Tailor-made for two

So, I've been making little notes and ideas for blogging for months now. I was really excited about the prospect of getting back into it but kept thinking, "this will be an eventual thing" and "I want everything lined up and ready to go before I get start." There are still some post ideas that I'm saving for when they're ready... although as I write this, I'm thinking, "meh. I could do sneak peeks. Even I post about projects that I never finish, that's ok, right? We're all human." It might actually be even more encouraging to write posts about projects in the works, regardless of whether or not I finish them - I may discover that there are a lot of people just like me - with tons of unfinished projects on their desks. I find unfinished projects both exciting and discouraging. On the one hand, all of the possibilities! On the other hand, why can't I just finish?? So, you may see some in-the-works posts coming up. I'll ruminate and get back to you.

Anyway, as I was saying, I've been postulating over getting back int the blogosphere for a while now. But, what finally tipped me over the edge to say, "you know what? I'm just going to start!" was rewatching La La Land (2016).

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews of La La Land. Most people I talked to loved it. Several people hated it. This isn't actually going to be a full-fledged review of the movie, for several reasons...

1. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it yet - I go back and forth on this movie, to be honest with you. There are times when I love it and times when I think it's trying too hard. But writing a review feels like I'm committing to one feeling over the other and I'm just not ready for that yet...
2. It's still pretty new and I'd like to avoid spoilers
3. I haven't decided if I'm going to actually do reviews yet. On the one hand, I feel like I'd give honest reviews of movies; on the other hand, I really hate when people say negative things about movies that I love and I'd really hate to upset someone by writing a less than glowing review of a favorite movie. I've tiptoed around that for years. I haven't made up my mind if I want to continue tiptoeing or if I'm going to test the waters of review...

What I'd like to do today is discuss one very specific moment in the movie and talk about classic movies that also use this styling and maybe throw in some compare/contrast.

Ah! I love blogging now! I can use gifs! It's so magical!

I will not pretend that I am the first person to discuss this scene but that doesn't mean I can't be the next person to do so. This was a pretty memorable part of the Epilogue sequence. It was featured in the trailers and it was beautifully filmed. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are outfitted in simple black and white outfits against a black backdrop with stars that reflected in the shiny floor - it looked like something right out of a classic movie. Well, after all, it was...

In Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940), Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell famously danced to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" in front of what is basically the same minimalistic but nonetheless magical background. As Frank Sinatra famously quipped in That's Entertainment (1974), "you know, you can wait around and hope but, I'll tell ya, you'll never see the likes of this again" (Okay, actually, he quipped that when talking about this scene, which is very similar but does not have the same romantic vibe as the one I'm going to discuss). Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell were both unarguably masters of tap-dance. This wasn't amateur hour - this was a unique pairing of two of the greatest dancers of the day. This dance, in particular, in context of the movie, is basically the first time the two characters dance on equal footing. They dance together at other points throughout, but usually Fred Astaire's character is an ambitious hoofer, admiring the starlet Eleanor Powell portrays - or he is pretending to be someone else. In this scene, they are completely themselves and can be unapologetically perfect. I love this dance. Admittedly, it isn't my favorite Fred Astaire duet, but it's high up there. I love the simple elegance of the set up. I love that this is a true incarnation of Fred Astaire's famous quote, "either the camera will dance, or I will." There are no admiring audience members in the shot and very few views of the band in the background to distract the viewers from simply admiring the two dancers at the center of the screen. It was a beautiful sequence. I can't really blame the filmmakers of La La Land for emulating it.

But they weren't the first ones to do so. In 1952, MGM released Lovely to Look At, a remake of RKO's Roberta (1935). It's a cute musical, but there are parts of it I don't love - Red Skelton's slapstick, for one thing, and, for another, Howard Keel's portrayal of a character that is so unlikeable that I wonder why the girl is supposed to fall in love with him (yes, yes, he was extremely handsome and had a beautiful voice but, really? Come on, Kathryn Grayson, you could have done better). However, I really love Marge and Gower Champion in this movie. They are, really, my favorite part of it. I love Gower Champion's choreography style. 

This movie was filmed in color so it is the most different of the three scenes I'm comparing here today. However, I think it is still worth mentioning. In one notable scene, the two characters dance in a little restaurant that fades away in a dusty blue backdrop filled with stars... sound a little familiar? 

The scene is beautiful and romantic and set to the gorgeous Jerome Kern tune, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." Though filmed in color, I think it is notable that Marge Gower's dress is a similar tone to the backdrop, giving the whole scene an understated feel - the musicals of the 1950's, particularly MGM's were not known for being understated, which makes this sequence really stand out to me. (Confession: this scene is actually my favorite of the three I'm comparing here today.)

