THE BAND WAGON
(Vincente Minnelli, 1953, 112 min)

“For many, this 1953 feature represents the height of the American musical. Fred Astaire is a washed-up Hollywood star, Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant are a husband-and-wife writing team, and Jack Buchanan is an artsy Broadway director. Roughly translating the film’s curious quasi-autobiographical overtones, Astaire equals Astaire, Fabray and Levant equal Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the scenarists, and Buchanan equals director Vincente Minnelli. The musical becomes a frenetic meditation on pop art versus high art, coming down hard on the side of the former. Rife with great numbers, including the ineluctable ‘Triplets’.” –Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Sat May 6, 4:30pm
Tue May 9, 4:30pm