~ The Sand Man ~ (Fred Astaire Favorites)

[bobhopefan1940]

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[BIRDY]

Thanks, everybody. I go home for supper and come back and my questions are answered! I thought I heard the word "chocolate' in the doc. but wasn't sure if that was a name, or what.

 

Now, back to that dance scene with the dead girl; What do you know?

b

[MissGoddess]

The Romance of Rosy Ridge is a charming film, so I don't blame you.

[bobhopefan1940]

> The Romance of Rosy Ridge is a charming film,

> so I don't blame you.

 

I know, I'm going all over the place, from Fred to Gene to Van. I really liked Johnson's singing in that one, And it almost looked like he was really playing the banjo!

 

OK, I'll say no more! (Van's adorable!) Continue on...

 

 

Ps... Sorry about the post repeat, I know what to do now and that won't happen again.

[Mifty]

O, Danielle...we women are fickle ! Hey, whoever said men are polygamous was wrong. We like a little of FA, GK, VJ (in my case 99% of FA) for variety..yes, just like a box of chocolates (Forrest Gump's mummy's philosophy of life should have extented to matters of the heart, too ).

Hold it folks....I am going to watch "Broadway Melody" now. FA "Begin the Beguine" and I will be for FA always (again) ! :x :x :x

Btw: some of the scenery and costumes from "An American In Paris" were re-used in "Band Wagon". I suppose you all knew that anyway.

 

Kind regards,

Julie

[ayresorchids]

[nobr][/nobr]

 

[nobr][/nobr]

[bobhopefan1940]

> Btw: some of the scenery and costumes from "An

> American In Paris" were re-used in "Band Wagon". I

> suppose you all knew that anyway.

 

I didn't know that, Julie! Although, you are probably right... I'm more than likely the only one here who didn't. Got to watch that GK bio!

 

I like to mix my chocolates around, too. This doesn't belong here, but with all the heart smileys going around I might as well join in the fun.

 

My actor's list :

 

William Powell: :x :x :x :x :x

Robert Montgomery: :x :x :x :x :x

Lew Ayres: :x :x :x :x :x

Bing Crosby: :x :x :x :x

Fred Astaire: :x :x :x :x

Gene Kelly: :x :x :x :x

Donald O'Connor: :x :x :x :x

Van Johnson: :x :x :x :x

Gary Cooper: :x :x :x :x

Cary Grant :x :x :x :x

Charles Chaplin: :x :x :x :x

Buster Keaton: :x :x :x :x

Dana Andrews: :x :x :x

Franchot Tone: :x :x :x

Frank Sinatra: :x :x :x

Harpo Marx: :x :x :x

James Stewart: :x :x

[bobhopefan1940]

Nice pics, QA!

[ayresorchids]

Thanks.

 

My favorite moment of Broadway Melody of 1940: When he gets so mad at himself for giving away his feelings to Eleanor on the telephone. He kicks the carpet and cries, "Oh! What a stupid guy!" It's so natural, you wonder if it was ad-libbed.

[bobhopefan1940]

I have never seen Broadway Melody of 1940, but I love any movie with Frank Morgan. He is such a wonderful actor, it seems a given the movie will be wonderful if he is a part of it.

[ayresorchids]

Frank Morgan is pretty dithery in BM of 1940, but fun and definitely integral to the plot.

 

It's a movie with a lot of flaws, but I find Astaire's acting in it so interesting. It's really unlike any other character he played.

 

Another acting moment I like: George Murphy is yet again declaring testily, "The more you know about women, the less you know you about women!" Fred is sitting in a chair, thoughtfully turning a dance shoe in his hands. He gives George a look of wise skepticism and says, "Maybe it's time you realized they're not all alike." The sensitive male, in 1940!

[Mifty]

Love the photos and the list of dishy guys. FA gets more handsome with each picture you put up for us, QA. Thanks.

"Broadway Melody" must rank very high up on my list of favourite FA movies simply because the dancing is beyond belief ("Begin the Beguine")...such style, such grace, such technique, such a handsome FA !

I agree with Ayres: that kick was so natural (and looked painful, too) that FA may have meant it ! He does things in this movie that he must have felt really good about them: the dancing partner helps a lot ! His solo is delicious and his piano playing is superb. I am wondering if the movie was a success or not...it is in my eyes. FA proved that he could dance (even) better with a great partner like EP. OK, the chemistry might not be there but everything is and more.

As for Frank Morgan: I cannot remember where I have seen him before with FA right now, but I do like him a lot. "Herman !" "Yes, thats right, ermine" . Great !

Yes, there were so many parts in "Band Wagon" that came from "An American in Paris". Look at the staircase Jack is telling the stagehands : "It must go up, not down" (that comes from "AAIP" as do the feathered hats the girls are wearing and so much more).

