They need to make Multiple copies restored copies and put them in fire proof earthquake and tsunami proof vaults. Oh mud slides volcano proof too! All she did is unbelievable. The dog, and Rich at only 19 years old. 23 with Fred makes her 19 in 1936
egeo03 you said it - it was his subtleties that made him great (and the fact that he made it look effortless) but Eleanor matches his subtleties effortlessly. Eleanor’s dancing appeared as if she was just out for an evening stroll - and when the number ended you are like ‘Wait, what just happened?’😍
Agreed. Begin the Beguine dance is fabulous. This one is a small perfect gem. Both Fred and Eleanor nailed it. He had grace and flair, she had an athletic and artistic ease that was outstanding in this number. One of my favorites. Short and very sweet. Makes me want to try harder in everything I do.
Fred Astaire said years later that he was intimidated by Eleanor and that she danced in a mannish way . Clearly he was not used to dancing with a woman who did not let him be the lead , or who did not prance around daintily like a flower . Eleanor was, whom many saw as the greatest tapper , a take no prisoners , give it 110% kind of dancer
She said that after BM40 she felt 'like the Wreck of the Hesperus', and that she was always wiped out when a picture wrapped. This time she was diagnosed with gallstones after collapsing while at a Jeanette MacDonald concert. She contracted a fever during surgery, her temp went to 108, and when her friend Alice Faye visited the hospital Ellie did not know her. For several days her life was in the balance, and for some months she had to rest up. Her next picture did not appear for more than a year. The crisis made her more determined to get on and then get out, once her extended contract expired in 1943. The layoff was a blessing in disguise. It produced her greatest feats of imagination, virtuosity and courage, such as 'Fascinating Rhythm' and the Western Rope Dance.
That step at 2:39 and 3:10 where he is "leading", but she is actually doing the work, spinning him around on his one foot, is just charming - and poetic at the same time.
@@jamesryan6008 I concur. I tape recorded it. With just the melody and tap rhythms the imagination runs wild. Not so much "Begin". I heard them on vinyl before I saw.
@@beautygirl9981 Fred b.1899 Ann b.1923. In 1948 there was a 25 yr. difference. He was 49; she was 25. Both were better singers than Eleanor. I don't know who was faster:ELEANOR POWELL or ANN MILLER?
@@beautygirl9981 That was more to do with another of Moaning Minnie's hangups, his partners' height. He made Ann Miller wear flats for their token turn as a couple. Poor Ann, always behind the eight ball- never given star billing, never had a film built round her, constantly conscripted to shore up movies headlining people who were often less proficient.
@@sirpoopalot6420 In 1985, I played trombone in the pit orchestra for the touring Broadway show, "Sugar Babies." It starred Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller. They were both 65 years old at the time. I was astounded at how strong and accomplished Ann still was as a dancer. When I mentioned this to one of the cast members, he told me that Ann worked at staying limbered up throughout the day, every day. Case in point: I remember getting to the orchestra pit very early one day. As I made my way to the pit, I could hear someone tap dancing on the stage. When I looked up from the pit I saw who it was. It was Ann dressed in a bath robe and with a towel on her head. "Now I know why Ann is still so good," I thought to myself: Lifelong dedication to her art."
Some one wrote about Eleanor was one of the best...NO...is the best dancer of all time, never to be equaled. Fred #1 male, Eleanor #1 female. There is no argument.
Powell is just so superbly clean technically. Astaire is as always his smooth self and I think connects better with the audience, but he really couldn't beat her technically.
Ellie was the soul of truthfulness, so there is no reason to doubt a story she told Fayard Nicholas about when this movie wrapped. Fred was off by himself, brooding in a corner. She asked him what was wrong- hadn't they both enjoyed making the picture? He answered: 'Yes, we had fun, but I don't want to work with you any more. You made me work too hard.' From the most notorious workaholic in Hollywood, that is some compliment.
@@esmeephillips5888 They execute 2 spins at 2:51 yet she keeps her arms more folded while he has his out (more work or E is involved). It gives the ILLUSION of her going slower than his "dazzling" speed, but 1st spin she actually completes before him! 2nd spin perfectly matched rotational speed but the illusion remains (more energy expenditure on his part though). Could it also be his bigger hands are more visible and she's wearing darker clothing? P.S.I have time on my hands.
As a former dancer, I totally agree. You can see that when he dances with her, he dances to 'keep up' with her level. It's not that he wasn't a good dancer; he was a good dancer. But there is something about Eleanor Powell's dancing that makes it seem (although it's very subtle) that he has to really work when he dances with her. RIP to both of them.
I think Powell is the only other dance partner he had besides Judy Garland who took the focus off of him and his dazzling artistry. I can't not watch Eleanor or Judy when they dancing with him.
Yeah, but actually that's 5 days rehearsing and shooting for 2 of the best dancers on the planet. Doing it - pretty tough. Doing it well - really tough. Making it look easy - only for the best.
@@SalsaAdam I took tap lessons for a while. My teacher and I got about halfway through this one before I had to stop lessons for scheduling reasons. (Life, amirite?) Eleanor in the recording: "Simple!" My teacher and I while out of breath: "My ass!!!"
