Search - The Dolly Sisters on DVD

Jaw-dropping eye candy

06/29/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The movie shows that Fox was often right up there with MGM when it came to musicals! Surely one of the most brilliantly designed, staged and costumed backstage musicals ever made. The two stars strut their stuff in enough feathers to eradicate several endangered species - and then get it on with a zest and verve that make you instantly fall in love with them. The Dolly Sisters were a vaudeville phenomenon that took the world by storm and although this is merely a typical romanticized Hollywood version of a show business bio it is well worth watching just to get the flavor of what they might have been like. Warning: the "Darktown Strutter's Ball" Follies Bergere number will seem racist by today's standards, but it is beautifully put together, and is one of the first instances of Hollywood even hinting that black women might take their place with the most gorgeous showgirls in the world (though they used white girls in dark makeup to make the point). Color, Music, Style- A+: Story, performances - OK See it for the still-amazing production numbers."

The Dolly Sisters - a Technicolor Feast for the Eyes!

John Malanga | Pacifica, CA United States | 03/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Dolly Sisters (1945) may be a big, sappy, Technicolor musical, loosely based on the life and loves of the International stars, Rosie and Jennie Dolly, but it is one of my favorite Betty Grable movies. It is filled with eye-popping musical numbers and has a great score including, "I Can't Begin To Tell You", "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows", "Carolina In The Morning" and "Darktown Strutter's Ball". John Payne, June Haver and S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall co-star in this highly entertaining musical from 20th Century Fox.

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Twentieth Century blondes will turns your head!

Tom McGee | Glasgow, Scotland | 09/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The dangerous casting of established Betty Grable with newcomer June Haver set columnists hearts beating wildly when Fox produced this nostalgic musical. No need to worry. Betty and June performed delightfully in this highly fictionalised biopic of the fame Dolly's. It is almost a rerun of 'Tin Pan Alley' in Technicolor! Fantastic production numbers - especially the 'Darktown Strutters Ball' - elevated this musical into the top class of the genre. Grable and Haver, practically lookalikes, played their parts to perfection. Grable showed some nice dramatic touches in her romantic scenes with the darkly handsome John Payne in this cavalcade of music which encompassed World War One. Trivia note: Noel Coward, on viewing the film, said: "It's all done by mirrors. No girl on this earth could look like Betty Grable!" but June Haver more than held her own alongside her well-seasoned 'sister.' A riot of color, fun and some great music, makes this a must for all Hollywood Musical fans."

Lavish entertainment

P. Mitchell | Scotland | 07/23/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Last night I watched 'The Dolly Sisters' from the Betty Grable Collection - its a thoroughly entertaining and lavishly produced movie. I've always loved the Fox musicals from the '40s. They seem to me to be bright and brash and colorful, always good fun, never pretentious and possess an evergreen freshness. The early Fox musicals have an almost variety performance appeal, with the plots moving along at lightning pace between specialty acts and songs and dancing from the leads. As the '40s progressed so did the Fox musical and 'The Dolly Sisters' marks a new high point in Betty Grable's career at that time in terms of the blending of plot, performance and song and dance. The Fox designers and technicians reach new heights in their craft in this production. The MGM musicals of this period enjoy a fine reputation, but I think the Fox musicals have been unfairly overlooked. Perhaps now that will change with the release of these movies finally on DVD. Betty Grable is a gorgeous, sincere, uncomplicated performer with a lovely singing voice and a terrific dancing talent. Her Fox musicals made more money than the MGM competition and she ruled at the box office throughout the '40s. In the history of Hollywood, she cant be written off as simply a great pair of legs. This afternoon I watched the movie again with Drew Casper's commentary and again was stunned by the amount of info he managed to get across (his commentary on 'My Blue Heaven' is also terrific). Not only does he cover all major players in the film, he talks about the designers, writers, in fact practically everyone involved in the movie, places the movie within the context of the film musical and WW2, talks about the real Dolly Sisters and even provides some backstage gossip to boot. Anyone listening to this commentary is going to learn so much and I really appreciate being able to watch these movies with such an insightful commentator (has anyone else listened to James Ursini's abysmal commentary on Bette Davis's Dark Victory? Horrible!). The DVD print for 'The Dolly Sisters' is gorgeous, not quite as sharp as 'Down Argentine Way' but really beautiful. Having grown up in the 80s watching this movie on TV this is the best I've ever seen it. In one scene the picture appears not quite as good - not sure if this is what is called color bleeding - but anyway, it doesn't last long and for the most part the print dazzles. 'The Dolly Sisters' does not aim to deliver anything profound (thank goodness) and does not try for high dramatics. What it does offer big time is lavish production, dazzling color, some great and elaborate musical numbers, outstanding costume design and Betty Grable at the helm bringing the whole together with great talent, beauty and undiminished appeal."