Abstract
This chapter addresses the singular nature of Vincente Minnelli’s use of the long take in his 1960 adaptation of the Broadway musical Bells Are Ringing. Within the genre, Bells Are Ringing stands out for the range of musical sequences shot in one extended take. This is partly traceable to the desire to recreate the nature of a successful Broadway show. The takes “preserve” the show for posterity, even as the intricate nature of Minnelli’s mobile camera adds a distinctly cinematic dimension. The impulse towards preservation is particularly significant in relation to Judy Holliday’s performance. The long takes become a way of recreating the effect of seeing her on stage, a gesture that has added poignancy given that this would turn out to be Holliday’s final film.
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McElhaney, J. (2017). Like Motion Pictures: Long Take Staging in Vincente Minnelli’s Bells Are Ringing (1960). In: Gibbs, J., Pye, D. (eds) The Long Take. Palgrave Close Readings in Film and Television. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58573-8_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58573-8_7
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