Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol. 2 (The Pirate / Words and Music / That's Dancing / The Belle of New York & Royal Wedding / That Midnight Kiss & The Toast of New Orleans)

Studio description

Includes: The Pirate (1948), Words and Music (1948), That's Dancing! (1985), The Belle of New York (1952), Royal Wedding (1951), That Midnight Kiss (1949), The Toast of New Orleans (1950).

Customer Reviews:

MGM MUSICALS.......2007-09-15

The Pirate turns out to be the best of the bunch. I can't understand why it failed at the box office. Garland and kelly are both delightfully entertaining; not only that their song and dance numbers are great fun to watch their acting skills are first rate too! Gene Kelly's swashbuckling character is superbly agile; if he's not a better dancer than Fred Astaire, more athletic aside, he definitely is more colorful. Judy Garland's song number under spell reminds me of her in the Fiegfeld Follies where she is also under a different kind of spell, someone drunk by or in her own legendary status, which she was so good in it, if I'm not wrong, she was even nominated for an oscar, am I right? No? And last but not least the the sight and sound are fantastic, especially, the picture clean and clear, brilliant!

I was anxiously expecting to see and hear Kathryn Grayson's opera arias outing but rather disappointed, expecially, in 'That Midnight Kiss'; because, every time she sings she is hampered by some emotional conflict restricted by the plot. Fortunately, I get to hear at least three arias unimpeded by the meddlesome story line in 'The Toast of new Orleans', talking about story line, there isn't much in both films. The three arias from 'Linda di Chamounix', 'Mignon', and 'La Traviata' if somewhat truncated are beautifully sung, but I'm surprised that she didn't end the first two arias in high C's, maybe higher than C's, anyway, thay always call a high not a high C. I always thought Kathryn Grayson is a very high coloratura, this is rather odd that she didn't hit the hell out of it, I mean the high C's. Mario Lanza? What can I say, everyone says he is a legend, one of the great. I have to admit that besides opera, he sings other kinds of music very well too, that is quite unusual. The only other opera singer that is also very good in pop tunes is soprano Eileen Farrell who is widely recognized as a great American soprano, but I have not yet heard her in popular music. Well, between 'That Midnight Kiss' and 'The Toast of New Orleans', I like the latter better. Not only there are more opera arias, the story is more colorful and interesting too. However, one complaint have to be made, the duet from 'Madama Butterfly' is again dictated by the plot that the fisherman finally realizes that he has been overdoing the high society etiquette that causes reverse effect, so that he decides to make amend in this duet by throwing the cigartte defiedly and grabs the arms of Butterfly and tries to kiss her and Butterfly is alarm and tries to resist him. This is totally opposed to the plot of the opera, whereas Butterfly would melt into the arms of Pinkerton. Otherwise, it would have been a wonderful performance from both of them and again it is only the last half of the duet that is performed, well, what do you expect from musicals. I can tell that the MGM had been trying very hard to make popular the high art of opera. It's not an easy task I suppose.

'Words and Music', I can only say, mediocre. 'That's Dancing' is Okay, as for 'Royal Wedding' and 'The Belle of New York' both are disappointing.

Now I'm waiting for my interest income to be deposited in my bank account the end of this month to buy the the first volume of Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory. See you.

At long last, Judy and Gene in THE PIRATE.......2007-09-14

If for no other reason, THE PIRATE is reason enough to buy this classic set of musicals. Nothing else in the collection measures up to the brilliance of this Cole Porter gem. The direction by Vincent Minnelli is witty. Both Judy Garland and Gene Kelly are at their most sophisticated and charming. Judy was never better on sceen than when she co-starred with Gene, and this magical film is proof of that. When it was released it wasn't the hit it should have been, but now contemporary audiences can enjoy the film in all its brilliance.
The other movies in the collection aren't up to THE PIRATE, but they all have moments of great MGM magic. Anyone who loves musicals from the Golden Age should get this collection. THAT'S DANCING is a nice bonus to highlight the importance of dance in MGM musicals.

