Royal Wedding(a.k.a. "Wedding Bells" -- UK)
US (1951): Musical/Comedy/Dance
Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling* in this 1951 Alan Jay Lerner musical for MGM, directed by Stanley Donen. The appealing story finds Astaire as part of a brother-and-sister act (along with Jane Powell) that travels to London at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding. Astaire and Powell each find romances that threaten to break up the act, but that's mostly fun window dressing in a movie better known for some truly creative sequences made vivid by Donen, including Astaire's famous dance with a hat rack (ealier suggested to Astaire by Hermes Pan) and his duet with Powell, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You (When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life)?" (the longest song title in a Hollywood film).
Loosely based on the real-life partnership of Fred and Adele Astaire, June Allyson was first cast in the role of Ellen, but she became pregnant. Judy Garland was cast next, but MGM terminated her studio contract. Cast also includes Peter Lawford, Sarah Chruchill, Keenan Wynn and Albert Sharpe. * The "You're All the World to Me" dance was accomplished by putting a whole room, attached camera and harnessed cameraman inside a 20 ft. diameter rotating "squirrel cage." (Amazon.com)
1 nomination
· Music Best Song 1951: "Too Late Now" Burton Lane - Music, Alan Jay Lerner - Lyric