The Man That Got Away x Three

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moira finnie
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The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by moira finnie »

[youtube][/youtube]
Moraldo brought this video to my attention. I thought that others might be interested in the ways that this emblematic number was captured in the first two takes shown along with the third and most familiar version. I kind of like the first version. According to the original poster on youtube:
Here are all three takes of Judy Garland singing "The Man That Got Away" from "A Star is Born."

The top image is the first take, filmed on October 21st, 1953, featuring Judy in a pink blouse. The cameraman could not give Cukor what he wanted: "low light levels, the impressionistic feeling of the musical instruments, Garland moving in and out of pools of light," so he was fired.

Changes were made to the costume and set and the number was re-filmed on October 29th (the middle image).

Gene Allen: "The first time it looked as if we had painted a set to look like a bar. So to give it a slightly impressionistic look I...put a scrim between the musicians and the back bar. If you look very carefully at that scene you can see the scrim nailed down on the floor..." (Look for Tom Noonan's shadow on the scrim!)

Earl Bellamy: "When Judy sang to playback, you couldn't hear anything...She wanted me to start at full blast and then she topped it...you could hear Judy clear as a bell, and she sang right with it..."

Garland did 27 takes of the number over three days, both partial and complete. But "Cukor had her doing bits of business before the song, and all of that action didn't really fit the song - it was just too busy. And she didn't look good - her costume was wrinkled, it didn't fit right." And the color was wrong: too brown.

It was filmed for a third time in February of 1954, with new hairstyle and costume and a new set using reds and blues (the bottom image).
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by charliechaplinfan »

I watched with much interest Moira. I liked them all, the pink suits her, the brown compliments her figure but the image that is used gives a better impression of the night time and the type of night club the number is filmed in. The hair style used for the last number is perhaps more in keeping with the ingenue image, the first image looks like she's just come from Summer Stock perhaps a movie she'd like to forget.

Someone, perhaps the original youtube poster has been very talented in putting the three together.
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Re: The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by Fossy »

Now I will Have to watch the movie again to see how she was finally presented.
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Re: The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by moira finnie »

Fossy wrote:Now I will Have to watch the movie again to see how she was finally presented.
The sequence on the bottom is the one that was ultimately used in A Star Is Born, Doug. It was pretty interesting seeing the earlier attempts, huh?
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Re: The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by Uncle Stevie »

My most favorite movie segment of all time is the "Born In A Trunk" episode that Judy did in this movie. I adore it and repeat watching it often. To me, this was the true Judy Garland talent and appeal. Judy often garnered major applause when performing. Every time I watch this piece in the movie I applaud, even at home alone.
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Re: The Man That Got Away x Three

Post by Vienna »

Wow, Moira. Thanks so much for that clip. What a brilliant idea to show all three takes.
The pink blouse is nice but it looks more like a rehearsal.
The brown is far too dull. I guess the final one is the best. that white collar stands out.
Amazing to think Judy did 23 takes.
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