It’s Always Fair Weather

Often considered to be a loose follow-up to On the Town, It’s Always Fair Weather reflects the cynicism of post-war America and offers a satirical look at the rising television industry. As three soldiers who agree to meet 10 years after World War II, Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, and Michael Kidd are forced to confront the incompatibilities in their friendships, as well as their personal victories and failures in post-war civilian life. Co-directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, It’s Always Fair Weather boasts engaging and energetic dance numbers, such as “March March” (where the three men drunkenly dance with garbage can lids on their feet), “I Like Myself” (Kelly’s famous tap dance on roller skates), and Cyd Charisse’s “Baby You Knock Me Out.” The film also marks Kelly’s attempt to master CinemaScope, as he experiments with the widescreen format in a number of ways. With an intelligent screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green—the team behind films like On the Town and Singin’ in the Rain—and music by André Previn, It’s Always Fair Weather was the last time that Kelly worked with both Donen and MGM producer Arthur Freed.