Fred Astaire seems less "chunky" and not coming from his hips quietly. Eleanor Powell is perfect every moment with an intensity that created perfection every moment. Both amazing to watch.
The best of the best. Those who say, "Ginger could do everything Fred could do, backwards" are wrong in every way. Eleanor could do everything Fred could do--and more!
@Brazilian Atlantis Agreed. But look through the comments of absolutely EVERY video on TH-cam showing Astaire and Rogers, and there are legions of "Ginger did everything he did backwards and in high heels!" comments. She couldn't, really. Look at... oh their dance number in "Swing Time" just to take one example -- even I, a total non-dancer can see Fred's steps are far more precise and intricate. Ginger just couldn't keep up, as a dancer, but she did well enough. Ginger was Astaire's most memorable partner because she complimented him well on the dance floor -- despite her lack of dance training, she learned to dance pretty well; and because she had real chemistry with him on screen, as an actor and a dancer. But the truth is Fred danced with any number of far more accomplished and skilled dancers, technically speaking -- Eleanor Powell, Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron. Ginger was a great partner for Fred, and in truth she had more acting talent than he did. But she wasn't a better dancer, and I wish people would put that trite old saying to bed.
Is an overstated quote and far from being true. Ginger was an okay dancer and quick learner but that was basically all, it was Fred the one with the talent.
@Blind Brazilian Tex Atlantis And anyone who doesn't think Fred Astaire could slip on a pair of heels and also do the number backwards is kidding themselves.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve never seen it before. I love discovering new Astaire dances. I have this on my DVR. Can’t wait to watch the whole thing.
@@rmcfetewhy would I be disappointed. I discovered a new talented person. I found a video someone created where they blended clips of every musical number Fred Astaire did to 4 Michael Jackson song. I compared it from the movies I saw of Astaire to figure out what movie the dance came from. I looked it up and found the whole dance. Went on tcm and recorded the movie so I can see the whole movie. I’ve never see her before so if it wasn’t for Astaire I would not have found a new person to enjoy.
In 1936, still new in Hollywood, Eleanor Powell said she had already been urged to link up with Fred Astaire, but doubted it would happen: “Lots of fans have written to ask if we were going to be teamed. He is of course the greatest dancer of them all. But I don’t think we would be a good team. Our style of dancing is totally different. Fred is very aerial and covers a lot of space, while I dance close to the ground…. Fred wouldn’t dance with me. He’d know we could never be a team because we are utterly different.” Three years later, however, they were together- but in a scenario where Fred (who has been seen marveling at her from the back of a Broadway theater) confesses he can't master one of her steps, and she encourages him to try. The scriptwriters knew what they were about.
@@maya8443 AFAIK Ellie was the only actress who was written into a backstage screenplay as being more famous than Fred's character's, and by implication more gifted. At the finale, instead of the usual two-shot of 'getting the girl', she appears between Fred and George Murphy as if they are her courtiers. Musicals are hives of in-jokery, and I suspect the writers could not help riffing off Fred's fear that he would be upstaged for once... which he was, and as he admitted to Hermes Pan when he saw the final cut. I don't want to adjudicate between two nonpareils, but it seems clear that the MGM executives' early fears about EP being too 'dominant' or 'aggressive' (by the male/female criteria of the day) were well founded. Nobody, but nobody, could flourish in Eleanor's blinding light except as a supporting cavalier- as Murphy was, magnificently, in 'I'm Feeling Like a Million' and 'Between You and Me'. Fred was always one of a pair, and people wanted to see what he would bring out in his latest girl. Ellie 'opened' her pictures alone.
@@chattyroz2934 In the story, Clare has come upon Johnny cavorting around with her picture and compact in 'I've Got My Eyes on You', so I guess she wants to try him out too.
I just realized something about myself. I've been around for a while, been a huge sports fan since 1966. But my favorite athlete of all time is Bianca Andreescu. Been watching Eleanor Powell tonight and loving it. I realized that I am really impressed by the physicality of some women. I've just realized that in recent years. They possess such beauty in their athleticism that man just can't have. They just blow me away.
There are no words to describe the talent Ellie and Fred possessed during their careers. In this number, I was entertained beyond words at the corny dialogue (corny nice) and unbelievable choreography. I have heard that Ellie was mostly responsible for the creative side of the dancing in this film and I can see in this number that it must be true. Fred being slung around the floor by an obviously very strong female partner? I can just imagine that the schoolmarm was as strong behind the scenes as she was onscreen.
When I was in the Theater Dept. at college back in 72', I REALLY started getting into the films from the 30's and 40's with both Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers AND Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell! I had SUCH a crush on both Ginger and Eleanor! Both gorgeous, and both incredible dancers!
Eleanor's son Peter Ford said she had the lion's share of the choreographic input. It was tough for Fred. He no longer had Hermes Pan and Mark Sandrich to bounce ideas off, and he was a newbie at MGM, the biggest studio, which regarded Radio as an upstart outfit. Fred's and Ginger's last two films had lost money whereas Ellie's were profitable- at a time (according to Ann Miller) when Mayer, battling the suits in New York, desperately needed hits. Fred still did not know if he could become a Gingerless solo attraction; Ellie had proved she was one. So the power balance was in her favor. One senses that the script of BM40 reflected that: it was the only time Fred portrayed an aspirant to fame, smitten by an established star. Maybe all this is why he was so stand-offish in the first weeks of rehearsal, until Ellie broke down his reserve.
