My Review of ‘Royal Wedding’ (1951)
This is a fun film if you like musicals, even if some of the plot seems unlikely or weird.
Let me explain. What we have here are the brother and sister dancing team of Tom and Ellen Bowen (played by Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, respectively). They hit it big on Broadway, which leads them to take the show to London, timing their visit to jibe with the Royal Wedding of some Royal People.
Now, even though commercial flight existed in the early 50s, the siblings take a boat to merry old England. This gives Ellen the opportunity to meet and (as often happens in Hollywood musicals) fall madly in love with a complete stranger named Lord John Brindale (played by Peter Lawford).
And after they arrive in London, Tom falls head over heels for one of the new dancers, Anne Ashmond (played by Sarah Churchill — and, yes, she’s the daughter of that fine fellow Winston).
You know, it always amazes me how fast people in these movies rush into serious relationships. I mean, there’s not even a small build-up. Just, “Hey, nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you, too.” “I love you.” “I’m so glad we got that out of the way.”
However, you don’t watch this movie for the intricacy of its plotting or the subtlety of its messages. It is always about music, dancing, and magic.
So, let’s talk about why parts of this movie seem weird to me. And, conversely, what parts of it work amazingly well.
The opening number, which is lavishly choreographed, seems to depict a king with his queen. Or maybe his consort. Or his maid. In any case, the vibe is distinctly one of intimacy that suggests they’re more than just friends.
After the curtain falls, the two dancers bicker like an old couple. At that point, I thought they were a husband and wife act. Or old friends as familiar to each other as one would be.
Then, I realized they were siblings. And I learned later that their relationship was based on Astaire’s actual brother-and-sister act from before he hit Hollywood.
And they engage in this dance on the boat, which is done very creatively. It’s quite acrobatic and fun to watch, even if the dance moves Astaire and Powell pull off seem a bit overly-friendly for a brother and sister act.
Nonetheless, and any inadvertently weird subtexts aside, this movie has a few scenes that are show stoppers. That would include Fred Astaire’s famous dance with the hat rack to “Sunday Jumps” and the Dance Around the Room set to “You’re All the World to Me”. The latter routine never fails to take my breath away.
Finally, what I consider the musical highlight (in terms of song and lyrics, rather than dance) of the film. Jane Powell singing “Too Late Now” to Peter Lawford while strolling the banks of the Thames.
Oh, and SPOILER ALERT (as if you didn’t know it would happen), despite the dancing couple’s continual and repeated denials of any wish to marry, the Royal Wedding is so full of pageantry and all that, they decide “Hey! Let’s get married. Right now.” “Great idea.”
After which the couples link arms and plow a path through the throng in search of a minister or someone who can perform the proper ceremony. Apparently, Lords can just go off and do these things. And the dancing Americans must have had work visas, which it made it all okay, I guess.
Would I watch this movie again? Parts of it, sure! 🙂
By the way, I don’t hate musicals, no matter how thin the plot. Or Fred Astaire. Really! 🙂
I suppose I’ll have to do a write-up of The Band Wagon to prove it, won’t I? 🙂
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Directed by Stanley Donen
Produced by Arthur Freed
Screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner (story & screenplay)
