Royal Wedding

MGM, 1951, Color, 93 minutes, ***½

A fun film starring Jane Powell and Fred Astaire as brother and sister stage musical stars. They take their show to England just in time for the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II. And, yes, Sarah Churchill is the daughter of Winston Churchill. A cut scene featuring a song and dance routine by Peter Lawford and Jane Powell has survived and can sometimes be seen on TCM. Musical highlights include "Open Your Eyes," sung by Jane and danced by Jane and Fred on a rolling ship during a storm and "The Liar Song," sung and danced by Jane and Fred. This is the film that features Fred dancing on the ceiling and walls of his hotel room.

This is another film which inadvertently fell into public domain when someone at MGM overlooked the copyright renewal. There are many public domain transfers, but the videotape shown here was a genuine MGM studio transfer, and the DVD shown here (as part of a box set) is a studio restored and transferred print from Warner Bros. slated for release in July 2007.

Much hoopla is made of the fact that MGM originally intended to star Judy Garland opposite Fred Astaire (as a follow-up to their successful teaming in Easter Parade). When Judy fell ill (not surprisingly), June Allyson was to take her place, but she came down with a serious case of pregnancy. So the part fell to Jane Powell. All this makes it sound like Jane was some kind of last resort. Definitely not! Jane does an excellent job with the part - she fills the role with sparkling vitality and witty charm!

"Fred Astaire and Jane Powell are at the top of their form in this merry musical featuring two of Astaire's most celebrated solos. You'll be mesmerized by his brilliantly stylish syncopated caper - with a hatrack for a partner - and amazed by the ingenuity of "You're All the World To Me," a gravity-defying combination of agility and camera trickery in which Astaire gambols gaily over the walls and ceiling of a hotel room. Royal Wedding is a show-business story set during Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Philip Mountbatten. A brother-sister dance team (Astaire and Powell) goes to London to take part in the festivities. But once there, they become preoccupied with romance. He is beguiled by a music hall dancer (Sarah Churchill). She falls for a handsome young Lord (Peter Lawford). The question: will love and marriage break up the act? The lively dancing and sparkling songs also include a jazzy comic duet and Powell's touching rendition of "Too Late Now."

Produced by: Arthur Freed
Directed by: Stanley Donen
Story and Screen Play by: Alan Jay Lerner
Music by: Burton Lane
Lyrics by: Alan Jay Lerner
Musical Direction: Johnny Green
Orchestrations: Conrad Salinger and Skip Martin
Dances by: Nick Castle
Art Directors: Cedric Gibbons and Jack Martin Smith
Set Decorations: Edwin B. Willis
   Associate: Alfred E. Spencer
Hair Styles Designed by: Sydney Guilaroff
Make-Up Created by: William J. Tuttle
Recording Supervisor: Douglas Shearer
Director of Photography: Robert Planck
Special Effects: Warren Newcombe
Color by Technicolor
Technicolor Color Consultants: Henri Jaffa, James Gooch
Film Editor: Albert Akst

Awards: Nominated for Best Song Academy Award ("Too Late Now")

Cast:
Fred Astaire ... Tom Bowen
Jane Powell ... Ellen Bowen
Peter Lawford ... Lord John Brindale
Sarah Churchill ... Anne Ashmond
Keenan Wynn ... Irving Klinger/Edgar Klinger
Albert Sharpe ... James Ashmond
Viola Roache ... Sarah Ashmond
Henri Letondal ... Purser
James Finlayson ... Cabby
Alex Frazer ... Chester
Jack Reilly ... Pete Cumberly
William Cabanne ... Dick
John Hedloe ... Billy
Francis Bethancourt ... Charles Gordon
Andre Charisse ... Steward
Bess Flowers ... Woman Guest
Dee Turnell ... Dancer
Mae Clarke ... Bit

Songs:
[0:00] Overture: "You're All the World to Me" / "Too Late Now" (played by Orchestra behind titles)
[0:01] Every Night at Seven (sung by Fred Astaire and Chorus, danced by Fred Astaire and Jane Powell)
[0:16] Sunday Jumps (instrumental arrangement played by Orchestra, danced by Fred Astaire with a metronome and a hat rack)
[0:21] Open Your Eyes (sung by Jane Powell, danced by Jane Powell and Fred Astaire sliding around on the floor as the boat rocks in a storm)
[0:30] Every Night at Seven (instrumental, danced by Sarah Churchill, joined by Fred Astaire)
[0:44] The Happiest Day of My Life (sung by Jane Powell)
[0:50] How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life? (aka "The Liar Song," sung and danced by Fred Astaire and Jane Powell -- great number!)
[0:57] Too Late Now (sung by Jane Powell, nominated for Best Song Academy Award)
[1:05] You're All the World to Me (sung and danced by Fred Astaire, dancing on walls and ceiling of his room)
[1:14] I Left My Hat in Haiti (sung by Fred Astaire and Chorus, danced by Fred Astaire, Jane Powell and Chorus; Dee Turnell is said to be one of the dancers in this number)
[1:28] What a Lovely Day for a Wedding (sung by Childrens Chorus, then by Keenan Wynn as he walks the streets of London)
[1:32] Too Late Now (instumental reprise at end of movie)

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Fred Astaire literally climbs the walls as he sings and dances "You're All the World to Me"


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