Technically Eleanor is a better dancer and the only one Fred was afraid of. She outshined him in every dance scene. She was a gracious and devout lady who emanated nothing but class in everything she said and did. RIP Eleanor and TY.
On the other hand, I think Astaire could work magic with partners. Powell often outshone her partners, but it's hard to think of anyone who looked bad with Fred. Even here, he seems to tease a little extra ... well, call it sweetness out of Eleanor.
I certainly love Eleanor, but I think it's only fair to mention that she was still in her 20's here while Fred had just hit the plus side of 40. Yes, Astaire could move better in his 70's than I could in my 20's, but for two greats like these, the 13 1/2 years may have made a difference.
@@daveconleyportfolio5192 Very true. Astaire and Pan were dedicated to the cultivation and display of female talent. No actress or dancer who worked with them came away feeling they had not benefited from the experience, even if they cried and bled and said they could not handle the discipline. But Eleanor Powell was more in the line of expressive, masterly soloists such as Isadora Duncan and Leni Riefenstahl. The conventions of musical romances obliged her to dance with men too, but her forte was solitary performance. As such, she obtained from Hollywood a degree of control that no dancer has ever surpassed. Her chutzpah in holding MGM and Mayer to ransom as a young woman of 22, with only one brief screen performance behind her, is as remarkable as the footage she gave Mayer once he had the sense to trust her.
Eleanor powell n est pas la reine des claquettes elle est juste la diva incontestée de ce genre l incommensurable talent de ces prestations nous transpose dans un univers irréel et merveilleux
Even if there is this level of talent around, sadly the movie musical is a relic of the past and it will never have a chance to be seen. I'm so grateful I still have Broadway. The last outpost
@colinglen4505 Fun fact: Most of the suits Fred wore in films were actually his own. In the early 1920s, he and his sister Adele were the biggest stars of the New York and London stages. Whilst in England, they were befriended by Edward, then Prince of Wales, later to be Duke of Windsor, later to be King of England and pretty much always considered to be the best dressed man in Europe. From him, Fred learned a lot about style which he brought back to the U.S. and influenced mens' fashion forever by putting his own unique spin on it.
I don't think Fred, who was such a perfectionist, knew how to take a partner that could so easily keep up with him, tap for tap. Ginger moved so well with him, they made a great dancing duo, but, although she had natural talent, she really couldn't outshine him as a soloist. I've always heard how gracious and shy he was, but I think, when it came to dancing, his ego was substantial, and he didn't want be challenged by his co-star. Didn't want to be possibly out done by a woman.
Potentially the conjuncture of such distinctive talents could have led to sterile rivalry, as in another 1939 release: WC Fields and Mae West in 'My Little Chickadee'. But Fred and Ellie were pros, not showoffs, They worked out a modus vivendi which resulted in as varied and accomplished a showcase for their abilities as one could ask. Honor and inspiration were satisfied by one collaboration as far as Fred was concerned, but what a harvest! BM40 is the richest treasure trove of Terpsichore ever filmed- as one critic wrote, 'a kind of summit meeting'.
I'm no dance expert but the way her line of action shows the forces at work on her body is as pure as I've ever seen. Like it looks like her body is just draped over energy. It *feels* good to see. Also holy shoot, how do you do that in heels without stripping your ankles right out of the socket?
This scene has so many gems. (1) when she says: Amazing (2) Her cute face/nose while she's talking. (3)When she walks away to show him the step. "so sexy" (4) Her cute laugh after they finish. I guess I should mention her dancing. THE GOAT!!! ☺
When I see Fred Astaire, I can't help but look at his feet, love the way he moves with Ginger Rodgers. He's the only man that doesn't look stupid dancing. He was a great.
I wish they'd have done more numbers together. Eleanor Powell it feels like she challenges him and is very bold, confident and fun with her numbers I know we talk abput Ginger Rogers a lot w Astaire, but Powell is his equal if not his superior in this. I feel like I'm seeing a mirror when they dance together
Fred Astaire said she was the greatest dancer. Reading her son, Peter Ford's book, 'Glenn Ford A Life,' and Glenn's serial philandering was sad. All she wanted was a stable family life. Even Clark Gable couldn't woo her with his present to her in the form of a 1936 Packard. Talented, amazing lady.
Eleanor had the marvelous ability to be athletic and very feminine at the same time. No other female tap dancer ever really could do that. There were many wonderful dancers...but none quite like her.
