The Band Wagon (1953)

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Passed
1h 52min
Comedy, Musical
07 Aug 1953 (USA)
Movie

7.4 (12,573)

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A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition.

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Still of Thurston Hall in The Band Wagon (1953)

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169 photos | 2 videos

Cast verified as complete

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	Fred Astaire	...	Tony Hunter
	Cyd Charisse	...	Gabrielle Gerard
	Oscar Levant	...	Lester Marton
	Nanette Fabray	...	Lily Marton
	Jack Buchanan	...	Jeffrey Cordova
	James Mitchell	...	Paul Byrd
	Robert Gist	...	Hal Benton
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	India Adams	...	Gabrielle Gerard (uncredited) (singingVoice)
	Fred Aldrich	...	Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
	Richard Alexander	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Ernest Anderson	...	Train Porter (uncredited)
	Barbara Bailey	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Patsy Bangs	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Lysa Baugher	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Mary Bayless	...	Theatre Patron (uncredited)
	Brandon Beach	...	Auction Guest (uncredited)
	Ralph Beaumont	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Don Beddoe	...	Producer (uncredited)
	Madge Blake	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Herman Boden	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Lulu Mae Bohrman	...	Ballet Audience Member (uncredited)
	Paul Bradley	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Joe Brockman	...	Hansom Driver (uncredited)
	Robert Burton	...	Caterer (uncredited)
	Boyd Cabeen	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
	James Carlisle	...	Theatre Patron (uncredited)
	Sue Casey	...	Tall Girl in Arcade (uncredited)
	Dick Cherney	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
	Lyle Clark	...	Chorus Member in Hotel Suite (uncredited)
	Dorinda Clifton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Tom Coleman	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Joan Collenette	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Jack Colton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	James Conaty	...	First Nighter (uncredited)
	Gene Coogan	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
	Henry Corden	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
	Pinkie Corrigan	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Oliver Cross	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Lillian Culver	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Dick D'Arcy	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Leroy Daniels	...	Arcade Shoeshine Man (uncredited)
	Fred Datig Jr.	...	Usher (uncredited)
	Dulce Day	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
	Jack Deery	...	Crew Member (uncredited)
	Helen Dickson	...	Dowager First Nighter (uncredited)
	Jack Dodds	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	George Economides	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Michael Economides	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Roy Engel	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Estelle Etterre	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Harry Evans	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
	Luigi Faccuito	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Betty Farrington	...	Fitter (uncredited)
	Al Ferguson	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Gwenn Fields	...	Woman in Arcade (uncredited)
	Bess Flowers	...	Lady on Train / Investor / Extra in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
	George Ford	...	Auctioneer's Assistant (uncredited)
	Steve Forrest	...	Passenger on Train (uncredited)
	Bill Foster	...	Acrobatic Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Douglas Fowley	...	Auctioneer (uncredited)
	Wesley Gale	...	Baggage Clerk (uncredited)
	Wymer Gard	...	Usher (uncredited)
	Ava Gardner	...	Ava Gardner (uncredited)
	Jack Gargan	...	Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
	Rudy Germane	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	James Gonzalez	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)
	Dick Gordon	...	Ballet Audience Member (uncredited)
	Herschel Graham	...	Ballet Audience Member (uncredited)
	Marion Gray	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Shelah Hackett	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Stanley Hall	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
	Thurston Hall	...	Colonel Tripp (uncredited)
	Mary Hammond	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Dee Hartford	...	2nd Model in 'Girl Hunt Ballet' (uncredited)
	Eden Hartford	...	Girl in 'Girl Hunt Ballet' Sequence (uncredited)
	Sam Hearn	...	Agent (uncredited)
	Julie Hedin	...	Woman in Arcade (uncredited)
	Al Hill	...	Arcade Shooting Gallery Operator (uncredited)
	Harlan Hoagland	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Stuart Holmes	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Ted Hook	...	Chorus Member in Hotel Suite (uncredited)
	Jimmie Horan	...	Man at Arcade (uncredited)
	Curtis Loys Jackson Jr.	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Ted Jordan	...	Chorus Member in Hotel Suite (uncredited)
	Colin Kenny	...	Drunk Outside Arcade (uncredited)
	Donald Kerr	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Mario Lamm	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Judy Landon	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Carl M. Leviness	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Shirley Lopez	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Leota Lorraine	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
	William Lundy	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	John Lupton	...	Jack - Prompter (uncredited)
	Wilbur Mack	...	Ballet Audience Member (uncredited)
	John Marlin	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Alan Marston	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Judy Matson	...	Singer in 'That's Entertainment' Sequence (uncredited)
	Matt Mattox	...	Featured Dancer (uncredited)
	Bert May	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Helen McAllister	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Ann McCrea	...	Chorus Member in Hotel Suite (uncredited)
	Owen McGiveney	...	Prop Man (uncredited)
	Frank McLure	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Mary Menzies	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Harold Miller	...	Bystander in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
	Nolie Miller	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Hans Moebus	...	Ballet Audience Member (uncredited)
	Gregor Momdjian	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Lawrence Montaigne	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Ben Moselle	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Peggy Murray	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Julie Newmar	...	Salon Model / Chorine in Girl Hunt Ballet (uncredited)
	Loulie Jean Norman	...	Singer in 'That's Entertainment' Sequence (uncredited)
	Monty O'Grady	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Emory Parnell	...	Man on Train (uncredited)
	Manuel París	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Foster H. Phinney	...	Commuter (uncredited)
	Paul Power	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
	Marilyn Radcliff	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Frank Radcliffe	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Elynne Ray	...	Dancer in Troupe (uncredited)
	Charles Regan	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Jack Regas	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Phil Rhodes	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Joette Robinson	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Robert Robinson	...	Man at Arcade (uncredited)
	Cecile Rogers	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Barbara Ruick	...	Passenger on Train (uncredited)
	Loretta Russell	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
	Dick Sands	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Frank J. Scannell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	George Sherwood	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Eddie Lou Simms	...	Man in Arcade (uncredited)
	Mabel Smaney	...	Woman in Arcade (uncredited)
	Earl Spainard	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Robert Spencer	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Harry Stanton	...	Investor (uncredited)
	Bob Stebbins	...	Chorus Member in Hotel Suite (uncredited)
	Lotte Stein	...	Cordova's German Chambermaid (uncredited)
	Norman Stevans	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Bert Stevens	...	Train Station Passenger (uncredited)
	Roberta Stevenson	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Jack Stoney	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Brick Sullivan	...	Special Effects Man (uncredited)
	Hal Taggart	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
	Jack Tesler	...	Ivan (uncredited)
	Jimmy Thompson	...	Jimmy (uncredited)
	Dee Turnell	...	Barbara (uncredited)
	Ellinor Vanderveer	...	Auction Guest (uncredited)
	Herb Vigran	...	Man on Train (uncredited)
	Glen Walters	...	Tall Woman in Arcade (uncredited)
	Bobby Watson	...	Bobby (uncredited)
	Crystal White	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Smoki Whitfield	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
	Marc Wilder	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Kathryn Wilson	...	First Nighter (uncredited)
	Stuart Wilson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Florence Wix	...	Actress in Play (uncredited)
	Gloria Wood	...	Singer in 'That's Entertainment' Sequence (uncredited)
	Wilson Wood	...	Can-Toss Booth Operator (uncredited)

