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DVD Royal Wedding
Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling in this 1951 Alan Jay Lerner musical for MGM, directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The appealing story finds Astaire as part of a brother-and-sister act (along with Jane Powell) that travels to London at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding. Astaire and Powell each find romances that threaten to break up the act, but that's mostly fun window dressing in a movie better known for some truly creative sequences made vivid by Donen, including Astaire's famous dance with a hat rack and his duet with Powell, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You (When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life)?" --Tom Keogh
A Great Movie That Isn't Given Justice on This DVD
I love this movie. Good acting by Powell, Astaire, and one of my favorites - Peter Lawford. Unfortunately the transfer to DVD is very poor. I think the film is badly in need of restoring. Even the colour (such as the skin on Jane Powell's face) is not constant in the film while watching. I bought it because I felt I had nothing to lose. It was a good price and is better than my EP copy that jumps, if that gives you any idea of the quality. It's probably better if you get a chance to get a hold of a SP version of the video. Of course the DVD is nice as you can skip to your favourite scenes, but there are no extra features with this one. Fred Astaire's dancing on the ceiling routine is a real classic though, and the movie is definitely worth seeing! If you buy the DVD just be prepared to overlook the flaws. Also, just a warning that there are two DVD versions, one in colour and the other is advertized as B & W.
Dancing on the Ceiling again
Fred Astaire and Jane Powell are a highly successful sibling dance team. They are given the chance to take their show to London at the same time as the Royal Wedding. Fred and Jane each meet prospective mates (Jane's is a Lord) and in typical musical fashion, they all make their commitments at the end.
This is a classic movie with excellent acting, singing, dancing and good humor. This is the movie that inspired the song "Dancing on the ceiling" and is also the one where Fred shows he can make any partner look good (even a hat stand). You even get to see Fred and Jane try to impress an audience on an ocean liner while the boat rocks uncontrollably in the rough seas; hilarious.
There are no special features on this DVD (I often find special features to be a waste), but that does not detract form being able to own this timeless classic
Comparison of two releases
The 2001 digitally remastered GoodTimes DVD if far superior in both picture and sound than this 2002 Alpha Video DVD. -- Roy
Fred Astaire took one of his final musical turns in this delightful 1957 comedy, a cold war update of the classic Ninotchka. Cyd Charisse, having previously wrapped her endless legs around Fred in The Band Wagon, plays the Greta Garbo role: a humorless Soviet functionary who sternly refuses the allure of Paris… for a while, anyway. Like some of the first widescreen musicals, Silk Stockings feels a little slowed down by the horizontal format, but nothing can dim the sparkle of Astaire and Charisse, nor quench the razzmatazz of Janis Paige. Paige and Astaire assess the current state of movies by singing that films today need "glorious Technicolor, breathtaking CinemaScope, and Stereophonic sound!" In the hands of Cole Porter, that phrase becomes wonderfully... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Fred Astaire - Cyd Charisse Director(s): Rouben Mamoulian DVD Release Date: Released the 22 April 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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One of the most famous tap numbers in film history distinguishes Broadway Melody of 1940, the fourth and final installment in MGM's Broadway Melody series. When Clare Bennett (Eleanor Powell, who had appeared in Broadway Melody of 1936 and 1938) needs a new partner for her hit Broadway show, small-time hoofers Johnny Brett (Fred Astaire in his MGM debut) and King Shaw (George Murphy) get their big chance. But due to a case of mistaken identity, King, rather than the more talented Johnny, gets the job, and the girl. Astaire and Powell can't match the chemistry he had with Ginger Rogers at RKO, but she was the best technical dancer he was ever teamed with, and the sense of fun they share is infectious. Their above-mentioned tap duet to Cole Porter's "Begin the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Fred Astaire - Eleanor Powell Director(s): Norman Taurog DVD Release Date: Released the 22 April 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Fred Astaire plays a fashion photographer based on real-life cameraman Richard Avedon, in this entertaining musical directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The story finds Astaire's character turning Audrey Hepburn into a chic Paris model--not a tough premise to buy, especially within this film's air of enchantment and surrounded by a great Gershwin score. Based on an unproduced play, this is one of the best films from the latter part of Astaire's career. --Tom KeoghMore Info about this DVD Director(s): Stanley Donen DVD Release Date: Released the 10 April 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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They don't make the most obvious screen couple--if you squint, you might think Stan Laurel had gotten together with Lauren Bacall--but their differences only serve to make this effervescent musical all the more entertaining. You'll Never Get Rich is the first of two that Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth made together (followed by You Were Never Lovelier). Astaire, who stars as choreographer-turned-soldier Robert Curtis, has rarely been looser, and Hayworth, as dancer Sheila Winthrop, has rarely been more graceful. As in Royal Wedding, Astaire also engages in some fancy solo footwork. Robert Benchley and Frieda Inescort provide priceless support as Robert's philandering boss and his clever wife, and Cole Porter composed the music, including "So Near and Yet So Far,"... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Fred Astaire - Rita Hayworth Director(s): Sidney Lanfield DVD Release Date: Released the 21 October 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The format on this DVD has been altered from the original wide screen version to one that fills a standard television screen. Thus, the image is squeezed into the middle, making the characters very tall and slender. This version is hard on the eyes after a few minutes. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bing Crosby - Grace Kelly - Frank Sinatra Director(s): Charles Walters DVD Release Date: Released the 22 April 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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