Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly Shine in On the Town

On the Town is the kind of movie you can fall in love with as a kid, and still find yourself captivated with years later.



When I was little, On the Town roped me in with its catchy songs and gorgeous dresses (especially Ann Miller’s green and black number...someday I WILL have that dress). Every time she starts singing “Prehistoric Man,” I get an unrelenting urge to brush the dust off my tap shoes, but am forced settle for just a sing-a-long.



While I'm still charmed by those elements, there’s even more to appreciate now that I’m older. As I learned more about New York’s history and the post-WWII era, references I’d never caught before start to click for me. Every time I watch this movie, I learn something new… something that, while mesmerized by fantastic dance routines, I’d previously overlooked.



The story follows three sailors on a day of shore leave in New York City, looking for a lot of adventure and at least a little romance before their twenty-four hours are up. The leader of the group, Gabey (Gene Kelly), sees a poster of “Miss Turnstiles” on the subway and so enamored with the aspiring actress, Ivy Smith (Vera-Ellen), that he convinces his buddies, Chip (Frank Sinatra) and Ozzie (Jules Munshin), to help him search the big city for this lil gal.

Luckily, these out-of-towners get assistance from some New York natives, and joining the search is a persistent taxi driver, Hildy (Betty Garrett), and a man-crazy anthropologist, Claire (Ann Miller). Running from one New York landmark to another, each sailor finds romance. Ozzie is claimed by Claire, who declares him her “Prehistoric Man,” and Chip finds himself happily trapped in Hildy’s taxi. This leaves Gabey more determined than ever to find his New York love.



If you like this movie, try:

Summer Stock, with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland (1950)
My Sister Eileen, with Jack Lemmon and Betty Garrett (1955)

Mickey Rooney: More than just a victim of elder abuse

I first heard the news from my mama. She called me the other day and said, “Molly, you’ll never believe this… but Mickey Rooney’s stepson has been locking Mickey in his house and depriving him of food.”

Growing up watching Mickey’s movies, I’ve only ever seen him in resilient roles. So it’s almost impossible for me to imagine that same man falling victim to elder abuse. Mickey might only be 5’2’’, but what he lacks in height, he’s always made up for in personality. He’s known as a hot-headed, feisty red-head, full of mischief and fun.

When I was twelve, I got the thrill of my life when Mickey came to Lynnwood for a benefit at the Aegis Retirement Community. He sang, danced and did a comedy routine with his wife Jan. After the show, he autographed my copy of Love Finds Andy Hardy and I was in heaven. But only my mama could share in my excitement, because none of my friends had a clue who he is. To this day, when I ecstatically tell people I’VE met Mickey Rooney, the only response I get is: Who’s he?

Mickey began performing at 17 months old as part of his parents' vaudeville routine, and rose to fame as a child star in the 1930s and 1940s, especially for his lead in the Andy Hardy film series. He has appeared alongside many other famous Hollywood actors, such as Judy Garland (a year before making The Wizard of Oz, Garland co-starred in Love Finds Andy Hardy, 1938), Elizabeth Taylor (in National Velvet, 1944), and was even in Breakfast at Tiffany’s as Audrey Hepburn’s annoyed upstairs neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. But for today’s audiences, he’s probably more recognizable for his small role in Night at the Museum, starring Ben Stiller.


I’m worried that people will remember Mickey more for being a victim of elder abuse, than for his films and deeds that brought happiness to thousands. With a career spanning nearly ninety years, Mickey has dedicated himself not only to acting, but to the welfare of others. He may not be very tall, but Mickey has had a larger than life impact on the world.

Annnnnd…ACTION!

There seem to be only a handful of old movies people in the under 30 crowd are familiar with. Pretty much everybody has seen Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or at least know Audrey Hepburn. Nearly everyone can recite the famous line from Gone with the Wind, and sing the first line to the title song in Singing in the Rain …but that’s pretty much the extent of most people’s knowledge base of old films.

Those people are really missing out.

My mama cut the cable cord at my house when I was about three years old, so I grew up watching a lot of old movies. We’d go to the library and load up on Shirley Temple, Abbott and Costello movies and anything with Bob Hope. I spent my childhood singing along with Bing Crosby and tap dancing -or least trying to- with Fred Astaire. Sure I’d mix a few Disney movies into my movie rotation, but as a kid I spent way more time with movie stars from the 40’s than I ever did with Disney princesses.


Once I got to middle school, I started noticing other kids weren’t being raised on old movies. When I was in 6th grade, I wanted to sing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” for the school’s talent show, and all my friends said, “OH the song from Moulin Rouge!” They’d never seen or even heard of Marilyn Monroe’s famous performance in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.



I think people would watch more old movies,if they knew where to start. When you don’t know much about old films and aren’t really familiar with the big stars of back in the day, it’s hard to know what to pick. There are definitely movies that are better than others, and if you happen to select a not-so-go oldie to start off with, it might accidently taint your feelings for them. I don’t want this to happen, so this is place people can discover entertaining and relatable old movies.

Once you start watching these old classics, you’ll be hooked. The stories are so fun, the characters so rich, and you’ll be exposed to new (well, new to you) music and fashion, while getting insight into the past. We can learn so much about our own culture from these films, and learn that films from the 30s can be just as relevant and moving as any film today.