the good and the not so good.......2007-09-06

Another fine product from Warners, this time including material considered excellent examples of MGM at its peak and some not so excellent. Although Words and Music may not be a true representation of Rodgers and Hart's life, the musical numbers are top notch and the movie is entertaining. The Pirate, with its stigma for being a failure upon initial release, is a pleasure to watch and to hear as well. The stars are excellent, although Judy Garland looks a bit nervous in several scenes. Royal Wedding is very entertaining and while not a great film is an example of movie-making that makes you feel good. The Belle of New York is difficult to watch. It has to be the worst of the Fred Astaire films, and the problems include the story, the musical numbers, and,unfortunately, his co-star. I had never seen That's Dancing and was surprised at how few clips from musical films were used and how dated the movie itself was. The That's Entertainment films hold up much better and seem to be more professionaly produced. All said, the packaging and the extras are nice, as with most of the wonderful products from Warners. Actually it's difficult to be negative about the level of craftsmanship from MGM and its stars back in the day, but some musicals are just better than others.

Pleasent Dreams.......2007-08-15

Setting aside That's Dancing this is once again a superb set from the golden age of MGM. All films are of the high standard we have come to expect of these remastered greats from a period in cinemaa history when entertainment was exactly that. You don't need to sit and think,just sit and enjoy. The extras as usual are quite good and the short subjects/cartoons as enjoyable as ever. Whilst That's Dancing is not strictly from the golden age it does contain many items that are and therefore can rightly be included.I was just a little suprised that Two Lanza films were included as surely this geat star deserves a set all of his own. I only hope that they will continue with this series format and give us even more even some of the old black and white movies with stars such as Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy or Jane Powell and how about rounding out the Broadway Melody series with a set containing B'Way Melody of 1936 & 1938. Warner/TCM might also like to consider a Biog set with The Helen Morgan Story/I'll Cry Tomorrow/Deep In My Heart/Rhapsody In Blue/Shine On Harvest Moon/Look For The Silver Lining/The Eddie Cantor Story/So This Is Love to name but a few. As long as they prodeuce them on DVD I will certainly keep on buying them. They are Hollywood History at it's entertaining best.

Good stuff from MGM's heyday.......2007-07-16

Latest roundup of Technicolor features from MGM's heyday of musicals...most on DVD for the first time. PIRATE has Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in a fun romp set to Cole Porter tunes, directed by visual master Minnelli, who was Garland's husband at the time. WORDS AND MUSIC is a mostly-fictional biography of master tunesmiths Richard Rodgers (Tom Drake) and Lorenz "Larry" Hart (Mickey Rooney). Worth a look for the great songs (better served, though, in Columbia's version of Pal Joey from about 10 years later). KISS and ORLEANS feature singing stars Mario Lanza and Kathryn Grayson on one double-feature disc. Includes the 2005 BBC documentary Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods - a reminder that the man who was the greatest American operatic tenor of the mid-20th century (his records outsold Sinatra's) really didn't have an opera career at all (and died at age 38). Another double feature is WEDDING and BELLE, both with Fred Astaire. The first features Fred's famous dancing-on-the-ceiling number (still impressive), which helps you forget that Jane Powell, 30 years his junior, is playing his sister; and BELLE is a pretty hokey effort (almost worth sitting through the first hour for Vera-Ellen's Extreme Makeover from Salvation-Army-type good girl to vamp in a black evening gown even Beyonce might find too much). DANCING is another clips-compilation followup to the THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! hits of the mid-70s, concentrating on dance numbers from the silent era through Michael Jackson videos. There's even a section on ballet hosted by Mikhail Baryshnikov. Don't look for MGM's most famous dance clips, though ("Singin' in the Rain," etc.) - they were already used in That's Entertainment. Still, very enjoyable.

