American Film: Musical Themes and Forms (review)

Unique Interpretation

In a different treatment of Hollywood films Michael Dunne presents an examination of themes that form the basis of musical narratives. Dunne's essay is not an historical grouping; instead he weaves different eras together in each chapter to illustrate his points. The book shows over time that Hollywood producers employed a variety of themes and forms as the focus of their productions. Dunne thoroughly positions his work into the body of research that has been done about musical films. For scholars of motion pictures this work provides a unique interpretation of how musicals function and how musical films can be interpreted by viewers.

Each chapter represents a different theme that illustrates aspects of how the genre functions. Dunne examines realism and escapism, representations of character and place, and how the technical aspects of the narrative are informed by both song and dance. Besides the photodramas that Dunne chooses to illustrate, he discusses each film's place within the hierarchy of similar titles.

In the first chapter, Dunne has a thorough discussion about how musicals subsume reality into the narrative and work as escapist entertainment. Throughout the book Dunne points out that aspects of reality inform the narrative in a peripheral way but the actions of song and dance are what propel the story to a satisfying conclusion.

A discussion of characterization is the basis for two chapters. Dunne examines the tradition of blackface minstrelsy and the contributions of actors such as Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds to the art form. The discussion traces the roots of the art form and the traditions that inform it. A discussion of American youth shows how characters created for musicals showcase the optimistic side of life; nothing is wrong that a little song and dance cannot fix. Even negative aspects of youth culture are negated within the narrative by the sunny characters. Dunne extends this idea of positive characterizations in the different chapters. He shows how as a narrative convention characters should live happily ever after to have a satisfactory resolution to the story.

Dance is another form that musical narrative takes and Dunne discusses how dance works through plot action, character, and thought. An examination of the significance of dance is illustrated by six films in chapter four. Each film highlights a different aspect of the theory, showing how dance is an integral part of both the narrative and the characters. Throughout the book Dunne shows that dance is both performative and presentational and acts as a natural extension of the musical narrative.

Place is an important consideration when deciding where to situate a story. In his book Dunne examines the importance of both the real and the imaginary place and their impact on narrative. There is a discussion of four films that illustrate how place provides the setting for the narrative and how different historical times allow for chronological or contemporary action. Dunne situates his discussion of place within a vast body of films and shows how numerous representations of place can determine a different kind of treatment.

Throughout the book Dunne talks about intertextuality and how there are many instances created by both the presence of certain stars and the references to earlier works. The discussion shows how Hollywood musicals are often based on earlier Broadway plays or literary texts.

Finally in chapter nine Dunne examines the impact of the musical on contemporary television. He looks at how the musical form is translated to episodes in television series and how the audience may interpret it. Dunne also examines the way the musical form has evolved in the contemporary movies Moulin Rouge (2001), and Chicago (2002).

American Film Musical Themes and Forms is a book designed for the researcher of Hollywood musicals. Discussions of the central ideas are thorough and well researched. Dunne positions his research well within the body of existing...