My love for cinema and classic films literally began thanks to a filmmaker by the name of Stanley Donen. Many of you have probably already heard this story from me before but for those of you who are knew, I would like to share it one more time to celebrate the centennial of a director that I believe, in many ways, changed the course of my life. In case you also don’t know much about his career, besides those famous titles, I will also go over his impactful and diverse film trajectory so that we can pay proper tribute to his glorious legacy. Donen's ability to seamlessly blend music, dance, and storytelling captivated me from a young age, sparking a lifelong passion for the art form that was created overseas. But his influence obviously extends far beyond the realm of musicals. His collaborations with Gene Kelly, Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn produced some iconic moments in cinema history, specially during the 1950s and 60s. For me, it all started on a Christmas day…
At six or seven years old, my attention toward films and television was minimal, save for their captivating music. I knew all the theme songs of various TV series, often lingering in front of the screen whenever a melody piqued my interest, eagerly awaiting for more. As a result of that, during Christmas of 1989 or 1990, my mother, perhaps guided by maternal intuition, gifted me with a VHS of Donen's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), a musical she had adored in her own youth. Little did she know, this gesture opened a door in me that never closed. Alongside my love for music, I developed an obsession for memorizing the lyrics of my favorite melodies and so, in addition to my love for films, this relentless curiosity and adoration ignited a fervent determination to learn English. And here I am. I talked about this in more detail about this musical and other classics that also changed my life in a video in my YouTube channel, which I highly recommend watching.
Stanley Donen himself, from Columbia, South Carolina, also grew up fascinated by cinema and musicals, specially those by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and, in his case, it was Flying Down to Rio (1933) the film that changed his life forever. At nine years old, his lonely world was transformed by that magic. After finishing high school, inspired by Astaire, he began taking dance classes and soon moved to New York to pursue his dream of being part of a Broadway show. Destiny had it that in his first theatre roles, albeit minor ones, he crossed paths very early on with Gene Kelly who, at the time, was the charismatic and promising lead of the play Pal Joey that had premiered in 1940 and that firmly established Kelly's reputation. This encounter sparked a fruitful friendship and a creative partnership during the first stages of Donen's career, who was barely in his 20s.
Starting as an assistant choreographer, Donen soon began co-directing some of the most groundbreaking and iconic musicals in cinema history. Their sense of style and daring approach to integrating musical numbers seamlessly into the film’s narrative, set Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s films apart. Together, they conceived and brought to life memorable dancing sequences such as the Alter Ego scene in Cover Girl (1944) and the enchanting duo with Jerry the mouse in Anchors Aweigh (1945), assisted by animation legends such as Fred Quimby, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Remarkably, those two musical numbers are probably some of the most featured and remembered from both films, showcasing the invaluable contributions of their collaborative success.
Blessed were also the cinematic gems they also put together, as co-directors, in subsequent musicals such as On the Town (1949), It's Always Fair Weather (1955), and the immortal classics that is Singin' in the Rain (1952). During this period of his career, Donen's innovative spirit soared, evident not only in these collective works but also in his solo endeavors. Take, for instance, Royal Wedding (1951), a solo venture featuring his idol, Fred Astaire, in his famous dancing on walls and ceiling number, collaborating again in the creation of another legendary Hollywood musical memento.
But perhaps one of Donen's most remarkable first solo directorial achievements was the transformation of the unconventional musical of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers into a beloved hit. Who else but Stanley Donen could bring such infectious charm to seven scroungy backwoodsmen? Along with Michael Kidd’s exuberant choreography, Gene de Paul’s dynamic songs, Johnny Mercer’s clever lyrics, and a wonderful cast lead by Jane Powell and Howard Keel, they elevated the film to iconic status. Assigning a different colored shirt to each brother, aside from their hair color, ensuring immediate recognition during the vibrant dance sequences, stands as one of my favorite details about Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Did I already tell you that I love this movie? Despite all that joy, you might be surprised to know that the production faced several challenges. Mainly caused by MGM considering it a B musical, therefore deriving some of its original budget for what the studio viewed as more profitable productions such as Rose Marie (1954) or Brigadoon (1954), which ironically didn’t gross as much as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers did. Additionally, Stanley was forced to film it both in CinemaScope and in standard screen ratio. That meant also having two sets of different cameras during the whole production.