Average customer rating:

The Prince and Me 2 - A Little Disappointing
A Great love story:
Run, Don't Walk Away From this One
The Prince & Me 2 - The Roy Wedding
Very disappointed

The Prince & Me 2 - The Royal Wedding
Starring: Luke Mably , Kam Heskin , Maryam d'Abo , Clemency Burton-Hill , and Jonathan Firth
Director: Catherine Cyran
Manufacturer: First Look Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000CDSS0Y
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Customer Reviews:

The Prince and Me 2 - A Little Disappointing.......2007-08-23

I liked the story, but wished that the actors had been the same. The only one that was the same as the original Prince and Me movie was Luke Mably (the Prince). The chemistry between Luke Mably and Kam Heskin was not the same as it was between Luke Mably and Julia Stiles. It was not as close a relationship this time around. With all of the characters being different actors, I felt like I was looking in on some sort of alternate Earth. The only actors which looked like they could have been the same as the first movie was the crowd - which should have been different.

A Great love story:.......2007-07-11

It was a great romantic,idealistic,warm hearted love story.Free spirited,level headed, American, Paige, and Prince Edvard love was
put to the test.
The Danish Prince kingship was in jeopardy when an old law stating that an unmarried heir to the throne can only marry a woman of noble blood, or else relinquish the throne.
The Monarch Prince, had to find a loop hole,or relinquish the crown for
love.
Enjoyable, funny, keep you on the edge of your seat love story.
A must see!

Run, Don't Walk Away From this One.......2007-06-06

You just saw the Prince and Me, and with magic in your eyes you want more, well, you are not going to find it here in this straight to video horror.

The scene where the Prince's future wife walks into a room of the worst computer animated butterflies should have been hint enough but there is more...

First you wonder where the rest of the cast has gone, not even the minor, minor characters have returned for a reprise (except the poor Prince).

The plot is not worthy of a movie of the week. It is the typical "We must prevent a commoner from ascending to throne."

Trust me, put the first one back in the DVD player and lets pretend it just did not happen. Watch it and you will be royally sore.

The Prince & Me 2 - The Roy Wedding.......2007-05-30

A fine, light romance movie, have enjoyed watching it several times. The only thing that would have made this movie better would have been to have the original cast members from "The Prince and Me" movie. But still a very fine movie and beautiful scenery.

Very disappointed.......2007-05-26

It's hard to like a second movie like this one... Only 1 actor returned out of the big characters in the 1st movie. That is what really disappointed me. Julia really made the character in the 1st movie, and would have really made a huge difference in this film.

ABC News Classics Royal Wedding: Prince Charles and Lady Diana

Average customer rating:

ABC NEWS CLASSICS THE ROYAL WEDDING
Highlights only!
Royal Wedding: Charles & Diana

ABC News Classics Royal Wedding: Prince Charles and Lady Diana

Manufacturer: ABC News
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000R9AKRM
Release Date: 2007-05-24

amazon.com

On July 29, 1981, an estimated 750 million people tuned in to see the heir to Britain's throne wed the 20-year-old former kindergarten teacher in St Paul's Cathedral. The fairy-tale courtship of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles sparked worldwide interest in the royal family. ABC News' Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters bring you back to the culmination of years of speculation and intrigue, when Diana walked down the aisle in front of 3,500 invitees, trailing a 25-foot train to become the people's princess.

Customer Reviews:

ABC NEWS CLASSICS THE ROYAL WEDDING.......2007-08-27

THIS IS TRUELY A GREAT VIDEO OF THE WEDDING FOR PRINCE CHARLES AND LADY DIANA SPENCER. WATCHING THIS VIDEO TAKES ME BACK TO THAT GLORIOUS DAY THAT SHY DI CAPTIVATED THE WORLD. I WAS ALWAYS SORRY THAT I NEVER TAPED THE WEDDING THAT DAY ON MY VCR. I'VE BEEN BIDDING ON VIDEOS OF THE ROYAL WEDDING ON EBAY. THE PRICES RANGE FROM $30.00 TO $130.00 SO WHEN ABC NEWS CAME OUT WITH THIS VIDEO I WAS THRILLED. IF YOU BUY THIS VIDEO YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. WATCHING THIS VIDEO, LOOKING AT A COUPLE WHO TRUELY LOOKED IN LOVE(AT THAT TIME ANYWAY)YOU CAN SEE HOW PRINCESS DIANA LOOKED EVERY BIT THE FAIRYTALE. MAKING HER FAMOUS MISTAKE OF SAYING PHILIP CHARLES ARTHUR GEORGE, INSTEAD OF CHARLES PHILIP ARTHUR GEORGE. WATCHING A NERVOUS BRIDE AT HER WEDDING AND FEELING LIKE YOU WERE FRIEND SHARING HER HAPPY DAY.I COULDN'T IMAGINE ANYONE NOT LIKING THIS VIDEO. IF YOU ARE A PRINCESS DIANA FAN YOU'LL WANT THIS VIDEO OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ICON, NOT TO MENTION ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS DAYS IN HISTORY. JUST IMAGINE A VIDEO OF HISTORY THAT'S ENJOYABLE TO WATCH.