I was really excited about La La Land before I even knew what the movie was about. The posters all looked amazing and, when the trailers came out, there was dancing and singing and - well, I was just thrilled to pieces. And when I finally went to go see it, I think a part of me was hoping that this film would usher in a new era of musicals. Maybe, once again, we could have some dance scenes to gush over, dresses to replicate, and songs to learn. But, when I watched the movie (and every time I rewatch it), I was... underwhelmed. We are not, sadly, looking at MGM in the 1950's. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are good in their roles - highly enjoyable - but they are no Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell, nor are they a new Marge and Gower Champion.

And yet, there is something uniquely enjoyable about that. I watch "Begin the Beguine" and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and I yearn for something so romantic and polished. I want to be in a pretty dress and a beautiful setting, with a handsome and able dancer lifting me and twirling me to something by Gershwin or Porter or Kern... I'm not ruling out the possibility, but I'm aware that this is unlikely to happen. La La Land gives me something a little more attainable. It's not perfect; but, let's be honest, I'm no Eleanor Powell or Marge Champion either. I can't reasonably imagine myself in either of their places. But I can imagine myself dancing in a more ballroom style with someone.

This is why I love and don't love La La Land. It reminds me that life isn't actually like the movies. But it gives me something a little more tangible. That low-hanging fruit is both encouraging and discouraging and it's something I have to reprocess every time I watch the movie.

Whew! I sure got loquacious for my first post back. They won't all be like this. I guess I was saving up! What are your thoughts on these sequences? On La La Land or any of the other movies mentioned in this post?

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They asked me how I knew my true love was true

Two "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" posts in a week might be a little much but I really do love this song. I know I'm not alone in this because there are multiple versions of it. Here are just a few examples:

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performing it in Roberta (1935)


Gower Champion and Cyd Charisse in Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)


Marge and Gower Champion in Lovely to Look At (1952)


I'd never say one is better than the other. I like them all, really. It's just cool to see so many interpretations of this beautiful song, don't you think? And each from a different decade.

Backup dancers? Holy cats!

So, there's this backup dancer that I've noticed in a lot of musicals. At first I noticed him because he was cute. Then I noticed him because I recognized him. Now, I look for him when I watch a musical because he's in so many! Seriously, here's a list of the ones I can remember at the top of my head:

- The Merry Andrew
- Hit the Deck
- Hello Dolly
- Guys and Dolls
- It's Always Fair Weather
- Mary Poppins
- The Thin Man Goes Home
- Summer Stock
- The Band Wagon
- The Music Man

He's probably in more but I've just forgotten or I haven't noticed him yet. Seriously, he's in everything! Because he's in so many musicals, he must have been a really fantastic dancer. I mean, I can tell he was fantastic; I've watched him. But, it's crazy to think of how much talent was in the musicals back then. No one even knows his name (I do, because I've researched: Bert May). Because I've noticed this random backup dancer, I've felt this sort of loyalty to cheer for him. I get pretty excited when I find him. It's like Where's Waldo. I'm linking to a movie clip with each of the titles above. Check them out and see if you can find him too!

Ok. Now, I know you may not feel like going through all of those links and trying to find him, so I'll help you out a bit (for some reason I went backwards. Don't ask me why):
- in The Music Man, he's the first guy in line with the glasses in the greenish shirt.
- in The Band Wagon, he's in the yellow turtleneck
- in Summer Stock, he's the guy who does the totally wacky leg thingy around the 2 minute mark
- in The Thin Man Goes Home, he's the sailor who dances with Nora
- in Mary Poppins, he's in that first group of 3 sweeps and he's the one on the far right
- in It's Always Fair Weather, he's Jasper (hehe)
- in Guys and Dolls, he's the guy in red who keeps losing. he gets his own solo bit.
- in Hello Dolly, he's Danny
- in Hit the Deck, he's wearing a lighter blue shirt and he has lighter hair. he's also really thin
- in the Merry Andrew, he's the guy in yellow

So, there you have it. I'm kind of obsessed with him. I don't know why. Do any of you have a random backup dancer you like? Have you seen this guy in anything else? I'm pretty sure I'm his one-girl fan club, so I'd like to see as much of his work as possible!

You're easy to dance with

The complete list of my favorite dancing ladies! Click on the link to read each individual entry.

1. Cyd Charisse
Favorite dances: "Frankie and Johnny" from Meet Me In Las Vegas, "Broadway Melody (The Hoofer and the Vixen)" from Singin' in the Rain, "Dancing in the Dark" from The Band Wagon, and "All of You (Reprise)" from Silk Stockings

2. Ginger Rogers
Favorite dances: "Let Yourself Go" from Follow the Fleet, "Pick Yourself Up" from Swing Time, "Hard To Handle" from Roberta, "The Carioca" from Flying Down to Rio, and "Night and Day" from The Gay Divorcee

3. Ann Miller
Favorite dances: "Too Darn Hot" from Kiss Me Kate, "Why Can't You Behave?" from Kiss Me Kate, "Prehistoric Man" from On the Town, and "Shakin' the Blues Away" from Easter Parade

