Royal Wedding / The Belle of New York
List Price:
Our Price: $13.70
You Save: $11.28 (45%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $12.50 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Vera-EllenBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
Picture Format: Academy Ratio, 1.33:1
Running Time: 174 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-07-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 79529
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- ROYAL WEDDING: Dancing and romance collide in ROYAL WEDDING as a brother-sister dance team (Fred Astaire and Jane Powell) open their musical show in London shortly before the English royal wedding and find love of their own. Showcasing some of Astaire's most memorable dance scenes in film history--Astaire's hat-rack partner and his dancing on the ceiling (impressive even to those jaded by
DVD Reviews of Royal Wedding / The Belle of New York
DVD Review: One Good,one bad from the peerless Astaire!
Summary: 3 Stars
This release by MGM of two early /50s films starring THE legendary man of dance Fred Astaire,offers up his two successively made projects;one good the other not so good.However both are in brilliant technicolour and quite pleasing to the eye.
Royal Wedding(released in Mar/51)stars Fred as Tom Bowen and Jane Powell as his sister Ellen.They are a popular sister and brother act with the sister being kind of a male magnet.When the two get a chance to take their show to the London stage,they jump at it.While in London Ellen succumbs to a little too much male extra circular actvitiy with an English Lord Brindale(Peter Lawford);much to the chagrin of her brother.However the love bug eventually strikes Tom too and he falls hard for one Miss Ashmond(Sarah Churchill).Their act is a smash on the London stage while the course of true love doesn't necessarily run smooth for either.When the day of the real Royal Wedding of the now Queen of England comes around Tom and Ellen,who are by now pretty much set to marry their love interests,decide it would be foolish to break up the act for marriage.They vow to remain single but when the royal couple leave the church they break down and both go running after their respective mates.The film ends with a pull-back shot of the now married foursome leaving the church.
Those that know anything about Astaire will immediately see how this film is loosely based on his own career with his first and best partner,his sister Adele.Adele fell for an Englsih Lord that inevitably broke up the act in the early /30s.Royal Wedding I would give about 3 1/2 stars;a good picture but certainly not one of Astaires best.However there are more than enough moments in this film for him to shine,and shine he does.In the "Sunday Jumps" number he is impatiently waiting for his sister to show up for rehearsal.He plays around with a few steps,looks at his watch and looks out the door,grabbing a hat rack by his right hand.As he turns back in he is still holding the hat rack and suddenly he is using it as his dance partner.The room he is in is supposed to be a gym room so he uses many other props that he finds but the hat rack is certainly the most used,inventive and entertaining of them all.The other number which has become legend in itself is the "You're all the world to me" routine.He is nuts over Miss Ashmond and while sitting looking at her picture decides to get up and dance.He dances to and fro and just when you think there's nothing more he can do he starts climbing the walls.This wonderful routine takes him in a visual circle up one wall,onto the ceiling and down the other wall and back briefly to each.The number has always managed to retain that "wow" factor,even today.Powell and Astaire also manage to pull off a pretty good routine together in an against-type number called "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You,when You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life" .Watch for Albert Sharpe as Miss Ashmond's father,better known in later years as Darby O'Gill from the movie "Darby O'Gill and the Little People".Technically the movie has been transferred beautifully and it has never looked as gorgeous as it does now.Special features include a special from TCM's Private Screenings with Stanley Donen,a featurette,an actual outtake from the movie(rare),a couple of period cartoons,the trailer and a promotional interview on radio with Astaire and Powell.
