Daddy Long Legs

Enjoyed the CD

Rather than repeat the many attributes of this film, it is interesting to note that Fred Astaire initially did not want to make this film.His wife died of cancer prior to the start of production, and it has been documented that he actually offered 20th Century Fox to pay their production costs to bow out of the film due to his grief. However, his family and colleagues talked him into doing it as part of overcoming his sorrow. The only time you note any type of hurt on his face is during his brief "walk on" during the "Rio" number. Otherwise, it shows nowhere else in the film. He was such a class act and professional.From the wonderful Leslie Caron and the excellent supporting cast, it is a charming story of the 1950's and should be taken as that. In today's cynical world, people would intrepret Jervis Pennelton's motives as something more sinister, but back then it could be taken as a romantic story. Actually, Jervis was such a likeable person, especially with his encounters with the U.S. Ambassador, Griggs, and the college students at the "Sluefoot" dance. Manners meant something back then, and Fred always showed this in the way he acted. How many celebrities do you see today act that way?The set designs, photography, and that beautiful black Cadillac shown in the beginning of the film show a classy sense of style that taken over 50 years later, show how movies have changed.For great movie music, Johnny Mercer demonstrated some absolutely wonderful pieces that still sound great today. The excellent playing of the Fox orchestra by Alfred Newman, Leon Shamroy's superb cinematography, and the print used for the DVD were the best I have seen the move in years. I own the laserdisc version, and even then, the DVD is fantastic.The only criticism I have is not with the movie, but rather the loud, obnoxious disclaimer at the beginning of the DVD about piracy. The people who watch this movie are not some punk kids or pirates making bootleg copies and have to be reminded that it is stealing. I own several of the Marilyn Monroe series and Fox does not put that blaring message on those DVDs. Turner/Warner DVDs for example, put the FBI message at the front with NO SOUND, and they make the point. Also, the Deluxe Credit for DVD mastering at the end is similar. Apparently, they record the levels of the both the piracy notice and Deluxe Labs at a sound level of 10dB louder than the movie. The first time I watched it, I thought I was going to blow out my speakers.Otherwise, Fox did an excellent job on this DVD. The commentary with Ava Astaire, Ken Barnes, and archival interview with Johnny Mercer is worth the price of the DVD alone. All together, a must have in any collection of classic musicals. The digital audio is absolutely superb in either a two channel or 5:1 Home Theater. A must own DVD.

I realize that many Fred Astaire fans may not agree that DADDY LONG LEGS is his best film made without Ginger Rogers. But I stand by that opinion. The film is a delight, lavishly produced, with an excellent script and cast, and some outstanding musical sequences.DADDY LONG LEGS is the story of third-generation multi-millionaire Jervis Pendleton (Astaire) who, while on a good-will ambassadorial trip to France, observes and is charmed by young Julie Andre (Leslie Caron), who lost her parents during World War II and has been raised in a countryside orphanage. Jervis lavishes material support on Julie, bringing her to the U.S. and sending her to a women's college. Yet he doesn't reveal himself to Julie, who knows her benefactor only as "Daddy Long Legs." Then the two meet at a college dance, and romance--and complications--follow.DADDY LONG LEGS was Astaire's only film for 20th Century-Fox, and the studio gave him a superb supporting cast, including Terry Moore, Fred Clark, and the peerless Thelma Ritter. The film's script is by Henry and Phoebe Ephron, parents of today's famous writer/director Nora Ephron (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, YOU'VE GOT MAIL). The script is witty and tender and features two wonderfully developed central characters, who are brought to life beautifully by Astaire and Caron. This was (sadly) the last musical in which Caron showed her dancing talents, but she also shows here the abundant acting talent that has sustained her career to the present day. And Astaire, too, displays the outstanding acting abilities that were unfortunately always overshadowed by his status as the screen's leading male dancer.Good as the rest of the movie is, it's the musical portions that really lift DADDY LONG LEGS to the heights. First, there are two lavish ballet sequences choreographed by Caron's dance mentor, Roland Petit. The second features a distraught Caron searching for Astaire in settings representing Paris, Hong Kong and Rio. Caron's abilities are on excllent display here (although I leave to dance critics the question of the sequence's actual artistic merit). The other dance sequence is an amusing and colorful daydream showing Caron's musings about who her benefactor might be: a Texas millionaire, an international playboy, or her guardian angel. The "angel" segment is particularly outstanding, featuring excellent dancing, a lavish setting, and the bravura orchestral accompaniment of Alfred Newman and the 20th Century-Fox orchestra.Even more satisfying than the ballets, though, are Astaire and Caron's "popular" dance duets, the romantic "Something's Gotta Give" and the college dance ensemble, "The Sluefoot." The two dancers make a marvelous pair, and their work together conveys much of the same exhiliration and joy that Astaire helped create during those legendary 1930s dances with Rogers. And adding to the magic of both numbers are Johnny Mercer's excellent songs--"Something's Gotta Give" has, of course, become a "standard," while "The Sluefoot" features an amusing lyric full of Mercer's distinctive vernacular wordplay. In addition, the film also makes excellent use of Mercer's beautiful ballad "Dream," which had actually been written as a pop tune ten years earlier.As other reviewers have noted, DADDY LONG LEGS has a long running time, over two hours. But I enjoy every magical moment of a film that is certainly one of Astaire's best.

I was a put off by an OBVIOUSLY older man---almost old enough to b her grandfather---or quite old father---being in love with such a young, sheltered, naive and innocent girl. Still in her late teens. It was weird. The movie was okay by very light-weight. We monitor carefully the movies our kids watch (8 years to 16). Some of the ones they love are older and family friendly but they're so well done and the story so interesting, they don't mind the film being older (vintage!). But this would not have been one of them. I already know the teen would ask why that old man was chasing a girl "her age" and the other 3 would have been bored. If my daughter at 18 or 19 had pursued a man this old, I would have put her into therapy for "Daddy Issues". Anyway, the story was sweet, if not dull and predictable. In the style of all the other lightweight films of the era. No desire to watch it again.

I decided on collecting some of these good old movies.