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The Band Wagon Details

1953 Certificate U
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 570 members

A washed-up movie star tries his luck on a faltering Broadway show and manages to turn it into a smash hit. Features a score of Schwartz-Dietz songs like 'Dancing In The Dark', 'Louisianna Hayride' and 'That's Entertainment'. Music by Adolph Deutsch. Songs by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. Read more

Starring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Jack Buchanan, Oscar Levant
Director Vincente Minnelli
Genres Music/Musical

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The Band Wagon cover art

The Band Wagon

A washed-up movie star tries his luck on a faltering Broadway show and manages to turn it into a smash hit. Features a score of Schwartz-Dietz songs like 'Dancing In The Dark', 'Louisianna Hayride' and 'That's Entertainment'. Music by Adolph Deutsch. Songs by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz.

Starring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Jack Buchanan, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray
Director Vincente Minnelli
Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 48 mins
Certificate Certificate U
Genres Music/Musical
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 16 May 2005
Production year: 1953
Format DVD

The Band Wagon (1953)

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  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Band Wagon

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  • 5 stars out of 5

    This clever and witty backstage musical with its great Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz score is a screen original from writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green (the Singin' in the Rain team). It boasts brilliant direction from Vincente Minnelli and fabulous Technicolor production design, and to many marks the peak of Fred Astaire's screen work. Astaire is stunning as he partners the gorgeous Cyd Charisse in Dancing in the Dark (Gene Kelly's own favourite Astaire number) and the Mickey Spillane parody The Girl Hunt ballet superbly choreographed by Michael Kidd and Oliver Smith. British veteran Jack Buchanan is cleverly cast, and Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray effectively play Green and Comden themselves. This is as good as musicals get.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 4 stars out of 4

    Simple but sophisticated musical with the bare minimum of plot, told mostly in jokes, and the maximum of music and song. Numbers include those listed below, as well as a spoof Mickey Spillane ballet finale. Level of technical accomplishment very high.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Band Wagon

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    'That's Entertainment'

    In respects, a much underrated film. This is a very enjoyable film to watch and easy on the eyes and ears. Great Comedy from all the cast.

    Basically a Vincente Minelli classic.

    The Bonus Disc is well worth the effort. An axcellent documentary on Minelli there too. The Feature disc also has a worthwhile audio commentary.

      • Edgar Jephcote from Notts, England
      • Posted 04 Aug 2005 01:09

  • Most recent members' review of The Band Wagon

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Not quite up there with An American in Paris, but well worth revisiting

    If this had been Minnelli's only film he still would have been hailed as one of cinema's greats and this film would be in every list of top 100 movies. But because Minnelli had so many hits and produced so much that is now in the canon of classic cinema, this one tends to get overlooked in favour of his supreme musical achievement: An American in Paris. The Band Wagon does start on a slower burn, its only got one tune, That's Entertainment, that has really stayed the course of time (although they are all great) and its jazz ballet sequence (The Girl Hunt) never quite manages to reach the exuberance of the jazz ballet sequence in American in Paris. Despite all that, there is plenty here to recommend. Astaire is marvellous as usual, especially in the Shoe Shine sequence, it's quite funny in places, and the musical medley towards the end is great. As far as extras are concerned, the feature disc has a commentary which is unlistenable because Liza Minnelli just gushes about how wonderful daddy was from beginning to end, but this is more than made up by some excellent documentaries on the bonus disc. Recommended viewing.

      • Laurence Scotford from Brighton, England
      • Posted 29 Nov 2005 19:20

  • News and features

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    Beauty

    Singin' In The Rain tops best film musical list

    • 06 Sep 2006

    There are some movie fans who will, no doubt, be quite content to leave the musical genre outside Singin' In The Rain, preferring their silver screen experience to remain uninterrupted by spontaneous bouts of singing, tapping and dancing. For others, however, the innocent charm exuded by film genres poor relation, will ensure that The Sound Of Music will emanate from many a home movie system. Compulsive list-maker the American Film Institute (AFI) has now compiled its list of the 25 greatest... Read more

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Rating breakdown

570 Member ratings
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74
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50
  • 80
105
  • 70
104
  • 60
96
  • 50
55
  • 40
33
  • 30
24
  • 20
18
  • 10
11

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