A Reel Retro Review: IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (1955)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

Cinema’s fascination with war films in the 1950’s and 1960’s was close to an obsession, with over 200 films produced during that time. Most of, if not all of them, featured the all-American boys with flag-waving bravado marching to victory. One of the more fascinating stories, or sub-genre of the war films is what happens to those boys once they finally come home. Such is the territory for Gene Kelly’s 1955 musical comedy, IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER. 

 

After coming home from WWII, three friends: Ted (Kelly), Dan (Doug Hallerton), and Angie (Michael Kidd), come home from the war and ready themselves to re-enter civilian life. They promise to re-unite at a bar in ten years’ time, and after the decade passes, they get together and discover their old friendships were not as easily re-kindled. 

 

Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER takes a light look not just at soldiers re-adjusting to civilian life, but at friendships that can fade after so much time passes. After coming home, the three go their separate ways with different results; Ted is a gambler and boxing manager and still a bachelor, Dan is an ad executive whose marriage is failing, and Angie owns a diner and has wife and three kids. 

 

After getting together the three find they don’t like each other very much, and things are further complicated when Ted takes a liking to Jackie (Cyd Charisse), an attractive ad executive working for a TV show in town related to Dan’s work. Eventually, Ted’s shady dealings with the underworld threatens his boxing managerial career, and Jackie later conspires to bring the three old friends together on the TV show. There are many characters going in several different directions, but the storylines are well organized and intersect nicely. 

 

The script and dialogue are razor sharp, and the zingers come at us at warp speed. Pacing is tight and quick, and the jokes and gags very funny. The musical numbers are a thrill with Kelly pulling off some amazing feats; including tap-dancing with roller skates (!) and trash-can lids on his shoes. The songs range from a thrill a second to melancholy. 

 

The entire cast puts in great performances outside of their singing and dancing. Gene Kelly is a treat as always, and his co-stars Doug Hallerton and Michael Kidd also a delight. Cyd Charisse steals the show with her quick wit and clever one-liners. 

 

IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER is a lot of fun to take in, even though the film has a touch of cynicism to it, which was rare for its time. It’s a post-WWII film that stands out among a crowd, and offers food-for-thought when it comes to reuniting with old friends. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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Reel Facts: IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER was nominated for two Oscars: Best Story & Screenplay and Best Scoring of a Motion Picture. Co-director Stanley Donen was mostly known for directing SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), whose choreography was done by FAIR WEATHER co-star Michael Kidd.