& toulza Chabrol

More than any other classical Hollywood genre, the musical depended heavily on the presence of and, at times, the number of stars in the cast, thus becoming the epitome of the Hollywood system. For example, in 1930s series such as The Big Broadcast (1932-1938) from Paramount, and Broadway Melody (1935-1940) from MGM, studios
tried to stand out from the competition by emphasizing their extensive roster of stars and their respective specialties.
These stars represented a distinct group. While some were
“chosen,” and their images built from the ground up, stars of musicals were, above all, cast for their specific dancing or singing skills. Some mastered a number of techniques (tap dancing, ballet, acrobatic dance, and ballroom dancing in the case of Eleanor Powell), or, on the contrary, excelled in one discipline (ballet for Cyd Charisse). It was rare for someone to have no specific expertise at all that could be recognized by audiences and sold by the studio’s publicity machine, and a number of stars were both singers and dancers: Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly were not dubbed when they sang with Judy Garland, who in turn, performed complex choreographies alongside experienced dancers. On the other hand, Marilyn Monroe’s lack of preparation has
been acknowledged by a number of sources and Darryl F. Zanuck was initially reluctant to cast her in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953).2 But thanks to intensive training, and the specific adaptation of musical numbers to her aptitudes and limitations, Monroe became a veritable film musical star, capable of executing Jack Cole’s astutely adapted choreography and of singing a number of songs herself, even though she was dubbed in part by Marni Nixon, notably on “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”. At the time, musical performance skills were such an integral part of the genre that even stars who were without skills were obliged to compensate for their failings in order to maintain any longevity in the business.