A damsel in distress by george stevens fred astaire. A damsel in distress was the first rko film that fred astaire made without ginger rogers. Nov 23, 2015 1937 fred astaire, gracie allen, montagu love, george burns, reginald gardiner, ray noble, george stevens. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. From damsel in distress nice work if you can get it. Fred astaire full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. So while others are experiencing top hat or swing time for the first time, i myself have reserved the oldest fred astaire movie i havent seen yet for this week. Fred astaires best scene a damsel in distress youtube. Stiff upper lip 1937 uncredited words by ira gershwin music by george gershwin. A damsel in distress stars fred astaire and therefore is worth watching, but while its charming and diverting, its still a bit of a disappointment overall. Two of the best ever to grace the entertainment world working with perhaps the greatest dancer of all time, fred astaire.
Royal wedding hollywood classics vhs video tape movie new fred astaire. Fred astaire plays the lead hoofer and love interest alongside joan. Get the best deals on vhs tapes fred astaire when you shop the. Arlene croce, in the fred astaire and ginger rogers book, explains why. Modern sources also list ralph brookss role as sightseer. Wodehouse story, and absolutely superb gershwin songs. Check out some of our favorite photos of the iconic dancer, actor, and allaround dapper gentleman, fred astaire through the years. Whereas previous astaire films had emphasized a partnership, and the grace of the romantic dancing duet with ginger rogers, a damsel in distress placed astaire front and center, emphasizing the solitary aspect of his performance. Fred astaire was born in omaha, nebraska, to johanna geilus and fritz austerlitz, a brewer. Charles and i watched the 1937 rko musical a damsel in distress, the first film astaire had made without ginger rogers as his costar since his debut in mgms dancing lady 1933. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years. The failure of a damsel in distress would compel astaire to make two more movies with rogers, although their reunion in carefree 1938 also met with a lukewarm box office reception. Astaire at his peak, the zany antics of george burns and gracie allen, a witty p.
Amazingly, a damsel in distress lost money at the box office, compelling rko radio to play safe by quickly reteaming fred astaire and ginger rogers in carefree. May 10, 1899 june 22, 1987 was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. They are available on the twocd set starring fred astaire from columbia as well as several other collections. Fred astaires first rko musical without his longtime partner ginger rogers is one of his best from any period even though its obvious that leading lady joan fontaine cant dance a step. From damsel in distress nice work if you can get it youtube. Naturally, a damsel in distress becomes a lady in love. Fred astaire s first rko musical without his longtime partner ginger rogers is one of his best from any period even though its obvious that leading lady joan fontaine cant dance a step. Fred astaire and joan fontaine in a damsel in distress 1937 fred astaire in a. Hooray for hollywood hollywood stars classic hollywood old hollywood 30s fashion urban fashion vintage fashion. Best dance directionfred astaire sails across the pond to meet damsel in distress joan fontaine and delightful if unlikely.
Wodehouse, loosely based on his novel of the same name, music and lyrics by george and ira gershwin, it was directed by george stevens. A damsel in distress was the first astaire movie to lose money at the box office. A damsel in distress vhs, 1996 for sale online ebay. This is a complete list of the songs introduced by fred astaire beginning with his first broadway show over the top in 1917 his childhood and teenage period in vaudeville is not covered. In his autobiography, astaire notes that, because both he and rogers were growing restless with their teaming, they agreed after shall we dance to pursue separate projects. Id lost my copy and wanted to watch that scene with a greater appreciation.
Hence, the reaction to a damsel in distress was hardly unique for an astaire picture at this point in his career. A damsel in distress had initially been filmed back in 1919, at the time of its original publication, in a version faithful to the novel. A damsel in distress manufactured on demand on tcm shop. Wodehouses novel was first filmed in 1920 by albert capellani productions. A damsel in distress is a 1937 englishthemed hollywood musical comedy film starring fred astaire, joan fontaine, george burns, and gracie allen. From fred astaire in top hot to gene kelly in singin in the rain, from west side story to the sound of music to fiddler on the roof and more, heres how to rent or buy dozens of movie. And so, on october 8, 1937, moviegoers could see ginger rogers in the actressladen stage door, while a month later came fred astaire in a damsel in distress. Fred astaire goes solo in damsel in distress bright lights. Wodehouse, loosely based on his novel of the same name, music and lyrics by george. There, lovely joan fontaine pines for a husband and finds astaire.
