On the Town

That old expression about things not being broken not needing fixing springs to mind with this. Messrs. Sinatra, Kelly (who co-directed) and Munshin don their naval uniforms for a 24 hour pass in the Big Apple. Once there, they fall for a pretty diverse trio of dames - Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Vera-Allen and with the fabulous musical talents of Green/Comden and Bernstein at the helm, we have the perfect ingredients for a day no-one will ever forget. The plot is pretty straightforward, but the musical numbers notably "New York, New York", "On the Town" and "I Can Cook Too" alongside some perfectly choreographed dance sequences give this adaptation of the 1944 Broadway musical more than a splash of style and class. The whole thing is well paced, the characters (though hardly what you might call "developed") are fun and engaging - especially the really almost "cute" Frank Sinatra - as they (and we) enjoy their whirlwind romantic tour. On the downside, the story could do with being just a smidge more substantial and there are maybe just a little too many sound stage performances that do sterilise the charm just a little, but I'm splitting hairs - it's well worth a watch if you like the broadway musical at it's best.