Sinatra;Frank/Kelly;Gene Colle

All three of these DVDs have been released previously; however, this new boxed set houses a few new mildly interesting "extras" to be found in the Special Features. These three films are all big colorful MGM musicals, but none are in Widescreen because that particular aspect:ratio was not "invented" until 1954. However, they LOOK spectacular anyway!

"Anchors Aweigh" (1945) is a winning musical about two sailors on shore leave in search of a "dame". This musical's only flaw is it is a bit too long, as it has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in it, including a whole lot (too much) of Jose Iturbi, who must have been "quite something" in 1945 (but not now)! However, it is thoroughly entertaining for both adults and children, the latter, due to a lengthy sequence in the middle of the film that pairs live action (Gene Kelly dancing) with animation. Note, this was over 40 years BEFORE "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and 20 years before "Mary Poppins".
Both Sinatra and Kelly are excellent and Sinatra proves he can DANCE with the greatest of them! (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (1949) is not quite as entertaining as "Anchors Aweigh". It less colorful and has a weaker plot, but the songs and dancing are still top-notch! This is the film where Sinatra REALLY proves he can DANCE as he and Kelly charge through a song in striped suits halfway through the film. Songs like "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "Strictly USA", "The Right Girl For Me", and "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg" add to the fun of this film. (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)

"On the Town" (1949) Simply, one of the greatest musicals ever made! This was the FIRST musical in film history to be filmed ON LOCATION, and what a location: NEW YORK CITY CIRCA 1949! If the plot sounds familiar (THREE sailors on shore leave in search of a "dame"), the musical numbers and the thrill of the Big Apple send this one right OUT of the ballpark!
Co-starring Jules Munshin, Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, and Ann Miller, with some of the musical sequences composed by Leonard Bernstein, and the great theme song, "New York, New York" ("a helluva town, the Bronx is Up and the Battery Down...", not the Sinatra smash-hit song, which came way later - 1979), "On the Town" is everything a musical could and should be!
(5 out of 5 stars)

Overall rating for this DVD box set, due to the considerable strengths of "Anchors Aweigh" and "On the Town": 5 out of 5 stars!

Warner is releasing several DVD sets featuring Frank Sinatra on the same day. This set features films starring Sinatra and Gene Kelly. The following is from the Warner Home Video press release:

The Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly Collection features:

On the Town (1949) - Three sailors on leave in New York City have just 24 hours to take in the sights and find romance. The first musical to shoot on location, this was directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donan.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame (1949) - Sinatra and Kelly work in vaudeville in the winter and play baseball for The Wolves in the summer. A new team manager (Esther Williams) comes along and has opposite effects on the guys. Betty Garrett supplies additional comic relief.

Anchors Aweigh (1945) - A kind of dry run for "On the Town", this time sailors Sinatra and Kelly are on leave in Los Angeles, which draws their adventures into the realm of Hollywood. The plot is just a little too cute, which was a problem with MGM musicals starting around this time.

Special features include interviews with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, outtakes, and "When the Lion Roars" MGM documentary.

On The Town is already on DVD and in the Gene Kelly DVD Collection. The other two films were put out on DVD in 2000, thus none of these films is new to DVD.

The one star is not for the movies, but as a warning to those who have read the decriptions of the extras, and are expecting the full documentary
"When The Lion Roars". Hang onto your 3-vhs boxed sets, because when you open the DVD case, you discover that there is only an "excerpt" from the this long awaited documentary. Maybe sometime soon we'll get the whole
shelang, but not now.