Highlights only!.......2007-07-27

If you are looking for the highlights of the Royal wedding of HRH the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, then this is it! This shows highlights of the wedding, not the entire uncut wedding. I enjoyed the commentary of Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters. It is a time capsule as to 1981.

Royal Wedding: Charles & Diana.......2007-07-19

This is a great way to look back at "The Wedding Of The Century". A must for any Diana fan...

Average customer rating:

Five Stars for Royal Wedding; One Star for Belle of New York
Astaire at his best, and the movies aren't bad, either
Taps Across the Ocean

Royal Wedding / The Belle of New York
Starring: Fred Astaire , Vera-Ellen , and Jane Powell
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000PAAK4Q
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Customer Reviews:

Five Stars for Royal Wedding; One Star for Belle of New York.......2007-08-05

"Royal Wedding" is among the top five or so of the great Technicolor musicals of the late 1940s and 1950s. For fans of the genre, it is not to be missed, and finally a decent-looking studio release is available. "The Belle of New York", on the other hand, is a different story.

How do these misfires happen? You have the number-one musical-producing studio and number-one musical star of all time, a worthy partner, a supporting cast of terrific character actors, a pair of great songwriters, top pros writing and directing, and yet the result of their collaboration is this lifeless waste of an hour and a half. "The Belle of New York" is Astaire's second-to-worst movie, better only than the dreadful "Yolanda and the Thief". The plot is uninteresting, and Fred's character is perhaps, this time, just a bit too much of a wastrel to be sympathetic. The special effect of the couple floating and dancing in the air is too silly to watch without a little embarrassment, and the comedy gags don't work. One protracted dance number bringing to life the paintings of Courier and Ives (the Thomas Kinkades of the 19th century) goes on so long you almost forget what the movie was about. "Belle" is a genuine flop, without one memorable musical number, and no redeeming attribute other than Vera-Ellen's legs, which are finally shown off near the end.

Buy this DVD package. You'll only watch "Belle" once, but you'll watch "Royal Wedding" over and over.

Astaire at his best, and the movies aren't bad, either.......2007-07-24

This disc is welcome news for Astaire fans. It resurrects two films which which have many pleasant moments and contain three outstanding musical numbers. Belle of New York, the movie which spends more time with Astaire dancing than any of his other movies, has been long unavailable except for an out-of-print VHS tape. Royal Wedding has been all too available in uniformly execrable public domain releases.

BELLE OF NEW YORK:
This was one of Astaire's few critical and box office losers. The flaws, in hindsight, are obvious. The New York playboy Astaire plays is charming but an emotional light-weight. He finds love eventually and he never loses his charm. Still, he's a shallow guy. The Salvation Army-type lass he falls in love with is played by Vera-Ellen, who was always perky and a supremely proficient dancer. Still, there's something chilly, to my mind, about her dancing. She can do any step Astaire does, but does it with little spontaneity. The smile on her face while she dances never changes. The comedy relief doesn't seem very amusing. The story serves merely as a quick bridge between extended musical numbers. I don't mind this at all, but it does make the story seem like an afterthought.