4. Vera-Ellen
Favorite dance: "Minstrel Number" from White Christmas

5. Jane Powell
Favorite dance: "How Could You Believe Me" from Royal Wedding

6. Rita Moreno
Favorite dance: "America" from West Side Story

7. Julie Andrews
Favorite dance: "Elevator Dance" from Thoroughly Modern Millie

8. Mary Tyler Moore
Favorite dance: "Elevator Dance" from Thoroughly Modern Millie

9. Shirley Temple
Favorite dance: "On Account-a I Love You" from Baby, Take A Bow

10. Leslie Caron
Favorite dance: "An American in Paris Ballet" from An American in Paris

11. Ruby Keeler
Favorite dance: "42nd Street" from 42nd Street

12. Carol Haney
Favorite dance: "Steam Heat" from Pajama Game

13. Rita Hayworth
Favorite dance: tap duet from You'll Never Get Rich

14. June Allyson
Favorite dance: "The Young Man With A Horn" from Two Girls and a Sailor

15. Gwen Verdon
Favorite dance: "Who's Got The Pain?" from Damn Yankees

She was such a lady

I'm afraid I neglected my blog yesterday. My schedule has been a little irregular. Last night I got home late and I had to get up early this morning so I couldn't write a post. It was very sad. So, the 100 movies count-up will continue next week. In the meantime, without further ado.....

1. Cyd Charisse


I'm not even going to bother with solos because I can't think of many that she did and I just love so many of her dances, I'll just list my favorites in no particular order:

"Frankie and Johnny" from Meet Me in Las Vegas



I can't get enough of this song. It's so fun and funny and it makes me wish my legs would go that high. Sadly, they don't. One of the reasons Cyd Charisse is my favorite is because she was athletic without losing her femininity. She was graceful and sexy at the same time. She was most famous for being a sultry femme fatale in various jazz ballets but she could just easily dance her way into sweet, romantic, fun-loving roles.

"Broadway Melody (The Hoofer and the Vixen)" from Singin' in the Rain
This song is just classic. I love it. It's so sexy and amazing. The part where he grabs her and the music swells... gets me every time. I remember watching this movie with my grandparents. I had seen the movie tons of times before and loved this part. When this segment came up, my grandma said, "I don't remember this part of the movie. I guess I was young and innocent..." which I always thought was an odd thing to say. Anyway, whether or not I'm young and innocent, I love this part. It's one of my favorite scenes in the entire movie. I remember hearing that Cyd Charisse's favorite dance with Gene Kelly was "Heather on the Hills" from Brigadoon and I remember being rather aghast that she didn't say this one. Ah well.

"Dancing in the Dark" from The Band Wagon



I love this number. When people think of Cyd Charisse, they often think of her jazz ballets in Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon and her roles as vixens. If you Google Image her, most of the pictures you'll find will probably be from those two scenes. I love her dual roles in the "Girl Hunt Ballet" but I love this little number more. It's sweet, exciting, romantic, and sexy - all at the same time. I love it!

"All of You (Reprise)" from Silk Stockings



I'm planning to start writing posts on musical remakes one of these days and, when I do, this movie will be on the list. In the meantime, I just want to discuss this little number. It drives me crazy that it isn't on YouTube because it's fantastic. It's so fun. She looks so happy and free, obviously in contrast to her sternness at the beginning. This is the advantage musicals have over straight films. I found it hard to see the character shift in Ninotchka but with a musical, her character can (and does) grow through dance. And through dance we can see how great that change has been. I love this little number. Now that I finally have it up, I may talk more about it in the future. My favorite part is when he picks her up and she kicks. I don't know why, but I love it!



It really is a tough call between Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers. I like tap dancing more than I like ballet, generally speaking, which gives Ginger the advantage. However, as I said in my last post, it drives me crazy that I've only gotten to see Ginger with one partner. Cyd Charisse has that advantage. She's a different dancer, somehow, when she's dancing with Fred Astaire than when she's dancing with Ricardo Montalban. And with Gene Kelly she's a little different than when she's with Joe Brascia. We get to see more of her in her array of musicals. They really are extremely close and my favorites are in constant flux (I've been wanting to reorganize my Favorite Actresses list for months now!). But currently, this is how things stand for me. Do you agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you again for following in my daily posts. I truly appreciate it! I'm very excited about next month's set-up. I'll post a full list of lady dancers soon.

Does she dance very beautifully, the girl you're in love with?

A small bit of business to take care of before going on with the list. Let's all give SassyGinger and emma wallace a big, hearty pat on the back (each) for correctly the naming the movie of last week's quote of the week. It was from Summer Stock. Hooray!!!

Now, for #2!

2. Ginger Rogers


Favorite solo: "Let Yourself Go" from Follow the Fleet. Yet again, we come into that frustrating conundrum of few solos for female dancers. Eleanor Powell was one of the few who got multiple memorable ones. And Ginger Rogers, one of the most famous dancers ever, got so few - I honestly can't remember any others. Despite the slim pickings, however, I must say, I like her solo a great deal. I wish she'd done more of them. She has so much personality and class.


