A lavish, enduring backstage musical from vincente minnelli, the band wagon tells the tale of tony hunter fred astaire who was 54 at the time a multitalented but aging movie star who heads for. Singin in the rain is a comedy, but the band wagon has a note of melancholy along with its smiles, a sadness always present among. But now his style of entertainment seems oldfashioned and. A brother and sister dance act encounter challenges and romance when booked in london during the royal wedding. At the age of 86 years old, cyd charisse died yesterday. See more ideas about fred astaire, fred, fred and ginger. Why singin in the rain isnt the greatest mgm musical. He is regarded by many as the greatest popularmusic dancer of all time. The dancing partner who made fred astaire famous isnt the one most people remember. With fred astaire, cyd charisse, oscar levant, nanette fabray. Band wagon, the 1953 movie clip dancing in the dark. The band wagon is a 1953 american musicalcomedy film directed by vincente minnelli, starring fred astaire and cyd charisse. Watch the band wagon online stream full movie directv.
Gabrielle gerard singing voice uncredited hot dog vendor uncredited. The cast included fred astaire, adele astaire, helen broderick, tilly losch, and frank morgan. Top 10 fred astaire dance scenes part 2 glastonbury. Fred astaire plays a cool private eye and cyd charisse is a slinky dame in red. The bandwagon is an exhilarating mgm musical comedy made in 1953, directed by vincente minnelli and starring fred astaire, cyd charisse, oscar levant, nanette fabray and jack buchanan. The band wagon fred astaire and cyd charisse by maryad4. He retired temporarily in 1946 but returned to the screen in 1948 and appeared in a. More often, rkos musicals without fred astaire and ginger rogers were mishmashes, like this expensive flop that landed with a thud at radio city music hall for the july fourth weekend. The first was that it starred fred astaire, certainly one of the greatest dancers of the century in whatever medium, a very handy singer and an.
However, some may prefer swing time 1936 over top hat. The band wagon fred astaire 1953 by alexis bolbaran. He is widely considered the most influential dancer in the history of film. Now recognized as one of the finest movie musicals ever, its entertaining from start to finish, as fred astaire is in top form, and cyd charisse a personal favorite. The band wagon 1953 stream and watch online moviefone. Though astaire acted in several films, it was for his dancing skills that he is best remembered for. Fred astaire had two dance partners, lucille bremer, and for the first time, the great gene kelly himself. In the movie much is made of whether cyd charisses character is too tall for fred s character. Famous musical movie star tony hunter fred astaire fears his career may be on the skids, but his friends, lester oscar levant and lily nanette fabray, have written a broadway vehicle to kickstart his professional life. The band wagon introduces us to astaire as tony hunter, a singin, dancin fella as he overhears two fellow passengers describing him on the train to new york, puncturing his pride when one of the men suggests that tony is washed up as he hasnt starred in a movie in three years. Now recognized as one of the finest movie musicals ever, its entertaining from start to finish, as fred astaire is in top form, and cyd charisse a personal favorite is perfect in her role. The belle of new york is a 1952 metrogoldwynmayer hollywood musical comedy film set in new york circa 1900 and stars fred astaire, veraellen, alice pearce, marjorie main, gale robbins and keenan wynn, with music by harry warren and lyrics by johnny mercer.
Cyd charisse and fred astaire, the band wagon the band wagon 1953, directed by vincente minnelli, stars a few names that helped make musicals as successful as they were and as enjoyable as they are. Tony hunter, a famous singerdancer movie star, is feeling washed up and old hat old. Laserdisc fred astaire, jane powell 8 movie bundle lot. However, the plays director wants to make it a pretentious retelling of the faust legend and brings in a prima ballerina. Fred dances with lucille bremer, a good dancer but not in the league of ginger rogers, eleanor powell or cyd charisse. Unwilling costars, old movie hoofer tony fred astaire and ballerina gaby cyd charisse have a rocky first meeting, each about to storm out when they learn that their nutty director cordova jack buchanan has won over the financiers, in vincente minnellis the band wagon, 1953. Yet his filmography extends well past those titles. The elegant songanddance man will be one of several hosts on the movies, a colossal twopart, fourhour special abc television network presentation which airs on sunday, march 31 8. The show and the movie share little besides the title, astaire, and a few songs, as comden and green wrote an entirely new script. Astaire was not merely the greatest dancer the screen has ever seen, he also introduced more great classic songs than any other performer.