Belle of New York(released Feb/52) is a pretentious and uninteresting movie that,if it didn't have Astaire in it,wouldn't be worth the film it was shot on.The film opens with a shot of an entire street filled with male admirers singing "When I'm out with the Belle of New York" to Angela(Vera Ellen).She is a member of the "Daughters of Right",a Salvation Army type group of women led by Lettie(Marjorie Main).In comes playboy extraordinare Charles Hill(Astaire) who is supposedly on his last night of bachelorhood asking a bevy of his old girlfriends(musically)who will give him his last kiss.He leaves his intended bride standing at the altar and next day while on a buggy ride with a new female friend through the park he spots Angela and the rest of the "Daughters" out spreading the "word" to the homeless and downtrodden.Charles leaves the buggy and his girl and becomes immediately smitten with Angela.She is a tough nut to crack but over time he manages to get into her good books and the two become an item.Trouble is Charles' Aunt is Lettie,the very same Lettie who leads the "Daughters",of which Angela is a part of and she doesn't approve of the two at first.Lettie eventually relents and gives her blessing.Comes their wedding day and Charles gets two sheets to the wind and stands up Angela at the church.She is heartbroken and returns to the "Daughters" to work but a sorry Charles still pursues her.In the end he gets his girl as the two go off into the sunset dancing on air.And the latter is what is possibly the biggest let down to the movie.Everytime we see Charles or Angela in a deep love thought they start to actually float in the air.Astaire has a number dancing on the top of the monument in Washington Square but it just does not come off.It is far too fantastical and is very much out of place.When Charles first confronts Angela about his feelings he is in the air talking to her.She looks up and tells him he's not supposed to be there and that he is silly.He floats back down.Silly it is,which ever way you look at it.The plot,what it is,is also another of the films own worst enemies.From the get go Angela is the local "babe",admired by seemingly every man in NYC.Vera Ellen's persona and looks go against that sentiment right away so we have a conflict throughout and since everything hinges on the audience believing it,that aspect never is pulled off with success.Also working against the grain is Vera Ellen herself.In my opinion she is one of Astaires worst partners as far as chemistry goes;the worst being Joan Fontaine in "Damsel in Distress"(1937).And her work with Astaire in "The Brides Wedding Day Song" with various Currier and Ives backdrops,is pedestrian at best;the entire number is somewhat of a let down anyways.Astaires best moment comes in a kind of biographical number called"I wanna be a Dancin Man".It's a beautiful island in a sea of mediocrity.Besides Astaire the only other presence worth noting here is Marjorie Main.She is in fine form as gruff Aunt Lettie and was always a delight to see and a solid supporting actor.This film was a box office failure in its initial run and I would give it no more than 2 1/2 stars today.
Technically the film has been wonderfully restored picture wise;both it and Royal Wedding are on a par that way.However sound wise there is a problem.During the first hour of the film the musical numbers sound like someone is playing with the pitch controls as the sound is quite erratic.For those who remember what a record is,it is like putting the needle down and watching it go from side to side(not run true).That is the type of sound you hear here and it is certainly distracting to say the least,and all the more strange they would release the film like that.Special features include a Pete Short specialty film(always a delight),a Tex Avery Cartoon,the trailer and another rare piece of footage,the alternate version of "I wanna be a Dancin' Man" routine.You see Astaire with and without overdubbing;a fantastic piece of footage.
Royal Wedding easily wins top spot in this double Astaire release,but while"Belles" is just simply a poor film "Royal" comes in not much better than above average;so there is no reason for fireworks with either film."Belles" suffers from a contrite and forced story line to which there is no believability in or sympathy from the audience.Vera Ellen is a poor partner for Astaire but Fred at least has one good solo spot."Royal" has a much better cast but the story can get bogged down and flat sometimes which drags it.Sarah Churchill is certainly "different" as an Astaire love interest and as a result I find that aspect quite disinteresting.But there are two Astaire solo spots here that make this film worth getting,his famous dancing on the ceiling and his turn with a coat rack;pure magic.I think the fans of Astaire will find their own moments of pleasure in both these films,but to those beyond that,as musicals,they lack a broader appeal.
Description of Royal Wedding / The Belle of New York
ROYAL WEDDING/BELLE OF NEW YORK - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Broadway Melody of 1940Broadway; Release date: 2003-04-22; DVD
Best price: $13.46
Price in other shops:
High SocietyWarner Brothers; Release date: 2008-05-13; DVD
Best price: $5.56
Price in other shops:
You Were Never LovelierSony; Release date: 2004-05-25; DVD
Best price: $7.70
Price in other shops:
A Damsel In DistressRelease date: 2011-11-02; Published: 2011; DVD
Best price: $16.94
Price in other shops:
Ziegfeld FolliesWarner Brothers; Release date: 2006-04-25; DVD
Best price: $3.93
Price in other shops:
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2005-03-15; DVD
Best price: $6.58
Price in other shops:
You'll Never Get RichSony; Release date: 2003-10-21; DVD
Best price: $7.83
Price in other shops:
Silk StockingsASTAIRE,FRED; Release date: 2003-04-22; DVD
Best price: $14.20
Price in other shops:
Easter Parade (Two Disc Special Edition)Warner; Release date: 2005-03-15; DVD
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops:
Three Little WordsWarner Brothers; Release date: 2006-04-25; DVD
Best price: $4.29
Price in other shops: