Ziegfeld Follies (Region 2)

This is one of the variety spectaculars that was MGM's bread-and-butter. The chorus numbers with the beautiful dancing girls -sometimes in seemingly impossible costumes! - have you gazing drop-jawed, simply because of the gorgeous colours and the scale that the numbers are done on (including real circus horses on stage!).The comedy sketches raise a smile although few, except perhaps Fanny Brice's contorted facial expressions and Red Skelton's increasingly drunken broadcaster, can actually work it up into a laugh. I think this is because modern tastes are different to the time when this film was produced; perhaps we are almost too sophisticated nowadays; and none of the sketches shown reach the heights of Bob Hope/Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye's subtle yet punch-packing repartee.However, the film comes into its own with the musical numbers. They are all top-notch - whether it's Lena Horne belting out "Love", James Melton with his version of Verdi or the dance numbers with Fred Astaire. This shows Fred with Gene Kelly in their first on-screen pairing, where each choreographed a different part of the set. Fred shows his ability to play romance, comedy (in "This Heart of Mine") and tragedy ("Limehouse Blues"). "Limehouse Blues" in particular displays the innovation, dexterity, grace and athleticism of the man rightly hailed as THE dancer of all time. In fact, I would go so far as to say - if you are an Astaire fan, this DVD is worth buying for the Astaire pieces alone.

Basically it is very good, with lots of stars of the mid forties/early fifties. The comedy routines quite good, but were let down by having no audience reaction on the soundtrack.

This is a rare novelty bur shews the popularity of revue in the forties.The colour and costumes are sumptuous and This heart of Mine is outstanding. The seta are fabulous as iare the immaculate dancing of the leads and the lush music. Much else is patchy with some of the sketches benig very dated (Fanny Bryce is awful!) However there is an exception in the Victor Moore/Edward Arnold sketch 'Pay him the two dollars' an anti-lawyer sketch which is absolutely hilarious. It is fantastic of course but very cynical and Edward Arnold is outstanding. None of the other sketches have stood the test of time but the musical numbers are mainly very enyable and lavishly mounted.Recommended

The DVD Supplied to me is NOT Region 2 or Multiregion and is in fact Region 1 (USA).The film on the whole is very good and in the musical numbers the stars are showcased to perfection. With the exception of Judy Garland I don't think that the comedy sketches work too well, although it is rather nice to see one of the few sketches that Fanny Brice recorded on film, and in colour too.Overall I am very pleased with this purchase, but if you do not have a player that can play Region 1 DVD's beware!

after reading the reviews I decided to buy this DVD, I taped the Ziegfeld follies from the TV many moons ago and they were in black and white but I lost them all so I thought I would get them all back again in this DVD, However, I am disappointed as there are too many 'silly' sketches in it and not enough of the follies, also, they seem to have lost their romanticism in colour, or perhaps its because I remember them in black and white, which for me gave them a special look.but the DVD is OK to watch now and then

The comedy sketches are unfunny, but they were when I first saw the film more than 50 years ago, but the musical numbers more than make up for this. Stand outs are the two Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer numbers, This Heart of Mine and Limehouse Blues, and Judy Garland in A Great Lady gives an Interview. Lush technicolour throughout make tis this an item to treasure. There is the added bonus of the Overture to the film.

My partner loves musicals and as she hadn’t been well just lately, this cheered her up

You'll need to skim through most of the comedy skits, which are dire. However, some of the musical numbers are amongst the finest MGM ever put on film - Limehouse Blues and This Heart of Mine are wonderfully choreographed and filmed.If you are a student of art direction and costume, this is also a film to see. Costumes are by Irene Sharaff, who had a very illustrious career - eg The King and I.