I must go back to that delicious photo of FA and EP :x :x :x

 

Kind regards,

Julie

[bobhopefan1940]

Howdy, howdy.

 

So I saw the GK bio last night and smiled through out the whole thing. Everything I thought it would have been and more. I love GK, what an incredible guy! I was dissappointed they did not highlight the construction site scene from Living In a Big Way, but what can I say, they can't show them all.

 

What is it about bio's that make me so darn depressed? Even the good ones, the rest of the night is a solemn affair for me! I guess I just hate seeing someone's life played out in front of me all the way to their death. It's why I do not read or watch very many bio's. But I enjoyed it, glad I recorded it.

 

Hate that I did not record GK's Words And Music the other night. I opted instead to record his Invitation To The Dance, but after seeing the intersting commentary on the former... Well, it sounded really interesting. I believe it's the movie BIRDY was asking about, the dance with the dead girl. Funny how they made them change th plot for the censorship.

 

I thought it was Cyd Charisse who had a very interesting quote, when she said her husband commented on her dancing. When she got home, he would say he always knew who she had been dancing with - If with GK, she was black and blue. Then, if with FA, she had not a scratch

 

Danny

[ayresorchids]

Yes, I've always found that comment of Cyd's particularly interesting. At a curvy 112 pounds, she wasn't one of Astaire's lighter partners, and so he doesn't lift her as often as Kelly does. But he doesn't treat her like glass, either (especially not in "The Girl Hunt Ballet").

[nobr][/nobr]

[nobr][/nobr]

[movieman1957]

My goodness......

[Mifty]

Well, this question will not be difficult for QA ! Which FA films have been the most money makers for the studios concerned ? If possible, is there a list of the favourite FA movies made by his fans ?

I made a list of ten films that I think should be in there somewhere, but I am probably wrong. Here there are (in no special order, I have to point out ) :-

Top Hat

Easter Parade

Band Wagon

Follow the Fleet (this with "Second Chorus" are my least favourite )

Swing Time

Flying Down To Rio

Roberta (have never seen it)

You Were Never Lovelier

Silk Stockings

Daddy Long Legs

 

There is no doubt that "Top Hat" is there and probably at the top of the list in both categories, but nothing would surprise me !

 

Kind regards,

Julie

 

PS: Loved Cyd's husband's comment about GK and FA

[ayresorchids]

If you don't mind, instead of re-inventing the wheel, I'm going to send you to a whole list of different popularity rankings at the website of another Fred-fan friend of mine:

 

http://www.alsodances.net/movies/rankings.shtml

 

To answer the money-makers question, I'll have to consult a book that I don't have with me just now.

[bobhopefan1940]

You know, that has always been one of my favorite pictures of FA... He's very sexy there!

[Cinemascope]

Thank you for those photos with Cyd Charisse, Ayres

 

It's a great way to remember her birthday!!!

[Mifty]

Thank you QA. What a brilliant site to look for FA movie stats by fans. It is a pity that one can no longer vote (or am I wrong ?). Anyhow, you are the tops, Ayres.

[ayresorchids]

Aw, thanks. Say, that would make a good song lyric:

 

You?re the top!

You?re an Arrow collar

You?re the top

You?re a Coolidge dollar

You?re the nimble tread

Of the feet of Fred Astaire

You?re an O?Neill drama

You?re Whistler?s mama

You?re Camembert...

 

 

Incidentally, if you've ever wondered how many songs mention Fred Astaire, the fan club once made a list and have so far got up to 36:

 

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/gITxRflF38ObRJx0AzihIzYpFuEQ_OMdnM6ntEkW21tNopUROVSz4KxAc07evXNlLanReVm-tAhR6CNI2Q/Songs%20That%20Mention%20Fred%20Astaire.doc

[ayresorchids]

Oh, one of my faves, too, Danny. Ya know, every now and then you see a photo or a shot in a movie of him when he was in his fifties, and he looks about thirty years younger than he is. I have one really amazing shot of him and Barrie Chase like that. I'll try to locate that and post it.

[MissGoddess]

Love your inventive "ratings system", Danny!

[Mifty]

To paraphrase a saying about Cleopatra (Shakespeare, ofcourse)

"Age cannot wither her nor stale her infinite variety" in QA's case :-

Questions cannot wither her nor stale her inventive lyrics !

 

I cannot get to the site, Ayres !

 

As for FA (:x) he certaintly does not look middle-aged in "The Sky's the Limit". Where did he get all his clothes from after buying the Texan gear ? He only had a box with his old suit in it ( when hitching a ride) and puts that in the back seat of the car!

 

Kind regards,

Julie

[ayresorchids]

> I cannot get to the site, Ayres !

 

You may need to join the fan club/discussion list (absolutely free!) to view the files.

 

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/astaire/