MovieChat Forums > Smile (1977) Discussion > Michael Kidd's character

Michael Kidd's character

posted 14 years ago by practicepiano
11 replies | jump to latest

A lot of what makes this film so good, to me, is the inclusion of subtle, quiet things among the outrageous, and the way Ritchie trusts viewers to get them, rather than hitting us over the head.

Michael Kidd's character being a tough, cynical professional, who appears to be acting as if he is above it all, but actually being one of the few people who cares about the girls, is an aspect I love. It becomes more dramatic when the ramp issue comes up, but it is there, from the beginning, in quiet or quick moments.

[–] tmaj48 14 years ago

I like when he comments that the pageant takes a lot of nice high school kids
and turns them into Vegas showgirls. I wonder what his character would have
thought of "Toddlers and Tiaras."

I'm not crying, you fool, I'm laughing!

[–] billymac72 13 years ago

He was excellent. I love when Geoffrey Lewis says, "hey, sorry we got off to a shaky start. What'd'ya say? Water under the bridge?" and Kidd says, "naw, let's keep it shaky."

I'm not surprised to find out that he was, indeed, a choreographer. It's a very authentic performance.

[–] rdsla 12 years ago

Kidd was great. He was at the heart of the film.

[–] uruseiranma 12 years ago

I love his tirade at the one guy after Miss Anaheim falls off the stage.

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] zuzer-213-180019 9 years ago

Michael Kidd not only acted as the choreographer, but he was the one who taught all the girls the dance routines. When you see the girls in the hallways and in the auditorium at the beginning starting to learn the dance numbers, that is really Kidd beginning to teach the routines. He worked with them every day on the dances they had to do as a group and individually. It was amazing to have someone of his experience and talent instruct the group of actors from Hollywood and "non actors" from the Santa Rosa area during the filming, then bring them all together in the end for their performances in the film.

[–] lynda618 12 years ago

"...and that girl had a wooden foot!"

He was probably the only person who saw the pageant for what it was.

[–] practicepiano 12 years ago

>>
He was probably the only person who saw the pageant for what it was. <<

Absolutely.

[–] ecarle 11 years ago

Kidd was a notable choreographer and can be seen in an on-screen role in an MGM musical with Gene Kelly and Dan Dailey from 20 years before "Smile": "It's Always Fair Weather"(1955) dancing away.

His street-wise manner was great and I find his voice a bit reminiscent of the otherwise unique voice of...Charles Bronson...whom Kidd resembled a teeny-tiny bit(in teeny-tiny size.)

His character is the through-line of "Smile," the tough professional with somewhat of a heart of gold, though I think it is also true that he isn't THAT big of a professional if he has been reduced to doing beauty pageants.

And: what about that final shot of him getting into a cab and smiling up at a door closing to his motel room(closed, I think, by a barely visible female)?

Did the kindly choreographer "enjoy" one of the Young American Miss contestants?

[–] practicepiano 11 years ago

Angie, his role in "It's Always Fair Weather" is also a down-to-earth person who encounters phony BS and is not happy about it. He's nowhere near as subtle as the Smile character, but they have a lot in common.

[–] Woodyanders 11 years ago

Kidd was superb in his role. Pity he didn't do much acting in more movies.

I'm a totally bitchin' bio writer from Mars!

[–] Cultfilmfeverforever 8 years ago

I loved the line about the Vegas show girls. It's like he and Big Bob were born on different planets. Perhaps Lil Bob and Kidd were born on the same one. : )