La belle de Moscou

As "Silk Stockings" reaches the half-century mark, it is now so dated that it can be enjoyed either as a period piece, as a look at popular attitudes toward the Cold War, as a rather silly but enjoyable setting for the odd couple of Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire, or as a chance to see character actors like Jules Munchin and Peter Lorre. You know it's an old movie when Technicolor and stereophonic sound are being touted as the new big things!

Whether you like the main movie or not, the DVD extras have their own charm. The Special Features section includes a short film with Cyd Charisse as narrator, made about 2003, in which she talks about Cole Porter, Fred Astaire, and how the film came to be. Another short b/w film from the thirties is called "Paree, Paree". This one stars a very young Bob Hope, and features Cole Porter songs from the musical "20 Million Frenchmen".

Another musical treat is the "Poet and Peasant Overture", written by Franz von Suppe, played by the full studio orchestra. Both the 'Paree' film and this overture will tease you with musical strains familiar to those of us who grew up with old cartoons, so be warned! Listening to this music may induce animation flashback.

A lot of humor at the expense of the Soviets (natch) is present throughout this musical version of "Ninotchka" in which Greta Garbo was the Russian who melts into a normal woman thanks to the spell of capitalism. Here it's CYD CHARISSE who plays the very uptight lady (with a stiffness that comes naturally to Cyd who could play an "ice princess" with the best of them). And FRED ASTAIRE is thankfully cast as an American film producer hoping to get her cooperation in borrowing a Soviet composer for his new film.

That's the nuts and bolts of the story, but the ingredients (including a trio of Soviet agents played by PETER LORRE, JULES MUNSHIN and Joseph BULOFF and a ditsy American singer/actress JANET PAIGE), are enough to stir up a lot of sardonic humor and some really good song and dance numbers. Paige is especially good with her "Stereophonic Sound" routine and "Satin and Silk", flirtatious and vivacious as ever in a top supporting role.

But it's the dance elements that count here--Astaire at his most elegant and Cyd Charisse gracefully matching him step by step all the way through. Her performance as the serious minded miss who gradually bends to his ways is one of her better contributions to film comedy.

Summing up: A delightful blend of Cole Porter songs and a clever script make this one a sheer pleasure, smooth as silk.

Like so many films produced in the mid- to late Fifties and early Sixties, when CinemaScope and other widescreen processes enhanced a production, directors and cinematographers were usually unafraid to take full advantage of the wider ratio. They weren't so concerned about how the final product would look on TV's square screens and probably didn't anticipate the visual desecration of "formatting" and "pan-and-scan" reductions. So it's nice to know that this musical, filmed when M-G-M was about to throw in the musical towel and bid an undeserved farewell to the Arthur Freed "unit," can now be enjoyed again close to its original theatrical aspect ratio on DVD.

Astaire and Charisse are a team to be treasured (so wonderful together in "The Band Wagon" a few years earlier, under Minnelli's astute guidance) and all of the others listed in this film's credits are professionals of the highest caliber. Astaire has a fun solo (with a chorus of top-hatted dancers) in the "Ritz Roll 'n' Rock" number; Cyd gets to put those legendary legs to dazzlingly opulent use in the "Red Blues" production show-stopper; and even Janis Paige gets to raunch it up in an amusing example of clever Cole Porter risking something risqué (for its day) in a song about the Empress Josephine, "commonly known as Jo"! And there's that first reel number, "Stere-oh-phonic Sound," that cleverly spoofs the contemporary moviemakers' attempts to lure people from their TV sets with widescreens, sound coming from every corner of the auditorium and eye-glazing color processes. It may not be prime Porter but it's all far-and-away more fun and enjoyable than anything we're likely to get today with the threatened revival of the movie musical with barbarians like Baz Luhrmann given the directorial reins.

Clever, witty and charming musical, courtesy M.G.M. and the Arthur Freed unit, of which this was one of their last films. One of several musical remakes (of non-musical pictures) that the studio produced in the mid-late 1950s. This is one of the best.

Fred Astaire plays his usual character, the playboy-ish bachelor, in this case a film producer, wanting to use a Russian composer's music for his new film. Cyd Charisse plays Ninotchka, the Russian woman who comes to Paris to bring back the composer and three comrades who failed to return him to his native land. As the three comrades, Jules Munshin, Peter Lorre (holding onto a chair as he dances), and Joseph Buloff are a hoot, adding good comic relief in their "Too Bad" and "Siberia" numbers. Janis Paige is a jewel as the ditzy actress hired for the new film. She radiates with Astaire in the memorable "Stereophonic Sound" number, as well as in her own hilarious "Satin and Silk".

Charisse, (whose wooden acting is OK here), is lovely as usual and has a few excellent dances, including the sensual "All of You" (with Astaire), the lively "Red Blues", and the stunning ballet where she removes her old Russian garb, for her new Parisian silks. This was the second of her two pairings with Astaire, and though this is not the gem that "The Band Wagon" is, it still sparkles nonetheless.

A clever and classy musical, with some very topical humor. Great songs by Cole Porter (with the exception of the tacky "Ritz, Roll and Rock"...a poor punch at rock and roll). Excellent use of color and the Cinemascope frame help to make this one of the last great musicals of the 1950s.

Silk Stockings is not one of MGM's best films, with it just lacking their earlier films' sparkle, and it is not as good as Ninotchka(a Greta Garbo and Ernst Lubitsch gem), that it's a remake of. However, while it has its flaws, it is eminently watchable and is good entertainment.

The film is a handsome-looking film, especially in the sumptuous sets, though the colourful and expansive photography, not-too-bright-not-too-drab lighting and elegant costumes also delight. The music is energetic and whimsical and the songs, while not among Cole Porter's best(Ritz Rock and Roll is a little dull and tired) are very good, with memorable melodies and Porter's usual wit evident. All of You and Paris Loves Lovers are dreams come true for Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse lovers, but the highlight is the enormously fun Stereophonic Sound, Siberia has some funny moments but not for all tastes. Choreographically Silk Stockings is splendid, but does not waste Astaire or Charisse's talents at all, the songs I mentioned as highlights are also the highlights for the choreography, and while Ritz Rock and Roll is tired song-wise Astaire's dancing certainly is not.

Also present are a very clever script, where most of the humour sparkles and the romantic parts have the right balance of sweetness and magic while not feeling too much, it also has a good deal of warmth chemistry-wise which stops it from feeling cold and underdeveloped. The film is warm-hearted, good-humoured and light-footed on the most part, and is competently directed, while the cast are as splendid as the choreography. Astaire is as charming and graceful as ever, and Charisse is glamour and elegance personified. Janis Paige is hilarious, and comes close to stealing the show in Stereophonic Sound, and Peter Lorre and Jules Munshin are amusing, though both have given better performances elsewhere.

It's not a flawless film though. It does get heavy-handed in places and occasionally over-plotted, the anti-Russian jokes may leave a sour taste in the mouth and as aforementioned the Ritz Rock and Roll lacks the energy and is not as memorable or up-to-tempo as the rest of the film.

Despite the problems, Silk Songs is very watchable and fun and an above decent but inferior musical remake of Ninotchka. 7/10 Bethany Cox