Favorite duet: "Pick Yourself Up" from Swing Time. I love this song. I can never get enough of it! And I especially love Ginger in this one. I love how we follow her surprised reaction all the way to the end of the number where it's evident she's thoroughly enjoying herself. She is, apparently, having a blast and she's taking us along for the ride. It's wonderful!




Other favorites: "Hard to Handle" from Roberta, "The Carioca" from Flying Down to Rio, "Night and Day" from The Gay Divorcee. Okay there are tons and tons more. That's for a later post, though, I think. In the meantime, enjoy these marvelous Ginger numbers. Which one is your favorite?



I think one of the most difficult things about Ginger Rogers is that most of the dancing she did was in the form of a duet. And her main dancing partner, almost exclusively, was Fred Astaire. This being the case, we, sadly, don't get to see much of Ginger dancing in anything beyond the Fred-and-Ginger format. She was marvelous with Fred Astaire, of course - his best partner (in my opinion) but how neat would it have been to see her with Gene Kelly? What would it have been like if she'd danced with Danny Kaye? Ricardo Montalban? I've heard that Jimmy Stewart was a wonderful ballroom dancer (according to Ginger) - I wonder what they were like together? It saddens me that she did so few musicals without Fred Astaire. But we can't forget that she was one major half of a major dance team and that is enough to make her tops in my book!

I hope you don't mind my legs...

As April draws to a close, I approach the end of my list of dancing ladies. We are now going to look at my top 3 favorites. As a warning, this may (will) result in more photos, videos, and gushing.

3. Ann Miller



Favorite solo: "Too Darn Hot" from Kiss Me Kate, which is probably my favorite dance from her ever. Unfortunately, this number is not available on YouTube. It's a fantastic number, though.


Favorite duet: "Why Can't You Behave?" from Kiss Me Kate



"Prehistoric Man" from On The Town is a definite contender for favorite dance - it's so fun to watch. I love this song. The lyrics are so witty and wacky and Ann Miller sells the silliness - and the sexiness - wonderfully.



Because I was unable to find you my favorite solo, I'm going to post my second favorite below so that you can see her all by herself, being awesome. This one is "Shakin' the Blues Away" from Easter Parade.



I've loved Ann Miller for years. I called her my role model before I really knew what a role model was. Basically, I wanted to be her - I wanted to tap faster than secretaries could type, I wanted to be tall and athletic and beautiful. So, I told people she was my role model and wished fervently I could tap dancing lessons. I really haven't read up on Ann Miller at all, but I'd like to. Amanda Cooper has mentioned how much fun Ann Miller seems to be, and I quite agree. I'd love to know what sort of a person she was. Oftentimes, her persona on film was the spunky secondary character - the brunette bombshell who could potentially lead the leading man astray. I haven't seen very many of her starring roles but I know that in at least one, Eve Knew Her Apples, Ann Miller proved she was more than the sexy side story - she could be tender and genuine. I wish she'd had a chance to do play more leading ladies.


One thing that I've always found interesting is the customary costumes for different dancing ladies. For example, Vera-Ellen often had a dress where the skirt detached so the audience could see her legs. Cyd Charisse wore flowy, fluid skirts that rippled when she moved. Ann Miller wore long skirts, but then she pulled them open as soon as the dancing commenced. There are exceptions, of course. But I think this photo, is pretty typical of an Ann Miller dancing costume. I love it.

You see, if you think nice things, all doors open to you.

5. Jane Powell

click on photo for source

Favorite dance: "How Could You Believe Me" from Royal Wedding



I realize that Jane Powell is a little more well known for her singing than for her dancing but, frankly, I prefer watching her dance to hearing her sing. This scene has long been one of my favorites, but I'm often forgetting Royal Wedding. I seem to have this strange, lingering memory that it was a boring movie so I never think to watch it, despite the fact that all of the musical numbers are fantastic (even the dance following the ballad is funny). I like her fiery temper in this scene, and, ironically, how cool she is (I used to try and imitate her all the time when I was a kid), and how much fun she seems to have when dancing. I've heard that when Fred would dance, he'd sometimes mutter, "Now you're dancing!" to his partner. It could well be that it's in the script or something, but when he shouts, "Hey!" during this dance, I like to imagine that we're finally getting to witness that enthusiasm. It's so exciting! I suppose there are many dances of which I wish I could learn the choreography, but this is definitely one of them. It looks so fun. I also love her dress, but that's for another day..

By the way, I discovered this photo in my search. How cute is she?

click on photo for source

Smoke on your pipe and put that in!

First, I really should discuss Friday's quote before I forget again. Luckily, miriamt commented with the answer right before I wrote the post.. and she got it right! Hooray!! For those of you who have never seen The Court Jester, you must go see it. It's absolutely hilarious. Classic Danny Kaye.

