Silk Stockings (film)

Silk Stockings
Cyd Charisse in the trailer
Directed by	Rouben Mamoulian
Produced by	Arthur Freed
Written by	Abe Burrows (1955 play) Silk Stockings George S. Kaufman Leueen MacGrath Abe Burrows
Screenplay by	Leonard Gershe Leonard Spigelgass Harry Kurnitz (uncredited)
Based on	Ninotchka by Melchior Lengyel
Starring	Fred Astaire Cyd Charisse
Music by	Cole Porter Conrad Salinger (uncredited)
Cinematography	Robert J. Bronner
Edited by	Harold F. Kress
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates	July 18, 1957 (1957-07-18)
Running time	117 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2,581,000
Box office	$2,800,000

Silk Stockings is a 1957 Metrocolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer CinemaScope musical film adaptation of the 1955 stage musical of the same name, which itself was an adaptation of the film Ninotchka (1939). Silk Stockings was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and stars Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes Janis Paige, Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin, and George Tobias repeating his Broadway role.

It received Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Film and Best Actress (Charisse) in the Comedy/Musical category.

The score was embellished with the song "The Ritz Roll and Rock," a parody of the then-emerging rock and roll genre. The number ends with Astaire symbolically smashing his top hat, considered one of his trademarks, signaling his retirement from movie musicals, which he announced following the film's release.

Plot summary

A brash American film producer, Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire), wants Russian composer Peter Illyich Boroff (Wim Sonneveld) to write music for his next picture, which is being made in Paris. But when the composer expresses his wish to stay in Paris, three comically bumbling operatives, Comrades Brankov (Peter Lorre), Bibinski (Jules Munshin) and Ivanov (Joseph Buloff), are sent from Moscow to take Boroff back.

Canfield manages to corrupt them with decadent western luxuries (champagne, women, nightclubs etc.) and talks them into allowing Boroff to stay. He also arranges for his leading lady, Peggy Dayton (Janis Paige), to ‘convince’ Boroff to cooperate.

Fearful of his own precarious position, a commissar at the Ministry in Moscow summons a dedicated and humourless workaholic operative, Nina ‘Ninotchka’ Yoschenko (Cyd Charisse), to bring all four men back home. Canfield succeeds in romancing her, despite her determination not to fall prey to the decadent attractions of Paris. He even proposes marriage. She and Boroff are horrified when they realise what changes have been made to Boroff’s music. They decide to return to Moscow.

Canfield does not give up, arranging for the pliable Brankov, Bibinski and Ivanov to be sent back to Paris, knowing that they will be seduced again by the city's charms. Ninotchka is sent after them, giving Canfield time to convince her to give in to her love for him.

Cast

• Fred Astaire as Steve Canfield
• Cyd Charisse as Ninotchka Yoschenko
• Janis Paige as Peggy Dayton
• Peter Lorre as Brankov
• Jules Munshin as Bibinski
• Joseph Buloff as Ivanov
• George Tobias as Vassili Markovitch, Commisar of Art
• Wim Sonneveld as Peter Ilyitch Boroff

Production

MGM bought the film rights to the musical for $300,000. Dance rehearsals started 18 September 1956 and filming ended 31 January 1957.

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,740,000 in the US and Canada and $1,060,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $1,399,000.

See also

• List of American films of 1957

External links

• Silk Stockings at IMDb
• Silk Stockings at AllMovie
• Silk Stockings at the TCM Movie Database
• Silk Stockings at the American Film Institute Catalog