But the good things are fine. The 1880's Currier and Ives look is warm and charming. The Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer songs are easy to listen to. Most of all, there is Astaire and his dancing. The film features, I think I got this right, eight musical sequences, most of them major productions. Astaire is in all but one. The highlights for me are:

--"Baby Doll," a sweet. wooing number sung by Astaire to Vera-Ellen and then danced in a relaxed and easy-going style by the two.
Baby Doll, you beautiful Baby Doll,
Let's go home and tell your mother
That you found a baby brother.
I'm takin' you off the shelf
And showin' you off myself;
Can't you see it now?
I'm takin' you walkin'
Holding your parasol;
Ah, honey, there's no use talkin'
You're a beautiful Baby Doll.

--"Seeing's Believing" has Astaire singing and dancing around and on the Washington Square Arch. The idea is that love has him floating. The routine uses camera tricks and false backgrounds to create the illusion he's on the top of the arch teetering and tapping. Not for viewers who suffer acrophobia, but this extended Astaire routine is a lot of fun.

--"I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man," is a classic. It's just Astaire, a stage and some sand on the floor. Everything works in this number, including the Warren-Mercer song.
I wanna be a dancin' man while I can,
Gonna leave my footsteps on the sands of time,
If I never leave a dime.
Never be a millionaire, I don't care,
I'll be rich as old King Midas might have been,
Least until the tide comes in.

The Belle of New York is a proficient movie, and you don't have to spend much time waiting for the next dance number to arrive.

ROYAL WEEDING:
Fred Astaire and Jane Powell play the Broadway headliners Tom and Ellen Bowen. They are brother and sister; he's a workaholic, always wanting to rehearse; she's a vivacious flirt. They wind up in London at the height of the excitement over the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and each finds true love. The story-line might be slight but it's not treated too seriously. Most importantly, it gives us a series of clever musical numbers, including a classic Astaire dance and a classic love song sung by Powell. Among the highlights:

--"Sunday Jumps." On the ship to Britain Astaire rehearses in the gym. Astaire was so good he could make a clothes rack look like a talented dancer. And he does. He uses the clothes rack, pull weights, a punching bag, parallel bars and weight pins. His work with the clothes rack is complicated, precise and as smooth as cream.

--"How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life" is a raucous, low-comedy number sung and danced by Astaire and Powell.

--"Too Late Now." In my view, this is one of the best love songs to have been written for a movie. Lerner's lyrics are very good, but it's Lane's melody that gives it feeling and distinction.
Too late now to forget your smile,
The way we cling when we dance awhile.
Too late now to forget and go on to someone new.

Too late now to forget your voice,
The way one word makes my heart rejoice.
Too late now to imagine myself away from you.

All the things we've done together
I relive when we're apart.
All the tender fun together,
Stays on in my heart.

How could I ever close the door
And be the same as I was before.
Darling, no, no, I can't anymore.
It's too late now.

--"You're All the World to Me." This is an immensely clever tour de force by Astaire, danced to an outstanding rhythm melody by Lane. Astaire dances on the walls and ceiling as well as the floor of his hotel suite. How he and director Stanley Donen pulled this off mystified people for years until it was learned the set for the entire room and the camera were fixed to a giant, slowly turning wheel. It's a classic number.

Royal Wedding works as well as it does because it's genuinely cheerful, it has Astaire and because Burton Lane, with Lerner writing the words, came up with some stylish music.

On balance, this DVD is a great disc for Astaire fans.

Taps Across the Ocean.......2007-07-02

Leonard Maltin gives three stars to Royal Wedding, but only two and one half to The Belle of New York, which he calls "uninspired". Royal Wedding exists in more than forty versions on DVD, including budget versions and in sets. My reason for choosing this new edition is that first, it's in print, while many of the other aren't, and second this is a film that deserves to be seen in a quality version without the skips, stops, color bleeds and edits on some of the budget releases.

