Wednesday, June 12, 2019

What Said Fred?

I was recently looking up Fred Astaire on the IMDb and, while scrolling down, checked the films they claim he's "known for." Here's the list:

The Towering Inferno, Funny Face, On The Beach and Three Little Words

Fine films, for the most part, but really?

First, two of them are dramas.  Astaire is known for musicals, which he starred in for most of his career.  I can understand The Towering Inferno, not because it's a great film or role--he's not even the lead--but because it's the part that got him his only Oscar nomination.

But even then, the list should probably all be musicals.  And the two that are mentioned--Funny Face and Three Little Words--shouldn't make the "known for" four.  Funny Face comes close, but Three Little Words, a musical biopic with limited dancing, wouldn't make Fred's top ten.

Even worse, there's not a single title he did with Ginger Rogers, which are the films that brought him to fame and are still the crown jewels of film musicals.

So what four films should he be "known for"?  Well, there'd have to be at least two with Ginger, and by general consensus I guess those would be Top Hat and Swing Time.  Of the films he made without her, you've got to include The Band Wagon.  So there's only room for one more--let's say either Holiday Inn or Easter Parade.

If anyone knows the IMDb people, please forward this to them.

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