Red Skelton and Betty Garrett enter into a gender-flipped version of the song in which she plays the aggressor. "Neptune's Daughter," however, also features a second performance of the song, one that horrified me. The cover by Chris Colfer and Darren Criss for a "Glee" Christmas episode is also a sweet tribute, with both parties unable to keep their eyes off each other at the beginning of their burgeoning romance. You see this in a 1986 performance of the song on "Saturday Night Live" between Sigourney Weaver and Buster Poindexter, in which she is draped over him for most of the song – her actions revealing her interest in him and reluctance to leave. (Although a master like Ella Fitzgerald can convey volumes vocally, which is why her duet with Louis Jordan is the gold standard.) And a big part of that is context, which is why for me, the more multidimensional playacting performances trump the mere musical performances. This for me is the key to the best covers of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," where both parties feel like equals entering into the duet. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. At no point did I ever feel that the characters are at cross purposes. The lyrics "I really can't stay," didn't register with me that much because the performances – Williams calm and clever Montalbán elegant and cheerful – feel balanced and, yes, consensual. Melodically the back-and-forth is dynamic and playful, and the intricately timed choreography reinforces this as an exciting courtship dance. Roarke from "Fantasy Island."īut watching the two perform "Baby, It's Cold Outside" was also mesmerizing.
Baby its cold outside movie#
I was fascinated partly because of the pairing of Esther Williams – a swimmer who somehow became a marquee movie star – and a young Ricardo Montalbán, whom I only previously knew as Mr. And it was all right there from the beginning.Ĭomposer Frank Loesser's song made its onscreen debut in MGM's 1949 confection "Neptune's Daughter," which I caught on cable as a child. I've been attempting to parse my mixed feelings about this song for a while, but it wasn't until I recalled the original way I saw the song performed that it gelled for me why some versions are more successful than others.
Baby its cold outside update#
Instead, I want to examine what allows some remakes to capture the intended spirit of the original and what makes others fall into creepy territory.Īnd in doing so, I'll prove that the latest update of the song in Netflix's new holiday rom-com "Love Hard" is the best reimagining so far.Įxpression and interpretation, not just intentĮsther Williams and Ricardo Montalbán in "Neptune's Daughter" (1949) (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images) The conversation – and the zillion covers of the song – is far too nuanced to be boiled down into one verdict. RELATED: Salon reader comments of the week: "America has destroyed nuance"
But this is 70-odd years later, and how we speak about power dynamics, manipulation and sexual coercion does actually matter.
Yes, I've heard about its origins as a cheeky husband-and-wife duet sung at parties and its nuanced feminist intent for the 1940s. Instead, I fully acknowledge that this delightful song, a favorite of mine since childhood, can also be disturbing in the right context. Just like the arrival of pumpkin spice in everything, arguing whether the classic tune should really be considered "a date-rape anthem" or not has become something of an annual holiday tradition. I am not here to debate "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
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