Postponed from Monday, due to Gustav's imminent arrival in New Orleans, which made celebratory postings seem out of tune, for the weekend, enjoy a grand memory. But first, an ever-alert LFTC reader identified whom I called two Fridays ago the "babe" in the 1940s flick with Gary Cooper & Gene Krupa: Barbara Stanwyck in "Balls of Fire" (1941). Now, on to Fred....(Oh, Joe Biden used the "Ginger did it backwards & in high heels" trope in defending Sarah Palin's work + motherhood roles; sorry, Joe, check out the videos and see for yourself--and BTW, Joe, nobody, EVER, danced at any serious pace in high heels.)
Fred Astaire (1899 - 1987), Omaha, Nebraska's greatest export (sorry, Warren Buffett, it's not you) lived a long, happy, well-adjusted life, and shone as perhaps none other in all Hollywood history. Enjoy "Fancy Free" (2:45)--proof, BTW, that some of Fred's best work was solo, the refutation of the "Ginger did everything Fred did, only backwards" trope that Biden borrowed. The perfect refutation is this "They All Laughed" (3:57) clip from "Shall We Dance" (1937, the great Gershwin tune): Often they danced sideways, and Fred danced backwards as much as Ginger did.
Astaire's one screen collaboration with the equally iconic Judy Garland, "Easter Parade" (1949), shows off a spectacular "Stepping Out (With My Baby)" (5:26) that features slow-motion of part of Astaire's solo; "Easter Parade" (3:12) shows off the startling contrast of one all-time great singing voice (Judy) with an all-time great song presenter (Astaire) famous for lacking a true singing voice. Enjoy his spiffy "Drum Crazy" (4:43) number--no one used props better than Astaire. For pianists, here's their neat "I Love a Piano" (2:06) duet.
BONUS: "Bach in Memoriam" (2000), an elegant tribute to Bach's greatness and why his music remains so vital, by the late concert pianist Balint Vazsonyi.
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