It is Cole Porter meeting Ernst Lubitsch's best recalled film, NINOTCHKA. Up-dated to be sure, but still an affective comedy about rival systems of politics, social structure, and economics.

In the original, a Soviet economic mission is trying to use some jewelry that was originally owned by a Grand Duchess to purchase needed agricultural equipment. This is jettisoned in the new version. Fred Astaire (Steve Canfield) is a movie producer who is planning a production of WAR AND PEACE with Janis Paige as his star (she is Peggy Dayton, a noted Hollywood swim star, a la Esther Williams),who will play the Empress Josephine. Interesting point: Josephine does not appear in WAR AND PEACE - keep that in mind. Canfield wants to have a score by Russia's leading composer, Peter Ilyitsch Boroff (Wim Sonneveld) who is currently in Paris with a culture mission that is under Jules Munshin, Peter Lorre, and Alexander Granach. Their boss, George Tobias (promoted since NINOTCHKA - he's now a commissar) sends Cyd Charisse (Ninotchka Yoschencko) to keep the other three and Boroff under control. Tobias has reason to be upset. Not only is Canfield trying to corrupt the culture mission (not too difficult there) but also Boroff, who falls for Peggy Dayton (as Canfield hopes).

It follows closely the pursuit and "corruption" of Ninotchka, but there is one aspect that is shown here that was barely touched upon in the 1939 film. There Swanna's cynical use of the jewelry as a bargaining chip to keep Leon from Ninotchka sort of suggests that pure capitalism has it's drawbacks when in the wrong hands. In SILK STOCKINGS it is the cavalier use of culture for a fast buck that gets a go over.

Boroff's masterpiece is called "Overture to a tractor", but Canfield has it changed into a song for Peggy "Jo,Jo, Jo, Jo, Josephine...commonly called Jo". Whatever one thinks of music in honor of inanimate objects, Boroff's work represents serious art. Ninotchka and the others (including Boroff) are furious, and dismiss the glib excuse Steve comes up with (many other popular songs are based on classic tunes). They leave for Russia, and the rest of the musical follows Steve's attempts (like Leon's before him) to get Ninotchka back.

The Porter score here (with the score for CAN-CAN) were the last two really first rate scores Porter composed, but both were composed for the stage productions of the musicals and transposed to the screen. Here the title song (originally sung by Don Ameche on stage, but here by Astaire) is one of the best numbers, as is "Glorious Technicolor", where Astaire and Paige describe all the cinematography gimmicks used to draw in the audience (leading up to "sterophonic sound", which the film sound track blasts out). Munchkin, Lorre, and Granach have two big numbers, the second (SIBERIA) being one of Porter's best comic pieces as the three culture mission people look gloomily to returning to Russia, and possibly being sent to Siberia ("Have you seen our choice bill of fare...Please try the fillet of polar bear!"). There is even a second piece by "Boroff" composed in Russia, "I've got the Red Blues!" which uses forbidden rock and roll.

If it does not have the fine Lubitsch elegance and "touch", SILK STOCKINGS still shows a first rate handling on it's own.

Silk Stockings is not one of MGM's best films, with it just lacking their earlier films' sparkle, and it is not as good as Ninotchka(a Greta Garbo and Ernst Lubitsch gem),that it's a remake of. However, while it has its flaws, it is eminently watchable and is good entertainment.

The film is a handsome-looking film, especially in the sumptuous sets, though the colourful and expansive photography, not-too-bright-not-too-drab lighting and elegant costumes also delight. The music is energetic and whimsical and the songs, while not among Cole Porter's best(Ritz Rock and Roll is a little dull and tired) are very good, with memorable melodies and Porter's usual wit evident. All of You and Paris Loves Lovers are dreams come true for Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse lovers, but the highlight is the enormously fun Stereophonic Sound, Siberia has some funny moments but not for all tastes. Choreographically Silk Stockings is splendid, but does not waste Astaire or Charisse's talents at all, the songs I mentioned as highlights are also the highlights for the choreography, and while Ritz Rock and Roll is tired song-wise Astaire's dancing certainly is not.

Also present are a very clever script, where most of the humour sparkles and the romantic parts have the right balance of sweetness and magic while not feeling too much, it also has a good deal of warmth chemistry-wise which stops it from feeling cold and underdeveloped. The film is warm-hearted, good-humoured and light-footed on the most part, and is competently directed, while the cast are as splendid as the choreography. Astaire is as charming and graceful as ever, and Charisse is glamour and elegance personified. Janis Paige is hilarious, and comes close to stealing the show in Stereophonic Sound, and Peter Lorre and Jules Munshin are amusing, though both have given better performances elsewhere.

It's not a flawless film though. It does get heavy-handed in places and occasionally over-plotted, the anti-Russian jokes may leave a sour taste in the mouth and as aforementioned the Ritz Rock and Roll lacks the energy and is not as memorable or up-to-tempo as the rest of the film.

Despite the problems, Silk Songs is very watchable and fun and an above decent but inferior musical remake of Ninotchka. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Rarely have I seen my wife and oldest daughter hate a film as much as they hated "Silk Stockings"! I didn't think it was that bad, but I did understand SOME of their feelings. It sure should have been a lot better!

"Silk Stockings" is a musical remake of "Ninotchka". Now that is a serious problem, as this Ernst Lubitsch film is a wonderful classic--a film that is very, very hard to top. But the film didn't even come close to the quality of the original for many reasons--though the biggest one is the music. Too often, the romance or comedy of the film grinds to a severe halt when the musical numbers intrude--and they did intrude! Few of the song and dance numbers were that good or had much to do with the film, but the tempo was even more seriously a problem. While the film is a sweet little plot--the songs are often HUGE production numbers. The fit is all wrong. And you know it's a problem when Fred Astaire is totally lost in the process! On top of all this, the characters are way too cartoony and silly to work. Overall, I see no need to see this one considering that "Ninotchka" is light-years better!