'The Pirate': MGM's Month of Musicals

The Criterion Channel on November 1 unveiled a collection nearly two dozen classic MGM musicals for streaming this month. One blogger's mission: To watch each and every one.

After the sour taste left by the ugly love story of "The Harvey Girls," "The Pirate" is a refresher indeed. Yes, Gene Kelly is a cad chasing Judy Garland, but the framing here is a Shakespearean-style farce, full of hidden identities, disguises, star-crossed romance and Cole Porter rhyme schemes. 

My family loves watching these old movies. But not in an uncomplicated way. We find that -- even after an MGM musical -- we have to pause and talk with our son about the racial attitudes depicted in those old movies. 

Which brings us to the Nicholas Brothers.

Gosh, I hope you know of the Nicholas Brothers. They only starred in one of the greatest dance routines ever put on film. Check this out:

I mean ... holy cow.

Anyway, they make a brief appearance in "The Pirate," along with Gene Kelly, for the movie's real show-stopping number, "Be A Clown," and ... I mean ... holy cow. (They show up about a minute into this clip.)

Amazing, right? And here's why we need to stop the movie and talk with our son:

The film's musical production final sequence, "Be a Clown", composed by Cole Porter, featured the acrobatic and dancing talents of the Nicholas Brothers, with Gene Kelly, who choreographed the dance number. Judy Garland joins Kelly's act and the film ends with the two of them singing a reprise of "Be a Clown." The dance sequence was the first time The Nicholas Brothers had danced onscreen with a Caucasian, while it was Kelly's insistence that they perform with him. The Nicholas Brothers were the ones punished. When released to the feature movie theater circuit distribution, this Nicholas Brothers sequence was deleted by MGM when screened in the Southern States, such as Memphis, because it featured black performers, the result of racial bigotry in the South. Only in the Northern States' movie theaters, were audiences allowed to view the entire end production presentation. Essentially blackballed, Fayard and Harold moved to Europe and did not return until the mid-sixties making a comeback appearance on The Hollywood Palace (1964) hosted by Roy Rogers and Trigger.

And that is why it is difficult to enjoy even the most innocuous of things.

Notable songs: "Be A Clown."

Does this movie contain one of those weird Gene Kelly dream sequences that his musicals always seemed to have during this era? Yes. 

Any other racist stuff going on? Gene Kelly in brownface.

See it? Yes. The stuff between the musical numbers is actually reasonably entertaining.