The Band Wagon

One of Minnelli's best musicals, with an ingenious book which has Buchanan as a highbrow producer trying to turn Astaire's comeback show into an art house 'Faust', while Astaire and Charisse are meantime resolving the problem of whether their dancing styles can meld into a partnership. More importantly, it parades a streamof brilliant Howard Dietz-Arthur Schwartznumbers. Astaire is superlative in several items, notably 'By Myself' (a solitary introspection which opens the show with a purr), 'A Shine on Your Shoes', and (with Charisse) the gorgeous 'Dancing in the Dark'. So he can be forgiven for trying to do a Gene Kelly in the 'Girl Hunt' ballet ( a parody of Mickey Spillane sleaze more notable for Michael Kidd's choreography and Charisse's startlingly sinuous femme fatale). All this and witty dialogue too. A treat.