Yes. It was Fred's first experience of Culver City apart from his guest spot with Joan Crawford in 'Dancing Lady', and though he freelanced or professed to have quit, after BM4O he kept being drawn back to MGM. Thanks to Ellie, Nelson and Jeanette, it had become the Mecca of song and dance on screen, soon to have three powerhouse producers- Cummings, Freed and Pasternak- competing to please Mayer. Irving Thalberg had looked down on musicals. LB loved them and was prepared to override his olde-worlde preferences by letting his subordinates experiment in every direction. Eleanor Powell was central to Metro's embrace of the genre. She showed in 'Born to Dance' how a film built round a solo dancer could, as Mayer said, 'create a new star'. Even Thalberg had raved over the steps she demonstrated for the finale as Cole Porter played the piano in Mayer's office. The two moguls were sick of playing second fiddle in the genre to Paramount, Warner and the upstart RKO, Fred's home. They threw all they had got at 'Born to Dance' and it worked. Powell became the most consistently profitable performer Metro had nurtured. Fred and Gene Kelly tussled over the baton when she retired. They kept the MGM musical on top for 15 years more. It is Hollywood's most illustrious and enduring achievement.
Eleanor Powell is amazing. She was a great tap dancer, but I don't understand is why they don't have tap shoes on when they film. These they put the sound in later so it's kind of like weird because sometimes the steps don't match the sound I don't know why they just didn't let them wear tap shoes and record that it would've been a lot better I think .
@ I still think if you're gonna judge him as tap dancers, they have to have taps on their shoes. The heck with a few scuffs on the floor it's a lot easier to do with a pair of sneakers on or a pair of real lightweight shoes like they wear than a pair of tap shoes. I teach tap all the time and I would never consider doing it in lightweight shoes or anything without a tap like a pair of sneakers it's like cheating.
A pair of immortal "hoofers" doing what they did best. Thank heavens for film and the images it has
preserved for the generations to enjoy via TH-cam.
Yes, indeed.
No, not hoofers; they are truly dancers; there is a difference.
They need to make
Multiple copies restored copies and put them in fire proof earthquake and tsunami proof vaults. Oh mud slides volcano proof too! All she did is unbelievable. The dog, and Rich at only 19 years old. 23 with Fred makes her 19 in 1936
We‘ll probably never see the likes of this again sadly….Thankfully we have the video to remind us of just how AWESOME we can be!
Two of the greatest dancers of all time.
Eleanor Powell was one of the best tap dancers of her time , Just amazing .
Love her!!!🙏🏻🤗
Such talent!!!👍💯🤗
“of her time?!”- Try (w/ all due respect; OF ALL TIME !
Of all time . Fayard Nicholas called her not just the best tap dancer but the best dancer man or woman period. He aught to know
@@rmcfete If I were a cynic, I'd say that there's a reason that Fred Astaire never danced with her again after "Broadway Melody of 1940."
What an awful day and yet I'm sitting here watching this and smiling and smiling.
I'm smiling too God bless you.
@@graceannemorgan1035 Me too, honey.
I hope you’ve had many wonderful days during the past five years, and wishing you many more.
2024 and they are still a joy for us to watch. Thanks for posting!
Powell is amazing. Not many dancers that could match Astaire beat for beat, with all his subtleties
egeo03 you said it - it was his subtleties that made him great (and the fact that he made it look effortless) but Eleanor matches his subtleties effortlessly. Eleanor’s dancing appeared as if she was just out for an evening stroll - and when the number ended you are like ‘Wait, what just happened?’😍
This was the kind of movie I grew up with as a kid. Oh, how I miss those days.
Simply fabulous. Thank goodness for the internet and thank whoever for posting it. England, December, 2024.
Eleanor Powell is so crisp with her dancing. There's no one else like her!
Agreed. Begin the Beguine dance is fabulous. This one is a small perfect gem. Both Fred and Eleanor nailed it. He had grace and flair, she had an athletic and artistic ease that was outstanding in this number. One of my favorites. Short and very sweet. Makes me want to try harder in everything I do.
Powell may have been a fabulous tap dancer but Astaire expresses the dance with this whole body and thats what makes him so exciting to watch.
That's why I love to watch him tap. His upper body remained loose and free.
If you want to see her express with whole body, then you must see Elenor with Gracie in Honolulu, you will fall in love with her.
@@kayincat I totally agree ...I can watch him for hours!!!!!!
Ah no.
Yes but she’s wearing high heels
Fred Astaire said years later that he was intimidated by Eleanor and that she danced in a mannish way .
Clearly he was not used to dancing with a woman who did not let him be the lead , or who did not prance around daintily like a flower .
Eleanor was, whom many saw as the greatest tapper , a take no prisoners , give it 110% kind of dancer
She said that after BM40 she felt 'like the Wreck of the Hesperus', and that she was always wiped out when a picture wrapped. This time she was diagnosed with gallstones after collapsing while at a Jeanette MacDonald concert. She contracted a fever during surgery, her temp went to 108, and when her friend Alice Faye visited the hospital Ellie did not know her.
For several days her life was in the balance, and for some months she had to rest up. Her next picture did not appear for more than a year. The crisis made her more determined to get on and then get out, once her extended contract expired in 1943.
The layoff was a blessing in disguise. It produced her greatest feats of imagination, virtuosity and courage, such as 'Fascinating Rhythm' and the Western Rope Dance.
Maybe his ego was dented because she‘s basically as tall as him? 😁
As I recall Fred's quote was that "she put em down like a man", which was a huge compliment in his day.
