silk stockings

the year: 1957

the genre: musical


the cast: Fred Astaire (Steve Canfield); Cyd Charisse (Ninotchka Yoschenko); Janis Page (Peggy Dayton); Petter Lorre (Commisar Brankov); Geroge Tobias (Commisar Markovitch); Jules Munshin (Commisar Bibinski); Joseph Buloff (Commisar Ivanov)


the plot: After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to complete their mission and to retrieve them. She starts out condemning the decadent West, but gradually falls under its spell, with the help of Steve Canfield, an American movie producer.




don't miss: the Ritz Roll and Rock.



listen for: "Be casual. Don't frighten him. Smile." "I haven't smiled in 30 years."



watch for: Peter Lorre in one of his few comedic roles.




also listen for: "I want to look somebody up. Does this office have a copy of Who's Still Who?"



count: the chemical reactions.

on the town

the year: 1949

the genre: musical


the cast: Gene Kelly (Gabey); Frank Sinatra (Chip); Jules Munshin (Ozzie); Vera-Ellen (Ivy Smith); Ann Miller (Claire Huddesen); Betty Carrett (Brunhilde Esterhazy)



the plot: Three sailors - Gabey, Chip and Ozzie – are let loose on a 24-hour pass in New York and the Big Apple will never be the same! Gabey falls head over heels for "Miss Turnstiles of the Month" (he thinks she's a high society deb when she's really a dancer at Coney Island); innocent Chip gets hijacked (literally) by a lady cab driver; and Ozzie becomes the object of interest of a gorgeous anthropologist who thinks he's the perfect example of a "prehistoric man".



did you know: this was the first musical feature film to be shot on location. At the end of "New York, New York", as the camera tilts up at Rockefeller Plaza, you can see the skating rink lined with spectators watching Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly.


don’t miss: Chip’s thwarted attempts to see the sights of NYC. My favorite scene is "You're Awful" atop the Empire State Building.


check out: Ozzie hanging around the Empire State Building.


listen for: “You oughta feel proud that three sailors from the United States Navy got off the ship for one day, and what did they do? Were they thirsty for hard liquor? No. They were thirsty for culture. Were they running after girls? No. They came running to the museum to see your dinosaur. For months out at sea they were dreaming about your dinosaur.”

great videos here, here, and my favorite here.

extra bonus points: if you can name the other two movies where Frank and Gene co-starred together.