Firstly, I should clarify straight off the bat that I haven't seen this rare 1972 television special in its entirety, and that the following comments reflect the two ten-minute clips that I was able to view online, featuring Fred Astaire and Jack Lemmon. This special was originally broadcast on January 17, 1972, and was intended as a tribute to George (1898-1937) and Ira Gershwin (1896-1983), two brothers who forever shaped Hollywood musicals. With George composing and Ira providing the lyrics, the pair collaborated to produce countless unforgettable tunes. When his brother passed away prematurely in 1937, Ira drew strength from one of the songs that they wrote together, the Academy Award-winning "They Can't Take That Away From Me," performed by Fred Astaire in 'Shall We Dance (1937).' Several stars appeared in the special, most notably Astaire, then seventy-three years of age, and host Jack Lemmon. No dancing is performed by cinema's legendary musical performer, but his passion for his work is nonetheless obvious for all to see, and Mr. Astaire still radiates pure class.
Fred Astaire's first few numbers are interesting but not particularly compelling. Lemmon introduces him via a nostalgic radio show announcement ("beep-ity, beep, beep, beep!"), but Astaire sits at quite a distance from the camera, and so we're constantly zooming in on his figure, unable to decipher any genuine emotions from the shadows (the poor clip quality didn't help). Fred tries to keep up with the tunes, but some of the transitions are rather choppy, and it's rather disheartening that he's forced to perform "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" all by himself, without the comedic backing of Ginger Rogers. Of course, everything picks up considerably when we move onto the Gershwins' "The Babbitt And The Bromide" {from 'Ziegfeld Follies (1946)'}, with a befuddled Jack Lemmon filling in for Gene Kelly, and emphasising the physical comedy to its maximum. Worth noting is that Astaire and Kelly would eventually reunite in 1976, tappin' away together in the wonderful 'That's Entertainment, Part II.' For his finale, Astaire performs "They Can't Take That Away From Me" directly to the camera, and, needless to say, completely nails it.
