Singin' and Dancing Back in Time.: BAND WAGON (1953)

Monday, March 8, 2010

BAND WAGON (1953)

The Band Wagon (1953) Musical /comedy. Music written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz ,originally for the 1931 Broadway musical, also called The Band Wagon, with a book by George S. Kaufman. Cast: Fred Astaire and his sister Adele. Another song orchestrated by Conrad Salinger, "Dancing in the Dark". The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Costume Design, Color, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. In 1995, The Band Wagon was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2006, this film ranked #17 on the American Film Institutes list of best musicals.

Tony Hunter's movie career is in a slump, so he decides to return to New York to meet with writers Lester and Lily Marton. The Martons inform Tony that they have written a new show to be staged by director Jeffrey Cordova. Tony joins the Martons to the Broadway theater and after watching the play is not sure that Cordova's can direct a musical comedy. The Martons are taken back when Cordova announces that he sees the show as a modern version of Faust , and casts himself in the devil role. Cordova then casts the famous ballerina Gabrielle Gerard in the female lead. Tony and the Martons go to the ballet to watch Gaby perform, and Tony is worried about her height and her classical training.

My favorite scene of the film is when Tony and Gabrielle, take a carriage ride through Central Park to try to get to know each other. As they drive, they come to an outdoor dance floor, with an orchestra playing "Dancing in the Dark" ( music matched the mood perfectly). Tony and Gabrielle get out and begin to walk together in rhythm, gradually trying out a few dance steps. Eventually, they dance wonderfully together. It is one of my favorite Astaire or Charisse's moments.

FUN FACTS:

Many of the props, sets, and costumes for the huge production number that goes wrong in rehearsal in Boston are from Lovely to Look at (1952), Ziegfeld Follies (1945) and An American in Paris (1951).

The movie reflects two real-life situations. In the movie Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) is washed up. In real life Astaire's career was at a standstill. In the movie much is made of whether Cyd Charisse's character is too tall for Fred's character. This was also true in real life. Whenever Cyd and Fred are together she is in shoes with low heels.

Soundtracks:

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"By Myself"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire

"A Shine on Your Shoes"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire and Leroy Daniels

"That's Entertainment"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant and Fred Astaire
Performed also by Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant, Cyd Charisse (dubbed by India Adams) and Fred Astaire

"The Beggars Waltz"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Danced by Cyd Charisse, James Mitchell and corps de ballet

"Dancing in the Dark"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse

"You and the Night and the Music"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Sung by chorus
Danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse

"Something to Remember You By"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed chorus

"High and Low"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by chorus

"I Love Louisa"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray and chorus

"New Sun in the Sky"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Cyd Charisse (dubbed by India Adams)

"I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan

"Louisiana Hayride"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Nanette Fabray and chorus

"Triplets"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan

"The Girl Hunt"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Danced by corps de ballet
Danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse

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Bob Fosse

Was a musical theater choreographer and director, screenwriter and film director. He won an eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction. He was nominated for an Academy Award four times, winning for his direction of Cabaret. He was identified with his third wife, Gwen Verdon. She was both the dancer/collaborator who he choreographed much of his work and, together with dancer/choreographer Ann Reinking, a guardian of the Fosse legacy after his death. Fosse is considered to be one the most influential coreographers of the 20th Century.

Esther Williams.

JANE POWELL

After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens. Once there, the studio utilized her vocal, dancing and acting talents, casting her in such musicals as Royal Wedding, with Fred Astaire, A Date with Judy, with friend Elizabeth Taylor and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, with Howard Keel. In the late 1950s, her film career slowed, only to be replaced with a busy theater and television career.Click picture to enter websight.

Jeanette MacDonald

Singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (Love Me Tonight, The Merry Widow) and Nelson Eddy (Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, and Maytime). During the 1930s and 1940s she starred in 29 feature films, four nominated for Best Picture Oscars (The Love Parade, One Hour With You, Naughty Marietta and San Francisco), and recorded extensively, earning three gold records. She later appeared in grand opera, concerts, radio, and television. MacDonald was one of most influential sopranos of the 20th century. Click picture to view fan website.

Joan Crawford.

Click picture to view website. Joan Crawford, born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre. Starting as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway, Crawford was signed to a motion picture contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. Initially frustrated by the size and quality of her parts, Crawford began a campaign of self-publicity and became nationally known as a flapper by the end of the 1920s. In the 1930s, Crawford's fame rivaled MGM colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo. Crawford often played hardworking young women who find romance and financial success. These "rags-to-riches" stories were well-received by Depression-era audiences and were popular with women. Crawford became one of Hollywood's most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States, but her films began losing money and by the end of the 1930s

Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Richard Rodgers (1902 – 1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895 – 1960) the songwriting duo, on our musical page. They created many popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age. With Rodgers composing the music and Hammerstein writing the lyrics, five of their shows, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music. They won thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and two Grammys. Click picture to read movie reviews.

Cab Calloway

Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States' most popular African American big bands from the start of the 1930s through the late 1940s. Calloway's band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon "Chu" Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker, and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86 .Click picture to view official website.

Monday, March 8, 2010

BAND WAGON (1953)

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