Directed by

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Vincente Minnelli

Written by

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Betty Comden	...	(story by) and
Adolph Green	...	(story by)

Norman Corwin	...	() (uncredited)

Alan Jay Lerner	...	() (uncredited)

Produced by

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Roger Edens	...	associate producer
Arthur Freed	...	producer
Bill Ryan	...	associate producer (uncredited)

Music by

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Alexander Courage	...	(uncredited)
Adolph Deutsch	...	(uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	...	(uncredited)

Cinematography by

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Harry Jackson	...	director of photography
George J. Folsey	...	director of photography (uncredited)

Editing by

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Albert Akst	...	film editor
George White	...	(uncredited)

Editorial Department

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Robert Brower	...	color consultant: Technicolor
Henri Jaffa	...	color consultant: Technicolor

Art Direction by

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E. Preston Ames	...	(as Preston Ames)
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by

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F. Keogh Gleason	...	(set decorations) (as Keogh Gleason)
Edwin B. Willis	...	(set decorations)

Costume Design by

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Mary Ann Nyberg

...

(costumes by)

Makeup Department

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Sydney Guilaroff	...	hair stylist
John Truwe	...	makeup artist
William Tuttle	...	makeup creator

Production Management

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Hugh Boswell

...

unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Jerry Thorpe	...	assistant director
Al Alt	...	second assistant director (uncredited)
Jack Greenwood	...	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Oliver Smith	...	designer: musical numbers
Robert Cormack	...	continuity sketches (uncredited)
Tommy Crawford	...	props (uncredited)
Tom Ordoqui	...	property master (uncredited)
Harold Turberg	...	property master: rehearsal unit (uncredited)
Frank Wesselhoff	...	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Douglas Shearer	...	recording supervisor
James Brock	...	sound (uncredited)
Ben Price	...	recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Warren Newcombe

...

