“A Time to Sing”, or, Why Did Hollywood Hate Shelley Fabares?
May 1st 2008 04:50
This is my first offical post and I'm already off the topic of 'high cinema'. Oh well, the keyboard will have its way...
Shelley Fabares was an angel-faced teenage pin-up of the early 60’s. The kind of cute that makes you want to put your head on your hands, sigh deeply and imagine taking her home for Mom’s pot roast and a shot at first base on the porch later that night. She was on a top-rated sitcom and had a #1 hit with “Johnny Angel”, life was good. However, she also had the distinction (or curse) of being one of the few TV daughters to have an onscreen Mom considerably hotter than her. I speak of Donna Reed of the show of the same name. Donna Reed who vacuumed in pearls and high heels.
Post-Donna Reed Ms. Fabares had a few stints on nowhere TV shows and a few forgettable B-movies…then she got the call. Elvis. Spinout. This is where pinup girls belong. But if every Napoleon has his Waterloo, Elvis’ was 1967’s Clambake. Not only does this film have one of the worst names in cinema history, it contains singularly the worst acting performance a sitting King of Rock n’ Roll has ever given.Ms. Fabare’s character finds herself a pawn in a deceitful (but swingin’!) game betweens two nifty guys fighting to see who was the niftiest. The prize? Our heroine. There are moments in this stinker where Elvis can be seen looking past the person he is talking to, to glance at the cue cards. The Lumiere Brothers would’ve destroyed their cameras if they knew this aberration was in the offing. If you ever have the intestinal fortitude to watch this train wreck you will walk away feeling that our girl comes off like Cate Blanchett compared to Elvis’ supremely disinterested ‘performance’.
What next for the girl next door? How about another technicolour yawn, this time starring the son of a legend. Boy Howdy! ‘A Time to Sing’ was a vehicle put together to trumpet the talents of one Hank Williams Jnr. Directed by Arthur Dreifuss (you may remember some of his other achievements such as ‘Montmarte Madness’ and ‘I Got Her in the Mail’. No?), this film chronicles the life of proud, crabby Grady Dodd (Hank) who lives with his prouder, crabbier Uncle Kermit (Ed Begley Snr.). These are two of the most unlikable characters I have ever seen. Uncle Kermit’s only saving grace is that he has taken in Grady and another boy, the son of a former worker on Dodd’s land, played by D’urville Martin, who is only really known from a few ultra-violent balxploitation films of the 70’s.
Grady Dodd has a beautiful voice and knack for writing catchy country tunes. He loves to sing. Even folk legend Clara Ward who plays herself in the films surprisingly touching opening scene, tells Grady he should let the world hear his songs. But no. Uncle Kermit would die of embarrassment and disappointment. Good ole’ Bocephus learns to follow his dream and break free of Kermit’s cloying overprotection, but not before a heart attack, a secret deal, and some breathtaking overacting from Begley. Not once in the film does Grady Dodd show an ounce of human tenderness, he’s pretty much a sour hateful sod from beginning to end.
Fabares, who remains adorable and effervescent throughout, admirably does her best to redeem this piece of coal, even as she’s surrounded by lazily thought out characters such as the ‘luvyababe’ music agent Shifty Barker. She plays Amy Carter, a local auto mechanic who makes her own way in life despite the fact that her father is a very wealthy cotton magnate, one who could buy out Dodd’s cotton farm any time he wanted to (secretly though he respects Dodd’s courage). How such a lovely, graceful girl with a pure heart could fall in love with such a disagreeable oaf who talks down to her repeatedly is beyond me; I found myself rooting for her to run over Grady with a truck.
Shelley went on to do guest appearances on several TV shows in the seventies until she hit pay dirt in the late 80’s as girlfriend to Craig T. Nelson on the wildly popular comedy ‘Coach’. Nelson played Hayden Fox, a disagreeable college football coach with commitment problems. His girlfriend Christine puts up with his ‘Boys Own’ shenanigans in the Minnesota wilderness and longs for the day she can walk down the aisle.
What gives? Who decided she would be the girl who always falls for the wrong guy?
After ‘A Time To Sing’ she has not had another significant film role. Damn you Hank Williams Jnr.! Recently she has been heard as the voice of Martha Kent in several incarnations of the Superman TV cartoon franchise.
Shelley, call me! Luv ya babe!
