parts. This afternoon I decided to have a go at it and was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly the most I've ever enjoyed watching the movie. It's really truly enjoyable. Even Gene Saks' directing, which I've always cited as the source of the film's clunkiness, wasn't all that bad, and, at many times, inventive. 

My favorite number has always been the title song- with my one qualm being that it doesn't feature a Busby Berkley-style overhead shot. Now that I think about it, how on earth could they do an overhead shot like that when they're filming outdoors? And speaking of filming, the cinematography is much more lush and than I remember. The first time I saw Mame was on a box TV (that long ago!) and today I watched it on a fifty-something-inch plasma screen; big difference! 

It's Today gets things off to a bad start- but once Robert Preston shows up, the movie kicks into gear and is great until the end.

Not Best Picture or Best Actress worthy, but still a highly recommendable musical! 

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So I watched Mame in one sitting for the first time today. Way back when I first rented it, I watched it over the course of a few days and was not enthralled. I've owned the DVD for quite some time now, but whenever I take it out, it's to skip around to all my favorite parts. This afternoon I decided to have a go at it and was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly the most I've ever enjoyed watching the movie. It's really truly enjoyable. Even Gene Saks' directing, which I've always cited as the source of the film's clunkiness, wasn't all that bad, and, at many times, inventive. 

My favorite number has always been the title song- with my one qualm being that it doesn't feature a Busby Berkley-style overhead shot. Now that I think about it, how on earth could they do an overhead shot like that when they're filming outdoors? And speaking of filming, the cinematography is much more lush and than I remember. The first time I saw Mame was on a box TV (that long ago!) and today I watched it on a fifty-something-inch plasma screen; big difference! 

It's Today gets things off to a bad start- but once Robert Preston shows up, the movie kicks into gear and is great until the end.

Not Best Picture or Best Actress worthy, but still a highly recommendable musical! 

 

Interesting take on your finally screening the film from start to finish... and as I always say, to each their own but...I do take issue with the comment "It's Today gets things off to a bad start- but once Robert Preston shows up, the movie kicks into gear and is great until the end." as "IT" is one of my favorite numbers and IMHO one of the films many highlights; but yes, Preston does indeed leave an indelible mark and it's kind of a shame his part is relatively small and he's gone before we barely get to know him! :blink:

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The orchestrations on It's Today are the most to blame. I know they probably had to accommodate Lucy's voice, but it feels a bit lifeless. Like all the numbers, it has plenty of good things, just not the best the film has to offer.

 

It's great that Loving You WAS added to beef up the Beauregard role.

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The orchestrations on It's Today are the most to blame. I know they probably had to accommodate Lucy's voice, but it feels a bit lifeless. Like all the numbers, it has plenty of good things, just not the best the film has to offer.

 

It's great that Loving You WAS added to beef up the Beauregard role.

Agreed about LY, considering it's one of the BEST songs on the soundtrack!! :HALKING:

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  • 1 month later...

I'm seeing a production of Mame here in Sydney on July 5th, starring Aussie actress Virginia Gay. Very limited engagement, only 5 performances or so. Part of a rare musicals series sponsored by arts grants or something of the sort; none of the actors are being paid for it. Will let you know how it goes.

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I'm seeing a production of Mame here in Sydney on July 5th, starring Aussie actress Virginia Gay. Very limited engagement, only 5 performances or so. Part of a rare musicals series sponsored by arts grants or something of the sort; none of the actors are being paid for it. Will let you know how it goes.

Enjoy, Brian! Guess you'll be "opening a new window"!! :blink:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, we had a great time seeing the show on Wednesday night. It was held at a little black box theatre in Pott's Point called The Hayes. We've gone to a number of shows there over the past few years, and we always enjoy ourselves.

 

It wasn't so much a performance as a presentation. This was part of the Neglected Musicals series that does one show a year. All of the actors are volunteers, and they only get one day's rehearsal before beginning. They all had scripts in hand and very basic costumes. There were about 10 cast members, so a number of them played multiple roles. The stage was bare except for the piano accompanying them.

 

We attended opening night, though they had done a matinee that afternoon. I couldn't believe they'd only had a day's rehearsal, as it was incredibly polished for what it was. Virginia Gay was absolutely delightful in the title role - brought real comedic flair and sophistication to the part, along with her beautiful singing voice. The other highlight was Vera - what a hoot! This actress really played it to the hilt. And their Agnes Gooch was a scream. She delivered perhaps the best-sung and funniest rendition of "Gooch's Song" that I've ever heard.

 

One of the funniest moments occurred in Act II. You had to have been there to appreciate this, but I'll do my best to explain it: The actor playing Mr. Babcock also played Jackson Pickett-Burnside. When Babcock was delivering the news of Burnside's death to Patrick, he said the man had fallen off a mountain. He turned the word mountain into a scream, ran to the other side of the stage, changed into his Burnside getup and mimed "falling". Then he changed back into his Babcock getup, ran back across the stage and finished the word "mountain." It was a very clever way of handling it.

 

As The Hayes is such a small theatre, actors exit through the lobby (which includes a bar). We've always hung around after the shows to say hello to the performers, and this night was no exception. We'd met Virginia a few years ago when we saw her in another production, and she remembered us! Came right up and gave us big hugs. We proceeded to chat with her for a few minutes and she kindly signed our program. We also chatted with the actresses who played Vera and Agnes for a while as well. They were all utterly delightful. Vera even passed our program around for most of the cast to sign.

 

Last year, Neglected Musicals did Calamity Jane, featuring many of the same cast members. That went on to have a fully-staged production earlier this year. I hope the same thing happens with Mame. If they take suggestions, I might recommend Wildcat for their next offering.

 

http://www.neglectedmusicals.com.au

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Wasn't there a "hooker" reference made regarding her look here earlier or am I imagining it?? Anywho... She does look amazing here -- those LEGS, indeed! -- she's over 60 here!! --but what really struck me was how WUNDAFUL to see her in a context like this where she DOESN'T actually have a cig in hand! Yeah! :peachonthebeach:

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6 hours ago, Neil said:

I wonder if they were doing Mame today if they would eliminate the line:

"You've done more for the South than anyone since Robert E Lee"

And to a lesser extent since it's true to the Mother Burnside character "This time the South will rise again".

I would consider the Robert E. Lee line to be pretty cemented as the lead-in to the title song. Although it does raise my eyebrow when I hear it, it's not like Mame and her crowd were the most PC people. Even with Beau saying the Robert E. Lee line, I think he's much better than any of the Upsons. Now, in today's immediate climate, it's a bad idea.

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