Okay, moving on to the dancing ladies list:

6. Rita Moreno


Favorite dance: "America" from West Side Story



I actually prefer "Dance at the Gym," but this song better displays Rita's high-kicking awesomeness (for lack of a better description). This is really the only movie in which I've seen Rita Moreno dance... and I almost wonder if she should be lower on the list for that factor. But she really is an incredible dancer, especially in this movie. I'm afraid I don't have much else to say about her. I think she's an amazing actress and I wish she could get more attention for her talent.

photo courtesy of Doctor Macro

Art reflects life... that was in a speed test.

So, today, I'm going to do something that smacks of cheating... I'm going to discuss two dancing ladies at the same time! They actually go together really well and my favorite dance happens to feature both of them, so I think it works. So, here they are...

8. Mary Tyler Moore

click on photo for source

7. Julie Andrews

click on photo for source

Favorite dance: the elevator dance in Thoroughly Modern Millie



This makes the second Thoroughly Modern Millie number I've discussed in a week's time, but I don't think anyone will mind. It's a truly marvelous film. And this scene is so funny. I love the way they keep doing these crazy moves, but no one's even watching them (well, except us). It's great. The movie is so stylized and, well, kind of corny - in the very best sense! I had a hard time validating these two on my list, to be honest, because I don't really think of them as dancers. But "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" wouldn't be quite the same without Mary Poppins kicking up her heels and several episodes of the Dick van Dyke show deal with Laura's dancing talent. Then I remembered this scene and knew that I had to put these two on my list because this scene is quite wonderful and I think it ties in very neatly with the dancing ladies theme, don't you agree?

I'll say what you say - even black is blue.

9. Shirley Temple


Favorite dance: "On Account-a I Love You" from Baby, Take A Bow



I adore Shirley Temple. She was such a delightful little mass of talent. Sometimes, I feel a little saddened by how exploited she was, but since she seemed to turn out okay, I get over it. I love watching her dance. She had so much personality when she danced. This song is one of my favorites of hers. I love the part where she starts shaking her head and all of her little curls fly in front of her face - too cute! I also really like her costar, James Dunn. I think he was a good costar for her. Although it may sound weird, I think they had good chemistry as a duo. I always found it easy to believe that they were pals. I don't really know as much about Shirley Temple as I'd like; she's someone I'd enjoy doing a little more research on. If anyone has any recommendations on that front, do pass them on.

By the way, this is one of my favorite Shirley Temple films. I highly recommend it for anyone new to watching Shirley Temple films. This is really the only song in the movie and the majority of the film is a sort of suspense plot (crazy, I know). It's a riot. I remember showing this movie around when I was younger. I'd show it to my cousin who would staunchly say that he didn't want to watch a Shirley Temple movie, and then he'd be sitting at the edge of his seat the whole time. Seriously! It's an incredibly fun film.

How do you say in English, "parachute?"

First off, I need to apologize for the weirdly long delay in my telling the answer to last week's quote of the week. Not that you needed the answer. Everyone pretty much seemed to recognize it. Hooray for you!! For those who didn't know, the quote was from Guys and Dolls.

Now, continuing my list of dancing ladies. I realized today that I really cut myself short by waiting so long to start this list. It means I'll have to do several compromises: Ladies 7 & 8 will be posted on one post, I'll have to post the completed list on the same day as I reveal Lady #1, and I shall have to postpone my answers to Kate and Millie's super cool survey. I hope you will forgive these compromises. In the meantime, let's get to the list!

10. Leslie Caron

this photo is courtesy of Doctor Macro. Click on the photo for source

Favorite dance: An American in Paris

Okay, so this answer is slightly ambiguous. I mean the ballet, right? Or perhaps I mean the movie as a whole? Or maybe I'm referring to a dance in the film that doesn't actually have a name? Well, kind of all three. You see, I'm torn between loving about 30 seconds of the ballet (which cannot be found on YouTube) and the introduction to Lise (which can). Here is the introduction to Lise.

When I think of Leslie Caron, I think of a few things. I think of Father Goose, I think of her reading a book whilst doing difficult dance moves (see above), I think of her walking on her toes behind Gene Kelly in the American in Paris ballet, and I think of "Something's Gotta Give." Those 30 seconds I mentioned above refers to the part where she walks on her toes behind Gene Kelly, shaking her head. I don't know why, but I think that part is adorable. I've loved it since I was a kid and I have memories of attempting (and failing, of course) to imitate her.

This is the 30 seconds I love. Click on photo for source.

I really like Leslie Caron but I'm often forgetting about her, which is why she's so low on my list. She's a brilliant and beautiful dancer. When I watch her dance, I wonder why I don't watch more of her. Here's the reason: I don't care for her roles or her films very much. I don't really care for the plots of An American in Paris, Daddy Long Legs, or Gigi. All of which are pretty much quintessential Caron films. I'm not sure why I don't like An American in Paris though; perhaps it requires rewatching? I rewatched Daddy Long Legs about a month ago and didn't care for it too much. I'll write a post on that eventually. And I really didn't like Gigi at all. I thoroughly disliked the plot and the romance. Father Goose is the only movie of hers that I really, truly like and she's quite awful in it (not awful acting-wise, mind you).

