Product Details

• Actors: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan
• Directors: Vincente Minnelli
• Writers: Adolph Green, Alan Jay Lerner, Betty Comden
• Producers: Arthur Freed, Roger Edens
• Format: Color, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: February 23, 1995
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630236325X
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,599 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Band Wagon (1953) marked the culmination of a series of near-autobiographical pictures Fred Astaire made for MGM following his return from premature retirement in the late '40s. Astaire plays Tony Hunter, a fading film star (his big hit: Flying Down to Panama) who decides to return to his former glory, the Broadway stage. (In 1931, Astaire had starred on Broadway with sister Adele in The Band Wagon, a revue that lent some of its songs to this film.) His playwright-songwriter friends (Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant) hook him up with Broadway's hottest director, Jeffrey Cordova (a nicely hammy Jack Buchanan), who proves that the "new" theater traditions can be an awkward fit with the old. Hunter also finds himself at odds with his prima ballerina leading lady (Cyd Charisse), one of his chief worries being that she seems a little tall. Along the way, producer Arthur Freed, director Vincente Minnelli, choreographer Michael Kidd, and songwriters Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz treat us to some quintessential MGM numbers: Astaire's solo ode "By Myself," the flashy arcade romp "A Shine on Your Shoes," Astaire and Charisse's romantic duet "Dancing in the Dark," the faux-German drinking song "I Love Louisa," the manic trio "Triplets" (with Astaire, Fabray, and Buchanan in matching baby outfits), the Mickey Spillane-esque "Girl Hunt Ballet," and the classic show-biz anthem "That's Entertainment." Even if its ending and obligatory romance fall a little flat, The Band Wagon is one of the classic backstage musicals, a grandiose MGM spectacle that also manages to poke some fun at how grandiose MGM pictures had become. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the great film musicals, July 6, 2002

By	Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This movie begins with a phenomenal if misleading shot. It shows a top hat and cane belonging to former dancing legend Tony Hunter being auctioned, with no takers. Of course, if you see a top hat and cane, you think "Fred Astaire." But despite the implication and reference, Fred Astaire was, at the time this film was being made, still very much the greatest dancer in the movies (with apologies to Gene Kelly). Unlike Tony Hunter, he had never ceased to make "A" pictures. But no one could have played this role with more authority than Astaire.

The plot is simple: washed-out and used-up former dance legend Tony Hunter is returning to Broadway in an attempt to revive his sagging career. That provides the pretext that is needed for a nearly perfect musical. THE BAND WAGON is a magnificent blend of great songs, great music, great dancer numbers, great actors, and great comedy. The cast is perfect. You get not only the greatest song and dance man in movie history but also a magnificent partner in the elegant and leggy Cyd Charise. You get great comic relief with Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray. And you get one of the few musical comedy performers who could rival Fred Astaire for elegance and charm in Jack Buchanan.

The musical numbers are both marvelous and apparently never ending. The film begins with Fred performing "By Myself" and then soon shifts to a thoroughly rousing version of "Shine on My Shoes." Later in the film, two enormously debonair song and dance men (Fred and Jack) perform "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan's." And that doesn't even come close to exhausting the list.

Perhaps the highpoint of the film, however, comes when Tony and Gabrielle, the ballet performer the producers want to partner him with, uncertain that they will be able to dance with each other at all, take a carriage ride through Central Park to try to get to know each other. As they drive, they come upon an outdoor dance floor, with an orchestra playing the haunting Dietz and Schwartz classic "Dancing in the Dark" (which lyricist Dietz intended to be a meditation about the nature of human existence; Schwartz's music matched the mood of the lyrics perfectly). Tony and Gabrielle get out and begin to walk together in rhythm, gradually and tentatively attempting a few dance steps. Eventually, they discover each other's rhythm, and they begin to dance together marvelously and magnificently, matching the mood of the music precisely. It is one of the greatest moments in either Astaire or Charisse's career.

This is a must see film for any fan of the movie musical. I have to confess that I am not, by and large, a big fan of the MGM musical. I prefer the kookiness of the older RKO musicals, or even the stylized musicals of Warners or even Fox. MGM musicals were, to me, too often overproduced and dominated by the art directors. This film, however, is a magnificent exception.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Many of Us, the Best Musical, May 3, 2000

By	Allen Smalling "Constant Reader," (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Band Wagon [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I'm not prepared to be objective about "The Band Wagon." To me it has the artistry of "An American in Paris" and the rollicking fun of "Singing in the Rain." Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse have never danced better before or since and this backstage musical with plenty of tunes by Dietz and Schwartz gives them plenty of opportunity to strut their stuff. To me the "Dancing in the Dark" sequence is the most sublime dance number ever recorded on film.

"The Band Wagon" is not just a musical, but a musical about musicals. Fred Astaire plays a slightly down-and-out version of himself, "Tony Hunter," who was "in all those singing and dancing pictures ten or twelve years ago, but the critics say he's washed up." Against his better judgment Tony gets teamed up with Cyd in an arty version of "Faust" that has disaster written all over it. But you know show people . . . and musicals . . .

This movie really gets a split response. Nobody hates it but for some it's "just okay" and then there are the ones like me who LOOVE it. It's my favorite musical and one of my favorite movies, period. I'm very glad Amazon is stocking it again. If you're a fan of Astaire, director Vincente Minnelli, or the MGM films of the early fifties, I doubt you'll be disappointed if you take a chance on "The Band Wagon."

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fine MGM musical with love, a stageshow epiphany and a victorious opening just waiting to pop out at you, February 4, 2008

By	Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

The Band Wagon is one of those excellent MGM musicals with enough song and dance musical numbers to make your eyes bug out! The color is excellent and the sound is good. The plot moves along at a good pace; and there was never a dull moment. The cinematography and the choreography work very well, especially in scenes where the actors are performing a play within a movie.

The action begins when Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire), a washed up actor and dancer, comes to New York to try his luck on Broadway as well as meet his old friends Lily and Lester Martin (Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant, respectively). Lily and Lester are not just married--they're also a writing team! They hatch a plan to revive Tony's career with a great artistic vehicle for him. Tony agrees but soon there's a great deal of uneasiness for Tony when he discovers that Lily and Lester want the great star Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan), who also directs and produces, to plan out the show.

Things become even more uneasy when Tony doesn't exactly hit it off with the female leading lady, Gabrielle Gerard (Cyd Charisse). Tony worries that Gabrielle might be taller than he is; and Tony and Gabrielle just don't get along. Worse yet, Jeffrey Cordova insists that the vehicle for Tony's comeback be transformed into a type of Faustian play that Tony comes to loathe.

Of course, from here the plot could go just about anywhere. Will Tony and Gabrielle ever see eye-to-eye? What about Gabrielle's boyfriend who is the choreographer for the show--how will he fit into the picture? Will the changing of the show to a Faustian theme really work? How will Lily and Lester react to the changes being made to the show? No spoilers here, folks--you'll just have to watch the movie to find out!

Of course, you buy this for the movie; but the extras are extensive and very impressive. There's a great commentary by Liza Minnelli and you get a great documentary about Vincente Minnelli, the director of The Band Wagon. The Fred Astaire trailer gallery is nice but you'll probably be more amazed at a rare Vitaphone short featuring Jack Buchanan way before The Band Wagon was ever filmed!

The Band Wagon is clearly one of the great MGM musicals. There are many timeless moments including the "That's Entertainment" number; and the sequence of musical numbers that wind up the film is wonderful to behold. I highly recommend this film for people who love classic movie musicals; and fans of the stars of this picture will almost surely want to get this for their collections.