A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition.A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition.A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition.
- Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total
India Adams
- Gabrielle Gerard
- (singing voice)
- (uncredited)
Fred Aldrich
- Hot Dog Vendor
- (uncredited)
Richard Alexander
- Stagehand
- (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson
- Train Porter
- (uncredited)
Barbara Bailey
- Dancer
- (uncredited)
Patsy Bangs
- Dancer
- (uncredited)
Lysa Baugher
- Dancer in Troupe
- (uncredited)
Mary Bayless
- Theatre Patron
- (uncredited)
Brandon Beach
- Auction Guest
- (uncredited)
Ralph Beaumont
- Dancer in Troupe
- (uncredited)
Don Beddoe
- Producer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the DVD bonus features, Nanette Fabray stated that Oscar Levant was difficult to work with. Whenever something would go wrong or he would make a mistake, he would blame whoever was around. This included stage hands, other actors, lighting technicians, or whoever was handy. She said that, since she was usually closest, she caught the brunt of it. Following a botched take, he again blamed her for something. She lost her temper and told him off using unladylike language. Everyone on the set applauded. After that, he was much easier to work with.
- GoofsAt the New York opening night, the theater name on the marquee is Alcott Theatre, but the program cover has Stratton Theatre.
- Quotes
Gabrielle Gerard: Oh, that's a very early Degas, isn't it?
[examines painting]
Gabrielle Gerard: 1877.
Tony Hunter: [playing up their age difference] Yeah, I swiped it from his desk in school. Was he sore.
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "THE BAND WAGON (Spettacolo di varietà, 1953) - New Widescreen Edition + IL SIGNORE IN MARSINA (1943)" (2 Films on a single DVD, with "The Band Wagon" in double version 1.33:1 and 1.78:1), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
- ConnectionsEdited into Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972)
- SoundtracksBy Myself
(1937) (uncredited)
Music by Arthur Schwartz
Lyrics by Howard Dietz
Performed by Fred Astaire twice
Featured review
Now that's entertainment, and perhaps Astaire's best film
The Band Wagon is one of those films such as "The Maltese Falcon" and "Some Like It Hot", where just about everybody involved does the finest work of their career, both in front of and behind the camera. It is certainly the best collaboration between two legends of the musical genre, hoofer Fred Astaire and director Vincente Minnelli.
Astaire plays has-been Hollywood star Tony Hunter who hopes to revive his popularity by returning to Broadway in a new musical written by his friends Lester and Lily Marton (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray in essence portraying the screenplay's authors, Adolph Green and Betty Comden).
The Martons have entrusted the staging of their show to wunderkind actor/director/producer Jeffrey Cordova (a combination caricature of Orson Welles and Jose Ferrer played by British song-and-dance man Jack Buchanan). Two of Cordova's inspirations include casting ballerina Gabrielle Gerard (Charisse) as the female lead (good idea) and turning the show into a pretentious Faust allegory (really bad idea).
Tony and Gabrielle rub each other the wrong way - at first, and Cordova's joyless concoction lays an egg. But the cast vows to forge ahead and try again with another musical, this time with no mention of hell or the devil.
As clever as the script is, the main attractions are the exquisitely performed musical numbers (written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz) including "That's Entertainment", "A Shine on Your Shoes","Dancing in the Dark" and the greatest grand finale in the history of movie musicals "The Girl Hunt Ballet", a parody of film noir with Astaire as private eye Rod Riley and Charisse in a dual role as good girl and femme fatale.
Astaire plays has-been Hollywood star Tony Hunter who hopes to revive his popularity by returning to Broadway in a new musical written by his friends Lester and Lily Marton (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray in essence portraying the screenplay's authors, Adolph Green and Betty Comden).
The Martons have entrusted the staging of their show to wunderkind actor/director/producer Jeffrey Cordova (a combination caricature of Orson Welles and Jose Ferrer played by British song-and-dance man Jack Buchanan). Two of Cordova's inspirations include casting ballerina Gabrielle Gerard (Charisse) as the female lead (good idea) and turning the show into a pretentious Faust allegory (really bad idea).
Tony and Gabrielle rub each other the wrong way - at first, and Cordova's joyless concoction lays an egg. But the cast vows to forge ahead and try again with another musical, this time with no mention of hell or the devil.
As clever as the script is, the main attractions are the exquisitely performed musical numbers (written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz) including "That's Entertainment", "A Shine on Your Shoes","Dancing in the Dark" and the greatest grand finale in the history of movie musicals "The Girl Hunt Ballet", a parody of film noir with Astaire as private eye Rod Riley and Charisse in a dual role as good girl and femme fatale.
helpful•111
- AlsExGal
- Aug 4, 2017
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- I Love Louisa
- Filming locations
- 214 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(establishing shot showing the New Amsterdam Theatre)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,169,120 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $14,889
- Runtime1 hour 52 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content