Invitation to the Dance **** (1956, Gene Kelly, Tommy Rall, Igor Youskevitch, Carol Haney, Tamara Toumanova) – Classic Movie Review 2514

Gene Kelly delivers a personal project as writer, choreographer, director and star and turns it into a memorable occasion and pretty much a tour de force. It won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 6th Berlin International Film Festival.

The nervous and conservative-minded executives at the MGM studio doubted its commercial viability and waited four years until 1956 before releasing Kelly’s imaginative 1952-made foray into serious ballet, in which he stars in and tells three separate stories solely by music, dance and mime alone.

Sadly, the MGM bosses were right and the movie was a failure at the box office, making a loss of over $2,500,000, the studio’s biggest flop of the year. But today its is acclaimed as a landmark all-dance film featuring leading dancers of the era.

At times Kelly’s artistic ambitions perhaps slightly over-reach themselves and lead him a little astray. But the final Sinbad the Sailor story (The Magic Lamp) makes a strong climax with its effective and pioneering mix of live action and animation by Hanna-Barbera. Kelly plays a sailor sold a magic lantern and fighting cartoon villains wielding swords while falling in love with a cartoon harem girl.

The middle section of romantic stories, Ring around the Rosy, following the progress of a love-token gold bracelet, set to original music by André Previn’s music, is also a success.

The less successful, sentimental opener (Circus) has Kelly as a clown suffering unrequited love for another circus performer, ballerina Claire Sombert, who is in love with an aerialist, played by Igor Youskevitch. The tragic love triangle set in a mythical land in the past is set to original music composed for the film by Jacques Ibert.

Also performing are Tommy Rall, Belita, Tamara Toumanova, David Paltenghi, Daphne Dale, Claude Bessy and Carol Haney.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2514

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