Silk Stockings (film)

Silk Stockings

Cyd Charisse in the trailer
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian
Produced by Arthur Freed
Written by Abe Burrows (1955 play)
Silk Stockings
George S. Kaufman
Leueen MacGrath
Abe Burrows
Screenplay by Leonard Gershe
Leonard Spigelgass
Harry Kurnitz (uncredited)
Based on Ninotchka 
by Melchior Lengyel
Starring Fred Astaire
Cyd Charisse
Music by Cole Porter
Conrad Salinger (uncredited)
Cinematography Robert J. Bronner
Edited by Harold F. Kress
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
 July 18, 1957 (1957-07-18)
Running time
 117 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2,581,000[1]
Box office $2,800,000[1]

Silk Stockings is a 1957 Metrocolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer CinemaScope musical film adaptation of the 1955 stage musical of the same name, which itself was an adaptation of the film Ninotchka (1939). Silk Stockings was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and stars Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes Janis Paige, Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin, and George Tobias repeating his Broadway role.[2]

It received Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Film and Best Actress (Charisse) in the Comedy/Musical category.[3]

The score was embellished with the song "The Ritz Roll and Rock," a parody of the then-emerging rock and roll genre. The number ends with Astaire symbolically smashing his top hat, considered one of his trademarks, signaling his retirement from movie musicals, which he announced following the film's release.

Plot summary

A brash American film producer, Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire), wants Russian composer Peter Illyich Boroff (Wim Sonneveld) to write music for his next picture, which is being made in Paris. But when the composer expresses his wish to stay in Paris, three comically bumbling operatives, Comrades Brankov (Peter Lorre), Bibinski (Jules Munshin) and Ivanov (Joseph Buloff), are sent from Moscow to take Boroff back.

Canfield manages to corrupt them with decadent western luxuries (champagne, nightclubs etc.) and talks them into allowing Boroff to stay. He also arranges for his leading lady, Peggy Dayton (Janis Paige), to ‘convince’ Boroff to cooperate.

Fearful of his own precarious position, a commissar at the Ministry in Moscow summons a dedicated and humourless workaholic operative, Nina ‘Ninotchka’ Yoschenko (Cyd Charisse), to bring all four men back home. Canfield succeeds in romancing her, despite her determination not to fall prey to the decadent attractions of Paris. He even proposes marriage. She and Boroff are horrified when they realise what changes have been made to Boroff’s music. They decide to return to Moscow.

Canfield does not give up, arranging for the pliable Brankov, Bibinski and Ivanov to be sent back to Paris, knowing that they will be seduced again by the city's charms. Ninotchka is sent after them, giving Canfield time to convince her to give in to her love for him.

Cast

Production

MGM bought the film rights to the musical for $300,000. Dance rehearsals started 18 September 1956 and filming ended 31 January 1957.[4]

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,740,000 in the US and Canada and $1,060,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $1,399,000.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9903E3DB153EE23BBC4152DFB166838C649EDE
  3. ↑ http://oscarsijmen.freehostia.com/globes/GG57.htm
  4. ↑ Nat Segaloff, Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors, Bear Manor Media 2013 p 182-184

External links

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