The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round Four, Day Four
I'll build a stairway to paradise.
Can you believe it, folks? We’re at the end of the fourth round of the Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket. After today, there will be just an Elite Eight of selections left to duke it out. Now, as a reminder, after today’s post, I will be taking the bracket off for a week and will return with your Elite Eight on Friday, October 13.
Keep that in mind! You’ll have one week to watch each of the Elite Eight and bone up on which films you really think ought to keep moving forward. For now, let’s vote!
(2) An American in Paris vs. (10) West Side Story (2021): I’m honestly pretty stunned that An American in Paris was not much more dominant in the past round. As much as I love the remake of West Side Story, I have to go with the Best Picture winner from the early 1950s here, in part because I do not have to make apologies for the leading man being a charisma vacuum (or generally problematic). Gene Kelly over Ansel Elgort.
What do you think?
An American in Paris
West Side Story (2021)
(3) Meet Me in St. Louis vs. (11) A Mighty Wind: This is where I assume my pick will diverge from what wins. Conceptually, I know that Meet Me in St. Louis is a more appropriate choice here, it is a traditional musical, etc. I get it. But I have only ever strongly liked the 1944 film, whereas I love A Mighty Wind. Love, love, love it. I know that the mockumentary is very unlikely to win here, but I’m making one last effort to get it to the next round.
How do you vote?
Meet Me in St. Louis
A Mighty Wind
Between Spielberg's West Side Story and An American in Paris, I would be perfectly happy with either winning. I don't care how funny A Mighty Wind is; it is not a musical and should never have been in the bracket in the first place.
Look, it's fun that A might Wind is still kicking around these parts. It's a fantastic comedy with some truly baller songs. But come on, Judy singing the best Xmas song ever written to poor little Margaret O'Brien (reportedly crying about her cat's death - thanks for nothing, Vincente!) is peak movie musical. Not too mention The Trolley Song. AND Boy Next Door. And that crazy and scary Halloween scene (jeez, I'm glad I wasn't a kid back then!). Oh - and Marjorie Main! It shouldn't win the whole thing, but MMISL is a great movie musical.