Vincente Minnelli’s The Band Wagon is a perfectly charming musical that indulges in one of my least favorite tropes – that of the artist’s attempt to make great and meaningful art being pushed aside in favor of creating frivolous entertainment. Fred Astaire gives a fine performance, but without a stronger personality like Ginger Rogers to play off, it quickly becomes the “Fred Show” and doesn’t have enough momentum to sustain it’s nearly two-hour running time. That said, it’s refreshing to see a central romance in a classic Hollywood musical that isn’t started by stalking, and it’s surprisingly honest to have the initial antagonism sparked by their mutual artistic insecurities. The musical numbers are a lot of fun, and the noir-tinged dream ballet is an absolute treat.