However, there's something intriguing about the young French dancer. She always seemed so young and so prodigiously talented. My sister was telling me about how Gene Kelly made Debbie Reynolds cry during the filming of Singin' in the Rain. Fred Astaire was walking through the set (inexplicably, I suppose) and found her crying under the piano. He comfoted her and, I guess, helped her with her dancing. I think this story is adorable, but it brings up so many questions to me. Some are dealing with Gene Kelly as a director and a person, which I won't get into because it's horribly off-topic. But mostly, why did Gene Kelly cast Debbie Reynolds in a dancing role if she wasn't a very strong dancer? It isn't as if there was a shortage of good female dancers in Hollywood. During this discussion, my sister suggested Leslie Caron as a viable candidate. And it makes complete sense. Why didn't he pick someone like Leslie Caron? She would have totally pulled off the fiesty and sometimes condescending Kathy Seldon character. Now, I'm not saying Debbie Reynolds was miscast because I love her in that movie. It's just something to think about.

Isn't this photo of her absolutely stunning?? Click on photo for source.

One of my favorite Leslie Caron dances is actually the "Slew Foot" dance in Daddy Long Legs. It makes me wonder why she didn't do more of that kind of dancing. She was really good at it. I didn't choose to feature this one because it's really quite hard to find good dancing solos from the female dancers. They just didn't seem to do it as often. And since Leslie Caron has a perfectly good solo dance available, it made more sense to feature that.

Come and meet those dancing feet

11. Ruby Keeler

click on photo for source

Favorite dance: "42nd Street" from 42nd Street



This isn't actually my favorite of Ruby Keeler's roles or even my favorite of her movies, but I love this little tap solo at the beginning of the song. When I think Ruby Keeler, I think of this number and her twisting around and throwing the audience a smile over her shoulder - too cute! She was one of the first major dancing stars on film (I think she was the first, but I hate to say that and be wrong). She brought a technique from the stage to the screen - watching her feet while she danced, which was popular in the theater but not too popular for movie-goers. I kind of like it though. I think it works with her persona. Unrelated to her dancing, Ruby Keeler was married to Al Jolson for a while, which I find both adorable and odd. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I haven't really seen Al Jolson's films before, but they just seem like a slightly odd couple. Maybe it's because she's just so darn cute, and it's hard to picture her with anyone other than Dick Powell. (By the way, I love the picture below. She's so darn cute! I think this may appear on my blog header in the future...)

click on photo for source

Which brings me to another point: I read TCM's Leading Couples book from cover to cover and was very disappointed in the Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler section. Now, I'm sure it isn't TCM's fault; and it's just a wacky circumstance, but the couple talks exceedingly little of their work together, and the book talks exceedingly little of their relationship. I love knowing these things and it really confused me as to why there's so little information. Were they friends? Were they enemies? Did they have a purely business relationship? I'm intrigued by the lack of information.

click on photo for source

By the way, I'm sorry I haven't yet put the poll up. I completely forgot about it last night!

They told me pour some oil in the burner... but that don't do no good!

12. Carol Haney

click on photo for source. I tried to find a good photo of her by herself but that was too hard to come by.

Favorite dance: "Steam Heat" from Pajama Game.



To be honest, I was about to put the jazzy dance from Kiss Me Kate again but figured you guys have probably seen that enough from me. Besides, the clapping part starting at 3:11 is enough by itself to land Ms. Haney on my list. I mean, it's brilliant. I want to learn how to do that! Something tells me that it's really quite difficult, so I won't attempt it (right now!). This song is so wacky and weird, hardly surprising that it was choreographed by the one and only Bob Fosse. I looked into her page on IMDb, which you find here. I realize you can read that on your own but some tidbits I didn't realize and found particularly interesting were: she was Gene Kelly's protege. She was supposed to dance in the jazz ballet but the part was given to Cyd Charisse instead and Haney helped Charisse learn the choreography. She was finally given the spotlight in the Bob Fosse duet in Kiss Me Kate and when Fosse went to choreograph The Pajama Game on Broadway, he insisted she be given a dancing role. The director was so impressed by her that he fired one actress and basically created the role of Gladys Hotchkiss for her, which she then reprised in the film. Crazy huh? There are some more interesting bits about her on the page, so I highly recommend you check it out.

