After you see this incredible video I invite you to enjoy this album that I recorded recently. Share it with your friends and family ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Y84WsN_HwU8.html
The definition of perfection. Astaire insisted that all his dance routines be filmed full on by one camera with no closeups, cuts or editing. When you compare that to today’s films with the frenetic camerawork that does nothing but distract from the performance you realize how right he was.
Thank you for sharing this info about the one camera and the contrast to today's editing which is disrespectful to the artists and ultimately manipulates us. It us like if someone cut up the audio of a piece of music as the artist is performing the piece.
It's possible the cut in this sequence was necessary because the cameras of the day only could hold a certain amount of film, thus needing to use a second camera to catch the entire dance. I'm still convinced this routine was done in one take with just the switch from camera A to camera B at the one point. Awesome performance.
You wonder if this level of performance will ever be achieved again. The choreography, the orchestration, and of course dancing that almost seems supernatural.
So Beautiful, So Classy, So elegant. No computer generated images. Just genuine talent, craftsmanship by the movie makers staff and of course, The Queen of Tap Eleanor Powell, and who else but Fred Astaire. Both gone now, but how lucky that there work lives on.
Fred Astaire said that Elanor Powell was the only dancer that he felt intimidated by - she was that good. He also said, "She is too powerful for me" and "she has a mannish style and is a little big for me." One of the Nicholas Brothers (Fayard Nicholas) said, “Not one of the greatest woman-one of the greatest, period.”
Eleanor Powell is the only dance partner in any Astaire film that draws my eye more than he does. No wonder his comments about her were, shall we say, equivocal.
I first saw this clip at age 10 when my mother took me to see the movie "That's Entertainment" in 1974. I was mesmerized from start to finish. 100% pure class.
I watched this 3 times. Once with Mr. Astaire, next watching Ms. Powell and lastly both together. No stairs, no balconies, no tables just pure dancing. Only video I really need to see. Thank you for sharing. Also the great music. Perfect. Made my day.
I just find the skill of performing such an incredible dance routine as a pair, jaw-dropping. How is it possible that they can perform so many continuous spins without getting dizzy and falling over? ASTOUNDING!!
Grew up watching Fred and all of his female partners. what a lot of people fail to think about is that all his partners match him step for step on all the routines. so they too are spectacular "hoofers" great gals. and dancers also. kudos to them all ! ECF
The style, the costumes, the sets, the choreography, the music, the arrangement, the camerawork, the vitality, the energy, the joy, all exemplary and captivating.....This is my period, I wish I could live in those Fred Astaire movies they seemed such glorious times. Thank you for uploading this video, it brought me great pleasure. 👍❤😎
This is pure talent, real talent, not the stuff that passes for talent today. This is also total dedication and hours and hours of rehearsing. An utter joy to watch these two stars making it look effortles, which of course it is not. And as someone said, all done in just two shots, the cut was only to pick up the orchestra. I don't think we will ever see this kind of talent again. But we do have these wonderful films forever.
Let me begin by saying that IN MY opinion she was the best dancer that Fred ever danced with. What IS a fact though is that during the 1939/45 war her taps were timed and recorded, and it was found that she could tap more times per minute than the machine guns used at that time could fire bullets. I wish that they had worked together more often.
I assume this is colorized from the original black and white, but it's so compelling, I wish the entire film had been done in color. A true pleasure to watch this!
This is superb and a revelation to me. Bearing in mind I know little, very little -I loved best watching him with Hayworth. The subtleties of Ms Powell, well maybe I’ll get back to you after more viewings. This is just a sublime extract
What always remains remarkable about Astaire is that most of his big films were made when he was past his best. He was 40 and Powell 28, so she was in her prime. Forty is pretty old for a dancer.
This ist wy i have learnd tap dancing like fred Astaire no one have does it perfect like him. I love him He is and will be forever the Best dancer in the world❤❤
@@t.c.2776 but in my humble opinion E. Powel was as Perfect as F. Astaire. But I agree with you, Ginger Rodgers and Cid Chariss were also great dancers 💯💯🌹🌹🌹
I am a babyboomer and I learned to love the song and dance of the (Big Band) era via my dad and uncles. It was their era. And an admirable one, too, given having survived the hardship of WW2 and all.
Wow. A masterful performance. Astaire's effortless, almost lazy dance was perfectly foiled by Powell's vivacious embrace of the rhythm. Thanks to both of you.
I always love Astaire's, uhh...licks, I'd guess you'd call them. Little rhythmic figures, very much like a Jazz drummer of that period would toss in. Of course, in this number he's tossing those licks in (3-on-4, at one point), matching a partner move for move, acting, and always, always smiling. A rare man. We have the films to prove it... .
Why. in the world would you colorize one of the greatest Black & White dance numbers of all time? The B&W aspect is amazing. Astair and Powell glow in the crisp cinematography, and a huge reason it is of historically significance in movie musicals. It goes way beyond their brilliant pairing.
I am REALLY tired of that phrase. When you learn a skill such as dancing and you start off dancing backwards in heels, it's not really a big deal. It seems completely natural.
I once read something by a dance instructor: "Wrong. Fred led, and Ginger followed." This does not make Ginger Rogers inferior, it points out that leading & following are two different skills.
@@elwoodblues9613 -- that is very true. I ballroom danced for many years for recreation. Of the two, the guy has to learn to lead, the techniques for which can be quite difficult for an instructor to explain to a student. I'll take dancing 'backwards and in heels' over leading any day. 😏
Eleanor out danced Fred there. Once she went into that twirl at the end it was good night Fred. Eleanor Powell was in a league of her own. Fred Astaire commented in similar words.
That's because Fred Astaire was self-effacing. In reality, he was a much superior, inventive dancer. Mention the name 'Fred Astaire' and all except the young airheads of today will know the name. Mention Eleanor Powell and the response will be 'who?'
Astaire was no match for Powell there. We have to be honest. Furthermore, he wasn't the greatest dancer on film. Tommy Rall by consensus was the best dancer in the history of the movies.
If you like this, you owe it to yourself to do a RU-vid search for Fred Astaire dancing with Rita Hayworth in a dance called The Shorty George, from the 1942 film, "You were never lovlier." If you want to see a girl who could really keep up with Fred, then you need to watch Rita. She is the very essence of smart and sassy femininity during the war years, and Fred confessed in an interview on Dick Cavett that she was one of his favorite dance partners. The band leader is the famous Xavier Cugot.
