Royal Wedding (1951)

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Not Rated
1h 33min
Comedy, Musical
23 Mar 1951 (USA)
Movie

6.7 (6,098)

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A brother and sister dance act encounter challenges and romance when booked in London during the Royal Wedding.

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Alan Jay Lerner, Alan Jay Lerner

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Watch the trailer for the musical Royal Wedding, starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell.

Still of Fred Astaire (I) and Jane Powell (I) in Royal Wedding (1951)

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63 photos | 2 videos

Cast verified as complete

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	Fred Astaire	...	Tom Bowen
	Jane Powell	...	Ellen Bowen
	Peter Lawford	...	Lord John Brindale
	Sarah Churchill	...	Anne Ashmond
	Keenan Wynn	...	Irving Klinger / Edgar Klinger
	Albert Sharpe	...	James Ashmond
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Bea Allen	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Les Baxter	...	Specialty in 'What a Lovely Day for a Wedding' Number (uncredited)
	Wilson Benge	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Margaret Bert	...	Ellen's Maid (uncredited)
	Francis Bethencourt	...	Charles Gordon (uncredited)
	Lulu Mae Bohrman	...	Royal Attendant (uncredited)
	Jack Boyle	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	John Brascia	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	William Cabanne	...	Dick (uncredited)
	Gary Casteel	...	Child Singer (uncredited)
	Andre Charisse	...	Steward (uncredited)
	Bill Chatham	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Jack Chefe	...	Ship's Officer (uncredited)
	Mae Clarke	...	Telephone Operator #1 (uncredited)
	Carmen Clifford	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	James Conaty	...	Royal Attendant (uncredited)
	Oliver Cross	...	Backstage Guest (uncredited)
	Joan Dale	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Jack Daley	...	Pop (uncredited)
	Towyna Dally	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Italia DeNubila	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Helen Dickson	...	Woman in Carriage with Lord John (uncredited)
	Marietta Elliott	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Herbert Evans	...	Royal Attendant (uncredited)
	Luigi Faccuito	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	James Fairfax	...	Harry (uncredited)
	Franklyn Farnum	...	Backstage Guest (uncredited)
	James Finlayson	...	Cabby (uncredited)
	Ernie Flatt	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Bess Flowers	...	Backstage Guest (uncredited)
	Alex Frazer	...	Chester - Tom's Valet (uncredited)
	Raoul Freeman	...	Parade Spectator (uncredited)
	Jack Gargan	...	Bartender (uncredited)
	Shirley Glickman	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	James Gonzalez	...	Ship Passenger (uncredited)
	Alex Goudovitch	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Betty Hannon	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Jean Harrison	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Doreen Hayward	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	John Hedloe	...	Billy (uncredited)
	Jimmie Horan	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	James Horne Jr.	...	Young Man (uncredited)
	Marian Horosko	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Wendy Howard	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
	Tommy Hughes	...	Singing Man (uncredited)
	Charlotte Hunter	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Delos Jewkes	...	Specialty in 'What a Lovely Day for a Wedding' Number (uncredited)
	Gwen L. Jones	...	Specialty in 'What a Lovely Day for a Wedding' Number (uncredited)
	Kenner G. Kemp	...	Backstage Guest (uncredited)
	Lucille La Marr	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Judy Landon	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Janet Lavis	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Virginia Lee	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Judy Lenson	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Henri Letondal	...	Purser (uncredited)
	Judy London	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Leota Lorraine	...	Royal Attendant (uncredited)
	Richard Lupino	...	Singing Elevator Boy (uncredited)
	Stanley Mann	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
	Bert May	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Svetlana McLee	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Frank McLure	...	Information Clerk at Dock (uncredited)
	Sheila Meyers	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Harold Miller	...	Man at Rehearsal (uncredited)
	Phyllis Morris	...	Singing Woman (uncredited)
	Leonard Mudie	...	Singing Doorman (uncredited)
	Barry Norton	...	Backstage Guest (uncredited)
	Kerry O'Day	...	Linda (uncredited)
	Jetsy Parker	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	'Snub' Pollard	...	Onlooker on Street (uncredited)
	Albert Pollet	...	Steward (uncredited)
	Jack Regas	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	John R. Reilly	...	Pete Cumberly (uncredited)
	Ricky Ricardi	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Shirley Jean Rickert	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Viola Roache	...	Sarah Ashmond (uncredited)
	John Rogers	...	Cockney in Pub (uncredited)
	Alex Romero	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Cosmo Sardo	...	Bartender (uncredited)
	Pat Simms	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Bert Stevens	...	Military Officer on Street (uncredited)
	Amzie Strickland	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Brick Sullivan	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	David Thursby	...	Singing Bobby (uncredited)
	Dee Turnell	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Dorothy Tuttle	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Joan Vohs	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Dorothea Ward	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Pat Williams	...	Barbara (uncredited)
	Eric Wilton	...	Toasting Drinker at Bar (uncredited)
	Helen Winston	...	Telephone Operator #2 (uncredited)
	Doris Wolcott	...	Dancer in Haiti Number (uncredited)
	Wilson Wood	...	Drinker (uncredited)

Directed by

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Stanley Donen

Written by

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Alan Jay Lerner	...	(story)

Alan Jay Lerner	...	(screenplay)

Produced by

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Arthur Freed

...

producer

Music by

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Burton Lane
Albert Sendrey	...	(uncredited)

Cinematography by

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Robert H. Planck

...

director of photography (as Robert Planck)

Editing by

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Albert Akst

Editorial Department

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Henri Jaffa

...

color consultant: Technicolor

Art Direction by

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Cedric Gibbons
Jack Martin Smith

Set Decoration by

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Edwin B. Willis

...

