I've been a fan of the dazzling,debonair and peerless Fred Astaire for many years.For me,The Band Wagon pips even Top Hat and Swing Time as his most brilliant film,and is a prime contender for the Musical crown of Singin' in the Rain, which preceded it by a year.Packed with marvellous tunes and dance routines- Cyd Charisse surely his most elegant and talented partner; Dancing in the Dark sublimely romantic;the extended, vibrant Girl Hunt sequence both sexy and visually stunning.The second half is simply fabulous (over an hour of unadulterated bliss), and Charisse's closing speech will bring a lump to the throat of any fellow Astaire devotee.That's Entertainment!