No this is not a movie about a royal couple getting married; although there is a wedding taking place behind the main story. This was the first musical I saw with one of the finest actor/dancers of all time; of course I’m talking about Fred Astaire. If you have yet to experience the magic of Astaire’s dancing this would be a great film to start with as two of his most famous numbers take place in this 1951 movie, along with a fantastic story. Spoiler alert as always. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.
Tom (Fred Astaire) and Ellen Bowen (Jane Powell) are a brother and sister musical duo (somewhat based on Astaire and his sister Adele as a duo) taking their hit Broadway show to London, capitalizing on the many coming to the royal wedding. Working with twin brother agents Irving and Edgar Klinger (Keenan Wynn) Tom and Ellen board a boat heading for London. Ellen meets a man on the boat Lord John Brindale (Peter Lawford) and despite their flirty ways with others they can’t stay away from each other. Meanwhile Tom develops feelings for one of the dancers in their London show Anne Ashmond (Sarah Churchill) despite her having a fiancé. Tom does what he can to help Anne out, and she falls for him as well. About as far as I can go without spoiling the rest of the movie.
If you have ever seen Fred Astaire dance you know how good and captivating he is; watching this movie I could not take my eyes off him. Jane Powell I thought did very well in this film despite her being a third choice. Let me explain the original actress June Allyson was pregnant when she was cast and had to drop out. Judy Garland was cast, much to the objections of the original director Stanley Donen who did not want to work with her again after their last film. Charles Walters was then brought in to direct, but when Garland kept calling in sick when filming began Walters replaced her with Powell; this in turn forced MGM to terminate Garland’s contract. Part of me wonders what would have happened, but we will never know.
As for the numbers many stand out, whether they were a part of Tom and Ellen’s show or on their own. In the show three number stick out. The opening number called “Ev’ry Night At Seven” with Tom as a board king chasing around Ellen as his maid. Second was the longest song title in an MGM musical, and probably one of the longest I’ve seen “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I’ve Been A Liar All My Life” (yeah there is no way to shorten that) and Tom and Ellen do a bit of a comic vaudeville routine. The last number to stick out within the show is “I Left My Hat In Haiti” with Tom and Ellen doing a Caribbean routine. While all the number in the show are fantastic there are numbers outside of the show that are just as good if not better; specifically three. One is a dance duet number “Open Your Eyes” with Tom and Ellen on their boat with a storm approaching and let’s just say the duo have a bit of a rocky routine (although it is funny). However the two most famous numbers in Royal Wedding involve Fred Astaire doing what seemed impossible. The first is called “Sunday Jumps” which Tom performs on the boat with a hat rack (yes you read that correctly) showing that Fred could dance with literally anything and make it look good. The last and probably most famous number, not just in the movie but in Fred Astaire’s career, is “You’re All The World To Me” when Tom realizes he’s in love with Anne and dances all over the wall and ceiling. I cannot describe it or the film with no other words other than this: watch it.
Films or Television Worth Watching 