Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

mmallon4 I'm rather disappointed with the latter era MGM musicals. High Society, Les Girls, Gigi; as one of the numbers in Gigi sums it up: "It's a bore!" Silk Stockings is one of the better ones, not perfect but it shows this now increasingly outdated style of musical could still be glorious, despite their lack economic viability from the rise of television. Whereas High Society came off to me as an unneeded remake of The Philadelphia Story, Silk Stockings manages to hold its own and not come off as a cheap remake Ninotchka, which was released prior to the cold war in 1939 (and not doing much good for American-Soviet relations). Silk Stockings was made right during the cold war and towards the end of the McCarthy years. It's interesting seeing the story of love overcoming ideology retold from the cold war perspective in this critique of communism just like Ninotchka before it favours the gayety and decadence of the west to the rigid and gray world of the Soviet Union. While Silk Stockings may be moving denouncing communism it does paint a positive picture of Russian arts. The movie however is self-aware its propaganda, with the film being made within the film described as "The iron curtain dissolved by music" and Astaire gleefully proclaiming the film within a film as "what propaganda!"The influence of the director Rouben Mamoulian is one of the aspects which helps elevate Silk Stockings. Mamoulian was one of the most innovative directors of the 1930's, whose credits include the ground-breaking musicals Applause and Love Me Tonight. Although this was 1957 and his final film, he was an innovator of the genre and his handsome direction is apparent throughout the film. The musical numbers take full advantage of the cinemascope frame, such as the number 'We Can't Go Back to Russia' which features multiple people dancing at once in a long, unbroken shot. While Fred Astaire is dancing, Peter Lorre might be doing something amusing in the background. The dancing on display in the film is not Astaire's most accomplished but is entertaining none the less. Mamoulian never worked with Ninotchka director Ernst Lubitsch, although Love Me Tonight did feature Lubitsch elements, as well as regular Lubitsch stars Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. Elements of the famous Lubitsch Touch are present throughout Silk Stockings; for example, when the Soviet commissar has just finished his first encounter with Ninotchka and is surprised to discover she is a woman, his secretary then bursts into the room to tell him this very fact, very much a Lubitsch inspired gag.Cyd Charisse succeeds in holding her own, not merely doing an imitation of Greta Garbo; showing that she was an underrated actress as well as a great dancer. Plus it simply a pleasure seeing Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse reunited again after The Band Wagon. Astaire could have conceivably played Melvyn Douglas' role back in 1939 (I often wish the man could have done more non-musical comedic roles) so his casting does work; plus I've always championed Astaire's for his unsung comic abilities. The casting of Peter Lorre as one of the three operatives is brilliant decision, while Janis Page is also very entertaining as the uncultured actress Peggy Dayton.The film's selection of songs written by Cole Porter are very good. 'Stereophonic Sound' is a satire on the habits of movie goers more concerned with a film's technical aspects over the content of the film itself, while Cyd Charrise's solo dance number captures the decadence of capitalism in the form of dance. The 'Ritz Roll n' Rock' reflects changing musical landscape from jazz to rock n'roll and appropriately so as this marked Astaire's retirement from musicals, in the final number of the film dressed in his trademark top hat, white tie and tails; what a send-off! Although my favourite number in the film is Astaire and Charisse dancing on a film set in 'All You Dance', simply beautiful. The big flaw I have with Silk Stockings however is the length; at the two hours the movie is too long and some trimming could have gone a long way. With thirty minutes chopped out, Silk Stockings could go from a good movie to a great one.

