Silk Stockings (1957 film)

Silk Stockings is a 1957 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film adaptation, filmed in CinemaScope, of the 1955 stage musical of the same name,[2] which itself was an adaptation of the film Ninotchka (1939).[3] Silk Stockings was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, produced by Arthur Freed, and starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes Janis Paige, Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin, and George Tobias repeating his Broadway role.[4][5] It was choreographed by Eugene Loring and Hermes Pan.

Silk Stockings
Cyd Charisse in the trailer
Directed byRouben Mamoulian
Produced byArthur Freed
Written byAbe Burrows (1955 play)
Silk Stockings
George S. Kaufman
Leueen MacGrath
Abe Burrows
Screenplay byLeonard Gershe
Leonard Spigelgass
Harry Kurnitz (uncredited)
Based onNinotchka
by Melchior Lengyel
StarringFred Astaire
Cyd Charisse
Music byCole Porter
Conrad Salinger (uncredited)
CinematographyRobert J. Bronner
Edited byHarold F. Kress
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
July 18, 1957 (1957-07-18)
Running time
117 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2,581,000[1]
Box office$2,800,000[1]

It received Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Film and Best Actress (Charisse) in the Comedy/Musical category.[6]

The score was embellished with the new song "The Ritz Roll and Rock", a parody of then-emerging rock and roll. 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, 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, women, 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 humorless 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 realize 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

Songs

Music & lyrics by Cole Porter.

  • "Too Bad"
  • "Paris Loves Lovers"
  • "Stereophonic Sound"
  • "It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All"
  • "All of You"
  • "Satin and Silk"
  • "Without Love"
  • "Fated to Be Mated"
  • "Josephine"
  • "Siberia"
  • "The Red Blues"
  • "The Ritz Roll and Rock"

Production

MGM bought the film rights to the musical for $300,000. Dance rehearsals started 18 September 1956 and filming ended 31 January 1957.[7]

Reception

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

The film is recognized by the American Film Institute in these lists:

See also

References
  1. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. "Silk Stockings". Broadway Musical Home. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  3. "Ninotchka". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  4. "Silk Stockings". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  5. Crowther, Bosley (July 19, 1957). "The Screen: 'Silk Stockings' Arrives; Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse Co-Star". The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  6. "Golden Globes 1957". Sijmen's List of Film Classics. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  7. Nat Segaloff, Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors, Bear Manor Media 2013 p 182-184
  8. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  9. "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.
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