Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Royal Wedding (1951), 8- Color

Tom and Ellen Bowen are a brother and sister dance act whose show closes in New York. Their agent books them in London for the same period as the Royal Wedding. They travel by ship where ... 
1h 33min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 8 March 1951 | Color
Director: Stanley Donen
Stars: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill, Keenan Wynn.
Nick Castle ... dances
Marilyn Christine ... dance assistant (uncredited)
Dave Robel ... dance assistant (uncredited)

Watched on AmazonPrime, also have disc.

In the Tap! Appendix for Fred Astaire, Jane Powell.

Terrific song/dance numbers (27 chapters with menu):

  • ch2. EV'RY NIGHT AT SEVEN, Sung by Fred Astaire and Chorus, Danced by Fred Astaire and Jane Powell 
  • ch6. SUNDAY JUMPS, Danced by Fred Astaire in gymnasium with hatrack and gym equipment
  • ch7. OPEN YOUR EYES, Sung by Jane Powell, Danced by Jane Powell and Fred Astaire in rolling ship's ballroom
  • ch14. THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE, Sung by Jane Powell 
  • ch16. HOW COULD YOU BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAID I LOVED YOU WHEN YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN A LIAR ALL MY LIFE, Sung and Danced by Jane Powell and Fred Astaire 
  • ch17. TOO LATE NOW, Sung by Jane Powell 
  • ch19-20. YOU'RE ALL THE WORLD TO ME, from "I Want to Be a Minstrel Man" in Kid Millions (1934), Sung and Danced (on walls & ceiling) by Fred Astaire 
  • ch22-3. I LEFT MY HAT IN HAITI, Sung by Fred Astaire, Danced by Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, and Chorus 
  • ch25. WHAT A LOVELY DAY FOR A WEDDING, Sung by Keenan Wynn (dubbed by Bill Reeve) and Chorus 
Previously rated 7; the musical numbers are too good, and the stars are too charming. Sarah Churchill's acting is a bit stiff, but FA sells his attraction to her. And JP/PL have the same attitude toward dating, making them a good match... except that their rule is non-commitment.

I have to note that I haven't really like FA's gimmick dances in prior films (and The Belle of New York ('52) has one too), but this one works. Compare these with successful gimmick dances staged by Stanley Donen (executed by G.Kelly): the Alter Ego dance in Cover Girl ('44) and the dance with Jerry Mouse in Anchors Aweigh ('45), and you might conclude that SD contributed greatly to the design of the gimmick here (dancing on the ceiling).

MGM, dir. Donen; 8-
Posted by at