We're back on Broadway, people. Eleanor's back. George Murphy's back. Fred Astaire's back...oh, wait. This was his first and only Melody, although he did dance on the real Broadway, so there's that. After the rather confusing and lackluster Broadway Melody of 1938, MGM went for a less-is-more approach with what became the final film in the Broadway Melody series, The Broadway … Continue reading Keep It Simple, Sweetheart
That’s Entertainment
One of the distinctive things about the Freed Unit at MGM was that they didn't just mine Broadway for film material; Arthur Freed brought Broadway talent to Hollywood. One of these was Tony-winning actor, dancer, and choreographer Michael Kidd. Born Milton Greenwald to Russian Jewish refugees on August 12, 1915, Brooklynite Kidd briefly studied engineering … Continue reading That’s Entertainment
Hit the Dance Floor
Tap, tap, tap... In 1936 Fred and Ginger were two years into their partnership, and Follow the Fleet was one of two movies they made that year. The film sports some Hollywood heavyweights and soon-to-be-heavyweights but is itself pretty lightweight. However, it's classic Fred and Ginger. Sparky chemistry, magical dance sequences, and fun. "Bake" Baker (Fred Astaire) … Continue reading Hit the Dance Floor
Astaire’s Worst Movie
Gotta dance... Fred Astaire wasn't immune to the occasional turkey and one of them is 1940's Second Chorus. Astaire plays Danny, a trumpet player in a college band. It sounds all right on the surface, except that Astaire was forty-one at the time. At least Artie Shaw was along to make it all better. Oh, … Continue reading Astaire’s Worst Movie
The Tower By the Bay
Are you prepared? The seventies were a weird time in Hollywood. Studios were operating on tighter budgets, so the high output of a couple of decades earlier was unheard of. Instead, studios opted for fewer films with big ensemble casts and higher octane production values, and one of these was 1974's The Towering Inferno. Like … Continue reading The Tower By the Bay
Ziegfeld-less Follies
Mr. Ziegfeld, I presume... For someone who was the pinnacle of Broadway success, Florenz Ziegfeld didn't actually appear onscreen all that much as an actual character. Maybe once or twice, but that was about it. Oftentimes he was just an offscreen presence and his show was aspriational for many hopefuls. Other than that, he was … Continue reading Ziegfeld-less Follies
Two On the Aisle
Since we had a real royal wedding this year, I thought it would be fun to wind up my posts for Crystal and Michaela's blogathon with a look at the 1951 film, Royal Wedding. The film is a nod to Astaire's days of dancing with his sister, Adele, only set a few decades later. No buildup happening … Continue reading Two On the Aisle
Once More With Feeling
Fred and Ginger's RKO partnership ended after The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle in 1939. It wasn't that they hated each other, or had creative differences, or anything like that--they simply wanted to part ways. RKO's money problems were a determining factor as well. Ten years later, however, the two were reunited at MGM for a … Continue reading Once More With Feeling
I’ll Only Dance With You
Here come Fred and Ginger... What hasn't been said about these two? Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are the go-to's of both pairs dancing and Hollywood musicals. One of these was 1936's Swing Time, a light and airy film which was an escape for Depression-era audiences, as well as in the decades following. The movie opens at … Continue reading I’ll Only Dance With You
End of an Era
Long before MGM put his story on the screen, Florenz Ziegfeld was dipping his toe into Hollywood. The first film he produced was 1917's The Land of Promise. Starring Billie Burke, the film is a straightforward story of farmers and romance. It's also, unfortunately, lost. Other films were takeoffs of his stage shows, such as Rio Rita or Whoopee. Only … Continue reading End of an Era
Needing Release
It's that time of year again... 🙂 About fifteen years ago, my family went through a very tough time. We're OK now, but I'm not going to give any specifics because they aren't mine to give, and anyway, they're complicated. It was all stupidly, abusurdly, needlessly difficult, and I felt like life had sat on … Continue reading Needing Release
Taking Up Room 