Discover
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Fred Astaire
Choreographer -
Stanley Donen
Director -
Alexander Courage
Orchestrator -
Sam Comer
Set Decoration -
Edith Head
Costume Design -
John P. Fulton
Special Effects -
Wally Westmore
Makeup Supervisor -
Conrad Salinger
Orchestrator
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CinemaSerf 6/27/2022 9:28:17 AM
Despite the presence of Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, I think this film actually belongs to Kay Thompson. She plays really well as the 1950s version of Dame Anna Wintour in this amiable, if a little thinly spread, musical comedy. Infuriated by the rather drab quality of her latest "Quality" magazine, she determines to revamp the whole thing. In pink! A bookshop being used for a photo shoot by "Avery" (Astaire) provides the unlikely source for her new model - "Jo" (Hepburn) who is to the fashion industry what Herod was to babies. "Avery" is clever, though, and he offers a trade off that sees her do a shoot in Paris in return for a meeting with "Prof. Flostre" (Michel Auclair). What now ensues is all fairly predictable, a love triangle with "Jo" in the middle vacillating. George & Ira Gerschwin provided the musical numbers, and though they are very well staged, the film lacks a killer song. That said, Thompson is on super form as the no-nonsense boss, the dance numbers are colourful and energetic and finally, Hepburn has a lovely vivacity and enthusiasm to her performance - she takes to the musical numbers very much like a duck to water. Astaire isn't at his best, and Robert Flemyng's accent isn't the best either - but at the end, the whole thing falls into place with an enjoyable certainty.
Audrey Hepburn
Jo StocktonRuta Lee
LettieFred Astaire
Dick AveryBess Flowers
Fashion Show SpectatorFranklyn Farnum
Guest at Duval's Fashion Show (uncredited)Michel Auclair
Prof. Emile FlostreHarold Miller
Guest at Aborted Fashion Show (uncredited)Alex Gerry
Dovitch