The wonderful world of Gene Kelly

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 4

The wonderful world of Gene Kelly

The beginning of another year inevitably reminds people that another sheet has gone from their personal calendars; and that if it is an ambition to preserve one’s youth, the best course is to abandon the fierce playing of games, the exercising, face-lifts, the lot, and become an entertainer.

The New Year’s Eve programme featuring Gene Kelly was a revelation. It might have been thought that Kelly would be a little too long in the tooth to star in a song and dance show with anything but regrets he had

been required to do it. But the man with the husky yet high-pitched sipging voice was as appealing as ever, and his dancing, was a delight. "Gene Kelly’s Wonderful World of Girls,” it was called, and the 50 young ladies of the chorus were a comely lot of wenches drawn, apparently, from the Folies Bergere (Las Vegas branch). Only two days before, CHTV3 had had “Guide to the Swinging Bachelor,” so it was a very satisfactory week for girl-watching. Gene Kelly’s Show, like Joey Bishop’s, had a basic theme running through it. This was an examination of men’s attitudes to women, women’s to men. It was a wide —never a broad—field and there were some delight-

ful little sketches in it, especially the one showing I what is going to happen i when the present, alleged, re- • versal of roles between men < and women is complete; Kelly < being picked up at a bar by : Barbara Feldon (of "Get 1 Smart”) was very funny. 1 Another highlight of an i enjoyable show was Kelly’s demonstration of dancing through the ages. It was a visually attractive, light- : hearted and amusing entertainment which went to show that Gene Kelly has discovered some sort of elixir denied most of us. The Noel Coward sketch "Red Peppers” was a strange little fragment to be asked to survive on its own. Bruce Forsyth and Dora Bryan were in it, supported by Dame Edith Evans and Anthony Quayle—an impressive cast for an evening in the lives of the Peppers, a team in a musical hall showof the 19305. The Peppers, apart from presenting very bedraggled song-and-dance routines, squabbled violently in their dressing room and then, presenting a united front, with the elderly star of the show, with the musical director, and with the house manager. It was no more than a vignette, a page in an album; it seemed to come from nowhere, and have nowhere to go.

This viewer is not an enthusiastic watcher of country and western shows, although very well aware there is a considerable television audience for this fare. The two shows in this category seen before the New Year were, however, a revelation, and a delightful one. On Wednesday night there was “Keep on the Sunny Side,” highlights of the national Banjo Pickers’ Convention held near Hamilton early in 1970. The vitality of the performers at this convention—where there were workshops each day and concerts each night—was infectious. The huge audiences and the vast canvas town offered most impressive evidence of the appeal of this music, and, as some unidentified American voice, which might have been that of James Stewart, proclaimed, the appeal is international. Wide-angled-lens cameras, and some imaginative photography, helped to capture the zest and spirit of this gathering of young people. On Thursday evening, there was “The Best of Country Touch, 1970” and this was also very well worth while. There would be few complaints that this collection failed, where some of the original programmes failed, for lack of country and west-

em music and too great a leaning on pop music. There were some talented entertainers in this review of the year’s programmes, and some items which were superbly good. The Ed Knowles Trio were polished performers, but for this viewer, the finest contribution was made by the Country Touch Chorale with “All My Trials.” Christine Smith—for whom 1970 must have meant,much —sang “First Of May” in her relaxed style. Ken Lemon’s "Only The Heartaches” was excellent, and the show ended with the persuasive Sammy Dee, and just about everyone else, in the vigorous “Holy, Holy.” On a more sober note, "The South Tonight” did some effective reporting on the road accident toll with its hospital interviews of patients injured by or in cars. It was not a cheerful item, but it was a telling one. So much for 1970. There was much that was good, much that was open to criticism. But this viewer, on behalf of all those not suffering from attacks of apoplexy, surfeits of serials, bouts of frustration, or inability to keep their feet on the ground, wishes to express appreciation of what has been achieved, and confidence that progress will be maintained in 1971.— PANDORA.