Shelley Fabares was an angel-faced teenage pin-up of the early 60’s. The kind of cute that makes you want to put your head on your hands, sigh deeply and imagine taking her home for Mom’s pot roast and a shot at first base on the porch later that night. She was on a top-rated sitcom and had a #1 hit with “Johnny Angel”, life was good. However, she also had the distinction (or curse) of being one of the few TV daughters to have an onscreen Mom considerably hotter than her. I speak of Donna Reed of the show of the same name. Donna Reed who vacuumed in pearls and high heels.
Siiiiiigh!
Post-Donna Reed Ms. Fabares had a few stints on nowhere TV shows and a few forgettable B-movies…then she got the call. Elvis. Spinout. This is where pinup girls belong. But if every Napoleon has his Waterloo, Elvis’ was 1967’s Clambake. Not only does this film have one of the worst names in cinema history, it contains singularly the worst acting performance a sitting King of Rock n’ Roll has ever given.Ms. Fabare’s character finds herself a pawn in a deceitful (but swingin’!) game betweens two nifty guys fighting to see who was the niftiest. The prize? Our heroine. There are moments in this stinker where Elvis can be seen looking past the person he is talking to, to glance at the cue cards. The Lumiere Brothers would’ve destroyed their cameras if they knew this aberration was in the offing. If you ever have the intestinal fortitude to watch this train wreck you will walk away feeling that our girl comes off like Cate Blanchett compared to Elvis’ supremely disinterested ‘performance’.
"which way to craft services darlin'?"
What next for the girl next door? How about another technicolour yawn, this time starring the son of a legend. Boy Howdy! ‘A Time to Sing’ was a vehicle put together to trumpet the talents of one Hank Williams Jnr. Directed by Arthur Dreifuss (you may remember some of his other achievements such as ‘Montmarte Madness’ and ‘I Got Her in the Mail’. No?), this film chronicles the life of proud, crabby Grady Dodd (Hank) who lives with his prouder, crabbier Uncle Kermit (Ed Begley Snr.). These are two of the most unlikable characters I have ever seen. Uncle Kermit’s only saving grace is that he has taken in Grady and another boy, the son of a former worker on Dodd’s land, played by D’urville Martin, who is only really known from a few ultra-violent balxploitation films of the 70’s.
Grady Dodd has a beautiful voice and knack for writing catchy country tunes. He loves to sing. Even folk legend Clara Ward who plays herself in the films surprisingly touching opening scene, tells Grady he should let the world hear his songs. But no. Uncle Kermit would die of embarrassment and disappointment. Good ole’ Bocephus learns to follow his dream and break free of Kermit’s cloying overprotection, but not before a heart attack, a secret deal, and some breathtaking overacting from Begley. Not once in the film does Grady Dodd show an ounce of human tenderness, he’s pretty much a sour hateful sod from beginning to end.
Fabares, who remains adorable and effervescent throughout, admirably does her best to redeem this piece of coal, even as she’s surrounded by lazily thought out characters such as the ‘luvyababe’ music agent Shifty Barker. She plays Amy Carter, a local auto mechanic who makes her own way in life despite the fact that her father is a very wealthy cotton magnate, one who could buy out Dodd’s cotton farm any time he wanted to (secretly though he respects Dodd’s courage). How such a lovely, graceful girl with a pure heart could fall in love with such a disagreeable oaf who talks down to her repeatedly is beyond me; I found myself rooting for her to run over Grady with a truck.
Shelley went on to do guest appearances on several TV shows in the seventies until she hit pay dirt in the late 80’s as girlfriend to Craig T. Nelson on the wildly popular comedy ‘Coach’. Nelson played Hayden Fox, a disagreeable college football coach with commitment problems. His girlfriend Christine puts up with his ‘Boys Own’ shenanigans in the Minnesota wilderness and longs for the day she can walk down the aisle.
What gives? Who decided she would be the girl who always falls for the wrong guy?
After ‘A Time To Sing’ she has not had another significant film role. Damn you Hank Williams Jnr.! Recently she has been heard as the voice of Martha Kent in several incarnations of the Superman TV cartoon franchise.
Shelley, call me! Luv ya babe!
| 55 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Harry
World Art
Sydney Diary
Personals
Video Games
Brisbane Diarystar
Zoo Parent