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Directed by Michael Curtiz, Romance on the High Seas (1948) the the story of Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) and her husband Michael (Don DeFore), who suspect each other of cheating. For their wedding anniversary, Elvira books a cruise to Rio de Janeiro, but Michael suddenly cancels the trip for business reasons. Seeing an opportunity, Elvira pretends to go alone, but in fact sends Georgia Garrett (Doris Day), a singer she had met at the travel agency, in her place and under her name. By secretly staying behind, Elvira hopes to discover if Michael is indeed having an affair with his attractive new secretary, Miss Medwick (Leslie Brooks). Michael, however, is suspicious over his wife's willingness to take the trip alone, so he hires private detective Peter Virgil (Jack Carson) to see if she is sneaking around behind his back. (from left to right) Janis Paige, Don DeFore, Doris Day and Jack Carson on Romance on the High Seas . Peter joins the cruise and, as part of his job, becomes acqua...

This week on «Film Friday» I am honoring Cyd Charisse's 95th birthday, which was on Wednesday, by telling you a little bit about one of her best-known works. This is also widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time. Since I was unable to write this article on time, this week's «Film Friday» comes on a Sunday. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, The Band Wagon (1953) tells the story of stage and screen star Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire), a veteran of musical comedy, who is concerned that his career might be in decline. His good friends Lester and Lily Marton (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray) have written a stage show that they believe is perfect for his comeback. Tony signs up, despite misgivings after the pretentious director, Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan), changes the light comedy into a dark reinterpretation of the Faust legend, with himself as the Devil and Tony as the Faust character. Tony also feels intimidated by the youth, beauty, and classical background of h...

To celebrate Leslie Caron's 84th birthday, this week on "Film Friday" I bring you the first film she ever made, which also happens to be the Best Picture winner of 1951. Theatrical release poster Directed by Vincente Minnelli, An American in Paris (1951) tells the story of Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly), a happy-go-lucky American veteran of World War II now making his life as a struggling artist in Paris, along with his friend and neighbor Adam Cook (Oscar Levant), a cynical American concert pianist. One day, a lonely society woman and heiress named Milo Roberts (Nina Foch) finds Jerry displaying his paintings and takes an interest in him and his art. She invites him to a jazz club, where they talk about their lives and his paintings, and Milo offers to sponsor an art show for him as a friendly gesture. While Milo is dancing with a friend, Jerry spots a pretty French girl, Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), and is immediately smitten. Ignoring Milo and her acqua in ta...