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His adept use of color and impeccable sense of style became defining elements of Stanley Donen's cinematic work. It was from this foundation that he embarked on splendid collaborations with Audrey Hepburn, marking the beginning of another chapter in his career. Their partnership commenced with the sumptuous musical Funny Face (1957), where Donen's keen eye for aesthetics and choreography perfectly complemented Hepburn's grace and talent. Their creative synergy continued to flourish with subsequent projects such as the suspenseful Hitchcokian thriller Charade (1963) and the poignant drama Two For the Road (1967), featuring the late Albert Finney. Despite diverging from the musical genre that initially brought him fame, these films retained Donen's signature. In these instances, the dance and rhythm was entrusted to the camera and editing, set against the backdrop of Henry Mancini's beautifully evocative music. I am particularly fond of the latter because of its storytelling and Audrey’s emotional and unforgettable performance.
Another exceptional collaboration for Stanley Donen was with the legendary actor Cary Grant, with whom he went on to create a joint production company named Grandon Productions, a testament to their mutual respect and shared vision. This collaboration yielded two delightful comedies: Indiscreet (1958), starring Grant paired again with Ingrid Bergman, and The Grass Is Greener (1960), featuring a stellar foursome including Grant himself, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Jean Simmons. Donen was cementing his knack for crafting sophisticated and witty productions that paired or grouped Hollywood stars, combining a certain air of nostalgia with Europe’s new waves, in a decade in which the film industry would change forever.
After Donen and Grant shared both commercial and critical success with Charade, Stanley would solo produce and replicate the formula with another Hitchcock-tinted thriller, Arabesque (1966), this time starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. The recipe resonated well with audiences but in this instance, critics reacted differently. As a fascinating side note, in addition to his illustrious filmography, Stanley Donen ventured into other directorial pursuits. He took on the role of producer for the 1986 Oscar’s ceremony, incorporating a musical number with June Allyson, Leslie Caron, Marge Champion, Cyd Charisse, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, and Esther Williams. Also in the 80s, he directed a memorable musical number for an episode of the wonderful tv series Moonlighting (1985-1989), called Big Man on Mulberry Street with Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd. Notably, Donen also directed a music video for singer Lionel Richie, paying homage to Fred Astaire's iconic dance sequence from Royal Wedding, another example his lasting influence on popular culture. And who could forget his endearing Oscar’s Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech?
So many moments that are impossible for me to forget. A career marked by tremendous collaborations, Donen always knew how to surround himself with the best. One of his last directorial endeavors took place in 2002 when he staged Elaine May's (his last and longtime partner) play called Adult Entertainment, a comedy about the porn industry according to Variety. His last and probably one of his most wonderful collaborations with May who gifted the director with a silver medallion with the inscription, STANLEY DONEN. IF FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO ELAINE MAY. I can’t think of anything more iconic.
Similarly to how it started for me, his love for musicals and films was sparked by a singular cinematic experience, setting the stage for a lifelong passion. In turn, his films have served as well as a beautiful introduction to cinema for countless viewers, me included. For many of us, the pleasure of watching and discussing films has become an integral part of our lives, a part we wouldn’t trade for the world. His filmography is full of love, romance, art, magic, and imagination; and for those moments, while watching his films, all those wonderful things are within me too.
It's clear to see the profound impact that Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Donen had on shaping my early interests and influencing my lifelong pursuits. Thanks to him, I was also able to "escape" and to find myself through cinema. In many instances, many of his films and so many others, have transported me to a place that felt much more real at times than the world around me. I can say without fear of exaggerating that without his films, my childhood and my life, would not have been the same. As the iconic ending song from Dirty Dancing (1987) so aptly puts it, I've had the time of my life, and I owe it all to you, Stanley (I may add).
Do you also have a similar experience that was the catalyst for your love of cinema and classic films? Let me know, if you want, in the comments.
Additional links
Out of all the great musical numbers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, my favorite always was Lonesome Polecat. When I listened to Stanley himself say, on the 2004 DVD commentary of the film that it was his too, my heart skipped a beat.
Another favorite of my is Cover Girl and although my top musical moment happens with the song Long Ago and Far Away, the Alter Ego sequence is marvelous.
It’s simply mind-blowing to think that they achieved this combination of life action and animation in 1945 and, still today, Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry the mouse in Anchors Aweigh remains as spectacular as it must have been back in the day.
Paris is always a good idea, they say, so why not watching the number Bonjour, Paris! from Funny Face?
The Making of Dancing on the Ceiling, the videoclip of Lionel Richie’s song, incorporates the vision of Stanley Donen and you can get a clear picture of how the original effect of Fred Astaire’s amazing dance number was achieved. The quality is not great but it is really interesting.
Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd dancing to Big Man on Mulberry Street by Billy Joel is something else, to know that this sequence was directed by Donen is colossal.
In case you haven’t seen it or if you feel like reliving the moment, watch again Stanley Donen’s marvelous acceptance speech at the Oscars of 1997 when Martin Scorsese presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
He was fantastic and somehow underrated, still to this day.