After a successful run on Broadway, sibling musical team Fred Astaire and Jane Powell (as Tom and Ellen Bowen) are invited to play London during "the wedding season." This means participating in the 1947 "Royal Wedding" of Princess Elizabeth and her cousin Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark (presently known as Elizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh). Romance is in the London air as Ms. Powell meets playboy Peter Lawford (as John "Johnny" Brindale) and Mr. Astaire meets showgirl Sarah Churchill (as Anne Ashmond). Sarah is the daughter of Winston Churchill (who, with Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin, was one of the "Big Three" winners of World War II). Churchill's daughter and the actual UK wedding are thematic, but less than overwhelming...It's a surprise to find so many of MGM's "That's Entertainment!" (1974) showstoppers were from average musicals. However, the soundtrack is grand and includes three of Astaire's best numbers. Without the Astaire highlights, "Royal Wedding" is sub-par stuff. The romances are dull and Powell, while lovely, seems too way young to be Astaire's sister. As reported here and in other sites' trivia, June Allyson was pregnant with Dick Powell Jr., and Judy Garland was bitten by the buzz bug; so, the role went to Jane Powell...First, watch as Astaire dances with a hat-rack in "Sunday Jumps". This marvelous routine made headlines in 1997 when digitally altered to feature Astaire dancing with a "Dirt Devil" vacuum cleaner. Friends of the deceased star, and many TV viewers, were appalled. Happily, the commercial was removed. Next, watch for Astaire and Powell sing the interminably titled, but delightful, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life?" This song also returned Astaire to the record best-seller lists. Finally, Astaire and MGM's crew get him dancing on the ceiling in "You're All the World to Me". As anyone with a laptop knows, it's not a difficult special effect; but it's really Astaire, not a spinning room, that makes it magical.***** Royal Wedding (3/8/51) Stanley Donen ~ Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill

The idea was to memorialize the long disbanded song and dance team of Fred and Adele Astaire, while taking advantage of the publicity associated with the recent marriage of Queen Elizabeth, to help dramatize the historic fact that Adele left the act, around age 35, to marry a British nobleman. Fred would play himself, and audiences would have to imagine that he was about 20 years younger. Who to cast as Adele? Vera-Ellen was briefly considered, but passed for June Allison, who soon discovered she was pregnant, thus replaced by the troubled Judy Garland, who was soon fired for being tardy. All these ladies were in their late 20s or early 30s, thus might be somewhat feasible younger sisters of Fred(Adele was actually older). But, the final choice became 21 y.o. Jane Powell: 30 years Fred's junior. Jane, of course, had established herself as a significant MGM star by that time, had a great singing voice, which typically overshadowed her also substantial dancing talent. This was her first role playing a full adult, as opposed to a teen, and she turned out to be a great partner for Fred. But, it would have been much more believable if she had been characterized as Fred's daughter, rather than sister! Now, who to cast as Fred's new love in the UK? Fred's character was a confirmed old bachelor. Ideally, a member of the British aristocracy was wanted, to increase the film appeal to Brits. Sarah Churchill, Winston's daughter, was chosen. This reportedly did seem to help draw British audiences. Being in her late 30s, she was reasonably old to be a likely romantic partner for Fred. However, she had no film charisma and had a mannish-looking face. It's unbelievable that Fred would get so excited about her as to dance on the ceiling and walls of his room in celebration! Fred appeared to have much more romantic chemistry with Jane than Sarah! Also, the idea of her training with Fred to be a chorus girl, at near age 40, sounds unpromising. As the director, I probably would have opted for Vera-Ellen in her place, with whom Fred had very recently costarred, in "Three Little Words", and would again costar the following year in "The Belle of New York". She was good looking and a top dancing talent, to realistically make Fred dance on his ceiling (He would levitate in the future film with her!). She also had a rather regal demeanor, later playing a princess. She was young enough to be a believable dancing starter, yet perhaps old enough to have a plausible romantic interest in Fred.The 4th lead was Peter Lawford. On the positive, he was bred a Brit, as suggested by his speech, and was popular with women viewers. He made a good looking couple with Jane. Both he and Jane are scripted as having an endless supply of potential girl or boyfriends, thus a potential union of an alpha male and a queen bee. Despite only rudimentary singing and dancing skills, he had been cast in several prior musicals, although he reportedly hated to have to sing or dance in them. According to Jane, he was also only minimally dedicated to his acting career. He worked out OK in his minimally demanding role. Often, the supporting actors in musicals help supply additional musical or comedic talent. However, with the multitalented charismatic Fred and Jane, this wasn't so essential here.The director was the famous Stanley Donen, who devised the apparatus for creating the illusion that Fred was dancing on the ceiling and walls of his room, while singing "You're All the World to Me". The cameraman had to be tied down, as he rotated with the room, in only 2 takes. Despite all the things going for this film, it languishes in relative obscurity compared to his previous hit "On the Town", and subsequent film "Singing in the Rain". Jane would again costar in his hit "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers".The team of Burton Lane and Alan Lerner composed the musical numbers, which weren't hit parade grade, but serviceable, especially with emphasis on dance. Lane had been a long time, though minor, composer for MGM. This was Lerner's first film role as the lyricist, being hired mainly on the strength of his "Brigadoon" play. His frequent composer partner, Fredrick Loewe, would rejoin him for several notable musicals in the future.In addition to Fred's dancing on the ceiling, there are several other unusual dance numbers. The scene where Fred and Jane are attempting to dance on the ship during a severe storm, causing the furniture and themselves to slide around, is fun. Fred's solo dance with his expensive, custom-made, coat & hat rack is also unusual and skilled, although I find Kelly's prior dance with assorted mops and brooms, in "Thousands Cheer", more interesting...The comedic vaudeville-styled number "How could you believe me.....", in which Jane plays a floozy to Fred's film flam man, is also quite good. Reminds us of "A Couple of Swells" with Fred and Judy, in "Easter Parade". Jane especially liked this, as it was her first chance to play other than a sweet goody goody girl. Made up as a sensuous Latino, in the colorful "I Left My Hat in Haiti", dancing with Fred, she is also out of her usual character, and fun to watch.

