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About this product
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The class of the Broadway Melody series with the burnished talents of Astaire and Murphy, and the timeless tunes of Cole Porter. The plot, never the point of these exercises, pits two dancers in a friendly rivalry for the attentions of Powell. This was the only screen appearance together of Astaire and Powell and it makes you wish for more.
With FABULOUS dance routines performed by the amazing ELEANOR POWELL and FRED ASTAIRE to the stunning music of COLE PORTER, this amazing MUST-SEE musical comedy gives the impression that it is a frivolous romp – but the frivolity masks a deeper insight into ‘the human condition’ as the director pulls apart the stark reality of the dirty tricks people pull on their ‘friends’ in an attempt to ‘get to the top’, and the manipulative ‘hidden agendas’ that lurk behind the glamour.
The ‘stand-out’ song is BEGIN THE BEGUINE. Here we see and hear the wonderful mezzo-soprano LOIS HODNOTT sing this fabulous song to a stunning staging as ELEANOR POWELL delivers a dazzling dance performance.
The musical arrangement then dramatically changes from a sultry ‘beguine’ as we watch The Andrew sisters (billed as ‘The music maids’) transition the song into a Big Band jazz ‘swing’ rhythm – with ARTY SHORE playing the renowned clarinet solo – as ELEONOR POWELL is joined by FRED ASTAIRE to deliver possibly the finest tap-dancing duets ever captured on film.
A mind-blowing highlight to look out for when Fred Astaire teams with Eleanor Powell for part two of the dance is the amazing tap dancing sequence they perform WITHOUT ANY MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT.
The remarkable synchronicity is ASTOUNDING!
If you are a ‘tapper’ who wishes to perform a synchronous ‘side-by-side’ tap-out’ with a partner, here is how it was achieved.
According to a documentary given in the 1970’s, the couple achieved their amazing synchronicity by creating and ‘sub-vocalising’ long ‘tap-out’ passages made from sentences filled with Native American ‘syncopated’ words such as CANOE,’, EAGLE, FEATHER, and CHEYENNE (two-beat ‘rag time’ words); APPACHE, NAVAHO, LAKE MARIE (Check out the heart breaking story), TOTEM POLE, and SMOKE SIGNAL, (three-beat syncopated words); POCAHONTAS, LITTLE BIGHORN, HIAWATHA, and CALAFORNIA (four-beat ‘swing’ words); and GENERAL CUSTER (This is cha-cha-cha rhythm in reverse) and BIG CHIEF SITTING BULL - five-beat syncopated words to perform ‘ball-changes’, ‘ball-heel’ sequences; ‘diagonal ball-heel’ change-over’ steps; ‘buffalos’; ‘paradiddles’; Maxi Fords; ‘trains’; ‘motor boats’; ‘steam boats’; ‘aeroplanes’; ‘helicopters’; and much much more (seeing is believing).
All of this took place more than EIGHTY YEARS AGO so sadly, the MODERN generation have seriously MISSED OUT on a GOLDEN AGE where ABILITY, HARD WORK, and TALENT shone through - and talentless ‘wannabees’ were left by the wayside.
Keeeeeeep TAPPING!
Terrific value and fast service’ FIVE STARS ‘.