Gene Kelly Dancing on Roller Skates – IOTW Report

Gene Kelly Dancing on Roller Skates

This is good stuff. And we need a political palette cleanser, more and more these days. BUT, I am going to point out something “political” in this clip.

There is a 3 second part where the orchestra breaks into an Asian phrase, and Kelly does a little move that is supposed to suggest the Orient.

I can’t help but think of the a-holes who would start whining about racism and appropriation and….oooo,  I just want to tap dance on their faces with roller skates.

Screen Shot 2015-10-05 at 12.19.14 AM

ht/ KPark

16 Comments on Gene Kelly Dancing on Roller Skates

  1. I can’t believe I’ve never seen this clip before. Gene Kelly was so athletic and awesome. Love the tap dancing on skates and the mega clicky sounds they make. 🙂

  2. Look how nice and polite people are on the street. Plus they are all dressed up and looking good… not some shabby tracksuit, or pants hanging down bs. Plus Mailboxes!!! Who the hell has Mailboxes on a street these days? The animals have ruined our ability to have that convenience.

  3. Tap dancing on roller skates?
    For my money, he makes Astaire look like a rookie.
    Fantastic clip.
    And yeah…that brief Asian bit would have to be edited out if the Thought Police ever saw it.

  4. Not a fair comparison. Fred danced with Ginger on skates (Shall We Dance – 1937) 18 yrs before Gene did. Marciano or Ali? Different eras – both great. Anytime you hear “White folk ain’t got no rhythm” ain’t never seen Fred Astaire dance with a hat rack. Love ’em both – great athletes.

  5. It was nice seeing those movies on TV in black and white when I was in my pre-teens and teens. Kind of set the stage in my mind for the romantic, not sexualized (like today) interaction between men and women. Those movies also developed my sense of fashion and design.

    Looking at the swing and flow factor in the purple dresses in this clips makes me wonder if there was built-in stretch in the fabric or total detail to fit. I am not sure when the stretchy fabrics came into being.

    Love those old movies.

Comments are closed.