xoxoxo e: Fred Astaire

Showing posts with label Fred Astaire. Show all posts

Monday, December 24, 2018

favorite movie #119 - holiday edition: follow the fleet

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #119 - Follow the Fleet (1936) - The New Year's holiday was always synonymous with Astaire/Rogers films on television when I was growing up in the New Jersey/New York area. All of their films are good, but this film is my favorite, because it includes the uber-romantic and melancholy dance number, "Let's Face the Music and Dance."

Fun fact: "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is filmed in one continuous take, lasting two minutes and fifty seconds.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

happy (100th) birthday danny kaye

He could dance at times like Fred Astaire, trip and fall like the clumsiest clown, play a hero, a dope, or just be funny. His patter songs became a trademark. Danny Kaye was frequently silly, but also smart and always entertaining. The kid adores him in White Christmas with Bing Crosby. TCM is showing his movies all day today, so I am recording some more for her to see, and for myself, too.

Kaye with frequent costar Virginia Mayo, in stills for A Song is Born

As familiar as I am with the brilliant Court Jester and his signature film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, there are many, like Merry Andrew, that sound fun but I have never heard of. Should be fun for us both to catch up with the wonderfully talented Danny Kaye.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

holiday movies — white christmas

The kid has been super-excited about Christmas lately. We put some holiday-themed decals on our windows yesterday afternoon and in the evening she pulled out two holiday movies to watch. Her first choice was White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen and Rosemary Clooney. The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. This is one of my favorites, and last year I bought it on Blu-ray. It was like seeing a completely different movie. Of course the huge HD television screen helps, but I was once again amazed at how great the movie looks. The bright colors and details of the sets just pop. And who knew that Bing Crosby's eyes were so blue? But what I love best about White Christmas is Danny Kaye. The man could do anything, as he so elegantly proves in this dance number with Vera Ellen, "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing."

Kaye was actually second choice to play the role of Crosby's sidekick. The movie was originally written as a vehicle for Crosby and Fred Astaire, who turned down the role. Kaye signed on after Astaire's replacement, Donald O'Connor, dropped out. Although I love Fred Astaire, he is not missed in this film. Kaye is perfect. Check out the dance clip when he spins around a pole around the 2:11 mark. Gorgeous. That's the same guy who could be goofy (and funny) as hell in The Court Jester?

The kid got tired out before the movie finished, and feel asleep before the big Technicolor finale, so I have a feeling we will be screening this one again before Christmas actually hits. I'm O.K. with that. I may have to look up The Court Jester, too.