After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, charisse entered films in the 1940s. Dec 25, 2009 fred astaire recreation center from the movie the band wagon 1953 a shine on your shoes. Mar 27, 2005 the band wagon 1953 came only a year after the same writers, betty comden and adolph green, wrote singin in the rain. Way before their time, the elegance and sexiness of this couple has yet to be matched. The band wagon 1953 came only a year after the same writers, betty comden and adolph green, wrote singin in the rain. Tony is ecstatic until egotistical director jeffrey cordova jack buchanan joins the project and casts ballerina gaby gerard cyd charisse as the leading lady. The story told in the movie is of an aging musical star who hopes a broadway show will breathe life into a dwindling career. Girl hunt ballet fred astaire and cyd charisse, 1953 youtube. This cd features 25 wonderful songs from fred astaire s greatest movies. Top hat 1935 is his highest rated movie while the amazing dobermans 1976 is his lowest rated movie. With fred astaire, jane powell, peter lawford, sarah churchill. The band wagon 1953 fred astaire recreation center youtube.
The band wagon 1953 is a vincente minnelli masterpiece that fortunately has garnered the praise it deserves years after its release. It first played on broadway in 1931, running for 260 performances. Easter parade, royal wedding, and the band wagon after the last rko astaire rogers film, the story of vernon and irene castle 1939, astaire appeared with various other partners, such as eleanor powell, rita hayworth whom astaire cited as his favourite onscreen partner, and lucille bremer. Born to a wealthy omaha family, young astaire was trained at the alvienne school of dance and the ned wayburn school of dancing. Fred astaire full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Singin in the rain is a comedy, but the band wagon has a note of melancholy along.
Fred astaire biography life, family, children, parents. Fred astaire was born frederick austerlitz on may 10, 1899, in omaha, nebraska. I love fred astaire movies and i specially love this scene. Astaire s father was born in linz, austria, to jewish parents who had converted to roman catholicism. Fred astaire cyd charisse oscar levante nanette fabray jack buchanan with james mitchell. The band wagon 1953 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. In 1949 fred astaire received a special oscar for his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures.
Bandwagon, a 1996 independent film written and directed by john schultz. When you dance with cyd charisse, youve been danced with, said fred astaire shown here with leroy daniels singing shine on my shoes. Ill go my way by myself like walking under the clouds ill go my way by myself all alone in a crowd ill try to apply myself and teach my heart. Astaire s mother was born in the united states, to lutheran german emigrants from east prussia and alsace. Jun 10, 2017 in my opinion, top hat 1935 is arguably the best fred astaire movie ever. Kaufman and howard dietz, lyrics by howard dietz and music by arthur schwartz. How the unflable fred astaire survived fifties how the unflable fred astaire survived fifties secret movie club on twitter learn how to craft great details about fred astaire bandwagon cyd charisse signed autograph hollywood posters cyd fred the bandwagon 1953 50 s musicals fred astaire smoking gif find share on giphy. The fred astaire collection 3 pack the bandwagonthe. Fred, born in 1899, and his sister, adele, a year his senior, were the children of an. In the movie tony hunter fred astaire is washed up. Fred astaire shows off his versatility as an actor in this western comedy that casts him as a onetime ranger who has become the town drunk.
The movie is worth watching if only for the gene kelly fred astaire number. Few would argue with the opinion that american entertainer fred astaire was the greatest dancer ever seen on film. His 20 greatest films, ranked worst to best, include swing time, the band wagon, top hat. Ballerina gaby cyd charisse and comebacktrack movie star tony fred astaire have suddenly warmed to each other, strolling in central park into dancing in the dark, by arthur schwartz, choreographed by michael kidd, in the band wagon, 1953. Jul 21, 2014 the show and the movie share little besides the title, astaire, and a few songs, as comden and green wrote an entirely new script. Famous musical movie star tony hunter fred astaire fears his career may be on the skids, but his friends, lester oscar levant and lily nanette fabray, have written a broadway vehicle to kick.
It tells the story of an aging musical star who hopes a broadway show will restart his career. The band wagons signature dance number, astaire and cyd charisses dancing. A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new broadway musical and changes it. Fred astaire, nanette fabray jack buchanan the band wagon. He was successful both in vaudeville and on broadway in partnership with his sister, adele astaire. Pitting fred astaire s washedup movie hoofer against jack buchanans highfalutin artiste and cyd charisses transplanted ballerina, the band wagon reflexively pokes fun at the musicals excesses and delves into the question of what an audience really wants, implicitly defending traditional forms of entertainment at a time when hollywood was. Fred astaire celebrity profile check out the latest fred astaire photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes.
