The Band Wagon (1953)

The Band Wagon is a lovely, and colorful backstage musical that, despite the simplicity of its story, manages to face head on some interesting themes (the May/December romance of the two leads, the gentrification of 42nd Street). The five stars are delightful, the songs (including That's Entertainment, By Myself, Shine On My Shoes, Triplets) classically tuneful, and the dances magnificently athletic. The surprise, which doesn't necessarily detract from Vincente Minnelli's charming film, is that Cyd Charisse was filmed lip-synching; she's quite a dancer but maybe her voice leaves something to be desired?

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