The Pleasure of His Company [1961] [DVD]Fred Astaire (actor) Debbie Reynolds (actor) Format: all-region dvd (worldwide) Runtime: 113 min Quality: Excellent
Fred Astaire brings all his easy, debonair charm but not, alas, his twinkling feet to this, only the second non-musical of his long career. Adapted from a mildly diverting Broadway play in the vein of what used to be called drawing room comedy, the film shows what happens when ageing playboy Astaire, long-separated from his family, turns up for his daughter's wedding.
Debbie Reynolds is delighted to see her father again; husband-to-be Tab Hunter is bemused; while Astaire's ex-wife Lilli Palmer, now remarried to Gary Merrill, is none too pleased. Directed by George Seaton, it's elegant and well-played. |