Wow, she's so confident...plus...OMG...great legs!!!
It´s my privilege to watch slomething like this
That step at 2:39 and 3:10 where he is "leading", but she is actually doing the work, spinning him around on his one foot, is just charming - and poetic at the same time.
I just watched this again. Truly "amazing" Eleanor Powell. Poetry in motion.
I can’t get enough of this. Thank you. Immaterial who can out dance whom.
Why would anyone dislike this!!! ITS GOLD!!!
Take the speed to 50% and look at the two spins from 2:50.
She "arrives" before him both times.
And her timing is right.
He had to ask her to slow her spins down because she was too fast Kelly had to do the same with the Nicholas bros.
It's like some wonderful, magical machine of perfection running in well-oiled balance.
The master at work , spell binding & she aint bad either lol 👀👀
Unbelievable. And just one take once they began the heart of the dance. Outstanding!
Brilliant. The both of them.
Thank you so much for sharing their amazing talent and pure virtuosity !
Great -both just great!
This is a great dance overshadowed by the Begin the Beguine epic number featured at the end of this film. Thanks for sharing.
Eleanor Powell said this was her favorite dance from this movie.
Absolutely, totally agree with you Anne. This is a gem that was indeed overshadowed by the Begin the Beguine number.
@@jamesryan6008 I concur. I tape recorded it. With just the melody and tap rhythms the imagination runs wild. Not so much "Begin". I heard them on vinyl before I saw.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Masterpiece! "WOW!!" Incredible tap number, absolutely perfect!❤❤
Fantastic to watch. From a time when people had skill and class . No swearing, or anything artificial and no CGI just good old fashioned talent. 👍👍👍
Their timing alone is astounding, never missing a beat. Talk about talent!
All I can say is.......THANK YOU!!!
Simply. Amazing.
I cant stop watching it!
Fred Astaire : "The only woman I couldn't outdance".
@@beautygirl9981 Fred b.1899 Ann b.1923. In 1948 there was a 25 yr. difference. He was 49; she was 25. Both were better singers than Eleanor. I don't know who was faster:ELEANOR POWELL or ANN MILLER?
@@beautygirl9981 That was more to do with another of Moaning Minnie's hangups, his partners' height. He made Ann Miller wear flats for their token turn as a couple.
Poor Ann, always behind the eight ball- never given star billing, never had a film built round her, constantly conscripted to shore up movies headlining people who were often less proficient.
@@sirpoopalot6420 In 1985, I played trombone in the pit orchestra for the touring Broadway show, "Sugar Babies." It starred Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller. They were both 65 years old at the time. I was astounded at how strong and accomplished Ann still was as a dancer. When I mentioned this to one of the cast members, he told me that Ann worked at staying limbered up throughout the day, every day.
Case in point: I remember getting to the orchestra pit very early one day. As I made my way to the pit, I could hear someone tap dancing on the stage. When I looked up from the pit I saw who it was. It was Ann dressed in a bath robe and with a towel on her head. "Now I know why Ann is still so good," I thought to myself: Lifelong dedication to her art."
@@paulbrewer2374 Wow! EVERYTHING you said was fascinating: a glimpse behind the scenes!
Yessss
Some one wrote about Eleanor was one of the best...NO...is the best dancer of all time, never to be equaled.
Fred #1 male, Eleanor #1 female. There is no argument.
He’s there is. Ellie no1. Everyone else fighting for second. Man or woman.
a singular talent...I love her ❤
Powell is just so superbly clean technically. Astaire is as always his smooth self and I think connects better with the audience, but he really couldn't beat her technically.
Ellie was the soul of truthfulness, so there is no reason to doubt a story she told Fayard Nicholas about when this movie wrapped.
Fred was off by himself, brooding in a corner. She asked him what was wrong- hadn't they both enjoyed making the picture? He answered: 'Yes, we had fun, but I don't want to work with you any more. You made me work too hard.'
From the most notorious workaholic in Hollywood, that is some compliment.
@@esmeephillips5888 They execute 2 spins at 2:51 yet she keeps her arms more folded while he has his out (more work or E is involved). It gives the ILLUSION of her going slower than his "dazzling" speed, but 1st spin she actually completes before him! 2nd spin perfectly matched rotational speed but the illusion remains (more energy expenditure on his part though). Could it also be his bigger hands are more visible and she's wearing darker clothing? P.S.I have time on my hands.
As a former dancer, I totally agree. You can see that when he dances with her, he dances to 'keep up' with her level. It's not that he wasn't a good dancer; he was a good dancer. But there is something about Eleanor Powell's dancing that makes it seem (although it's very subtle) that he has to really work when he dances with her. RIP to both of them.
I think Powell is the only other dance partner he had besides Judy Garland who took the focus off of him and his dazzling artistry. I can't not watch Eleanor or Judy when they dancing with him.
Oh, if only I could hear some music and do a complicated, perfectly choreographed three minute dance routine at the drop of a... quarter!
hey yeah--it was a nickel in those days!
Yeah, but actually that's 5 days rehearsing and shooting for 2 of the best dancers on the planet. Doing it - pretty tough. Doing it well - really tough. Making it look easy - only for the best.
