Ziegfeld Follies (1945)

The late, great impresario Florenz Ziegfeld looks down from heaven and ordains a new revue in his grand old style.

Directors:

Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth,

Writers:

David Freedman, Hugh Martin,

Stars:

Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fred Astaire	...	Fred Astaire ('Here's to the Ladies') / Raffles ('This Heart of Mine') / Tai Long ('Limehouse Blues') / Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
Lucille Ball	...	Lucille Ball ('Here's to the Ladies')
Lucille Bremer	...	Princess ('This Heart of Mine') / Moy Ling in 'Limehouse Blues')
Fanny Brice	...	Norma ('A Sweepstakes Ticket')
Judy Garland	...	The Star ('A Great Lady Has An Interview')
Kathryn Grayson	...	Kathryn Grayson ('Beauty')
Lena Horne	...	Lena Horne ('Love')
Gene Kelly	...	Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
James Melton	...	Alfredo ('La Traviata')
Victor Moore	...	Lawyer's Client ('Pay the Two Dollars')
Red Skelton	...	J. Newton Numbskull ('When Television Comes')
Esther Williams	...	Esther Williams ('A Water Ballet')
William Powell	...	Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
Edward Arnold	...	Lawyer ('Pay the Two Dollars')
Marion Bell	...	Violetta ('La Traviata')

Storyline

In heaven, showman Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. fondly recalls his first Broadway revue, the Ziegfeld Follies of 1907. Even from heaven, he is hoping that he can, for one last time, create that same magic by mounting one last follies. As he thinks about who he would like to appear in these follies, he is assisted in realizing his fantasy, at least in his own mind, by such luminaries as Fred Astaire, Edward Arnold, 'Lucille Ball' , Marion Bell, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, James Melton, Victor Moore, Virginia O'Brien, Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Keenan Wynn, and, of course, a bevy of beautiful girls.

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Plot Keywords:

heaven | revue | florenz ziegfeld | ziegfeld follies | whip | 

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Taglines:

Flashing...smashing SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT! DAZZLING IN ITS BEAUTY...PACKED WITH GLORIOUS Melodies! (original print media ad - many caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ziegfeld Follies of 1944

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,240,816 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Judy Garland's number, "A Great Lady Has an Interview" (music and lyrics by Roger Edens and Kay Thompson, choreography by Charles Walters), originally was offered to Greer Garson as spoof of her high-toned Mrs. Miniver/Madame Curie image. After the songwriters demonstrated this change-of-pace routine at the home of the actress, her mother opined, "Well, I don't think so." Garson's then-husband Richard Ney chimed in with "No, it's not for you, dear."

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Goofs

Towards the end of the "This Heart of Mine" number, as Astaire and Bremer begin to dance back to the palace, dancers in the background (screen left) are clearly struggling to stabilize some of the antler-tree props.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.: Ah... Saturday, September twenty fifth. Another heavenly day. Ah, yes. Always a heavenly day.

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Crazy Credits

"Bunin's Puppets" are listed as cast members just above Cyd Charisse.

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Connections

Referenced in Go On: Any Given Birthday (2012)

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Soundtracks

"A Great Lady Has An Interview (Madame Crematante)"
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Kay Thompson
Sung and danced by Judy Garland & Male Chorus

User Reviews

Great entertainment

Ziegfeld Follies is a musical comedy from 1946, from the time when they made lots of musical movies.There really isn't a plot in this movie, but who needs one anyway.As long the musical numbers are working, you really don't need a plot in a movie like this.And then there are also some really funny sketches in the movie.Especially I liked Red Skelton's and Keenan Wynn's acts.They really make you laugh.And then it is great fun to watch Fred Astaire's and Gene Kelly's musical number.This was their only musical act together.Ziegfeld Follies has many great musical numbers.The younger generation doesn't care so much about musical movies, but I'm a teen ager and I like these old musical movies.These kind of movies make me miss those times, and I wasn't even born back then!