After the lackluster opening number, I was ready to turn off Royal Wedding, but as if rising to the challenge, it quickly picked up steam, first with the incredible choreography of Astaire in the gym, next with Powell's wonderful singing, and finally with the excellent Lerner/ Lane musical numbers. Like all Hollywood musical in a musicals, there are long, lavish showstopping stretches of singing and dancing. This film, however, also dazzles with its vivid British sets and lavish scenery and a perfect cast topped by Peter Lawford's effortless portrayl of Powell's flame and husband-to-be, a debonaire English Lord. The unforgettable number is Astaire dancing on the walls and ceiling. Dazzling not merely for technical wizardry (it's probably a rotating room), but for the dynamic performance done, the more amazingly, on a nearly propless stage. I think this piece may also be in one of the That's Entertainment films. If The Belle of New York doesn't quite hit that high mark, it nevertheless provides a chance to see more of Astaire in action, and another little known classic film.

Average customer rating:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime
Great MGM Musical
A Disatisfied Customer
one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals.....
A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain

Royal Wedding
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Good Times Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005B1YD
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Amazon.com

Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling in this 1951 Alan Jay Lerner musical for MGM, directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The appealing story finds Astaire as part of a brother-and-sister act (along with Jane Powell) that travels to London at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding. Astaire and Powell each find romances that threaten to break up the act, but that's mostly fun window dressing in a movie better known for some truly creative sequences made vivid by Donen, including Astaire's famous dance with a hat rack and his duet with Powell, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You (When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life)?" --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime.......2007-08-05

The release of "Royal Wedding,' in 1951, fifteen years after the last of the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films at poverty-stricken RKO Radio Pictures, finds many changes from Astaire's previous work. He's now at powerhouse MGM Studios, where they boasted of more stars than there were in heaven. Where musicals were a specialty-- after all, they had Stanley Donen, a talented director of musicals, though they didn't have Ginger Rogers -- and where all pictures, let alone musicals, were in brightly saturated color. So Astaire costars with Jane Powell, an MGM starlet rather typical of the studio's post-war crop, in brightly saturated color; Stanley Donen contributes his usual artful direction. The whole thing, songs and all, is written by anglophile American Alan Jay Lerner, still five years before his smash Broadway hit, cowritten with Frederick Loewe, the anglophile's dream, "My Fair Lady."

Astaire and Powell costar as a successful brother-sister team of hoofers, just winding up a Broadway engagement in the dog days of summer. London calls, there's a royal wedding on, as Princess (later to be Queen) Elizabeth is marrying; and the pair is happy to hop the next boat crossing the pond. The plot actually follows real life: Astaire first achieved stardom dancing with his sister Adele; but she left the act to marry an English lord, as will the Jane Powell character. Peter Lawford plays the lucky lord. Keenan Wynn plays a dual part, the agent-twins, Irving and Edgar Klinger, one based in New York, the other in London, with, supposedly, the accents to match. (Something must have been lost in translation here, is all I can say.) Sarah Churchill plays the plucky Englishwoman who steps into the act as the sister's replacement. And yes, she's the daughter of England's great wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, but, unfortunately that doesn't make her a great dancer. She's also too tall for Astaire, even in the flats she constantly wears, and they ain't got no chemistry.

But the movie boasts four terrific dance numbers, and two that are merely fine. Astaire's solo in the gym of the cruise ship is a knockout. His hotel room solo, up, down and around, walls and ceiling, has left generations gasping for breath. His "I Left My Heart in Haiti,' is a big, colorful, old school production number. And "How Could You Believe Me," his biggest duet with Powell, owes a lot to vaudeville, and even more to the American writer Damon Runyon: it's got charm to burn. Powell's a more than competent dancer, especially since scuttlebutt says she had no rehearsal time with Astaire before filming started. She also has a fine soprano voice: listen as she sinks her teeth into one of Lerner's trademark big ballads, "Too Late Now." And then there's the pair's opening duet, "Every Night at 7," and their witty dance on the turbulent, rolling ship. It's just a lotta dance for your dime.

Great MGM Musical.......2007-07-22

Royal Wedding is one of those delightful MGM musicals that graced the 1950's and the likes of which will not be seen again. It has the longest dance scene Fred Astair ever made(his partner in this film was Jane Powell),and has the famous scene where Fred dances on the walls and ceiling of a room, and with a coat rack in another scene. It is light and fun to watch, and ranks right up there with Sing'n In The Rain, perhaps the best musical ever.

