Silk Stockings (1957)

A musical remake of Ninotchka: After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to ... See full summary »

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

Melchior Lengyel (book), George S. Kaufman (play),

Stars:

Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Janis Paige

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred Astaire	...	Steve Canfield
Cyd Charisse	...	Ninotchka Yoschenko
Janis Paige	...	Peggy Dayton
Peter Lorre	...	Brankov, Commisar
George Tobias	...	Vassili Markovitch, Commisar of Art
Jules Munshin	...	Bibinski, Commisar
Joseph Buloff	...	Ivanov, Commisar
Wim Sonneveld	...	Peter Ilyitch Boroff

Storyline

A musical remake of Ninotchka: After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to complete their mission and to retrieve them. She starts out condemning the decadent West, but gradually falls under its spell, with the help of Steve Canfield, an American movie producer.

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Plot Keywords:

cheesecake | song and dance | communism | song | dancer | 

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Taglines:

BIG BOUNCY BEAUTIFUL! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 July 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Meias de Seda

Box Office

Budget:

$1,853,463 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cole Porter's original lyrics were slightly bowdlerized for the movie. For example, Astaire sings a line in "Stereophonic Sound" about how audiences don't want to see a kiss "unless her lips are scarlet/and her mouth is five feet wide." In the original Broadway musical, the lyrics were "unless her lips are scarlet/and her bosom's five feet wide."

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Goofs

When the first commissar of art gets sacked, there's a yellow lamp hanging over his desk (he actually walks behind it) and then when Markovitch answers his phone, the lamp magically disappears and is replaced by Vera.

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Quotes

Vassili Markovitch, Commisar of Art: I want to look somebody up. Does this office have a copy of Who's Still Who?

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Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)

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Soundtracks

"The Ritz Roll and Rock"
(uncredited)
Written and Composed by Cole Porter
Sung and Danced by Fred Astaire and chorus

User Reviews

The usually adept Astaire and Gorgeous Cyd Charisse

As a senior I'll make a couple of stock comments; "They don't make em like this anymore and " Pop culture of the 50's in the USA was artful and demanded talent. Beautiful and sensuous Cyd Charisse and "All Pro" musical dancer Fred Astaire team up wonderfully to update and old story put to music. The settings are lush and the dancing is suberp. Peter Lorre and Janis Paige add the right touch of humor and talent. Although much of the "Cold War" lingo seemed corny, if you were an adult at the time this movie was made, you'll find it hillarious but so true. All said and done, it is a pleasureable treat!