Dance, girl, dance

[litlover12]

Doing some more research on musical films. Did you know that, in 10 films with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers got one dance solo? Just one.

I'm not dissing or judging Astaire (or their choreographers or directors) -- I love him and always have. He was an awesome dancer and a classy human being. It was just a different time.

And there's no question that Fred was the better and more experienced dancer, I don't care what they say about "backwards and in high heels." There's also no question that their partnership brought out the best in her. Also, things changed a good deal in his later films with other partners.

Still . . . one. That does seem a mite unbalanced.

(Possibly Gene Kelly has me spoiled. The man used to hand out numbers to other people -- both singing and dancing numbers -- like Halloween candy.) 

Comments

[modmerseygirl.livejournal.com]

Wow, you know, I never realized that! I feel like a bad Astaire & Rogers fan! :) Very interesting, indeed!

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Sorry to butt in but I just have to say: your icon is gorgeous and oh so perfect! *_*

[modmerseygirl.livejournal.com]

Awww, thank you! It is by colorknot. :) And *waves*! I had to glance at your userinfo page and we have tons in common! Nice to meet you. :)

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Nice to meet you too! :) You have a wonderful icon collection, I could get lost in it for hours!

[katharhino.livejournal.com]

I had to read this twice to realize you meant one TOTAL not one per film - not that you were unclear, just that it seemed so unlikely. Okay, yeah. That's a bit unfair.

[modernelegance.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWW, that is sad! I love the story where Astaire helped Debbie Reynolds with here singing In the rain Dance, but for him to have all of the limelight in his movies? Disappointing!

I love that quality about Gene. Not only was he the best, but he wasn't afraid of anyone else doing what they did best on the screen or even having some time for themselves in their own number.

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

For SHAME! That is depressing.

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Again, I don't mean to be too hard on Fred. In that day and age, it may not have even occurred to anyone to throw a few solo numbers to the female half of a team! Unless she were someone who'd established herself as a solo dancer, like Eleanor Powell.

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

True! And I think it's not so much a reflection him but on the times, as you said.

[spiderorchid81.livejournal.com]

Different times indeed... I too am a big fan of Fred Astaire but I've always thought it a bit unfair that they cut Judy Garland's only big solo number from "Easter Parade" (the official line was that they had to do it because the costume was "too modern" for the film's setting - and Ann Miller's wasn't? Oh, please...) and he has three.

I agree about Astaire beeing a better dancer than Ginger but I think it's unbalanced too.

(And of course Gene Kelly was awesome in this respect - I guess the most important thing for him was to make a great movie, not his ego, so he tried to give all those talented people he worked with their share of the spotlight.)