Three sailors on a 24-hour pass -- Gabey (
Gene Kelly), Chip (
Frank Sinatra), and Ozzie (
Jules Munshin) -- decide to soak up the sights and sounds of New York. Each one finds romance within those 24 hours: Gabey with aspiring dancer Ivy Smith (
Vera-Ellen), Chip with lady cabbie Hildy Esterhazy (
Betty Garrett), and Ozzie with paleontology student Claire Huddesten (
Ann Miller). That's all, right? Wellll....Ivy passes herself off as a celebrity, but she's actually a kootch dancer in Coney Island. Claire and the boys inadvertently topple a dinosaur replica at the Museum of Anthropological History. And Hildy breaks any number of speeding laws attempting to get the lovers together and straighten out all misunderstandings. Adapted from the Broadway musical by
Betty Comden,
Adolph Green, and
Leonard Bernstein, On the Town is one of the freshest, most exhilarating musicals turned out by the old MGM regime. The stars' verve and camaraderie are contagious, and the songs are staged by legendary musical director
Stanley Donen and Kelly himself with wit and innovation. Highlights: the opening "New York, New York" number, shot on location and flat-cutting from one image to another at a dizzying pace; and
Gene Kelly and
Vera-Ellen's "Miss Turnstyles Ballet." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide