The Band Wagon

Plot synopsis:
Fred Astaire plays song-and-dance man Tony Hunter, whose top-hat-and-tails brand of movie musical has become passé. As the movie opens, a Hollywood memorabilia auctioneer tries to sell off a hat and cane that once belonged to Hunter, but he literally can't get 50 cents for them. His star on the wane, his life at a crossroads, Tony travels to New York by train to take stock and ponder his future. When the train pulls into Grand Central Terminal, he thinks the gaggle of reporters on the platform is there to see him, but it turns out they were waiting for Ava Gardner, who was also on board. A deflated but amused Tony strolls off alone (song: "By Myself'').Tony's solitude is short-lived -- he receives a raucous welcome inside the station by two of his best friends, Lily and Lester Marton (Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant), a Broadway show-writing couple. They want Tony to star in a brand-new stage musical they've just completed, and they know who they want to direct it: acclaimed actor-director Jeffery Cordova (Jack Buchanan), who currently has five shows running on Broadway, including Oedipus Rex, which he's starring in himself. Tony, who's never heard of Cordova, listens politely as they stroll along 42nd Street, which Tony barely recognizes after all these years. He sends the Martons ahead to dinner in a taxi so he can spend some quality time in an arcade (song: "A Shine on Your Shoes'').The Martons take Tony to Oedipus Rex, where they watch from the wings. Tony has trouble believing the star and director of such a serious work would want to do a musical. Tony meets Cordova, who's a little slow to recognize him but then expresses great excitement at the prospect of working with him. Tony asks Cordova if he's truly interested in producing a musical; Cordova insists all theatrical genres are valuable.The Martons pitch the idea of their light, frothy musical: Tony would play an author of children's books who feels he's compromised himself artistically by writing lurid yet lucrative murder mysteries on the side; Lily says his success makes him feel as though he's "sort of sold his soul to the Devil.'' Jeffrey seizes upon that phrase to offer his vision of what the musical should be: a modern retelling of Faust, with himself playing the Devil in the guise of a book publisher. Lily, Les and Tony are taken aback. Tony doesn't think it will be his kind of musical, but Jeffrey tells him the show will make him a star all over again. As for Tony's insistence that he's "just an entertainer,'' Jeffrey replies that they're all entertainers (song: "That's Entertainment!'' ).Cordova sets about lining up financial backers for the play. He also knows who he wants as the leading lady: a rising ballet star named Gabrielle Gerard (Cyd Charisse), even though it's well known that her mentor and boyfriend, Paul Byrd (James Mitchell), won't let her do a Broadway show. Cordova solves that problem by offering Paul the job of choreographing the musical, and finagling Paul into demanding that Gabrielle co-star, or he won't do it. Tony, who goes with the Martons to see Gabrielle perform, thinks she's fabulous but is apprehensive about starring opposite a classically trained -- and noticeably tall -- ballerina. As it turns out, Gabrielle is nervous about working with a Hollywood legend like Tony. Their initial meeting goes badly amid mutual misunderstandings, but by this time the investors are totally sold on the concept, and it's too late to back out.Work begins on the musical, to be called The Band Wagon. Tony feels out of his element, and worse, that he's being patronized by Jeffrey, Paul and Gabrielle. He finally storms out of rehearsal. Lily and Les are concerned about their friend, but end up getting into their own argument. with Les accusing Lily of being overly enthralled by Jeffrey. (The Martons continue to work on the show -- but refuse to talk directly to each other.)Tony throws a temper tantrum in his hotel room. Gabrielle shows up; Tony tries to apologize, but she lets slip that Paul ordered her to apologize to him. They start to bicker again. Gabrielle bursts into tears, saying she knows Tony never wanted her in the show, which a startled Tony denies; for his part, Tony confesses how scared he's been of this project.Setting aside their differences, Tony and Gabrielle decide to find out if they really can dance together. They go for an evening carriage ride in Central Park, chatting and getting to know each other better. Alighting from the carriage, they stroll past a party of dancing couples and reach a clearing where they're alone. And there, they find they can in fact dance together, beautifully (song: "Dancing in the Dark'').Frantic preparations begin for the show's tryout in New Haven, Connecticut. It's an incredibly complicated production, with a plethora of elaborate sets. When it comes time to rehearse the first act finale, it seems to go smoothly at first, but quickly degenerates into a farce with different parts of the set moving up and down in the wrong directions. The pyrotechics-laden damnation scene (song: "You and the Night and the Music'') fares little better.The much-anticipated New Haven premiere lays a huge egg (complete with onscreen visual metaphor). Tony shows up for the post-premiere party at a hotel ballroom, but none of the financial backers or other cast members is there. Tony finds the chorus holding a party/wake