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The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition) |  | Director: Vincente Minnelli
Actors: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy Used: $5.95
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Rating:  70 reviews
Sales Rank: 31762
Format: Special Edition, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Running Time: 111 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 67534
UPC: 012569675346
EAN: 0012569675346
ASIN: B0007YXPKQ
Theatrical Release Date: August 7, 1953
Release Date: March 15, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | In this Vincente Minnelli-directed backstager, Fred Astaire dazzles in numbers set in a train station (By Myself), a penny arcade (A Shine on Your Shoes), a backlot Central Park (Dancing in the Dark) and a smokey cafe (Girl Hunt), the latter two with the incomparable Cyd Charisse. And when he, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan play infants who "hate each other very much!" in the merry Trip |
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Product Description
A MUSICAL DELIGHT ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF A FADED HOLLYWOOD STAR WHO TURNS TO BROADWAY.
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
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 70
 One of the Best Musicals March 16, 2010
R.L.
The jacket of this 2-disk DVD says "the greatest of the movie musicals." I don't know if it is the greatest. After all, it doesn't have Astaire in his prime--and it doesn't have Judy Garland. Not that it doesn't have a lot of great things.
Notably a couple of great numbers of Fred with long-legged Cyd Charisse--with those fabulous Minnelli sets. Then there's the famous "Triplets" number--three hams dancing on their knees. And Fred's shoe shine number, where they found a real shoe shine kid in NY who could actually dance! And the wonderful Jack Buchanan duetting with Fred--and holding his own. And finally the "That's Entertainment" gem which has become the National Anthem of musicals. Did I mention the Minnelli sets? The fabulous colors and artwork--especially in the Buchanon character's house when Fred first meets Cyd. The box stages, the bright red walls, etc.--much like Minnelli's own house, according to Liza Minnelli in her movie commentary with singer Michael Feinstein. There is also a documentary on the making of the movie and another on Vincente Minnelli in the 2nd DVD.
The digitalized video quality is excellent--movie theater quality--especially played on a blu ray player which upgrades the resolution to near HD.
This is a great musical, but I can't say it's my all-time favorite--or the best.I mean, has anyone ever seen Fred's movies with Ginger in the 30s--especially Swing Time and Top Hat? And the ones with Rita Hayworth and Garland in the 40s?
Astaire was still great in the 50s, but he was just a bit past his incredible prime. And we haven't even mentioned Gene Kelly's Singin'in the Rain and An American in Paris.
Excellent DVD !! January 27, 2010
Cynthia Carter Satterfield
Wonderful movie and really enjoyed the extra DVD with commentary by some of the actors !!
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition) January 13, 2010
P. Dunn (PA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)Almost everything that Fred Astaire dances in can be called a classic. There isn't another dancer known as well for his style and grace as Fred Astaire who virtually made "The Musical" with Ginger Rogers back in the 30's. And this one is no exception with leading lady Cyd Charisse especially with there beautiful romantic dance in the Central Park that is noted by many as a favorite. Some people believe the character Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) was somehow suppose to represent what was happening to Fred Astaire (somehow feeling like he Tony Hunter was a has-been) in his life however I couldn't imagine anything farther from the truth. There is a universal appeal of Fred Astaire's light grace and motion is still felt in this film. You can even see exactly how Fred moves in scene where he dances in slow motion while the rest of the cast dances at normal speed.
This is a light musical with not the best of plots but it is workable venue for a dancing and singing scenes. Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) a "has-been" musical star comes into town to see his playwright friends Lily Marton (delightful Nanette Fabray) and movie husband Lester Marton (as always himself Oscar Levant). These two have written a play for him, which they want big-shot "artistic" director/producer/star Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan) a pompous a-hummm, to help run the production. He changes their little musical comedy into a modernistic Faust insisting on hiring prima ballerina, Gabrielle Gerard (the fabulous Cyd Charisse) as leading lady to Tony. Of course it's hate at first sight with Gabrielle's and her jealous boyfriend/manger/choreographer bringing even more tension to a tense situation. The whole combination creates a huge egg. In the midst of the insanity Tony walks out, Cabrielle is sent to apologize - the beautiful dance in the park ensues - beginning of romance - "the show must go on" they take back their show creating a series of creative sometimes innovative musical numbers.
Some of my favorite musical numbers are Fred Astaire and the shoe shine man "A Shine on My Shoes" (played by an actual shoeshine man who dances that way shining shoes). Of course the Central Park Dance "Dancing in the Dark", the slow-mo dance, One of my favorites "Triplets" where Fred Astaire is joined with Jack Buchanan and Nanette Fabray playing triplet babies who hate each other - this one still gets letters on how'd you do that. And "That's Entertainment" (which was first introduced by Betty Hutton, Howard Keel & Louis Calhern in "Annie Get Your Gun" a musical about Annie Oakley) and in this film this song in it's presentation is the title and theme song for 3 more movies.
So in conclusion Two Thumbs up!!!
 Good, but not great September 13, 2009
B. Ault (Edmonton, AB)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
First, the good points: Fred Astaire is ... Fred Astaire, and Cyd Charisse is an all-time great Hollywood dancer. Some numbers, such "The Girl Hunt" and especially "Dancing in the Dark" are simply great.
But the story doesn't even vaguely hold together. Almost none of the songs in the "show-within-a-show" have anything to do with either show, or advance the plot in any way. Jack Buchanan is fun in spots, but has an odd grimace when he dances. Oscar Levant just isn't that funny, and Nanette Fabray doesn't have much to do. The storyline about the disastrous production has great potential, but ........
At times, Comden and Green are clearly trying to have it both ways - entertaining while making fun of a musical genre, but too often they don't quite make it on this one. There are some terrific lyrics, but it never makes it into the pantheon of great musicals.
not available August 10, 2009
H. Sasak (Tacoma, WA.)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Product was not available and I was promptly notified so that I could make other plans for purchase.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 70
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