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Silk Stockings (1957)

This is going to be another flippy-floppy review. On the one hand, “Silk Stockings” stars Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, so we know we’re in for some great dancing. On the other hand . . . well, I’ll tell you about it as we go. Astaire stars as Steve Canfield, producer of a Hollywood version of “War and Peace.” He has commissioned Russian composer Boroff to write the score, but now that Boroff is in Paris, where the filming will be done, he doesn’t want to go back to Russia. The Soviets send over three agents to investigate, and after … Continue reading →

Shall We Dance (1937)

In the classic Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers film “Shall We Dance,” Astaire stars as Peter P. Peters, an American hoofer who has been masquerading as a Russian ballet star named Petrov. Having built up a fairly decent following for himself in Europe, he’s tired of the ballet scene and wants to do something different. Jeffrey, owner of the ballet troupe, is rather dismayed when he finds Peter tap dancing. Star of the stage Linda Keene (Ginger Rogers) has been touring Europe as well and it’s time for her to return to the States. The ballet troupe is sailing as well, and … Continue reading →

The Heiress (1949)

“The Heiress” stars Olivia de Havilland as a young woman named Catherine Slope, daughter of a well-to-do doctor. She has an income of ten thousand a year from her deceased mother’s estate and will get another twenty thousand when her father passes on, and that should attract the eye of many a young man. But Catherine is not pretty, and she’s not graceful or talented, like her mother was. Every day, her father tries to make her be more like her mother, but it’s just not happening, and he despairs that she’ll ever make a proper match. The only thing … Continue reading →

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)

Vernon and Irene Castle were pioneers in ballroom dance and gave us such famous moves as “The Castle Walk.” Irene wrote two loving books in memory of her husband, and those books became the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie, “The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.” Irene was a consultant on the film and oversaw the production, although not everything was done to her liking, and she clashed quite a bit with Ginger Rogers over some of the costuming. When Vernon and Irene meet, he’s already somewhat established in show business and she wants to break into it. She … Continue reading →