Musicals are not among my favorite movie genres, but the always charming fred astaire and his colorful supporting cast, the stunning color cinematography, and impressive song and dance numbers featuring some of the eras top talent make the band wagon a winner. The band wagon, a 1953 mgm movie musical starring fred astaire and cyd charisse. The band wagon tells the tale of tony hunter fred astaire who was 54 at the time a multitalented but aging movie star who heads for the. Though keenly aware that the general public assumes he is through like the two men on the. The band wagon 1953 tony hunter the belle of new york 1952 charlie hill royal wedding 1951 tom bowen lets. The band wagon 1953 famous musical movie star tony hunter fred astaire fears his career may be on the skids, but his friends, lester oscar levant and lily nanette fabray, have written a. A lavish, enduring backstage musical from vincente minnelli, the band wagon tells the tale of tony hunter fred astaire who was 54 at the time a multitalented but aging movie star who heads for the great white way in hopes of bolstering his flagging career. Fred astaires dance partners and their costumes designed by. Fred astaire, cyd charisse, oscar levant, and nanette fabray. The band wagon fred astaire and cyd charisse duration. May 10, 1899 june 22, 1987 was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. The band wagon fred astaire and cyd charisse youtube.
Features lots of great big band performances, as meredith and astaire outdo each other at every turyn. The oscarnominated song and dance man is best remembered for a series of musicals he made alongside ginger rogers. Actor 51 the wasp of the anime tv miniseries 19992000 wasp 2 episodes, 19992000 ghost story 1981 ricky hawthorne. Cyd charisse w fred astaire 1953 the band wagon dancing. Fred astaire, american dancer onstage and in motion pictures who was best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers, including the gay divorcee, top hat, and swing time. Her roles usually featured her abilities as a dancer, and she was paired with fred astaire and gene kelly. The band wagon 1953 the girl hunt ballet fred astaire cyd charisse classic musical comedy duration. The fred astaire collection 3 pack the bandwagon the barkleys of broadwaysilk stockings. Thats entertainment, first performance at the movie with fred astaire, cyd charisse, oscar levant, nanette fabray and jack buchanan. The band wagon is a 1953 american musical comedy film directed by vincente minnelli, starring fred astaire and cyd charisse. Famous musical movie star tony hunter fred astaire fears his career may be on the skids, but his friends, lester oscar levant and lily nanette fabray. Tony hunter, a famous singerdancer movie star, is feeling washed up and old hat old top hat. Jun 28, 2015 the band wagon 1953 the girl hunt ballet fred astaire cyd charisse classic musical comedy duration.
Released 1953, the band wagon stars fred astaire, cyd charisse, oscar levant, nanette fabray the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 52 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. Just a brilliant fred astaire backstage movie, effectively one of his later dance films that for me like funny face is a classic, i can watch time and time again. Ralph beaumont, donald kerr, jack tesler, vincente minnelli. Tv series, a local music series on keyctv in mankato, minnesota. Both are great backstage musicals, one about hollywood, the other about broadway, one starring gene kelly, the other fred astaire. In a career spanning over 76 years, he starred in broadway and london musicals, musical films, television specials, and so on.
According to steven suskin, very few people are around who saw the band wagon, but they all seem to insist that it was the finest broadway revue ever. The band wagon by vincente minnelli fred astaire, cyd. Fred astaire was an american actor and dancer who is widely regarded as one of the most influential dancers of the world. The oscarnominated song and dance man is best remembered for a series of musicals he made alongside ginger rogers who, as. Fred astaire recreation center from the movie the band wagon 1953 a shine on your shoes. It is an uplifting feel good movie and in sheer quality has been likened to the classic musical singing in the rain made a year earlier. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices. Fred astaire wouldve celebrated his 120th birthday on may 10, 2019.
It introduced the song dancing in the dark and inspired two films. Whenever cyd and fred are together she is in shoes with low heels. The band wagon directed by movie vincente minnelli staring. The band wagon concerns a famous songanddance man named tony hunter fred astaire who started on the stage and was a popular movie star for many years. I adore these two and every other fred astaire films. A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition. Fred astaire was born in omaha, nebraska, to johanna geilus and fritz austerlitz, a brewer. In the movie much is made of whether cyd charisse s character is too tall for freds character. Girl hunt ballet fred astaire and cyd charisse, 1953.
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