@@SalsaAdam I took tap lessons for a while. My teacher and I got about halfway through this one before I had to stop lessons for scheduling reasons. (Life, amirite?)
Eleanor in the recording: "Simple!"
My teacher and I while out of breath: "My ass!!!"
Fred Astaire seems less "chunky" and not coming from his hips quietly. Eleanor Powell is perfect every moment with an intensity that created perfection every
moment. Both amazing to watch.
Fred and Eleanor, perfect match made in heaven. Two legends!
The best of the best. Those who say, "Ginger could do everything Fred could do, backwards" are wrong in every way. Eleanor could do everything Fred could do--and more!
@Brazilian Atlantis Agreed. But look through the comments of absolutely EVERY video on TH-cam showing Astaire and Rogers, and there are legions of "Ginger did everything he did backwards and in high heels!" comments. She couldn't, really. Look at... oh their dance number in "Swing Time" just to take one example -- even I, a total non-dancer can see Fred's steps are far more precise and intricate. Ginger just couldn't keep up, as a dancer, but she did well enough. Ginger was Astaire's most memorable partner because she complimented him well on the dance floor -- despite her lack of dance training, she learned to dance pretty well; and because she had real chemistry with him on screen, as an actor and a dancer. But the truth is Fred danced with any number of far more accomplished and skilled dancers, technically speaking -- Eleanor Powell, Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron. Ginger was a great partner for Fred, and in truth she had more acting talent than he did. But she wasn't a better dancer, and I wish people would put that trite old saying to bed.
Is an overstated quote and far from being true. Ginger was an okay dancer and quick learner but that was basically all, it was Fred the one with the talent.
@@Hibernicus1968 - I agree, don't forget the second best tap dancer of the golden era, Ann Miller!
@Blind Brazilian Tex Atlantis And anyone who doesn't think Fred Astaire could slip on a pair of heels and also do the number backwards is kidding themselves.
Fred could almost do everything Eleanor could do
To be frank I could never decide witch of these awesome dancers is better. Both of them seem to at the peak of their game!
Fred And Eleanor sure do make it look effortless😍
I love watching her hair just flying riot when she does a spin. She literally throws everything she's got into them.
This routine took weeks & was great to watch
Thank you for posting this. I’ve never seen it before. I love discovering new Astaire dances. I have this on my DVR. Can’t wait to watch the whole thing.
Sorry to disappoint you. It was Eleanor’s movie
@@rmcfetewhy would I be disappointed. I discovered a new talented person. I found a video someone created where they blended clips of every musical number Fred Astaire did to 4 Michael Jackson song. I compared it from the movies I saw of Astaire to figure out what movie the dance came from. I looked it up and found the whole dance. Went on tcm and recorded the movie so I can see the whole movie. I’ve never see her before so if it wasn’t for Astaire I would not have found a new person to enjoy.
In 1936, still new in Hollywood, Eleanor Powell said she had already been urged to link up with Fred Astaire, but doubted it would happen:
“Lots of fans have written to ask if we were going to be teamed. He is of course the greatest dancer of them all. But I don’t think we would be a good team. Our style of dancing is totally different. Fred is very aerial and covers a lot of space, while I dance close to the ground….
Fred wouldn’t dance with me. He’d know we could never be a team because we are utterly different.”
Three years later, however, they were together- but in a scenario where Fred (who has been seen marveling at her from the back of a Broadway theater) confesses he can't master one of her steps, and she encourages him to try.
The scriptwriters knew what they were about.
Good story, thanks for sharing! They're awesome. I love the "begin the beguinue"
dance is pure perfection.
@@maya8443 AFAIK Ellie was the only actress who was written into a backstage screenplay as being more famous than Fred's character's, and by implication more gifted.
At the finale, instead of the usual two-shot of 'getting the girl', she appears between Fred and George Murphy as if they are her courtiers. Musicals are hives of in-jokery, and I suspect the writers could not help riffing off Fred's fear that he would be upstaged for once... which he was, and as he admitted to Hermes Pan when he saw the final cut.
I don't want to adjudicate between two nonpareils, but it seems clear that the MGM executives' early fears about EP being too 'dominant' or 'aggressive' (by the male/female criteria of the day) were well founded. Nobody, but nobody, could flourish in Eleanor's blinding light except as a supporting cavalier- as Murphy was, magnificently, in 'I'm Feeling Like a Million' and 'Between You and Me'.
Fred was always one of a pair, and people wanted to see what he would bring out in his latest girl. Ellie 'opened' her pictures alone.
He just wanted an excuse to dance with her (in the scene). It couldn't more obvious.
@@chattyroz2934 In the story, Clare has come upon Johnny cavorting around with her picture and compact in 'I've Got My Eyes on You', so I guess she wants to try him out too.
Not one ounce of effort was required ! Such perfection
What a joy to watch the absolute best doing their best!!!!!! The dialogue might be a bit strained, but the dancing is divine!
She is so technically perfect...yet he is just so much more expressive and interesting to watch. The way he uses his arms is so much more artistic.