I've decided to put a poll up for the month of April. There isn't any competition between lady dancers that I know of, so I'll just post the question, what, to you, distinguishes a dancing lady? You can choose between sex appeal, high kicking legs, elegance, tapping skills, or personality. I know those might be kind of weird choices but I'll explain: there is one famous female dancer that I'm not a fan of - I'll reveal her name at the end of the list - and the reason is because, while she can boast of high kicks and tap dance with the best of them, she's not particularly sexy or feminine. So, we'll see what you think. Come to think of it, I'll throw in an additional answer: all 5. (Edit: changed my mind on throwing in an "all 5" answer. Instead, I'm allowing you to pick multiple answers)

No wonder I'm a bit under par

13. Rita Hayworth

click on photo for source

Favorite dance: her short tap duet with Fred Astaire in You'll Never Get Rich



I wrote a post a good while ago about Ms. Hayworth. For some strange reason, I always forget that she was a dancer, and a darn good one too! She was sexy, playful, and feminine. To be honest, I was going to put "So Near and Yet So Far" as my favorite, but when I went to go look it up on YouTube, this one came up. I watched it and immediately loved it! I have to confess, I don't care for the Astaire-Hayworth musicals. Their plotlines are so weird - at least, if I remember correctly. And I've never watched them a second time. I think that's why I always forget Rita Hayworth when I think of dancers. But she really is terrific and the more I watch of her dancing, the more I love it!



I just have to post one more photo because Rita Hayworth was absolutely stunningly beautiful. I mean, look at her! Can someone tell me what Orson Welles was thinking by having affairs? One thing I think is interesting, and I realize it's part of the part she's playing, but she just oozes (hate that word) confidence in these numbers. I find that ironic, based on what I've read about her. Just a note.

click on photo for source

I'm going to try and start giving credit for the photos I find. It may be tricky because I have a relatively long past of simply saving photos to my computer. I wasn't trying to steal them or anything; I just like to use them as screensavers and wallpapers, mostly. But since I've been blogging so much lately I've been realizing that I really do need to give credit where it's due. Again, photos that I've had for a while I may not be able to give credit because it's often harder to re-find something. But I'll do what I can.

Sweet songs and hot steps

Continuing in my list of dancing ladies...

14. June Allyson


Favorite dance: "The Young Man With A Horn" from Two Girls and a Sailor
The song is not available on YouTube, more's the pity. But I've uploaded the dance portion of it here. Let's see if it works...



I love her dancing style. June Allyson was often cast in the all-American girl-next-door type roles and I think her dancing reflects that. In relation to this song, I love the part where the music slows down and she starts doing that cool leg-kicky thing. I've tried to replicate it and figure out exactly what she's doing there but haven't managed it yet.

By the way, I think the male dancer in this scene is fantastic also. I'm not sure of his name, though. I might be able to look him up on IMDb but I don't think he even had a name in the film. Another one of those background dancers, I suppose.

There is an element of doubt...

Good news! I decided upon 15 female dancers I can spotlight. Hooray!

First things first, however. I want to give the answer for the quote of the week. Kate got it right: it's from The Awful Truth. So yay Kate!! Thank you to everyone who guessed. Millie, you were very close and the two scenes are remarkably similar; in fact, they're basically identical in that the ex-husband is trying to show the ex-wife how wrong her fiance will be for her.

Okay, now for #15 in dancing ladies:

15. Gwen Verdon


Favorite dance: "Who's got the Pain?" from Damn Yankees



I realize that I already highlighted this song in my Bob Fosse post, but I really like this number! I have to confess, one of the major reasons Ms. Verdon is on this list is because of that cool flippy thing she does on Bob Fosse's back (from 1:37-1:49 approx) - I mean that's skill! Another confession: I have yet to see Damn Yankees in its entirety. This isn't actually my fault, really. I checked the movie out from Netflix and when my roommate and I tried to watch it, my computer decided to be difficult and dislike it. We didn't even get to "Whatever Lola Wants." So, really, this is just about the only number I've seen Gwen Verdon in, but she's so good in it that she merits getting on this list for that dance alone.

I think you show real tendency to terpsichorean excellence

First off, I'd like to give away the answer to the quote of the week. Sadly, nobody guessed it. The answer was Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel. I highly recommend this movie. It's really funny. Leslie Howard is hilarious in it and has Percy's character down to a T (to a tee?). Delightful!



As promised, here is my complete list of favorite male dancers. I'm linking to the posts so if you click on their names, you can read more about them and watch videos - in case you haven't done that yet and would like to. Thank you everyone for reading this list! I'd love to hear about your favorite dancers. I know I left a few out and I'd be curious to see what order you'd put each one in. But at any rate, here's mine:

1. Fred Astaire
Favorite solos: "Let's Say It With Firecrackers," from Holiday Inn "Don't Let It Bother You," from The Gay Divorcee and "The Hat Rack Dance" from Royal Wedding.
Favorite ever dance: "Pick Yourself Up" from Swing Time.

2. Gene Kelly
Favorite solos: "Singin' in the Rain," from Singin' in the Rain, "You Wonderful You" from Summer Stock and "Tra-La-La" from An American in Paris.
Favorite ever dance: The "Broadway Melody" jazz ballet from Singin' in the Rain

3. Bob Fosse
Favorite dances: "From This Moment On" from Kiss Me Kate, "Who's Got the Pain" from Damn Yankees, and his duet with Tommy Rall in My Sister Eileen.

