Pass That Mop, I Need Somebody to Dance With! Quiz

Answer: Holiday Inn

Ok, with fire crackers you shouldn't hold on, but let go.


In "Holiday Inn" (1942) Astaire acted and danced on the side of Bing Crosby.
Jim Hardy (Crosby) starts a new live on a farm and uses it as a show venue, but only on public holidays. Including Christmas, a white one.

His former partner in show biz, Ted Hanover (Astaire) visits on these holidays. And dances. There are also some ladies involved and the two guys get some romance next to dance.

Now to the fireworks: It's the fourth of July, and Ted (Fred) has to improvise his performance, because his female dancing partner is late. So he just uses some fire crackers to lighten up the performance, lets them go off close to his feet.

Health and safety warning for this movie: don't try to copy this dance at home! It isn't a good idea to smoke and use explosives (even small). Smoking isn't healthy anyway- and not everyone is as nimble as Mr. Astaire was, to avoid exploding stuff next to your feet. Just saying...

Answer: Singin' in the Rain

Astaire is said to have helped Debbie Reynolds while she was filming "Singin' in the Rain". She had trouble with Gene Kelly because of her inexperience in dancing. Donald O' Connor didn't need that kind of help, but as he was a heavy smoker, he needed some days of rest after filming "Make 'Em Laugh".

At one time in "Singin in the Rain" movie star Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is down because of a troubled love life. His pal Cosmo Brown (O' Connor) reminds him as a performer his goal has to be: "Make 'Em Laugh". Cosmo performs a stunning dance on the film set. Including a wooden plank, a sofa and a white headless dummy which gets some rough treatment.

If you've seen the movie and that scene you'll agree with me on two points:
The song "Make 'Em Laugh" is a very obvious copy of "Be a Clown", a song by Cole Porter and, performed in the movie, "The Pirate" by Gene Kelly.
The second point: that Donald O'Connor earned his Golden Globe for his role in "Singin' in the Rain" with hard work.

Answer: Silk Stockings

As Arthur Freed once said in an interview about the filming of "Singin' in the Rain": "We needed someone who could stop a man by just sticking up her leg". That leg, dangling a hat belonged to Cyd Charisse. She also was a marvelous dancer.

In 1957 the movie "Silk Stockings" showed the dangers of being a good soviet communist when confronted with capitalism in its Parisian form.

Three soviet operatives, Brankov (Peter Lorre), Bibinski (Jules Munshin) and Ivanov (Joseph Buloff) have stayed in Paris, instead of returning a stray Russian composer back to the USSR. That man is needed in Paris by Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire), to write some film music.

Moscow reacts and sends a stand fast operative Nina "Ninotchka" Yoschenko (Cyd Charisse) to return the lost sons back into the arms of mother Russia.

But Steve Canfield, Paris and things like silk stockings do their work.

In a beautiful scene we see Ninotchka changing her practical former clothing against western attire, hidden in her room. She starts with the stockings and in a loving way she dances with them and the following items (girdles, petticoat etc), before putting them on. I still don't know how the wide petticoat did fit under that tight dress! But she looked and danced gorgeous on this long and beautiful legs in silk stockings.

Answer: Thousands Cheer

Cyd Charisse was still unknown when she danced in one number of "Thousands Cheer", she wasn't even credited. Did she ever met her dancing partner of several future movies, Mr. Gene Kelly?

The year is 1943, there is war all around the world. "Thousands Cheer" was a film made to lighten the mood of the masses. Private Eddie Marsh (Kelly) meets and falls in love with Kahtryn Jones (Kathryn Grayson), daughter of his commanding officer. While on duty mopping the floor he shows his dancing skills, using a mop, and a broom as a substitute for a dancer. The dancing to "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" is perfect. The cleaning results look mediocre.

The other half of the movie deals with a giant Hollywood show including Judy Garland, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball and more.

Answer: The Wizard of Oz

I mentioned Judy Garland in the question before, didn't I?

