Retro Revival Presents: What a Glorious Feeling: The Films of Stanley Donen

May 28–June 9, 2019

When he was nine years old, the great director Stanley Donen (1924–2019) recalled, “I saw Fred Astaire in Flying Down to Rio, and it changed my life…. The joy of dancing to music! And Fred was so amazing, and Ginger Rogers—oh God! Ginger!” Before long, Donen was a 16-year-old dancer on Broadway, where he met Gene Kelly. “And I went on to direct him and Fred Astaire, too,” said Donen. “That’s a gift nobody else got.” And the gifts the exuberant filmmaker gave us? There are dozens—musicals, romantic comedies, spy films, and more—including Singin’ in the Rain, Charade, On the Town, and other shining examples of the golden age of Hollywood and beyond.

Programmed by Andrew Jupin

Sponsored by Wine Enthusiast

It's Always Fair Weather Mar. 10, 2024 Cinema Studies lecture from Jeff Hughes After the success of On the Town, writers Comden and Green thought of making a sequel that would reunite Gene…
Charade June 8, 2023 35mm Screening In this Stanley Donen flick, romance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman (Audrey Hepburn) is pursued by several…
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers June 9, 2019 “A happy, hand-clapping, foot-stomping country type of musical with all the slickness of a Broadway show.” (Variety) Donen knew how…
Royal Wedding June 8, 2019 This delightful film stars Fred Astaire and Jane Powell as a brother-and-sister performing duo. With tons of song-and-dance acts, including…
Singin’ in the Rain June 7, 2019 “This one’s the Taj Mahal, Armstrong’s footprint on the moon, the 2001 Arizona–New York World Series, the Clash’s London Calling,…
Arabesque June 6, 2019 “About ten minutes after Arabesque gets under way, you’ll lose track of its plot completely, and that’s as it should…
Indiscreet June 4, 2019 “A fine light comedy, with unexpected passages of seriousness, marked by the Donen touch in its adventurous visuals and vivacious…
Damn Yankees June 3, 2019 “Miss Verdon has the sort of fine, fresh talent that the screen badly needs these days. But lest she seem…
Funny Face June 2, 2019 “A timeless musical treat and the most fun you can have with really elegant clothes on.” (Empire Magazine) You’ll smile…
Two for the Road May 31, 2019 “A Hollywood-style romance between beautiful people, and an honest story about recognizable human beings.” (Roger Ebert) This witty, rueful romance…
On the Town May 30, 2019 “Delightful, athletic stuff with some unusual—but wonderful—location shooting. New York never looked better.” (Empire Magazine) Three sailors—Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra,…

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