 John the OFM  | 14 Apr 2013 8:33 a.m. PST |
I have always been impressed by the athleticism of Gene Kelly. "I could never do that!" Fred Astaire, on the other hand, is so fluid and graceful that it does not look at all difficult. Is that more impressive? And to make this discussion suitable for TMP, who makes a 28mm Fred Astaire in top hat and tails?
And who makes 28mm Gene Kelly in whatever iconic movie role? Far too many roles in "Singin' in the Rain". However, that means we will also need Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds too.  "Singin' in the Rain" is on my Top 10 movie list, just because it is such a gosh-darned HAPPY movie. |
| John the OFM | 14 Apr 2013 8:34 a.m. PST |
Did this inspire Doug Kershaw's fiddle handling?
YouTube link
(Althought I don't think they are really playing…) With a hey nonnie nonnie and a hot cha cha! |
| Coelacanth | 14 Apr 2013 9:01 a.m. PST |
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| Maddaz111 | 14 Apr 2013 9:21 a.m. PST |
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| Sergeant Paper | 14 Apr 2013 9:31 a.m. PST |
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| The Gray Ghost | 14 Apr 2013 9:44 a.m. PST |
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| Who asked this joker | 14 Apr 2013 10:04 a.m. PST |
Gene Kelley because of this… YouTube link And this… YouTube link And as mentioned before because he was a musketeer as well. Unfortunately Youtube does not have a clip of the whole sword fight scene that to this day has not been matched in entertainment value from ANY of the other Muskateers movies. |
| Jakar Nilson | 14 Apr 2013 10:16 a.m. PST |
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| SECURITY MINISTER CRITTER | 14 Apr 2013 10:53 a.m. PST |
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| Who asked this joker | 14 Apr 2013 11:06 a.m. PST |
Fantastic link Jakar. I've never seen that one! |
| jpattern2 | 14 Apr 2013 11:14 a.m. PST |
Love 'em both.
Gene Kelly looked like you could dance like him if you practiced hard enough.
Fred Astaire was simply not of this world. Ethereal. |
| Space Monkey | 14 Apr 2013 11:32 a.m. PST |
I'd expect Gene Kelly to win if a fight broke out. Otherwise, both are fun to watch and I enjoy them in movies whether they're dancing or not. |
 20thmaine | 14 Apr 2013 11:52 a.m. PST |
Well both…but Fred if I have to choose – he could sing a bit too. |
| Big Red | 14 Apr 2013 12:23 p.m. PST |
Fred Astaire was simply ethereal! to quote jpattern2 |
| Altius | 14 Apr 2013 2:01 p.m. PST |
This sounds like a job for Bob Murch. |
| vaughan | 14 Apr 2013 2:22 p.m. PST |
Gene Kelly because "Singin' in the rain" is the only musical I can watch (apart from "Paint your wagon" and anything with July Andrews in). |
Roderick Robertson  | 14 Apr 2013 3:34 p.m. PST |
Definitely both. Last year I went and saw "Singin'" on the big screen (the AMC 60th anniversary screening). Wow. Just… Wow. |
 enfant perdus | 14 Apr 2013 7:14 p.m. PST |
Astaire. Funnier, better actor, and he could sing. His effortless style was mostly God-given talent, but with a strong dose of perfectionism and an insane work ethic. It wasn't unusual for him to rehearse for 8-10 hours straight, and on many occasions his partners had to be carried away, overcome with exhaustion. Ginger Rogers once noted that he sometimes danced so long that his feet were bruised and bleeding. |
| Toshach | 14 Apr 2013 7:53 p.m. PST |
After watching "Singing in the Rain" many times I thought that in that movie, Donald O'Connor looked smoother than Gene Kelly--it looked to me like it was easier for him. Watch the "Moses Supposes" number for a good comparison. You have to give props to Debbie Reynolds who, I understand, did not know how to dance before "Singing in the Rain" and yet kept up eith the boys in "Good Morning." |
| Roderick Robertson | 14 Apr 2013 9:16 p.m. PST |
Debbie was given dancing tips by… Fred Astaire! |
 etotheipi  | 15 Apr 2013 8:17 a.m. PST |
Ginger Rogers … she did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in heels. |
 piper909 | 29 Apr 2013 11:50 a.m. PST |
Oohh, Cyd Charisse! "When you danced with Cyd Charisse, you stayed danced with." -- or something very close to that. (Gene Kelly) I, too, would love some classic "French Mistake" minis, gents in top hats and tails with canes, in dance poses. I can think of dozens of great uses for these without even trying hard. |
| piper909 | 29 Apr 2013 11:51 a.m. PST |
Fred is amazing in the often overlooked "Finnian's Rainbow". |
| richarDISNEY | 01 May 2013 7:29 a.m. PST |
They are totally different.
Astaire was a more lateral dancer, while Kelley had mostly vertical moves.
Hard to compare the two.
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| Last Hussar | 01 May 2013 3:15 p.m. PST |
etotheipi – you beat me to it. Git |
| Old Slow Trot | 02 May 2013 6:42 a.m. PST |
Fred had some dramatic chops too, such his scientist character in the original version of "On The Beach". And Gene handled a sword quite well in "The Three Musketeers". |
