Dancing on the Ceiling : Stanley Donen and his Movies

Rating:
Summary: A waste of time
Review: Full of contradictions, this book seethes with poorly
researched data, questionable "facts" and is, in a word or two, a Donen Diatribe.
Using repetitive jibes at such greats as Gene Kelly, both the writer and his subject utilize 3/4 of the tome blaming others, fault-finding and whining that Donen was not THE mentor, THE legend, THE venerated ONE.
How sad that a life or life's work is so pitiably sprinkled into one chapter of 28 presented, and that the author found himself compelled to throw in almost 40 unnecessary pages at the end to fill up the otherwise laborious vituperation.
I'm so glad I got a library copy instead of having purchased this waste of good time.

Rating:
Summary: Just like a Donen movie
Review: Stylish, all-star (the author was able to track down primary sources, from Audrey Hepburn, to George Abbott, to the great Kay Thompson -- all before they died), and entertaining -- and beautifully researched. (Not sure what book the previous "reviewer" wrote about .) the chapter on "Singin' in the Rain" alone is worth the price of admission. And Richard Avedon offers some brilliant insights into the making of "Funny Face," and, perhaps, settles once and for the the differences between Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.