A Disatisfied Customer.......2007-05-13

This is the first item purchased from Amazon that I was less than satisfied with. I found the DVD of poor quality and the last two tracts were not visable.

one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals............2007-05-07

Fred Astaire and Jane Powell play a touring brother and sister dance team, who have a chance opportunity to perform at the same time as the marriage of one of the members of the British royal family. On the way, they perform some jazzy numbers together ["How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You, When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life," "I Left My Hat in Haiti," among others]. What's more, Fred's character manages to fall in love with one of his background dancers [Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston] and Jane's character falls hard and fast for a British jetsetter [sleezy Peter Lawford].

This film is [perhaps] best known for the famous sequence featuring Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling. For me, that was the best part of the film and he really lit up the screen, for those few minutes. Otherwise, the whole delivery of this story was [more than a little bit] embarrassing. As much as I always loved and respect Fred Astaire, this particular picture really was made with mixed results. One of those factors was Jane Powell. Her singing voice was so shrill and grating, and her character was so snotty, it made me wish that Ginger Rogers had been cast here instead! For Fred Astaire at his very best, I reccomend TOP HAT, SWING TIME and SHALL WE DANCE? The team of Rogers and Astaire will NEVER let you down.

A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain.......2007-04-06

"Royal Wedding" is a great movie for anyone who loves those big MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's and the dancing of Fred Astaire. Of course, the big numbers in this film include Astaire dancing with a hat rack, which only goes to prove he could make any dance partner look good, as well as the famous number where Astaire dances on the walls and ceilings of his London hotel room. The trick here, well known by now, was that the room was actually set up to rotate. What is wondrous about this scene is that Astaire never seems to have any trouble keeping his balance as this rotation is going on. He just looks like someone who is so much in love he is just jumping with joy from floor to wall to ceiling and back. Less mentioned is the number where he dances with Jane Powell onboard ship in choppy waters as furnishings roll about, but it is also a charming piece of choreography.

The plot is fairly simple. Astaire and Powell play a brother and sister song and dance team, Tom and Ellen Bowen, both of whom claim to be against any long-term romantic entanglement. They are invited to perform in London during the period preceding the wedding of then Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. While in England they both fall in love, leading to a happy ending for both but breaking up the partnership in the process. It's rather interesting that art loosely imitated life in this case, since Fred Astaire's long-running dance partnership with his sister Adele was ended when she got married to a member of the English nobility in 1932. It's also strange that this film was actually made four years after the royal wedding took place. By that time the royal couple already had two children. As for good supporting performances, Keenan Wynn is quite funny playing twin brothers who are theatrical agents on opposite sides of "the pond". They can't understand each other during their telephone conversations because, although both are speaking English, they are using the familiar expressions of their respective countries.

From a technical standpoint, this film is in rather rough shape since it has been in the public domain for some time. However, it is rumored that Warner Brothers is rescuing it from this no man's land, restoring it, and putting it in their upcoming boxed set "Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory Vol. 2", which should be available for purchase by the end of summer 2007.

Great Musical Classics (Royal Wedding / Till Clouds Roll By / Fiesta)

Average customer rating:

Poor picture quality.
Not that Fiesta but
Three classic musicals
FIESTA AKA DOWN UNDER AS NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER
Fiesta

Great Musical Classics (Royal Wedding / Till Clouds Roll By / Fiesta)
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen , George Sidney (II) , and Vincente Minnelli
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00006BSDF
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Description

3 Great Movies on 1 DVD. Star Power, Exciting Genre with Extras on each DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Poor picture quality........2006-03-07

The quality of the picture was poor. It looks as if was shot in 8 mm & then blown up to 35 mm .

