'The Band Wagon'

This movie represents the whole genre of American musicals that drive me crazy in a way. I can’t put my finger on it and to explain my disdain would drive me crazy and, foremost, wouldn’t make any sense. 

Being quite younger and living in a world where the sheen of Hollywood was replaced with cynicism and jaded opinions of the stars that make films, I don’t understand movies of the 1950s. Knowing my mother, I do imagine it being a lot more “magical” for viewers. Films were star driven. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bob Hope and any other star of the era were well aware that people were spending hard-earned cash to watch their dopey movie. Therefore, you often saw thin plotlines broken up by unique dance routines and clever songs. 

The stars are not emoting for the sake of portraying a character because nine times out of 10 they were simply portraying some version of themselves. 

The Band Wagon is the perfect example. Astaire’s “Tony Martin” is a facsimile of himself: An aging star coming to grips with his own fading star. He’s portraying himself. Chances are, however, Astaire never actually acted like that. I wonder if he ever took time by himself and fully realized what this role actually said about himself? 

Astaire and other stars of his ilk and era were not idiots. They played the hopeless romantic or the star-crossed entertainer because that’s what people went to the movies. They wanted Astaire’s personal life to be like that of Tony Martin’s because it’s too disturbing to see someone we adored to crash in flames. Unlike the modern times. 

The Band Wagon is considered one of the greatest American musicals along with Singin’ in the Rain. Naturally, both co-star Cyd Charisse. And underrated accomplishment, I think, both being released within a year of each other.