The Band Wagon is one of a series of energetic, colorful musicals from MGM during the early to mid 1950s. Many of these starred Gene Kelly, but he is absent here, and not really even missed. Fred Astaire is the star, and the script has been cleverly written to take advantage of his screen personality.
Tony Hunter (Astaire) is a self proclaimed 'song and dance man'. He was a film star in musicals during the 1930s, but recent career disappointments have forced him to turn to the theater. Fortunately, Lily and Lester Marton (Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant) are well connected writers for Broadway musicals. They convince vainglorious producer Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan) to star Hunter in their upcoming musical. Hunter's female lead is the acclaimed ballerina Gabrielle (Cyd Charisse), whose temperamental boyfriend is choreographer Paul Byrd (James Mitchell).
The choreographer for The Band Wagon was Michael Kidd. The dance routines are complex and entertaining. There's a bit with a ladder that's very funny.
Astaire and Charisse develop a romance that can be seen coming a mile off. The two have several dance numbers, but little chemistry together. One comic scene that doesn't come off has Astaire teaching Charisse how to smoke. What a pal. Charisse is beautiful, but lacks the spark that Ginger Rodgers had with Astaire.
Astaire is essentially playing his familiar character from the 1930s, the man who danced with the top hat and cane. Older but with his style unchanged, he is a man out of his element in a 'modern' Broadway production. When the musical is a flop, however, Hunter reworks it in his own style and makes it a success. The story begins by mocking Astaire; at the auction that opens the film, his 1930s costumes can't raise a fifty cent bid. But with his new success in career and romance by film's end, Astaire's style has been vindicated as timeless.
As with the vastly superior Singin' in the Rain, the script both salutes and lampoons musicals and the movies. Cordova's Faustian obsessions result in ridiculous stage productions. These are almost as hilarious as the 'early sound' parodies in Singin' in the Rain. The two MGM musicals had the same producer, Arthur Freed.
Adolph Green and Betty Comden wrote the screenplay, which would receive an Academy Award nomination. Although only in their thirties, they had already co-written On the Town (1949) and Singin' in the Rain (1952). There's much in common between those three color musicals, the scripts for which are all full of energetic and witty dialogue.
Allegedly, the Marton characters are supposed to represent Green and Comden. The trouble with that analogy is that the Martons were married while Green and Comden were not. Levant, best known for his supporting role in An American in Paris the year before, is also a decade older than Green.
The Band Wagon was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay, Best Music, and Best Costume Design. (64/100)
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