RIP Cyd Charisse (1921-2008)

It was too sad and too shocking the few days ago when I found out my favorite big screen dancer Cyd Charisse had died to to an heart attack, she was 86. I'm sorry for my very, very late tribute to her, but I needed time to be able to "take-it-in". The day I found out, I skipped my Homework and instantly watched her best film, The Band Wagon (1953) and I've been watching it daily ever since. I love you Cyd, God Bless You. The most beautiful legs in Hollywood and one of the most beautiful stars to EVER live has gone to the most beautiful place in the universe.

THE BAND WAGON (1953)

By this time of her career, Cyd Charisse was one of the most popular stars in Hollywood. And she was the best of the best of female dancers all over the world. She danced rounds around the likes of Leslie Caron and Eleanor Powell. She was a screen goddess. Her best work is here in The Band Wagon (1953), where she plays ballerina Gabrielle Gerard across the likes of Fred Astaire. Gabby and Fred's character Tony Hunter are to appear in a stage play together called "The Band Wagon" but have to live with each other's primma-donna personalities before eventually falling in love. Featuring some of the best numbers in musical-movie history, the movie was "entrainment!"

The Band Wagon (1953) gives the the spectacular "Girl Hunt Ballet" where Cyd plays two roles, the sexy brunette and the tortured blonde. In a murder-mystery type of performance, Cyd Charisse not only shows off her talents but her beauty and wonderful legs too. Sexy she was...

Here, Cyd is shown dancing with Fred Astiare in "The Girl Hunt Ballet". Cyd Charisse is so tall that they hardly showed her standing beside Astaire when she was wearing high heels. The ballet was absolutely amazing.

The best song in the film is off course, the simplest one "Dancing in the Dark", the Love Theme of the motion picture. At the middle of the movie, after one of Gabby and Tony's big fights, they decide that they wanna actually see if they can dance together NOT on stage. So they go to a deserted part of Central Park and give it their all. The product is romance, brilliant orchestration and choreography that mixes Astaire fast beat dancing and Charisse's ballet elegance.

The Band Wagon (1953) gives Charisse the best time to shine as a dancer-actress and beauty. Not only is she given break taking costumes (like the sexy, red dress that has become her "signature" outfit) but she is featured in beautiful musical sequences such as a ballet, "That's Entertainment Finale", "A New Sun in the Sky", "Dancing in the Dark", "You and the Night and the Music" and "The Girl Hunt Ballet".

Look how absolutely sexy she looks in that red dress. All her dresses throughout the movie are so conservative. But when she takes off that green coat when she first sees Astaire is absolutely fascinating and absolutely sexy. One of the best looks ever made for cinema!

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)

Does it matter that this performance is so short? NO. You know what they say, "Sweet and Short". Cyd gave us absolute brilliance as that "Hooker" in Singin' in the Rain (1952). Her number in "The Broadway Ballet" made her so jazzy, hip, beautiful and sexy. Not to mention that she really, really is very good. No wonder she's the favorite dance partner of both Gene Kelly AND Fred Astaire (Yup, over Ginger Rogers too!)

Seductive and sizzling like always, Cyd is fantastic. That green dress is so sexy on her. I've always wondered if her and Gene Kelly ever had an affair together. That's one beautiful and talented couple. LOOK AT THOSE LEGS!

In the more elegant side of the performance Cyd awed us with this part. It was always a wonder to me how they did this part. If you don't know what happened in this part of Singin' in the Rain (1952), imagine this: Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse are dancing in a long stage, nothing is moving but one thing. Their hair isn't moving, their clothes, their body parts; but Cyd's plain white drape is floating in the air. It looks just great and whole thing is just spellbinding. Offcourse, Cyd is beautiful. Magnificent sight = magnificent performance.

SILK STOCKINGS (1957)

Okay, maybe Silk Stocking (1957) didn't re-capture the Astaire-Charisse magic that was The Band Wagon (1953), but was brilliant for something that was a 2nd try AND wasn't an Arthur Freed produced feature. The songs are the highlight of the low rated picture. But it doesn't mean if a movie isn't good a performance isn't. Go Cyd!

Cyd always, always entertains me. From being bubbly, seductive or being a weird-Russian-chick-who-dances-around-her-apartment-praising-her-silk-stockings, she can never do a wrong step for me. What ever she's in, I will watch. And what did she feel about her 2nd-time-round partner Fred Astaire?:

"Fred moved like glass. Physically it was easy to dance with
him. It was not as demanding on me. I didn't need the same vitality and strength."

THE ZIEGFIELD FOLLIES (1946)

Two highlights of the 1946 musical extravaganza featuring tons of music musical talents (Astaire, Charisse, Kelly, Garland, Ball, Breymer etc.) was that only time Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire only danced together, and Cyd Charisse's bubble-ballet number. All those bubbles complimented her so well...she did no wrong.

BRIGADOON (1954)

In Brigadoon (1954), probably Cyd Charisse's most underrated performance, she plays Scottish mountain girl who (and the rest of her town Brigadoon) only comes to life once in a hundred years, as if they were just in a deep sleep. But Cyd faces a nasty decision, go back to sleep and never see her love (Gene Kelly) again, or leave the town, killing everyone else she loves...Brigadoon (1954) features tons of very impressive numbers, "The Heather on the Hill" (picture seen below), is the most impressive. Seeing Gene and Cyd together is magic.

Quoting Cyd Charisse about what she felt about dacing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly:

"Fred could never do the lifts Gene did and never wanted to. I'd say they
were the two greatest dancing personalities who were ever on the screen. Each has a distinctive style. Each is a joy to work with. But it's like comparing apples and oranges. They're both delicious."

Oh Cyd, how you do run on. Don't you know your also one of the greatest dancing personalities to ever graze the screen? Actually, the were the best of all the girls!

IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (1955)

I got admit, It's Always Fair Weather (1955) wasn't that good. Okay, it was just "mediocre". But I do have to give kudos to Cyd for doing that absolutely enchanting number with all the boxers called "Baby, You Knock Me Out".

Ladies and gentlemen, the legend, the master: CYD CHARISSE! She will live forever.

"If I had to give up either acting or dancing, I'd choose to keep dancing."
- Cyd Charisse, (1921-2008)