Movie #3092 "Royal Wedding" (TCM) Even though in my film classes I used the Astaire "dancing on the ceiling" scene from this movie, I had never really sat down to watch it. I guess when I found out they were playing brother and sister and that it wasn't a romance between the two, I lost interest in the title. But I shouldn't have because out of all the Astaire films, this is really different that he is dancing with his sister --- and it mirrors autobiographically what he had done for years and years with his own sister, Adele. Anyway, it does have a couple of big numbers: the aforementioned one, the two playing a gangster and his moll "roughing up" each other in a dance sequence (very funny), and Astaire dancing with a halltree. I love love love Jane Powell's voice (very high and always able to be understood) and always thought she was cute, and the film uses that to show that up until she meets up with Peter Lawford, she dated many men. It is obvious from their meet up that he did the same - dated lots and lots of women, so in rom-com talk -- they were meant for each other? Astaire meets up with a dancer, who just happens to be in real life Winston Churchill's daughter --- the big conflict is that both brother and sister made a pact that they would never get married and let their personal life get in the way of their business relationship. And it's a cute brother-sister bond they have, but of course, it is tested very much so in this film. 4.5 out of 5 for me. I liked it, and it has some of the best bits Astaire has ever done in film! And with a cutesy partner to boot.
"ROYAL WEDDING" 11951 1 hour and 33 mins
A brother and sister dance act encounter challenges and romance when booked in London during the Royal Wedding.
Director: Stanley Donen
Writer: Alan Jay Lerner
Actors: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford
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