She didn’t have his background. She never did ballroom. Ballet. Let’s see him do that
I just realized something about myself. I've been around for a while, been a huge sports fan since 1966. But my favorite athlete of all time is Bianca Andreescu. Been watching Eleanor Powell tonight and loving it. I realized that I am really impressed by the physicality of some women. I've just realized that in recent years. They possess such beauty in their athleticism that man just can't have. They just blow me away.
If you appreciate athletic dancing, watch the last minute of Eleanor Powell's 'Fascinating Rhythm'.
@@esmeephillips5888 I think I've seen that but I will look it up again, thanks.
Incredible. I miss these kinds of movies.
legend ALL his life....Great Dancer
She was such a natural dancer. She learned ballet, then took up tap as a teen. Plus, she was so acrobatic. She was amazing and classy.
Fred and Eleanor - fantastic! And then some! I grew up watching Fred and his dancing ladies: Eleanor, Ginger, Cyd … what a treat!
Quelle magie! Un concentré de bonne humeur 😉
She was incredible.
The understatement of the year when she says "It's simple" lol
Really smooth. A pleasure to watch.
There are no words to describe the talent Ellie and Fred possessed during their careers. In this number, I was entertained beyond words at the corny dialogue (corny nice) and unbelievable choreography. I have heard that Ellie was mostly responsible for the creative side of the dancing in this film and I can see in this number that it must be true. Fred being slung around the floor by an obviously very strong female partner? I can just imagine that the schoolmarm was as strong behind the scenes as she was onscreen.
When I was in the Theater Dept. at college back in 72', I REALLY started getting into the films from the 30's and 40's with both Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers AND Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell! I had SUCH a crush on both Ginger and Eleanor! Both gorgeous, and both incredible dancers!
Eleanor's son Peter Ford said she had the lion's share of the choreographic input.
It was tough for Fred. He no longer had Hermes Pan and Mark Sandrich to bounce ideas off, and he was a newbie at MGM, the biggest studio, which regarded Radio as an upstart outfit.
Fred's and Ginger's last two films had lost money whereas Ellie's were profitable- at a time (according to Ann Miller) when Mayer, battling the suits in New York, desperately needed hits. Fred still did not know if he could become a Gingerless solo attraction; Ellie had proved she was one.
So the power balance was in her favor. One senses that the script of BM40 reflected that: it was the only time Fred portrayed an aspirant to fame, smitten by an established star. Maybe all this is why he was so stand-offish in the first weeks of rehearsal, until Ellie broke down his reserve.
Technically Eleanor is a better dancer and the only one Fred was afraid of. She outshined him in every dance scene. She was a gracious and devout lady who emanated nothing but class in everything she said and did. RIP Eleanor and TY.
On the other hand, I think Astaire could work magic with partners. Powell often outshone her partners, but it's hard to think of anyone who looked bad with Fred. Even here, he seems to tease a little extra ... well, call it sweetness out of Eleanor.
I certainly love Eleanor, but I think it's only fair to mention that she was still in her 20's here while Fred had just hit the plus side of 40. Yes, Astaire could move better in his 70's than I could in my 20's, but for two greats like these, the 13 1/2 years may have made a difference.
Overstated
@@daveconleyportfolio5192 Very true. Astaire and Pan were dedicated to the cultivation and display of female talent. No actress or dancer who worked with them came away feeling they had not benefited from the experience, even if they cried and bled and said they could not handle the discipline.
But Eleanor Powell was more in the line of expressive, masterly soloists such as Isadora Duncan and Leni Riefenstahl. The conventions of musical romances obliged her to dance with men too, but her forte was solitary performance. As such, she obtained from Hollywood a degree of control that no dancer has ever surpassed. Her chutzpah in holding MGM and Mayer to ransom as a young woman of 22, with only one brief screen performance behind her, is as remarkable as the footage she gave Mayer once he had the sense to trust her.
I never get tired of watching her, she was simply amazing.
Total perfection wow
Eleanor powell n est pas la reine des claquettes elle est juste la diva incontestée de ce genre l incommensurable talent de ces prestations nous transpose dans un univers irréel et merveilleux
I think I like them together more in this number than in The Beguine - but both are a pleasure to watch!🙂🌷
so brilliant!
Poetry in motion.
Class
Fred Astaire is the master
Thanks for HQ uploading!
Vaina pa`buena!!! recuerdos que tengo sugeridos de mi padre para este tipo de arte y por mi aceptados... Excelente recordatorio!!!
Even if there is this level of talent around, sadly the movie musical is a relic of the past and it will never have a chance to be seen. I'm so grateful I still have Broadway. The last outpost
No brave studios
A lot of hard work to make this look effortless!
A PHENOMENAL routine. ... As is, of course, the finale Begin the Beguine, but I prefer this. Wonderful.
Eekkss that was amazing !!
Wow!....Fantastic!
so cool
I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer tap duets ..this one if superb...oh, and freds suit is very smart too. : )
If you watch he wastes a lot of energy
@colinglen4505
Fun fact: Most of the suits Fred wore in films were actually his own.