"The Wizard of Oz" was released a few years before "Thousands Cheer", in 1939.
It is the story of little Dorothy, acted by Garland, who is blown into the wonderful land of Oz. While following the yellow brick road she meets up with a scarecrow (Ray Bolger). And that scarecrow was one kind of a dancer, while Dorothy was more or less a bystander, to be honest. But who wouldn't be in awe, when a scarecrow leaps and twirls and jumps around you, wishing for a brain? After this they are off to see the wizard.

Answer: Cabaret

Moving from mother Judy to daughter Liza - the movie "Cabaret" was released in 1972, but took place in 1931 in a seedy Cabaret in Berlin. American Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) works at the Kit Kat Klub. The song "Mein Herr" is performed with a chair by her then and there. Dressed in underwear of that period, with heavy make up and a bowler hat and a troupe of also under dressed and heavily painted ladies she sings sinfully good in English and German.

Answer: Mary Poppins

Did you know that Liza Minnelli once appeared in the "Muppet Show"? In one restaurant scene you can see some penguins drop dead from poisoned soup.
I know it is a far-fetched link to "Mary Poppins" and the dancing penguins in it- but that's all I detected.

"Mary Poppins" was released in 1964. In that movie wonderful Dick van Dyke as "Bert" makes a "Jolly Holiday" with Mary (Judy Andrews) and the children. In one scene Bert dances with four penguins. Some kind of step dance, I presume. Don't worry, no animals were harmed. The penguins are animated animals.

Answer: Anchors Aweigh

When I think of animation, I think of Disney. When I think of Disney, I think of Donald Duck - which would be wrong this time. D.D. is my favourite, but now it is about Mickey Mouse. M. Mouse was asked to appear in "Anchors Aweigh", but his studio didn't want him to work for MGM. So his Hanna Barbera rival Jerry Mouse stepped in and stepped with Gene Kelly. So in 1945 you could watch Gene Kelly teach Jerry how to dance!

Sailors Joe (Kelly) and Clarence (Frank Sinatra) are on leave in Hollywood (where else?). They meet Suzy (Kathryn Grayson). Joe falls in love with her. While visiting the school of Suzy's nephew, Joe tells the story of "The King Who Couldn't Sing and Dance". The king being Jerry, the song they perform and dance together, "The Worry Song".

Oh yes, Tom the cat has a short cameo.

Answer: Bolero

Our adventure and romance seeking sailors of "Anchors Aweigh" stepped out in Hollywood. In the year 1941 there was a "Merry Melodies" cartoon produced by Warner Bros, making fun of many Hollywood stars. Among others,"Hollywood Steps Out" included a certain Sally Strand, performing a show dance behind a big bubble. In the beginning of that cartoon, that certain lady left her feather fans in the cloakroom.

Some years earlier -1934- burlesque dancer Sally Rand showed how to use that feather fans with marvelous perfection in the movie "Bolero". The main performers of that movie were George Raft and Carole Lombard. Sally Rand is Annette, "the other woman". The movie had love, romance and a tragic end set in the nightclub scene. In fact, everything for some nice entertainment for a young couple in the 1930s. But beware if the boy looked a bit too close at the flimsy attire and the waving ostrich feathers! Some trouble ahead on the way home.

Answer: Royal Wedding

In the movie "Bolero" George Raft shows that he was quite a dancer, not only the typical gangster like the one he portrayed in "Scarface". In one of this darker movies, "Black Widow" (1954), he worked with Ginger Rogers. Yes, the one who danced regularly with Fred Astaire.

But no Ginger for Fred in the 1951 movie "Royal Wedding". His main dancing partners there are Jane Powell and Sarah Churchill. The story is quickly told. The year is 1947, American dancing siblings Tom and Ellen Bowen (Astaire/Powell) travel to London, UK to perform there. Britain is awaiting the wedding of Philip Mountbatten and his bride, the future Queen Elizabeth II of that country. Brother and sister each fall in love with a new partner, the happy end happening at the day of the royal wedding.

In one scene set on the ocean liner heading to Britain, Tom waits for his sister in the ship gym. As his sister doesn't show up, he uses the fitness equipment available and a hat stand instead of the girl. Another notable scene by Fred Astaire in that movie is his dancing on the ceiling. And yes: another health warning including Fred Astaire. Don't try to dance on the ceiling. Be content with the hat stand.