Oct 21, 20 tap routine from the 1937 film a damsel in distress fred astaire, george burns and the lovely gracie allen. A damsel in distress 1937 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Dance performed by fred astaire, george burns, gracie allen. Fred astaire tap dances and drums in 1937 film a damsel in distress click to share on twitter opens in new window click to share on facebook opens in new window. A damsel in distress fred astaire, george burns, gracie. Fred astaire in a damsel in distress, 1937 fred astaire. Rko was interested in filming a damsel in distress because the novels romantic lead was a musical comedy composer, allowing a singer and dancer to be cast in the roleand rko needed a fred astaire vehicle. A damsel in distress rko radio, 1937, directed by george stevens, stars fred astaire in his first starring musical without his famous and most frequent costar, ginger rogers.
Damsels in distress doesnt measure up to fred astaire. Astaire recorded all of the songs from damsel in distress at the time the film was released. Fred astaire, george burns and gracie allen tap routine. Modern sources add pearl amatore and jac george madrigal singers and monte blue to the cast.
Fred astaire, george burns and gracie allen tap routine youtube. Get the best deals on vhs tapes fred astaire when you shop the largest online selection at. May 20, 2019 fred astaire in a damsel in distress, 1937. Jan 01, 2002 astaire recorded all of the songs from damsel in distress at the time the film was released. Damsels in distress, a movie directed by whit stillman and starring greta gerwig and analeigh tipton, recalls a 1937 fred astaire movie with a similar title but doesnt measure up to the. Wodehouse wrote the script, and still a damsel in distress was astaire s first box. A damsel in distress jerry halliday 1937 shall we dance petrovpeter p. Eleanor powell afi tribute to fred astaire by judith in. Jerry mulligan gene kelly is an american exgi who stays in postwar paris to become a painter, and falls for the gamine charms of lise bouvier leslie caron. Fred astaire sails across the pond to meet damsel in distress joan fontaine and delightful dance partners george burns and gracie allen in a musical. There are problems with the script a few dead spots, some forced humor but no more so than in most musicals of the period. Tap routine from the 1937 film a damsel in distress fred astaire, george burns and the lovely gracie allen. Rkos 1937 musical comedy a damsel in distress is somewhat of an oddity in fred astaires association with that studio, in that he is not paired with ginger rogers, and the romantic overtones usually associated with astaires dancing roles are subservient to the comedy element assayed by george burns and gracie allen and other supporting players. Wodehouse who also served as one of the screenwriters, damsel is the story of an american musical star astaire who on a visit to england falls in love.
Early scenes with rebellious lady alyce joan fontaine looking to ditch her minder, while american dance star jerry fred astaire is busy nearby ducking fans, and he winds up tapping in london traffic to a george and ira gershwin tune, in a damsel in distess, 1937. Starring fred astaire, joan fontaine, george burns and gracie allen, and a 1936 cord 810 convertible coupe. Fred astaire goes solo in damsel in distress bright. Fred astaire sings and dances to a score by george and ira gershwin, burns and allen provide the comedy, p. Fred astaire stars as american entertainer jerry halliday, whos suckeredmuch to his delightinto saving a lovely, english damsel in distress. The staff at tottney castle are taking bets on whom the young lady of the manor, alyce marshmorton joan fontaine, will wed. Damsel was his first boxoffice flop, a strange outcome considering the picture had so much going for it.
And if you come to a 1930s astaire film looking for a serious plot, you must be nuts. All a damsel in distress movie posters,high res movie posters image for a damsel in distress. Lady alyce marshmorton must marry soon, and the staff of tottney castle have laid bets on who shell choose, with young albert wagering on mr. Fred astaire tap dances and drums in 1937 film a damsel in distress.
