Just two of the many reasons that the still-underrated 1955 “It’s Always Fair Weather” ranks very high on my list of my all-time favorite film musicals is it’s sardonic yet cheerful send-ups of advertising and this new medium called television as well as its brilliant use of the brilliant song-and-dance gal Delores Grey. This clip has all three in spades. (Ms. Grey appears at the 1:23 spot.)
Just for the record, yes, that’s the immortal Frank Nelson (uncredited) as the announcer, and Gene Kelly (who codirected with Stanley Donen), Dan Dailey and dancer-choreographer Michael Kidd in a rare acting gig near the beginning. The music is by Andre Previn, best known these days as a conductor and arranger, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who wrote every single golden word in this movie and, as far as I’m concerned, deserved the Nobel Prize for World Literature, though that’s probably just me.