(set decorations)

Costume Design by

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Helen Rose

...

(uncredited)

Makeup Department

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Sydney Guilaroff	...	hair styles designer
William Tuttle	...	make-up created by (as William J. Tuttle)

Production Management

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Hugh Boswell

...

production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Arvid Griffen

...

assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Alfred E. Spencer	...	associate set decorator
Donald P. Desmond	...	set constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Douglas Shearer	...	recording supervisor
John A. Williams	...	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Warren Newcombe

...

special effects

Visual Effects by

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Derick Williams

...

process shots: London (uncredited)

Music Department

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Johnny Green	...	musical director
Alan Jay Lerner	...	lyrics by
Skip Martin	...	orchestrations
Conrad Salinger	...	orchestrations
Robert Franklyn	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Johnny Green	...	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	...	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey	...	orchestrator (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Nick Castle	...	dances
James Gooch	...	technicolor color consultant
Marilyn Christine	...	dance assistant (uncredited)
Marjorie Dillon	...	dance-in (uncredited)
Donn McElwaine	...	publicist (uncredited)
Joe Niemeyer	...	dance-in (uncredited)
David Robel	...	dance assistant (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	...	publicity director (uncredited)

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Loew's

Distributors

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (United States) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Canada) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer A/B (1951) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (Norway) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (Argentina) (theatrical)
MGM/CBS Home Video (1981) (United States) (video) (CED Videodisc)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1987) (United States) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (United States) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (United States) (DVD)
Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (United States) (DVD)
Reel Media International (2004) (World-wide) (VHS)
Reel Media International (2007) (World-wide)
Penteo Films S.L. (2019) (World-wide) (restored)
3GTG (2020) (World-wide)
HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (Japan) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (France) (theatrical)
Fil à Film (1990) (France) (VHS)
IVC (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
NHK-BS2 (1990) (Japan) (tv)
ROKiT FLIX (2023) (United States)
Renaissance Content Group (2023) (World-wide)
Stream Go Media (2022) (World-wide)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (acknowledgement)
Interopa Film (second german post-synchronized version 1980)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	Tom and Ellen Bowen are a brother and sister dance act whose show closes in New York. Their agent books them in London for the same period as the Royal Wedding. They travel by ship where Ellen meets and becomes involved with Lord John Brindale. This causes her to miss a rehearsal. Tom (Astaire) uses the time to dance with a hat rack and gym equipment. Later Tom and Ellen attempt a graceful dance number as the ship rolls. Upon arrival Tom holds auditions and meets Anne. There is much indecision by the siblings about their romantic partners even though they are in-the-clouds. Tom dances on the walls and ceiling of his hotel room. All ends well in this light musical. By the way, there is a vaudeville-style dance number in their show that features slapstick. It's a hoot. Written by Paul Corr Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	sitting-on-a-throne feather-duster crown stage-show applause See All (100) »
Taglines	M-G-M's Gay New Musical See more »
Genres	Comedy Musical Romance
Parents Guide	Add content advisory for parents »
Certification	Argentina:Atp Australia:G Australia:PG (video rating) Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) Canada:F (Ontario) Finland:S France:Tous publics Greece:K Japan:G Netherlands:6 Norway:A (Amazon Prime self-rating) Norway:A (cinema rating) Portugal:M/6 Sweden:Btl United Kingdom:U United Kingdom:U (video rating: as Royal Wedding) United States:Not Rated (DVD Rating) United States:Approved United States:TV-G (TV rating) United States:Passed (The National Board of Review)

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Wedding Bells (South Africa, English title) Wedding Bells (United Kingdom) Mariage royal (France) Königliche Hochzeit (Germany) Bodas reales (Spain) See more »
Runtime	93 min
Official Sites	Pluto TV Zoneify
Country	United States
Language	English
Color	Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Filming Locations	London, England, UK See more »

Box Office

Budget

$1,590,920 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia	In an interview given shortly after the film was released, Fred Astaire revealed that he had tried dancing with more than 30 commercially available hat racks before the studio had the prop department design and build the one in the film at a final cost of over $900 (over $9000 in 2021 dollars). The hat rack disappeared shortly after the film wrapped. See more »
Goofs	On the day of the wedding, many of the British flags in the streets are hung upside down. The wider diagonal white stripe of the Union Flag should always be uppermost next to the top of the flagpole. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into The Royal Wedding (2022). See more »
Soundtracks	Too Late Now See more »
Crazy Credits	The opening credits are displayed on engraved invitation pages. See more »
Quotes	Chester: Oh, marriages are very healthy, sir. They say married men live much longer than bachelors. Tom Bowen: If that's true, they're only trying to outlive their wives so they can be bachelors again. See more »

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