Blue Skies (1946)

An ex-dancer and New York radio star narrates his love story for a band singer who loved a self-centered man who was unable to commit to his nightclub business or his family.

Directors:

Stuart Heisler, Mark Sandrich (uncredited)

Writers:

Arthur Sheekman (screenplay), Allan Scott (adaptation)

Stars:

Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Joan Caulfield

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bing Crosby	...	Johnny Adams
Fred Astaire	...	Jed Potter
Joan Caulfield	...	Mary O'Hara
Billy De Wolfe	...	Tony
Olga San Juan	...	Nita Nova
Mikhail Rasumny	...	François
Frank Faylen	...	Mack
Victoria Horne	...	Martha - Mary Elizabeth's Nanny
Karolyn Grimes	...	Mary Elizabeth Adams

Storyline

Jed Potter looks back on a love triangle conducted over the course of years and between musical numbers. Dancer Jed loves showgirl Mary, who loves compulsive nightclub-opener Johnny, who can't stay committed to anything in life for very long.

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Plot Keywords:

color in title | song in title | dancer | love triangle | war bond | 

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Taglines:

JOYOUS! With Singing, Dancing, Gaiety, Music and Romance! (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Lindsey Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - Feb. 28, 1947)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. It was released on DVD 6 May 2003, in tandem with Birth of the Blues (1941), as part of Universal's Bing Crosby Collection, and again 11 November 2014 as one of 24 titles in Universal's Bing Crosby Silver Screen Collection. Since that time, it's also enjoyed an occasional airing on cable TV on Turner Classic Movies.

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Goofs

In the opening tilt pan shot of Rockefeller Center, the waterfalls are clearly in reverse.

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Quotes

Jed Potter: Song and Dance Man.
Johnny Adams: Song and Dance Man, that's right.
Jed Potter: He didn't remember it then, how could he know it now?
Johnny Adams: Oh, get out, I bet I could do it right now, the whole thing.

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Connections

Featured in Emile Norman: By His Own Design (2007)

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Soundtracks

Puttin' on the Ritz
Words and Music by Irving Berlin (1930)
Sung and Danced by Fred Astaire

User Reviews

Bit of History

Blue Skies was to be Fred's "swan song" as he had announced he would retire from dancing. He had been on the stage since being a child, and at age 46 thought he was danced out. The very last dance number filmed (as in all Astaire musicals) were his solos. The last number, he thought, ever to be filmed in his life was Puttin' On The Ritz. After the last take, he pulled off his mini-rug and stomped on it saying he was glad he didn't have to wear that thing ever again.

His retirement didn't last too long (he spent time with his race horses)as Gene Kelly called saying he had broken his foot playing football, and Fred came back to film work in Easter Parade.

There was to be a third paring of Crosby and Astaire in White Christmas, but Fred had other commitments, that's when Danny Kaye was brought in. Both Astaire and Crosby made their last recording together in the early 1970's called, "A Couple of Song and Dance Men". When they started to record the album, one of them remarked this was the first time they had worked together since Blue Skies. It was their last recording date as Crosby died shortly after, and Astaire never made other recordings.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish

Release Date:

16 October 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blue Skies

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1