The Band Wagon

by Vincente Minnelli

USA - 1951

Friday, June 8th • 4PM
At Chaktomuk

Feature Film - 111mn

Color

English - Khmer subtitles


Screenplay Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Cinematography Harry Jackson

Music Arthur Schwartz

Cast Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray, Jack Buchanan, James Mitchell, Robert Gist

Format 35 mm - 1,37:1

Genre Musical comedy

First ralease August 7, 1953

Awards Oscars (1954): Best script - Best music - Best costume

Synopsis Tony Hunter, a famous singer/dancer movie star, is feeling washed up and old hat (old top hat, tie and tails to be exact). The reporters are out for Ava Gardner, not him. But his old friends Lily and Les Martin have an idea for a funny little Broadway show and he agrees to do it. But things begin to get out of hand, when bigshot «artistic» director/producer/star Jeffrey Cordova joins the production, proclaims it’s a modernistic Faust and insists on hiring a prima ballerina, Gabrielle Gerard, to star opposite Tony, and it’s hate at first sight. And her jealous choreographer isn’t helping to ease the tension. The show is doomed by pretentiousness. But romance, a «let’s put on a show» epiphany, and a triumphant opening are waiting in the wings.

About Born Lester Anthony Minnelli in Chicago on February 28 1903, his father Vincent was a musical conductor of the Minnelli Brothers’ Tent Theater. Wanting to pursue an artistic career, Minelli worked in the costume department of the Chicago Theater, then on Broadway during the depression as a set designer and costumer, adopting a Latinized version of his father’s first name when he was hired as an art-director by Radio City Music Hall. The fall of 1935 saw his directorial debut for a Franz Schubert revue, At Home Abroad. The show was the first of three, in the best Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. spirit, before receiving Arthur Freed’s offer to work at MGM. This was his second try at Hollywood - a short unsuccessful contract at Paramount led nowhere. He stayed at MGM for the next 26 years.

Selective filmography of Vincente Minnelli (1903-1986)

1944 – Meet me in St Louis

1951 – An American in Paris

1952 – The bad and the beautiful

1958 – Gigi