In the early 1920s, he and his sister Adele were the biggest stars of the New York and London stages. Whilst in England, they were befriended by Edward, then Prince of Wales, later to be Duke of Windsor, later to be King of England and pretty much always considered to be the best dressed man in Europe. From him, Fred learned a lot about style which he brought back to the U.S. and influenced mens' fashion forever by putting his own unique spin on it.
Both were great
Wikipedia makes mention that Eleanor Powell has said that this was her favorite dance routine she did on film.
Que perfeição !!!!
I don't think Fred, who was such a perfectionist, knew how to take a partner that could so easily keep up with him, tap for tap. Ginger moved so well with him, they made a great dancing duo, but, although she had natural talent, she really couldn't outshine him as a soloist. I've always heard how gracious and shy he was, but I think, when it came to dancing, his ego was substantial, and he didn't want be challenged by his co-star. Didn't want to be possibly out done by a woman.
Potentially the conjuncture of such distinctive talents could have led to sterile rivalry, as in another 1939 release: WC Fields and Mae West in 'My Little Chickadee'. But Fred and Ellie were pros, not showoffs, They worked out a modus vivendi which resulted in as varied and accomplished a showcase for their abilities as one could ask.
Honor and inspiration were satisfied by one collaboration as far as Fred was concerned, but what a harvest! BM40 is the richest treasure trove of Terpsichore ever filmed- as one critic wrote, 'a kind of summit meeting'.
But he was. That’s why he didn’t do a second movie with her
Oh and Kelly she would have made look lost
But he was which
Is why he didn’t dance with her anymore. And Kelly never was a match for Ellie
That's really something.
Backwards, in heels and perfect! Wow
I'm no dance expert but the way her line of action shows the forces at work on her body is as pure as I've ever seen. Like it looks like her body is just draped over energy. It *feels* good to see.
Also holy shoot, how do you do that in heels without stripping your ankles right out of the socket?
This scene has so many gems. (1) when she says: Amazing
(2) Her cute face/nose while she's talking.
(3)When she walks away to show him the step. "so sexy"
(4) Her cute laugh after they finish. I guess I should mention her dancing. THE GOAT!!! ☺
Perfect meets perfect.
When I see Fred Astaire, I can't help but look at his feet, love the way he moves with Ginger Rodgers. He's the only man that doesn't look stupid dancing. He was a great.
I wish they'd have done more numbers together. Eleanor Powell it feels like she challenges him and is very bold, confident and fun with her numbers
I know we talk abput Ginger Rogers a lot w Astaire, but Powell is his equal if not his superior in this. I feel like I'm seeing a mirror when they dance together
SIN DUDA LOS MEJORES DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS ❤❤❤❤❤
Fred Astaire said she was the greatest dancer. Reading her son, Peter Ford's book, 'Glenn Ford A Life,' and Glenn's serial philandering was sad. All she wanted was a stable family life. Even Clark Gable couldn't woo her with his present to her in the form of a 1936 Packard. Talented, amazing lady.
She's wonderfully slim.
I am amazed that she does that in heels! 😍
...!...!...❤
Eleanor had the marvelous ability to be athletic and very feminine at the same time. No other female tap dancer ever really could do that. There were many wonderful dancers...but none quite like her.
Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell were the dawn of things to come for MGM
Yes. It was Fred's first experience of Culver City apart from his guest spot with Joan Crawford in 'Dancing Lady', and though he freelanced or professed to have quit, after BM4O he kept being drawn back to MGM. Thanks to Ellie, Nelson and Jeanette, it had become the Mecca of song and dance on screen, soon to have three powerhouse producers- Cummings, Freed and Pasternak- competing to please Mayer.
Irving Thalberg had looked down on musicals. LB loved them and was prepared to override his olde-worlde preferences by letting his subordinates experiment in every direction.
Eleanor Powell was central to Metro's embrace of the genre. She showed in 'Born to Dance' how a film built round a solo dancer could, as Mayer said, 'create a new star'. Even Thalberg had raved over the steps she demonstrated for the finale as Cole Porter played the piano in Mayer's office.
The two moguls were sick of playing second fiddle in the genre to Paramount, Warner and the upstart RKO, Fred's home. They threw all they had got at 'Born to Dance' and it worked. Powell became the most consistently profitable performer Metro had nurtured.
Fred and Gene Kelly tussled over the baton when she retired. They kept the MGM musical on top for 15 years more. It is Hollywood's most illustrious and enduring achievement.
I'm almost 70 and this was 📺 fare on the weekends
The best ever...and he was good too.
Eleanor Powell is amazing. She was a great tap dancer, but I don't understand is why they don't have tap shoes on when they film. These they put the sound in later so it's kind of like weird because sometimes the steps don't match the sound I don't know why they just didn't let them wear tap shoes and record that it would've been a lot better I think .
So they won’t mark up the floor with muliple takes!
@ I still think if you're gonna judge him as tap dancers, they have to have taps on their shoes. The heck with a few scuffs on the floor it's a lot easier to do with a pair of sneakers on or a pair of real lightweight shoes like they wear than a pair of tap shoes. I teach tap all the time and I would never consider doing it in lightweight shoes or anything without a tap like a pair of sneakers it's like cheating.
A beautiful woman who can dance like that... yes, please
84 years ago …
And still great to watch.