Story of movie Silk Stockings Film : Silk Stockings is a 1957 Metrocolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer CinemaScope musical film adaptation of the 1955 stage musical of the same name, which itself was an adaptation of the film Ninotchka (1939). Silk Stockings was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, produced by Arthur Freed, and starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes Janis Paige, Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin, and George Tobias repeating his Broadway role. It was choreographed by Eugene Loring and Hermes Pan.
| Silk Stockings | |
|---|---|
Cyd Charisse in the trailer | |
| Directed by | Rouben Mamoulian |
| Produced by | Arthur Freed |
| Written by | Abe Burrows (1955 play) Silk Stockings George S. Kaufman Leueen MacGrath Abe Burrows |
| Screenplay by | Leonard Gershe Leonard Spigelgass Harry Kurnitz (uncredited) |
| Based on | Ninotchka by Melchior Lengyel |
| Starring | Fred Astaire Cyd Charisse |
| Music by | Cole Porter Conrad Salinger (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Robert J. Bronner |
| Edited by | Harold F. Kress |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date | July 18, 1957 |
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,581,000 |
| Box office | $2,800,000 |
It received Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Film and Best Actress (Charisse) in the Comedy/Musical category.
The score was embellished with the new song "The Ritz Roll and Rock", a parody of the then-emerging rock and roll genre. The number ends with Astaire symbolically smashing his top hat, considered one of his trademarks, signaling his retirement from movie musicals, which he announced following the film's release.
Screenplay
A brash American film producer, Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire), wants Russian composer Peter Illyich Boroff (Wim Sonneveld) to write music for his next picture, which is being made in Paris. But when the composer expresses his wish to stay in Paris, three comically bumbling operatives, Comrades Brankov (Peter Lorre), Bibinski (Jules Munshin) and Ivanov (Joseph Buloff), are sent from Moscow to take Boroff back.
Canfield manages to corrupt them with decadent western luxuries (champagne, women, nightclubs, etc.) and talks them into allowing Boroff to stay. He also arranges for his leading lady, Peggy Dayton (Janis Paige), to "convince" Boroff to cooperate.
Fearful of his own precarious position, a commissar at the Ministry in Moscow summons a dedicated and humorless workaholic operative, Nina "Ninotchka" Yoschenko (Cyd Charisse), to bring all four men back home. Canfield succeeds in romancing her, despite her determination not to fall prey to the decadent attractions of Paris. He even proposes marriage. She and Boroff are horrified when they realize what changes have been made to Boroff's music. They decide to return to Moscow.
Canfield does not give up, arranging for the pliable Brankov, Bibinski, and Ivanov to be sent back to Paris, knowing that they will be seduced again by the city's charms. Ninotchka is sent after them, giving Canfield time to convince her to give in to her love for him.
- Fred Astaire as Steve Canfield
- Cyd Charisse as Ninotchka Yoschenko
- Janis Paige as Peggy Dayton
- Peter Lorre as Brankov
- Jules Munshin as Bibinski
- Joseph Buloff as Ivanov
- George Tobias as Vassili Markovitch, Commisar of Art
- Wim Sonneveld as Peter Ilyitch Boroff
Music & lyrics by Cole Porter.
- "Too Bad"
- "Paris Loves Lovers"
- "Stereophonic Sound"
- "It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All"
- "All of You"
- "Satin and Silk"
- "Without Love"
- "Fated to Be Mated"
- "Josephine"
- "Siberia"
- "The Red Blues"
- "The Ritz Roll and Rock"
MGM bought the film rights to the musical for $300,000. Dance rehearsals started 18 September 1956 and filming ended 31 January 1957.
According to MGM records, the film earned $1,740,000 in the US and Canada and $1,060,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $1,399,000.
The film is recognized by the American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
- "All of You" – Nominated
- 2006: AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals – Nominated
- List of American films of 1957
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