Fred Astaire's Face

[poliphilo]

It's not just the feet, it's the face. It's not a handsome face but its expressive. It's a rubbery, comedian's face, with a considerable resemblance to Stan Laurel's.  There was never a more graceful. more inventive dancer, but if the feet had been wedded to a conventionally handsome face- a matinee idol's face- they'd have interested us so much less. Gene Kelly is as great a dancer but he looks like a jock- like an athlete-  like the sort of bloke who should be able to do all those spectacular moves- so phooey. But Fred doesn't. He's got the sort of face that invites a custard pie. It's sexless, peculiar, comical.  And then off he goes, gliding across the dance floor like an angel.