Book Review - Dancing on the Ceiling: Stanley Donen & His Movies

** spoiler alert ** This is more less the "authorized" biography of Stanley Donen and traces his career in detail from a 1941 Broadway Chorus line to his 1995 retirement. The focus is on his work not his colorful private life, which included 4 marriages and possible communist ties in the 1940s.

We get Donen's comments on every movie he made, and also the views of the actors and screenwriters where appropriate. The discussion on such films as Funny Face, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Charade, or Singing in the Rain is excellent.

But the biography mostly gives us Donen's side of the story, and people he disliked aren't given much chance to respond (exception: Debbie Reynolds). Nor is there much criticism of Donen, except his self-criticism. Usually others are blamed for any Donen film that didn't succeed critically or financially.

Donen vs. Gene Kelly
Which leads of us to Gene Kelly. The author (and maybe Donen) really hates Gene Kelly. From 1946-1955, Donen worked with Kelly as his assistant and sometimes Director/ Co-Director.  But the book claims Gene Kelly's artistic contribution to those films was minimal, and Kelly is trashed for hogging the camera, taking credit for Donen's work, and loading up On the Town, American in Paris, and Singing in the Rain with "Boring" "Cliched" ballet dances and dance numbers. But the Kelly bashing doesn't stop there.  In describing a 1980s Singing in the Rain reunion, Gene Kelly is painted as an egoistical bore, who's rude to the fans and demands to be the center of attention. The author also smugly compares Donen's success as a Director to Kelly's and states Kelly only directed Hello Dolly - because Donen turned it down.

Who gets the Credit?
Of course, film is a collaborative exercise and its often difficult to apportion praise or blame for any one picture.  That's especially true of the Old time musicals.  Not only were the studio execs often involved, but in addition to the director, you had the screenwriter, song writer, producer, choreographer, and actors all contributing.  It seems that Gene Kelly usually was the official - or defacto - choreographer on every film after 1946.  Donen was usually in charge of the Camera.  How much either man was responsible for the script, casting, or story is unclear. 

Summary
Kelly bashing aside,  one of the better Hollywood biographies.