special effects

Camera and Electrical Department

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Robert J. Bronner	...	camera operator (uncredited)
Charles Burrell	...	best boy (uncredited)
Phil Philbrick	...	gaffer (uncredited)
Mervin Price	...	grip (uncredited)
Al Smith	...	playback operator (uncredited)
Gene Stout	...	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Morris Brown	...	wardrobe (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	...	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Grace Kuhn	...	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department

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Alexander Courage	...	orchestrator
Adolph Deutsch	...	musical director
Howard Dietz	...	songs by
Michael Kidd	...	stager: dances and musical numbers
Skip Martin	...	orchestrator
Conrad Salinger	...	orchestrator
Arthur Schwartz	...	songs by
David Crocov	...	violin (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Harry V. Lojewski	...	pianist (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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William E. Orr

...

script supervisor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Louis Calhern	...	dialogue coach: Jack Buchanan (uncredited)
Patricia Denise	...	assistant dance director (uncredited) / dancing stand-in: Cyd Charisse (uncredited)
Janet Koye	...	secretary (uncredited)
Carroll Pratt	...	stage manager (uncredited)
Dwayne Ratliff	...	dancing stand-in (uncredited)
Alex Romero	...	assistant dance director (uncredited) / dancing stand-in: Fred Astaire (uncredited)
Emily Torchia	...	publicist (uncredited)

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (United States) (theatrical) (as Metro Goldwyn Mayer)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (Japan) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (Argentina) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (France) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1954) (Austria) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (Finland) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Metro (1954) (Norway) (theatrical)
National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (United States) (tv) (original airing)
NHK Sôgô (1970) (Japan) (tv)
Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1972) (Finland) (tv) (as MTV1)
Antenne 2 (A2) (1986) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
Yleisradio (YLE) (1988) (Finland) (tv)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
NHK-BS2 (1991) (Japan) (tv)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
Warner Home Video (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
Warner Home Video (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
Warner Home Video (2005) (United States) (DVD)
Warner Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
Warner Home Video (2009) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
Warner Home Video (2009) (United States) (DVD) (4 film collection)
Action Cinémas (2015) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
Warner Home Video (2015) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
NHK BS Premium (2016) (Japan) (tv)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (United States) (VHS)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary	Tony Hunter, a famous singer/dancer movie star, is feeling washed-up and old-hat (old top hat, tie, and tails to be exact). The reporters are out for Ava Gardner, not him. But his old friends Lily and Les Marton have an idea for a funny little Broadway show and he agrees to do it. But things begin to get out of hand, when bigshot "artistic" director/producer/star Jeffrey Cordova joins the production, proclaims it's a modernistic Faust and insists on hiring a prima ballerina, Gabrielle Gerard, to star opposite Tony, and it's hate at first sight. And her jealous choreographer isn't helping to ease the tension. The show is doomed by pretentiousness. But romance, a "let's put on a show" epiphany, and a triumphant opening are waiting in the wings. After all, this is a musical comedy. Written by Kathy Li Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	national-film-registry leotard toe-shoes f-rated classic-musical See All (62) »
Taglines	Hear The Music In The M.G.M Record Album See more »
Genres	Comedy Musical Romance
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Argentina:Atp Australia:G Canada:G (video rating) Finland:K-12 Finland:K-16 France:Tous publics Italy:T Japan:G Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) Norway:A (iTunes rating) Norway:A (cinema rating) South Korea:15 Sweden:15 United Kingdom:U United Kingdom:U (video rating) United States:Passed (National Board of Review) United States:Approved United States:TV-G (TV rating) West Germany:12

Additional Details

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Also Known As	I Love Louisa (United States) Strategy of Love (United States) Tous en scène ! (France) Melodías de Broadway 1955 (Spain) Allen op 't toneel (Belgium, Flemish title) See more »
Runtime	112 min
Country	United States
Language	English French German
Color	Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Filming Locations	214 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget

$2,169,120 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia	In the DVD bonus features, Nanette Fabray stated that Oscar Levant was difficult to work with. Whenever something would go wrong or he would make a mistake, he would blame whoever was around. This included stage hands, other actors, lighting technicians, or whoever was handy. She said that, since she was usually closest, she caught the brunt of it. Following a botched take, he again blamed her for something. She lost her temper and told him off using unladylike language. Everyone on the set applauded. After that, he was much easier to work with. See more »
Goofs	At the New York opening night, the theater name on the marquee is Alcott Theatre, but the program cover has Stratton Theatre. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972). See more »
Soundtracks	By Myself See more »
Quotes	Gabrielle Gerard: Oh, that's a very early Degas, isn't it? [examines painting] Gabrielle Gerard: 1877. Tony Hunter: [playing up their age difference] Yeah, I swiped it from his desk in school. Was he sore. See more »

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