Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films [Hardcover]

John Mueller (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The incomparable, magical Fred Astaire has tapped his way through some 212 musical numbers during his career. Following his vaudeville days, when he was teamed with sister Adele, he went to Hollywood to star in his first musical film, Dancing Lady, in 1933. Since then, he has partnered Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron, Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth and Ginger Rogers, in such film classics as Flying Down to Rio, Top Hat, Holiday Inn, Silk Stockings and Daddy Long Legs. Mueller, author of Dance Film Directory, extols Astaire's dedication to his art, describes the choreographers and directors he worked with, his roles and working methods, his relationships with various leading ladies and dance partners, his devoted marriage, which was ended by his wife's death from cancer at the age of 46 (he remarried at 80). The author covers every Astaire film, with discussion of the choreography of each of the dances, accompanied by stills from the movies. A fitting celebration of a national treasure. November
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Fred Astaire is considered to be one of the greatest American dancers. His major career was in films and so has been preserved. Mueller, professor of film studies, attempts to show Astaire's brilliance through a combination of stills and frame enlargements (more than 2400) from his musical films, 1933-68. He uses a system of keys that link the text decribing the dances and music to the corresponding pictures. He also presents the plot and production history of each film chronologically and provides an overview of Astaire's career, personal life, and ideas about filmmaking, especially the filming of dance numbers. This is a meticulously written and entertaining work; though it cannot rise above the inherent limitations of depicting dance through words and pictures, it will appeal to those interested in dance and cinema history and is recommended for general collections. Roy Liebman, California State Univ. Lib., Los Angeles
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (October 8, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517060752
• ISBN-13: 978-0517060759
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Astaire Book, April 12, 2000

By 

"laddie5" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Astaire Dancing The Musical Films by John Mueller (Hardcover)

Probably the best book on Fred Astaire's career, this has everything, including frame-by-frame analyses of each of his dances. Mueller is obviously a fan, and sometimes finds things to praise in films that are actually pretty dull ("The Sky's the Limit," "Belle of New York"). But unlike most movie books, this one is fully thought-out, beautifully written, and just about exhaustive. Even the footnotes and appendices make entertaining reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE source for astaire, April 25, 2008

By 

Darryl K. Clark "pywakkit" (springfield, missouri) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films (Hardcover)

i have many students that are researching astaire's film career. when i tell them to get this book, they stare blankly at me. i tell them it is THE seminal book about astaire. still, i get blank stares.

when i realized i have always borrowed it from the library, though, i felt like a bit of a hypocrite. and now that it is out of print, i feel like the stupid, cheapskate hypocrite for not having ever invested in it.

i can right that wrong now, thanks to amazon.com.

for someone who has never so much as done a time step or a pull back, mueller adroitly and adoringly supplies detailed movement anlaysis on astaire's great, hidden and even not too important numbers in each of his film musicals. he provides impartial perspectives on every partner astaire ever had from ginger rogers and cyd charisse to betty hutton and joan fontaine.

once again, it is one of maybe five books any dance enthusiast should own.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astaire Dancing, May 1, 2009

By 

Adrienne E. Sanderson "Adrienne E. Sanderson" (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films (Hardcover)

Astaire Dancing is a wonderful tribute to the great Fred Astaire. The book profiles the grace and beauty that Astaire brought to film through his iconic choreography and various dance partners. A wonderful book with loads of pictures!