4. Danny Kaye
Favorite dance: "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing from White Christmas

5. Tommy Rall
Favorite dance: "Bless Yore Beautiful Hide" (barn dance) in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

6. Ricardo Montalban
Favorite dance: "Dark Duet" from On An Island With You

7. Donald O'Connor
Favorite dance: "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' in the Rain

8. Bobby Van
Favorite dance: "Take Me To Broadway" from Small Town Girl

9. John Brascia
Favorite dance: "Frankie and Johnny" from Meet Me In Las Vegas

10. Dick van Dyke
Favorite dance: "Jolly Holiday" (the penguin dance) from Mary Poppins

11. George Murphy
Favorite dance: "We Should Be Together" from Little Miss Broadway

12. Russ Tamblyn
Favorite dance: "Dance at the Gym" from West Side Story

13. Buddy Ebsen
Favorite dance: "The Codfish Ball" from Captain January

14. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Favorite dance: the stair dance from The Little Colonel

15. Bert May
Favorite dance: "Get Happy" from Summer Stock



So, what did you think? Was this list entertaining? How did the daily posting thing work for you? You can be honest. I mean, please don't tell me it was the most boring thing you've ever read and you were sick and tired of hearing from me. But, if you liked it, please let me know. I think I gauge the success by the amount of positive responses I get. Basically, I'm wondering if I should do it again. I was planning on doing a list of top female dancers. Would you like to have another series of posts or do you prefer a tidy, short-and-sweet read? Let me know! And thank you!

Every once in a while I suddenly find myself dancing.

Well, by now it's no secret, I suppose.

1. Fred Astaire



Favorite solo: "Let's Say It With Firecrackers" in Holiday Inn. [Embedding disabled. Gosh darn it!]


"Don't Let It Bother You" in The Gay Divorcee follows a close second.


Oh, and the hat rack dance is way up there too.


Favorite ever dance: "Pick Yourself Up" in Swing Time (again, this changes all the time)



So, the question remains. Why is Fred Astaire my very favorite male dancer? I'm really quite partial to the top hat and tails man. I love the class. I love his style. What does his photo say in Follow the Fleet? "Genteel dancing and high class patter?" I think. That's what I love. In my opinion, Fred Astaire was pretty sexy in his dancing. But not in the athletic, passionate way. He was quietly intense, gentlemanly, subtle. I love his romantic side, as in "Night and Day" and "Never Gonna Dance." And I love his fun side as in "Drum Crazy" and "Shine On Your Shoes." He had the grace for ballet and the rhythm for tap down to a science. I like the way he curled his fingers in because he thought his hands were too big. I like how, even in a jazz ballet, he retains his class and stature.



He didn't wander too much into the everyday-type character. Follow the Fleet was a rare exception and he manages to find himself in fancy clothes even as a sailor. But even when he's chewing gum, ordering beer, playing the piano with rolled up sleeves and a cigarette dangling out of his mouth, there was something classy about him. I love that!



He wasn't one for grit, but then neither am I. Which is why I think he's my favorite. I love the athleticism and sex appeal of Gene Kelly and Bob Fosse, but Mr. Top Hat and Tails will always have my heart.


So, there you have it. My #1 top favorite male dancer of all time. I hope you've enjoyed this list! I'll post the list in its entirety tomorrow.

Gotta dance!

Okay, now for #2. This post will, of course, reveal my preference between Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. I will explain my reasoning for my number 1 favorite in my next post. But, in the meantime, here is the very, very, very close second:

2. Gene Kelly


Favorite solo: "Singin' in the Rain" from, well, Singin' in the Rain. (Embedding was disabled)
But "You Wonderful You" from Summer Stock and "Tra-La-La" from An American in Paris are up there too. Sadly, "Tra-La-La" is no longer available on YouTube, much to my dismay. But here is "You Wonderful You" for your enjoyment. This song is a masterpiece, in my opinion. It's funny, clever, and tons of fun.



Favorite ever dance: I'll go with the "Broadway Melody" jazz duet with Cyd Charisse from Singin' in the Rain. Of course, this is subject to change. It often does. But I never can get enough of this dance. Unfortunately, the embedding is disabled on this one too.



Gene Kelly was brilliant. He danced, he choreographed, he directed. He was sexy and he knew how to show it (just watch the Talouse Lautrec portion of the "American in Paris Ballet"). His dancing had a sense of humor and a sense of fun. He could tap so lightly, one would think he was lighter than a feather - but then, when you see those muscular arms, you can imagine he wasn't quite feather-weight. His dancing was athletic and energetic. I've heard him referred to as a blue-collar type dancer, which makes sense. He plays sailors, soldiers, ordinary Joes more often than high class dappers. He was a dancer people could relate to, rather than dream of becoming. When he grabs Cyd Charisse in "Broadway Melody" and holds her in his arms, you can tell he's more than the glasses-donning hoofer at the beginning of the number. He has passion and intensity. I truly, truly love Gene Kelly. His numbers always make me smile. I would love to dance with him but I think I would be way too intimidated to move.