There aren't many superlatives that haven't already been used to describe the elegant, the superb, the magical entertainer who was Fred Astaire. There had never been anyone like him before and there will never be anyone like him again. The word 'unique' is bandied about all over the place, but Fred really was that rare unique creature who graced our lives by the force of his whimsical on-screen personality and his incredible talent. He had the gift of making dancing appear oh-so-easy. He made walking look like a waste of time. Why walk when you can dance?
Fred combined elegance and dance in a way that no man has done since. His slim, physical presence was elegance personified. If called upon to wear a tux - which he often was - he wore it in a way that was both hyper-cool and correct. The tux was invented for Fred. (Not really, but he sure gave it pizazz.) He danced as if it were second nature to him. Though from comments he made over the years, we know he spent many gruelling hours rehearsing and was known to say that he had trouble with ordinary ballroom dancing. Hard to believe. But the important thing is, on film, he made it look as natural and as easy as strolling down a lane.
Ten Fred Astaire films I love:
THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934)
TOP HAT (1935)
SWING TIME (1936)
SHALL WE DANCE? (1937)
YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH(1941)
EASTER PARADE (1948)
THE BANDWAGON (1953)
DADDY LONG-LEGS (1955)
FUNNY FACE (1957)
SILK STOCKINGS (1957) Fred and Ginger dancing in SWING TIME, here. Fred and Cyd Charisse dancing in THE BANDWAGON, here.
To read more about the life and work of Fred Astaire, please go to this link.
Fred and Ginger dance to Cole Porter's Night and Day, here.
I was obsessed with Fred Astaire after seeing "That's Entertainment" and all through middle school and 9th grade I was a Fred Astaire nut - I even took tap dancing lessons! He will always be a favorite of mine, I love his Fred and Ginger movies the best - Top Hat's my favorite, then the Gay Divorcee, Shall We Dance?, and Swing Time, I've seen them a million times!
ReplyDeleteJulie: I've always loved Fred Astaire - since I was a kid. I never took tap dancing lessons, but I wanted to! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, if I had to pick just one Astaire film, it would be either THE GAY DIVORCEE or TOP HAT.
One of my favorites is Holiday Inn, which I will easily watch a dozen times after Thanksgiving. So good.
ReplyDeleteI watched Fred and Ginger movies all the time when I was young, and I definitely need to re-watch. Happy birthday, Fred!
picky girl: That's a good one, too. Especially around the holidays. I used to watch them more frequently years ago, but every now and then I like to watch one or the other of his films. They are still wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAlways found the Hollywood assessment of the young Astaire amusing. Can't act; balding; can dance a little.
ReplyDeletepatti: Obviously the person who did the assessing was blind. HA!
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ReplyDeleteYvonne: Your Fred comments showed up under the Q is for Quincy post. Don't worry about it. I'll respond there. :)
ReplyDeleteFred Astaire was such a classy, silky smooth dancer. It's always a joy to watch a movie that he's in.
ReplyDeletePat: Yes, he was a joy. I was so sad when he died. I kept thinking: a world without Fred Astaire in it - hard to imagine.
ReplyDeleteYvette! Great post...very well-written! "He made walking look like a waste of time..." Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI am not TOO familiar with the great FA, but I love Easter Parade (keep meaning to get it on DVD) and when the hubs and I watch "So You Think You Can Dance" on TV, I see so much of his influence. :-)
Cathy: Thanks so much! Well, truth be told, writing about Fred Astaire is easy enough. It all comes straight from my heart. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, if you're not TOO familiar, you must simply make yourself familiar. I recommend watching THE GAY DIVORCEE and DADDY LONG LEGS.
I love, love, love Fred Astaire! He really did exude elegance but with a sense of humor and every man about him.
ReplyDeleteFred: I know exactly what you mean. He was never too rich for anyone's blood. At least in films. :) He was an incomparable.
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