The Band Wagon (1953)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Betty Comden (story) and
Adolph Green (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 August 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Get Aboard!

Plot:

A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition.

Plot Keywords:

Choreographer | Movie Star | Director | Top Hat | Ballet

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Tony Hunter
Cyd Charisse	...	Gabrielle Gerard
Oscar Levant	...	Lester Marton
Nanette Fabray	...	Lily Marton
Jack Buchanan	...	Jeffrey Cordova
James Mitchell	...	Paul Byrd
Robert Gist	...	Hal
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred Aldrich	...	Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
Richard Alexander	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson	...	Train Porter (uncredited)
Lysa Baugher	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Ralph Beaumont	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Investor (uncredited)
Paul Bradley	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Joe Brockman	...	Driver (uncredited)
Robert Burton	...	Caterer (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	Tall girl in Arcade (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	First Nighter (uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Lillian Culver	...	Investor (uncredited)
Leroy Daniels	...	Arcade shoeshine man (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Dowager First Nighter (uncredited)
Roy Engel	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Fitter (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Lady on train / Extra in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
Steve Forrest	...	Passenger on train (uncredited)
Bill Foster	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Douglas Fowley	...	Auctioneer (uncredited)
Ava Gardner	...	Herself / Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Hotel Porter (uncredited)
Marion Gray	...	Investor (uncredited)
Thurston Hall	...	Col. Tripp (uncredited)
Dee Hartford	...	2nd (quick shot) model in "Girl Hunt" style show (uncredited)
Sam Hearn	...	Agent (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Arcade shooting gallery operator (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Investor (uncredited)
Curtis Loys Jackson Jr.	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ted Jordan	...	Member of stage cast of the play (The Band Wagon) (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Sidewalk Extra (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Judy Landon	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
John Lupton	...	Jack (promoter) (uncredited)
Matt Mattox	...	Featured dancer (uncredited)
Bert May	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Owen McGiveney	...	Prop man (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Extra in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
Peggy Murray	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Julie Newmar	...	Salon model / Chorine in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	1st man (glasses) on Cal-NY train (uncredited)
Elynne Ray	...	Dancer in troupe (uncredited)
Charles Regan	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
Barbara Ruick	...	Passenger on train (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Sherwood	...	Investor (uncredited)
Harry Stanton	...	Investor (uncredited)
Lotte Stein	...	Cordova's German chambermaid (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Train Station Extra (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Special Effects Man (uncredited)
Jack Tesler	...	Ivan (uncredited)
Jimmy Thompson	...	Jimmy (uncredited)
Dee Turnell	...	Barbara (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	2d man (from Calif.) on Cal-NY train (uncredited)
Bobby Watson	...	Bobby (uncredited)
Smoki Whitfield	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Stuart Wilson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Can-toss booth operator (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits
Betty Comden		(story) and
Adolph Green		(story)
Betty Comden		(screenplay) and
Adolph Green		(screenplay)
Alan Jay Lerner		uncredited

Produced by
Roger Edens	....	associate producer
Arthur Freed	....	producer

Cinematography by
Harry Jackson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Albert Akst

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
F. Keogh Gleason		(as Keogh Gleason)
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Mary Ann Nyberg

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Thorpe	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator
Adolph Deutsch	....	musical director
Michael Kidd	....	dances and musical numbers staged by
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Oliver Smith	....	musical numbers designer

Other crew
Robert Brower	....	technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	technicolor color consultant
Alex Romero	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

I Love Louisa (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono )Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #16342)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The characters reflect real life. Fred Astaire was indeed considering retirement as his career was at a standstill, just like his character in the movie. The characters played by Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant are based on the film's screenwriters, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Jack Buchanan's character is based on José Ferrer, who at the time was producing four Broadway shows and starring in a fifth.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: About halfway through "Louisiana Hayride", a crew member can be clearly seen for 2-3 seconds, creeping off to the left of screen

Quotes:

Lester Marton: Joe - if my wife asks where I am, tell her that I've gone to Tahiti. To paint.

Movie Connections:

References Top Hat (1935)

Soundtrack:

Louisiana Hayride

Cyd Charisse rules

Stunning musical about fading star Fred Astaire making stage comeback with the help of friends Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabares. Jack Buchanon is fun as hammy stage actor who teams up with the group. Cyd joins in as haughty ballerina. The songs are first rate. Fred's solos and the girl hunt ballet are good but I prefer the romantic Dancing in the Dark number. The other highlight is Fred cheering up the cast after the first night flops.This was the film that introduced That's Entertainment. It is given a joyous presentation as Jack Buchanon explains what the job of show business is all about.The color is stunning,costumes great,set design good.Surprisingly Cyd's big solo "Two-faced Woman" was cut. It was shown on TCM.