in one of their rooms, complete with pizza, beer, ham and deviled egg. They warmly greet Tony, who regales them with stories of his early show business career. They're soon joined by Gabrielle as well as Lily and Les, who've patched things up. Clowning around, Tony, Lily and Les perform a comical number (song: "I Love Louisa'') which cheers everyone up at first. But the mood turns somber over their failed production. Tony makes a decision. He tries calling Jeffrey to tell them they're going ahead with the show, only they're going to return to the Martons' original script and songs. The person on the other end turns out to be a cleaning woman, but it doesn't matter, because Jeffrey entered the room without anyone noticing and has overheard Tony's little speech. Jeffrey admits his approach was wrong, and asks to be a part of the revamped Band Wagon. Gabrielle also insists on staying with the show, even though Paul (who showed up with Jeffrey) demands she withdraw; she watches sadly as Paul walks out.With Tony effectively in charge, the show travels to Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Along the way, the company polishes a series of musical numbers (songs: "New Sun in the Sky,'' "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan,'' "Louisiana Hayride,'' "Triplets''). During the train ride from Washington to Baltimore, Tony confesses to Les in private that he's fallen in love with Gabrielle.Opening night on Broadway. It's raining as Tony and Gabrielle arrive at the theater and wish each other luck. Tony awkwardly tries to express his feelings for Gabrielle, but thinks the better of it. In addition to the other musical numbers, the show's pièce de résistance is a spoof of hard-boiled detective novels called "Girl Hunt'' in which Tony plays private eye Rod Riley; Gabrielle plays two roles, that of an anguished blonde ("scared as a turkey in November'') and a sinister brunette ("She came at me in sections. More curves than a scenic railway'').The Band Wagon proves a hit. Afterward, Tony, in his dressing room, is puzzled by how quiet things are after a successful opening, but tells his valet he's going out to a nightclub to celebrate, even if he's alone (reprise: "By Myself''). As he exits his dressing room, Tony is startled to find the entire company waiting for him onstage with a surprise party prepared in his honor. Everyone sings, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.'' Gabrielle, speaking for everyone, tells Tony what he means to them -- but she also conveys that she's now in love with Tony, having broken up with Paul. Gabrielle meaningfully concludes, "The show's going to run a long time. And as far as I'm concerned, it's going to run forever.'' An overjoyed Tony kisses Gabrielle. They then join Jeffrey, Lily, Les and the company for a reprise of "That's Entertainment!'' as the movie ends.

Tags: romantic, satire

Review:
There are many shimmering moments in Bandwagon: Fred Astaire (playing a role close to his own life story; he was 53 at the time), the acidic wit of Oscar Levant ('that'll keep 'em laughing!!') tempered by the sunny Nanette Fabray and musical numbers including "Shine on Your Shoes," "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan," and a clever novelty trio called "Triplets." But the musical sequence that stands out the most is the one which has no vocal, no dialog, and gently advances the movie's plot of whether or not oil-and-water dancers Astaire and Cyd Charisse can actually perform together (when he thinks she's too tall and she thinks he's too old).
THE BAND WAGON tells the story of faded movie star Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) as he attempts to restart his stage career with the help of his two pals Lester (Oscar Levant) and Lily (Nanette Fabray) Marton.
The numbers range from the heartbreakingly romantic and simple (Charisse and Astaire falling in love to 'Dancing In The Dark'); through to the clever and amusing (most of the brief numbers attributed to 'The Band Wagon', the play within the movie, but most especially the 'Triplets' number with Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan); on to the rousing and hilarious (Astaire's German accent midway through 'I Love Louisa); and finally to those that are simply stunning in their sheer technical mastery (without a doubt the 'Girl Hunt' ballet).
Astaire and Charisse are fantastic in their two main numbers together though--'Dancing In The Dark' is one of the best, simplest and most romantic film dances I've ever seen, and 'Girl Hunt' is so inventive and perfectly executed that you can't help thinking these two dancers really *do* match somehow.Simply put, you just couldn't go wrong with THE BAND WAGON.
Perhaps the finest hour of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse together (although Silk Stockings comes a close second); the 'Dancing in the Dark' sequence says it all about both this film, and the two impeccably classy stars.There are, of course, other highlights - Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray's acidic writers; Jack Buchanan's overblown producer; Fred's dance with the shoeshine boy, Le Roy Daniels; anything featuring Cyd Charisse - and those wonderful musical numbers, ranging from the anthem 'That's Entertainment' to the hilarious 'Triplets'.'The Band Wagon' sends up the old film staple plot "putting on a show" and does it brilliantly, thanks to the crackling Comden/Green script.
Last night's viewing changed my mind...this really is one of the great MGM musicals.Strangely, this never held the same appeal for me as some of the other technicolor musicals of the period, but watching it last night for the first time in years, I appreciated what a really fine actor/dancer FRED ASTAIRE was and what a gorgeous dancer and woman CYD CHARISSE always was.
Mix in the great supporting cast--JACK BUCHANAN who does a neat tap routine matching Astaire every step of the way and hamming it up appropriately, and those two devils--NANETTE FABRAY with her quick smile and Oscar LEVANT with his quick wit and you realize that Comden and Greene were two of the best comedy writers the screen had, this side of Dorothy Parker.
The two musical highlights for me were "Triplets" (smashing good job by Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan) and the Astaire/Charisse Central Park dance sequence that flows to the music of "Dancing in the Dark".Summing up: If you love MGM musicals, you owe it to yourself to see this one for the magic of Astaire and Charisse together, not to mention all the other plus factors--costumes, scenery, backstage plot and those marvelous songs that come one after another to delight eye and ear!
MGM, Arthur Freed, Vincent Minelli, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan and that wonderful company behind them.
The Broadway musical is one of America's great contributions to the performing arts, and the Band Wagon delightfully turns its clichés on their heads, with the story of a plucky group of troopers who put all their heart and talent into...a turkey.Great dancing includes one of Fred Astaire's classic ballet duos, "Dancing in the Dark," with Cyd Charise.
It's a delight to see this all-too-short exhibition of contrasting dance styles by two master hoofers.And there's the added treat of Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant (Levant being one those, like Robert Benchley, who entertains by playing himself) standing in for Comden and Green, who happened to write The Band Wagon (as well as Singin' in the Rain and Bells are Ringing).
I guess New Haven is used to it by now.) When I was a kid I was a gofer for the Metropolitan Opera when it hit my town on its spring tours, and it's why this scene in The Band Wagon rings so true: as a fly on the wall, I saw the Met company unwinding just this way.One more element of realism (or life imitating art imitating life): according to the trivia, Buchanan had to have triple root canal work and was in pain for most of the production, and Fabray gashed her knee in "Louisiana Hayride," then had to dance on her knees for the "Triplets" number.
It certainly is Fred Astaire at his best, probably his best film when he did not partner with Ginger Rogers.Arthur Freed had great success with two previous song catalog musicals, An American In Paris with the music of George Gershwin and Singing in the Rain which utilized the songs that he wrote with Nacio Herb Brown.
The plot concerns an aging musical film star Fred Astaire, talked into coming east by husband and wife writing team Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant.
Until The Band Wagon was made he was probably best known to American audiences as Jeanette MacDonald's leading man in Monte Carlo.Cyd Charisse dances divinely as she always does, never better than in the finale, The Girl Hunt Ballet with Astaire.
The show would, of course, have been a disaster had not its star, (the incomparable Fred Astaire at his incomparable best), and its writers, (Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant as fairly obvious take-offs of the film's writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green), not rescued it with some good, old-fashioned Broadway hoofing and a score that includes 'I'll guess I'll have to change my plan', 'Louisiana Hayride' and 'The Girl Hunt Ballet'.
In fact, this is a film that doesn't have many original songs like some other MGM musicals, but still shows the talented Betty Comden and Adolph Green at their best.Some of the criticism directed to "The Band Wagon" in this forum has to do with the perception that Fred Astaire, the star of the film, was finished, but as he brilliantly demonstrates, he still had a lot left in him.
Both Mr. Astaire and Mr. Daniels do amazing dancing in a number that will remain one of the classics of the American musicals in film.The pairing of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse proves to be one of the most felicitous things in the movie.
Ms. Charisse was one of the most talented dancing stars at MGM and it's a shame she didn't get more opportunities in which to shine, as she does in "The Band Wagon".Oscar Levant and Nannette Fabray are excellent playing Adolph Green and Betty Comden, that in the film they are named Lester and Lily Marton.
Mr. Buchanan is hysterical with his approach to turn the show the Martons have written into a variation of "Faust", with disastrous consequences.Among the other great numbers in the film, "The Triplets", in which Jeff, Lily and Tony, are seen as dancing and singing babies in a delightful turn.
Kelly's title track number over Astaire/Charisse's Dancing In The Dark, although the latter is the best duet Astaire's done since Night and Day with Ginger Rogers, and is itself a textbook to economy, style, and subtlety in choreography.Music: Dietz and Schwartz over Freed and Brown.