Starring fred astaire, joan fontaine, george burns, gracie allen. Released 1937, a damsel in distress stars fred astaire, george burns, joan fontaine, gracie allen the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 38 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. The 1937 movie, a damsel in distress, was the first and only time he assisted in transposing his prose to film. Wodehouse and directed by george stevens swing time. Movie clip from a damsel in distress 1937 starring. Sep 20, 20 fred astaire sails across the pond to meet damsel in distress joan fontaine and delightful if unlikely dance partners george burns and gracie allen in a musical coscripted by master wit p. In case you didnt know how awesome fred astaire was this scene from the 1937 film a damsel in distress shows just why fred astaire was one of the most talented dancers and entertainers thats ever lived. Fred astaire tap dances and drums in 1937 film a damsel in. Does the castle in the movie an actual landmark in england and what is its real name. Enjoy george gershwins last completed score,including the pensive a foggy day amd nice work if you can get it plus the famed astaire burnsallen fun house dance and other inspired steppingout that earned dance director hermes pan an academy award. A damsel in distress 1937 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Both astaire and rogers wanted to establish themselves independently of each other.
Wodehouse 1919 novel of the same name, and the 1928 stage play written by wodehouse and ian hay, it has music and lyrics by george and ira gershwin, and was directed by george stevens, the second and last astaire musical. After alyce goes to london to meet a beau bumping into dancer jerry halliday, instead, she is restricted to the castle to curb her scandalous behavior. With fred astaire, george burns, gracie allen, joan fontaine. The damsel in distress is a theme in world art, entertainment, and media, in which a beautiful woman must be rescued by a hero. Aug 23, 2019 and so, on october 8, 1937, moviegoers could see ginger rogers in the actressladen stage door, while a month later came fred astaire in a damsel in distress. The great pleasure of a damsel in distress is that it offers a break from the norm for both us and fred astaire. A damsel in distress 1937 stiff upper lip watch a damsel in distress now. Damsel in distress 1937 a foggy day fred astaire movie. A damsel in distress 1937 stream and watch online moviefone. In addition to including such gershwin standards as a foggy day and nice work if you can get it, not to mention fred astaire s untoppable drum dance, a damsel in distress affords george.
George and ira gershwin probably turned out more firstrate popular songs than any of their competitors, including irving berlin. As for 19yearold joan fontaine, shes quite lovely and charming, and astaire does his very best to camouflage her utter lack of terpsichorean ability. In george burns biography theres a detailed description of an intricate dance number done by the trio of george burns and gracie allen and. Fred astaire s best scene a damsel in distress by matt evans. Fred astaire sails across the pond to meet damsel in distress joan fontaine and delightful if unlikely dance partners george burns and gracie allen in a musical coscripted by master wit p. He is widely considered the most influential dancer in the history of film. Similar movies an american in paris jerry mulligan gene kelly is an american exgi who stays in postwar paris to become a painter, and falls for the gamine charms of lise bouvier leslie caron. Fred astaire, george burns, gracie allen, joan fontaine a foggy day words by ira gershwin music by george gershwin performed by fred astaire. Fred astaires first rko musical without his longtime partner ginger rogers is one. Wodehouse, damsel in distress casts astaire as jerry, an american entertainer appearing in london. Cast included fred astaire, joan fontaine, george burns, gracie allen. When she meets american songanddance man jerry halliday fred astaire, footman albert harry watson schemes to make the mismatched pair fall in love so hell win the bet. How nice it is to read the description in the book and then actually watch it in the movie.
Well, if you discount the fact that the plot is pretty silly, not bad at all. Muziek komedie film geregisseerd door george stevens. A damsel in distress 1937 directed by george stevens. A damsel in distress is een amerikaanse muziekfilm uit 1937 onder regie van. Damsel in distress song, a 2014 song by neck deep from wishful thinking. List of songs introduced by fred astaire wikipedia. In case you didnt know how awesome fred astaire was. Guess ill have to go watch the movie to see the rest of it. A damsel in distress 1937, fred s first solo vehicle away from ginger.
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