weezeralfalfa I'd like to start off saying something unexpected. I was struck how much the basic plot resembles that of the previous musical "Belle of New York", also starring Fred, with another famous dancer: Vera Ellen, in Cyd's role. They both involve Fred taking on the challenge(why?) of trying to break through the thick ice of a beautiful, but emotionally repressed, young woman, who is always seen wearing a drab uniform. True , Cyd's character (Ninotchka) was a much harder case to crack, but eventually, Fred succeeded in both cases. In consequence, the singing(dubbed) and dancing of Vera-Ellen and Cyd is delayed compared to Fred's, and it takes time for their characters to fully warm up to Fred's lifestyle, including exuberant dancing. They both get a dance without Fred, in their bedrooms, when they first change from their drab uniforms into some sexy female clothing(including silk stockings). In both films, it looks like they will soon marry Fred at one point. But the woman then becomes disenchanted by something, and partially reverts to her old self until the finale, when their imminent marriage is again hinted. While the earlier film was set in turn of the century NYC, this film is set in contemporary Paris and sometimes Moscow. However, the combination of Fred and Janet Blair impart a significant American flavor to the film. Thus, two musical numbers lampoon the recent pop phenomenon of rock and roll, or several film enhancement technologies commonly adopted in recent times to try to lure potential customers away from their small- screen B&W monaural TVs, back into movie theaters. The present film is much longer than the earlier film, with a more interesting and complicated plot and more significant characters. However, we are stuck through most of it, even to the end, with Cyd's unpleasant arrogant robotic monotone Soviet persona, occasionally replaced by Janet Blair's blasé personality or snippets of Cyd's westernized personality. I would rate the songs in the earlier film as being, on the whole, better, while the dancing is more stimulating in this film. Cyd's solo dancing, in the several opportunities she is given, is especially interesting. There are an endless number of jabs at the stereotypical repressed lives of Soviets, half-truth Soviet propaganda about capitalism, and paranoia, to counter Ninotchka's constant criticisms of 'decadent' capitalism, as she saw it or had been indoctrinated to expect. At one point, Ninotchka, composer Boroff, and the 3 stooge-like commisars sent to bring him back from Paris, have returned to Moscow, reminisce about how they miss their brief stay in Paris, then stage an exuberant dance to music recently composed by Boroff, while singing that they have the "Red Blues": a nifty title. Comically, during this dance, a Soviet bureaucrat walks through the room twice, inducing all to revert to pretending they are discussing the virtues of communism over capitalism. Since Fred can't get a visa to visit Russia, he thinks up a trick to induce the turn of all to Paris...The overall theme of the film clearly is that the Soviet attempt to remake human nature to be interested only in basic survival mode and to only serve the interests of the state is flawed and will ultimately be rejected by real people.In the later part of the film, Ninotchka seemingly develops a split personality, occasionally succumbing to Fred's attempt to westernize her thinking and behavior and seduce her, but then reverting to her monotone Soviet personality. Seems like she mostly lets down her guard after she's had some Champagne. In the finale, she tears up her second plane ticket back to Moscow, after learning that Fred still wants to marry her, thereby presumably proving that even the seemingly most loyal adherents to the Soviet state, given the chance, will choose to live in a western country.The 3 clownish commisars sent to bring back the reluctant -to-leave-Paris composer Boroff rather remind me of the 3 sailors on leave in "On the Town". Jules Munshin served as one of the 3 in both groups, being much taller than any of the others. The choice of Peter Lorre and Joseph Buloff as the other two seems odd, as neither was musical and the singing of both was dubbed. Would have been interesting to have the Marx Brothers or 3 Stooges at their height in their places. But would have been considered overkill, I'm sure.I wonder why the screenwriters decided to subtly deride Esther William's acting ability in clearly casting Janis Paige in her likeness, with the implication that it was doubtful if she could carry a film that lacked her swimming ballets. Interestingly, Esther's long contract with MGM had rather recently been terminated. Seldom used Rouben Mamoulian, as director, was a controversial choice. His last film musical('48) was an expensive box office flop for MGM. However, he had directed some prior successful films , as well as the stage versions of "Oklahoma" and "Carousel". More significantly, he spent his youth in Georgia, where Stalin had also spent his youth. Thus, it was felt he could help provide a more authentic presentation of the Soviets.The non-musical "The Iron Petticoat" and "Jet Pilot", with similar themes of defecting Soviet women, were released about the same time, but were box-office flops, compared to the moderate success of this film.

samhill5215 For me this film has much I like. With Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, music, dancing, what more could one want? The music is catchy, jazzy, cool. The pace is good. The dancing numbers become progressively more complex, more energetic, the plot is OK (for a musical), and one can overlook Cyd Charisse's atrocious accent, but there was something lacking! By himself, Astaire was the master. His solo number on the club stage was fantastic. By herself, Cyd Charisse was spellbinding. Her solo number in her Moscow apartment was breathtaking. But together they just didn't zing like Astaire and Rogers did. When I watch musicals I do so for the dance numbers. I suspect I'm no different from most others. And when Fred and Ginger took the floor I didn't want it to end. They were that good! But with Fred and Cyd, the moves were excellent, there was that trademark single shot of the scene demanded by Astaire, everything was as it should have been except for chemistry. There just wasn't any. Compare that to the numbers Charisse danced with Ricardo Montalban in "Fiesta". In all fairness that shouldn't stop anyone from seeing this film. It's worth the price of admission for the solo numbers alone.

malvernp I had the occasion recently to see "Silk Stockings" and "Ninotchka" back to back. While the musical (and its Broadway antecedent) is based upon the general plot line of the famous Greta Garbo comedy----each film can fully stand on its own to critical judgment."Ninotchka" is considered a classic by many people, and contains Garbo's first comic performance. It is also one of her most accessible roles as well as her penultimate film appearance. Acting styles have changed considerably over the years, and contemporary film-goers may be somewhat mystified as to why she was so highly regarded in her time. However in "Ninotchka," she created a character that is almost free of the mannerisms and affectations often found in her serious movies that turn off so many of today's viewers. The Lubitsch "touch?" Perhaps."Silk Stockings" may not be a classic, but it's a delightful and enjoyable musical film entertainment. It is interesting that in the year 1957, we saw the last traditional film musical from both Fred Astaire ("Silk Stockings")and Gene Kelly ("Les Girls") as well as "Silk Stockings" being the last film directed by the legendary Rouben Mamoulian. Coincidentally, Mamoulian directed one of Garbo's most highly regarded films----"Queen Christina" back in 1933.The recent death of Cyd Charisse reminds us of what a great artist she was in her prime musical years. And while Fred Astaire may have done better work in many of his earlier films, he left the musical genre (excluding the forgettable "Finian's Rainbow") with a stylish, charming and endearing performance.Personally, I find the character played by Astaire considerably more likable than the one dimensional cad-lover played in the earlier film by Melvyn Douglas. And while Cyd Charisse never was considered much of an actress, her stone-faced Bolshevik who is seduced and in turn warmed by Western "decadence" compares favorably with Garbo's Ninotchka---plus she can dance! What an understatement! "Silk Stockings" is an underrated film from the Golden Age of musicals. Fred Astaire left to go on to other projects---and it could be argued that his several subsequent television specials with Barrie Chase extended his classic dancing work. But "Silk Stockings" is his last great role as a song and dance man. What a way to go!