Saturday, June 23, 2018

Daddy Long Legs (1955), 7- Color, WS

On a trip to France, millionaire Jervis Pendleton sees an 18 year old girl in an orphanage. Enchanted with her, but mindful of the difference in their ages, he sponsors her to college in ... 
2h 6min | Musical, Romance | 5 May 1955 | Color, WS
Director: Jean Negulesco
Stars: Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Terry Moore, Thelma Ritter.
Fred Astaire ... dances staged by
Roland Petit ... ballets by
David Robel ... dances staged by


In the Tap! Appendix for Fred Astaire.

FA (b. '99) & LC (b. '31) make an unlikely romantic couple; he's old enough to be her roommate's great-uncle. Of course, he dances much better than your average 56 year-old, and they dance together several times.

Songs performed (28 chapters with menu), all songs by Johnny Mercer, except *:

  • ch3. History of the Beat, Instrumental with Fred Astaire on drums 
  • ch5. C-A-T Spells Cat, Sung by Leslie Caron 
  • ch7. Daddy Long Legs, by Chorus 
  • ch9. Welcome Egghead, Sung by Girls at Walston College 
  • ch12. Texas Millionaire, Danced by Fred Astaire 
  • ch13. International Playboy, Instrumental danced by Fred Astaire and Chorus Girls 
  • ch14. Guardian Angel, Instrumental danced by Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron 
  • ch18. Sluefoot, Sung by The Pied Pipers with Ray Anthony and His Orchestra, Danced by Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, and Chorus 
  • ch21. Something's Gotta Give, Sung by Fred Astaire, Danced by Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron 
  • ch25. Dancing Through Life, Ballet danced by Leslie Caron and Chorus 
  • ch25. Nightmare Ballet* (Paris, Hong Kong, Rio), Danced by Leslie Caron with Fred Astaire present but not dancing. 
  • ch28. Dream, Danced by Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron 
Colorful sets in the fantasy/dream sequences are emulating An American in Paris ('51), as is the abundance of dance and particularly ballet, while the Nightmare Ballet takes place in something more akin to The Girl Hunt Ballet's bar&wharf in The Band Wagon ('53), but the pace is much slower, less athletic.

I was less aware of Cinemascope creating distance between me and the characters. I think they used more closeups than earlier C.scope films. Or I'm getting used to it.

Previously rated 7, and it's really not great. Don't know if other versions of the film also have the big age difference between the principals. In Curly Top ('35), John Boles (b. '95) is the benefactor, and Rochelle Hudson (b. '16) the elder ward (S.Temple the younger). 21 years is more reasonable than 32 years, and Boles is just barely 40 at the time.

I skipped the c.track, only remembering it a couple of movies later. Can't imagine why that film warranted one.

Fox, dir. Negulesco; 7-
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