Not that Fiesta but.......2006-02-09

No, it's not the Ricardo Montalban Fiesta made in 1947 but the Hal Roach 1942 "five reeler" (longer than a "short" but shorter than a movie at 44 minutes). However, it's the only English-language film starring the Mexican megastar and singing icon Jorge Negrete (here billed as George Negrete). For fans of Mexican film history, well worth the price for this part alone.

Three classic musicals.......2005-06-18

1) Royal Wedding is famous for Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling.
2) Till Clouds Roll By is worth it for the all star cast
and is a biography of a great musical playwrite/ composer Jerome Kern
3) Fiesta is a musical with both original Mexican music and dance
Worth buying at this price for "Clouds" alone!

FIESTA AKA DOWN UNDER AS NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER.......2005-05-11

This is not so much a review as information. The only movie with
Esther and Ricardo Montalban (also Red Skelton)I know is listed as Neptune's daughter. Hope this helps.VHS copy I own
Millie

Fiesta.......2005-01-16

I found the same error as one of your other reviewers. I have been wanting to get FIESTA 1947 starring Esther William and Ricardo Montalban, but the Fiesta on this video is not the one. It is a mexican story, has nothing to do with the FIESTA I would like to have. I have also noted on IMDB that they are showing the 1947 as the film which is on this Great Musical Classics. i will try to contact them as they are showing the one I want as available on Amazon.Ca and Amazon.com, available on DVD, but it is the Great Musical Classics they show. I am really disapointed in this.

Average customer rating:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime
Great MGM Musical
A Disatisfied Customer
one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals.....
A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain

Royal Wedding
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004VVMZ
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime.......2007-08-05

Great MGM Musical.......2007-07-22

A Disatisfied Customer.......2007-05-13

This is the first item purchased from Amazon that I was less than satisfied with. I found the DVD of poor quality and the last two tracts were not visable.

one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals............2007-05-07

A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain.......2007-04-06

Average customer rating:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime
Great MGM Musical
A Disatisfied Customer
one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals.....
A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain

Royal Wedding
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Ballet & Dance | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 6304610165
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime.......2007-08-05

Great MGM Musical.......2007-07-22

A Disatisfied Customer.......2007-05-13

This is the first item purchased from Amazon that I was less than satisfied with. I found the DVD of poor quality and the last two tracts were not visable.

one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals............2007-05-07

A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain.......2007-04-06

Fred Astaire Triple Feature: Second Chorus/Royal Wedding/The Over The Hill Gang Rides Again

Average customer rating:

Great to have Astaire on DVD, but the print quality is low

Fred Astaire Triple Feature: Second Chorus/Royal Wedding/The Over The Hill Gang Rides Again
Starring: Fred Astaire
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00007JZWB
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Customer Reviews:

Great to have Astaire on DVD, but the print quality is low.......2003-01-24

Here are three Fred Astaire movies: Second Chorus, Royal Wedding, and The Over the Hill Gang Rides Again. The first movie, Second Chorus is a light, frivolous movie, with less of Astaire's dancing than is typical in his outings with Ginger Rogers. It's fun to see, but the print is fairly muddy, and sometimes it's hard to see detail. Royal Wedding is cute, and features some of Astaire's classic dance scenes--the hatrack dance and the dance on the ceiling number. The Over the Hill Gang Rides Again is a made-for-television movie featuring a number of familiar old faces from Westerns. It's an ok movie, and it's fun to see Astaire in the "fish out of water" kind of a movie. It's Fred Astaire's only Western, and although he plays a Texas Ranger, he's the most dandified Texas Ranger you'll ever see. Overall, the DVD compilation is fun, and the price is certainly low enough to overcome the print quality objection.

Average customer rating:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime
Great MGM Musical
A Disatisfied Customer
one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals.....
A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain

Royal Wedding
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Vidtape
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00023BLYY
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime.......2007-08-05

Great MGM Musical.......2007-07-22

A Disatisfied Customer.......2007-05-13

This is the first item purchased from Amazon that I was less than satisfied with. I found the DVD of poor quality and the last two tracts were not visable.

one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals............2007-05-07

A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain.......2007-04-06

DVD:

DVD

DVD