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Silk Stockings

SILK STOCKINGS

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CREDITS

1957, 117 minutes, Metrocolor and CinemaScope.
Producer, Arthur Freed; Director, Rouben Mamoulian; Screenplay, Leonard Gershe and Leonard Spigelgass; Cinematography, Robert Bronner; Music Direction, Andre Previn; Choreography, Eugene Loring and Hermes Pan.

CAST

Steve Canfield, Fred Astaire; Ninotchka, Cyd Charisse; Peggy Dayton, Janis Paige; Brankov, Peter Lorre; Vassili Markovitch, George Tobias; Bibinski, Jules Munshin; Ivanov, Joseph Buloff; Peter Ilyitch Boroff, Wim Sonneveld.

SONGS

Too Bad; Paris Loves Lovers; Stereophonic Sound; It's A Chemical Reaction; All Of You; Satin And Silk; Without Love; Silk Stockings; Fated To Be Mated; Josephine; Siberia; Red Blues; The Ritz Roll And Rock by Cole Porter.

PLOT

"This tongue-in-cheek satire finds Charisse, a stern lady Communist with the emotions of an iceberg, coming to Paris to retrieve three wayward comrades and a Russian composer. Instead, the cold Ninotchka warms up to capitalist temptations - like champagne, silk stockings and a charming American movie man (Astaire) who convinces her that they are 'Fated To Be Mated.' "
- Liner Notes from MGM/Turner Laser Disc

NOTES

"Apart from the incomparable dancing of Astaire and Charisse. . .the best thing about Silk Stockings was its Cole Porter score. . .it so perfectly captured the mood and spirit of the moment that, when reviewing the original 1939 version, one often wishes that it, too, would burst into song at the appropriate moments."
- Clive Hirschhorn, The Hollywood Musical

"Rouben Mamoulian in his deft direction maintains a flowing, if over-long course. Musical numbers are bright, inserted naturally, and both Astaire and Charisse shine in dancing department, both together and singly. . .Janis Paige shares top honors with the stars for a knock-'em-dead type of performance."
- Variety

#6 - THE NEW YORK TIMES ANNUAL TEN BEST

Cyd Charisse's vocals were dubbed by Carole Richards.

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