The others were equally wonderful including the flamboyant Jack Buchanan (a hoot as the Jose Ferrer-Orson-Vincente character "Jeffrey Cordova") who nearly stole the film with his hammy acting, his singing, and dancing, the peppy Nannette Fabray and the wonderfully grumpy hypochondriac Oscar Levant, the pianist and friend of George Gershwin.
THE BAND WAGON is the opposite of an integrated musical: songs pop up as complete non sequiturs, like the "Louisa/Have more Beer" song at the cast party (what is that tiresome number doing in the film????) and the stunningly out-of-place "Louisiana Hayride", which seems clipped from entirely different movie.I know Minnelli and Co. wanted a wide variety of numbers, but here they seem random.
THE BAND WAGON starred Fred Astaire, in prime form here, as Tony Hunter, a washed up movie star who has been pegged to star in his first Broadway show with a stuck up ballerina (Cyd Charisse) as his leading lady and an eccentric and egomaniacal nut (Jack Buchanan) as the director of the show.
There are several classic musical numbers here: Astaire, Fabray, and Buchanan do "Triplets" dressed as babies, Astaire and Charisse perform a lovely dance in the park to "Dancing in the Dark", Astaire does a great solo set in an arcade called "A Shine on your Shoes", Nanette Fabray is outstanding doing "Louisiana Hayride" and the closing Mickey Spillane Ballet is brilliant.
What can one say, with Kidd dances, Minnelli direction, a Comden-Green script, and an Astaire-Charisse/Fabray-Levant starring quartet?It's nothing short of a brilliant production--witty, playful, breezy and inventive."The Band Wagon" takes its place among the screen's great musicals..
In contrast the 'Girl Hunt' ballet sequence in TBW, is short, witty and very cool!Jack Buchanan in my opinion steals this picture as the egotistical Producer/Director, particularly when 'selling' his idea of the show to the potential backers.Astaire is, of course terrific throughout and the supporting cast of Oscar Levant & Nannette Fabray, despite their off-screen difficulties, are excellent.Cyd Charrisse is, I agree no actress, but forget that!
Fred Astaire is Tony, Cyd Charisse the ballerina, Nanette Fabray andOscar Levant as ilmic Comden and Green stand-ins, Jack Gardner, James Mitchell, Robert Gist, and many others in small or uncredited roles including familiar faces such as Herb Vigran, Barbara Ruick, Julie Newmar, et al.
When Cyd Charisse vamps on Fred Astaire in The Band Wagon's `Girl Hunt' jazzed-up ballet, he says `She came at me in sections.'  The movie's like that too, its admirable sections not quite assembled into a unified whole.
And certainly by 1953, it doesn't even approach anything Rogers and Hammerstein produced on stage, and would produce on film in the future; a standard we all respond to and measure other movie musicals to.Fred Astaire was the best song and dance man in Hollywood; his limited vocal range showed off the lyrics; his comedy was often a self-mockery; his acting was passable for what his roles expected of him.
Fred Astaire is a has-been movie musical star (much of the film actually parodies his own history) who decides to return to Broadway--and unexpectedly finds himself trapped in a musical adaptation of Faust with a neurotic director (Jack Buchanan), two irate writers (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray) and a decidedly icy leading lady (Cyd Charisse.) Needless to say, disaster follows disaster until every one concerned decides to junk the Faust element and do something purely entertaining instead.
Astaire literally defies time with his work in this film and Charisse makes an exceptional partner; at the same time, Buchanan, Fabray, and Levant lend a touch of acid humor that adds considerably to the fun.The musical numbers are everything here, and they are all--including the disastrous Faust rehearsal--beautifully and memorably staged: the opening shoe shine number, the simple beauty of 'Dancing in the Dark,' the brief turns by Buchanan, Fabray and Levant are all charmers...
Astaire is very good in his role as a down and out former Hollywood star and Charisse lovely as the younger dancer he falls for but the true star of the film is legendary music hall star Jack Buchanan as Jeff Cordova.
Astaire plays a has-been movie star who's given the chance to make a comeback when his good friends (Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray) write a Broadway musical and ask him to star.
Thankfully he ekes out enough alacrity to let the self-knowledge-savvy Tony resumes the rein henceforward, and the movie's money shots transpire in a string of pluperfect musical numbers, including the ingenious, knee-dancing ditty "Triplets" (Astaire, Buchanan and a sparkling, corn-fed Nanette Febray, who is particularly reminiscent of Astaire's quondam partner Ginger Rogers), and is topped off by the entrancing "GIRL HUNT" ballet pas-de-deux between Astaire and a voluptuous Cyd Charisse in her crimson sheath dress, against a modern noir-ish scenography.Endowed with a game and nimble cast (the monkey wrench in the works is a stooped Oscar Levant, often looks uncooperative and miffed on the sideline), THE BAND WAGON is a passé romance, lukewarm comedy but a sterling musical production, beaming with gems composed by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, choreographed by Michael Kidd, both ocularly and aurally, this first-time reviewer is stock-still bewitched with a waxing smile at the corner of his mouth..
Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray provide light musical and comedic support, while Jack Buchanan is a veritable laugh riot as Jeffrey Cordova, a pretentious Orson Welles-like theatre director who manages to transform a light musical comedy into a desolate modern incarnation of "Faust."Tony Hunter (Astaire) is a has-been, a washed-up musical comedy star who's all but faded from the public memory.
MGM musical fans would note that the song also featured prominently in the nostalgic documentary 'That's Entertainment: Part II (1976),' in which Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire dance together, for only the second time in their careers.
It is certainly the best collaboration between two legends of the musical genre, hoofer Fred Astaire and director Vincente Minnelli.Astaire plays has-been Hollywood star Tony Hunter who hopes to revive his popularity by returning to Broadway in a new musical written by his friends Lester and Lily Marton (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray in essence portraying the screenplay's authors, Adolph Green and Betty Comden).The Martons have entrusted the staging of their show to wunderkind actor/director/producer Jeffrey Cordova (a combination caricature of Orson Welles and Jose Ferrer played by British song-and-dance man Jack Buchanan).
But the cast vows to forge ahead and try again with another musical, this time with no mention of hell or the devil.As clever as the script is, the main attractions are the exquisitely performed musical numbers (written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz) including "That's Entertainment", "A Shine on Your Shoes","Dancing in the Dark" and the greatest grand finale in the history of movie musicals "The Girl Hunt Ballet", a parody of film noir with Astaire as private eye Rod Riley and Charisse in a dual role as good girl and femme fatale..
"The Band Wagon" is basically a love letter to itself and films like it, colorful, fun musicals that exist for no other reason than to entertain, which, the movie would suggest, is one of the best reasons for existing in the first place.
The Band Wagon (1953)**** (out of 4)Very entertaining musical about washed up actor Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) who agrees to go back on Broadway when his two friends white a new play for him.
Jack Buchanan supplies some of the film's best comedic moments while Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray offer quality support.The script by Betty Comden & Adolf Green takes a similar approach to their script for "Singin' in the Rain", wherein they built a story around the songs of Nacio Herb Brown.
While Ginger Rogers is obviously Astaire's greatest partner Cyd Charisse is his most accomplished; could there be a more graceful figure?Was I gullible that when I first watched The Band Wagon that the movie manipulated me into thinking the pretentious and egotistical stage director Jeffrey Cordova's (Jack Buchanan) idea of a musical inspired by the Faust legend was a good idea?
The great Fred Astaire plays a fading musical star called Tony Hunter in this great musical comedy.His friends decide to make a funny little Broadway musical.But everything starts going wrong when theytake the director/producer Jeffrey Cordova(Jack Buchanan) to direct the play.
It stars Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan.
Then the final third then switches in mood with a different show and primary characters come to their respective destinies.Along the way we are treated to a series of wonderful song and dance routines, with the stand outs being "Be Myself," "A Shine on My Shoes," "That's Entertainment," "Dancing in the Dark," "I Love Louisa," "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan" and the joyously macabre, "Triplets." These are then crowned magnificently by "Girl Hunt," an elongated parody of noir-type crime movies from the golden era, where it's not just Fred and Cyd who sparkle, but the dance troupe around them also dazzle the eyes with some truly amazing moves.Where the big heart comes in to it is with Astaire's take on the role of Tony.
The musical which features the song "That's Entertainment" (#45 on AFI's Top 100 Movie Songs of All Time) as well as Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray, Cyd Charisse, and Oscar Levant.
"The Band Wagon" from 1953 is a delight from beginning to end, thanks to the inspired directing of Vincente Minnelli, a script by Comden and Green, music by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, and putting the whole thing over, none other than Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Jack Buchanan, Oscar Levant, and Nanette Fabrey.Astaire plays a movie star, Tony Hunter, known for us singing and dancing.
A fine MGM musical with Fred Astaire as an aging hoofer, Cyd Charisse as the condescending ballerina, Jack Buchanan as the director of the show, and Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant as Astaire's friends and co-stars.There are many musicals that have great numbers but discardable plots.
The Band Wagon tunes include "Dancing in the Dark" with Fred and Cyd, "Triplets" with Astaire, Fabray and Buchanan and the finale, "That's Entertainment".