The print I saw for "Royal Wedding" was super-ugly and dark. Apparently the film is in the public domain and lots of lousy copies are out there--including the streaming version from Netflix. My advice is to see if the copy from MGM/Turner Entertainment is better--it should be.As for the film, the casting is quite odd. There is a 30 years difference in the age of Fred Astaire and his on-screen 'sister' Jane Powell. Because of this, the chemistry seems a bit odd and you can't help but being taken out of the moment. Too bad they couldn't have gotten Eleanor Powell out of retirement, as she was as close to Astaire's talents as any woman alive and she was much closer in age to him. Seeing these two amazing dancers together would have been a treat, as she was a match for his athleticism and ability to tap.The film is a re-written account of the life of Astaire and his real life sister, Adele. They were a huge act in the 20s and 30s and much of the film is taken from their lives--including her romance with a British Lord. Of course, being a Hollywood film, it's also stuffed with lots of polish and subplots--and the real story is only a starting point! But considering most folks watch films like this only to watch Fred dance, who cares?! As for the dancing, the film has some very nice numbers. My favorite is the very famous scene where he dances up the walls and on the ceiling in his hotel room--quite the stunt. He also had a nice dance with a hat tree! While the dancing isn't as spectacular, I also enjoyed "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life". This song and dance number with Powell had amazingly funny lyrics and is the complete antithesis of what you'd expect from the classy and polished Astaire. While it sure ain't subtle, it is entertaining. As for the rest of the songs and Powell's dancing, they are pleasant but unremarkable. Clearly, the focus is on Fred's dancing in this film.As for my summary, I certainly wouldn't consider this to be among Fred Astaire's best. This doesn't mean it's bad--but considering how amazingly perfect his films of the 30s were (such as "Top Hot" and "The Gay Divorcée"), this doesn't mean "Royal Wedding" is a bad film--it's quite enjoyable and has some great moments. Just don't watch it off Netflix or on a horrible public domain copy.By the way, this film has one of the creepiest lines in movie history when, near the end of the film, Fred and Jane tell their handler (Keenan Wynn) that "We wanna get married". They don't, thank goodness, mean to EACH OTHER (ewww) but I could see someone thinking that!

American brother and sister song-and-dance act sets sail for England after their manager gets them a London booking on the eve of Princess Elizabeth's royal nuptials. Stereotypical Brits litter the phony, contrived scenario (one waits--not in vain--for the first "Jolly good show!" or the proverbial walk in the fog). In the leads, Fred Astaire and Jane Powell are a perky, polite sibling pair; she puts her Yankee beaus on hold to be romanced by a bird-chasing Lord (Peter Lawford, as British a Lord as M-G-M could buy) while Fred fancies Sarah Churchill, a performer whose idea of romance is to dance on the ceiling (cue the next musical number!). Astaire dances (very well) and acts (not so well), while Jane hits the high notes. It's rather a dismaying picture without a single good song. Even Mr. Astaire's solo numbers look like flagrant chapter stops in the bland action. ** from ****