Royal Wedding

UPC: 084296400829

Studio: Image Entertainment

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Suitable for Children]

Summary: Two real-life events were incorporated into the plot of the 1951 MGM musical Royal Wedding. One, the marriage of Fred Astaire's sister Adele to a British nobleman had occurred years earlier; the other, the wedding of England's Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip was only four years in the past. MGM would probably have gotten Royal Wedding out closer to the Elizabeth-Philip nuptials, but the picture had leading-lady problems; every girl who was cast either became pregnant, ill, or otherwise unavailable. Finally, Jane Powell was cast as the sister and partner of American-entertainer Fred Astaire. The plot has Astaire and Powell heading to Merrie Olde England to perform at the palace. Once they've arrived, Powell breaks up the act when she falls in love with blueblooded Peter Lawford. Astaire himself finds romance in the form of Sarah Churchill (daughter of Sir Winston), and the four happy campers gleefully attend the titular Windsor Castle wedding. Also in the cast is Albert Sharpe, fresh from his Broadway triumph in Finian's Rainbow, and Keenan Wynn, hilarious as twin cousins. The plot is so light that it threatens to float away at times, but Royal Wedding sticks in the memory thanks to its first-rate musical numbers. The Astaire/Powell duets are entertaining enough; the real magic, however, occurs in Astaire's two solos: the hat-rack duet and the now-legendary tap-dance on the ceiling (even knowing how this cinematic legerdemain was accomplished does not detract from its brilliance and virtuosity). Because it has slipped into public domain, Royal Wedding is one of the most easily accessible of all the Fred Astaire musicals. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Comedy

Awards: Best Song – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Song – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Royal Wedding

Audio: 2 Europe, Japan, Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland

Runtime: 93 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Region: Universal Compatability

Chapters: Side #1 --
0. Side #1 --
0. Jump To A Scene
1. Opening Dance Sequence [4:16]
2. Bon Voyage [7:29]
3. Metronome Dance Workout [5:33]
4. She Can Sing Too! [5:04]
5. The Audition [8:25]
6. Meeting Dad [6:41]
7. Rehearsal in the Hotel [7:24]
8. "Every Night At Seven" [5:35]
9. Dancing on the Walls [16:22]

Craig Butler

Royal Wedding is an excellent example of a film the strengths of which are so strong as to make its considerable weaknesses almost irrelevant. Among those weaknesses, the most problematic is the screenplay. Alan Jay Lerner's story is commonplace, even if set against the backdrop of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The dialogue is generally good, but the plot offers little in the way of suspense or surprise. The real sizzle and fire come from elsewhere: the cast, the score, and the dancing. Fred Astaire is marvelous, demonstrating in his musical numbers that no other male performer -- even those with technically superior voices -- was better at interpreting a song. His dance numbers here include two of his best: the "Sunday Jumps" gym sequence with the classic hat rack duet and the much heralded "You're All the World to Me," in which he dances up the walls and across the ceiling of his room. Jane Powell is not his equal as a dance partner, but she comes off very well in the amusing "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life." Powell also gets to handle the beautiful and unfortunately overlooked ballad "Too Late Now," which contains a melody of admirable purity. Stanley Donen's direction is assured, glossing over the film's shortcomings and knowing how to showcase its assets. Royal Wedding may fall just shy of being a classic, but its highlights are among the best the musical film has to offer. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Francis Bethencourt  Actor 
Alex Frazer  Actor 
Albert Pollet  Actor 
Vera-Ellen  Actor 
Kerry O'Day  Actor 
Clinton Sundberg  Actor 
Stanley Mann  Actor 
James Finlayson  Actor 
Phyllis Morris  Actor 
Gale Robbins  Actor 
William Cabanne  Actor 
Mae Clarke  Actor 
Richard Lupino  Actor 
Jack Reilly  Actor 
Henri Letondal  Actor 
Wilson Wood  Actor 
Wilson Benge  Actor 
John Hedloe  Actor 
Alice Pearce  Actor 
David Thursby  Actor 
Jack Daley  Actor 
Marjorie Main  Actor 
Viola Roache  Actor 
Bess Flowers  Actor 
Leonard Mudie  Actor 
Andre Charisse  Actor 
Stanley Donen  Director 
Arthur Freed  Producer 
Johnny Green  Composer (Music Score) 
Burton Lane  Composer (Music Score) 
Alan Jay Lerner  Composer (Music Score) 
Alan Jay Lerner  Screenwriter 
Albert Sendrey  Composer (Music Score) 
Fred Astaire  Actor 
Jane Powell  Actor 
Peter Lawford  Actor 
Sarah Churchill  Actor 
Keenan Wynn  Actor 
Albert Sharpe  Actor 

Country: USA