Cyd Charisse: The Unfinished Dance

1947 was a rough patch for Cyd Charisse. The Unfinished Dance, was not successful, and she was second billing. Another thing going on in Charisse’s personal life, was that Nico Charisse and her split up, leaving her with her five year old son, Nicky. On an Island With You, was the next movie Charisse played in. It was a technicolor film and starred, Esther Williams, (Million Dollar Mermaid) Peter Lawford, (Ocean’s 11) Ricardo Montalban, (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) Jimmy Durante, (It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World) and Xavier Cugat (You Were Never Lovelier). Cyd Charisse was fifth billing. It follows the plot of Rosalind Reynolds, (Esther Williams) an actress, with lots of romantic mishaps. The film starts off with Esther Williams, swimming
It starred Judy Garland, (The Wizard of Oz, Easter Parade) Fred Astaire, (Top Hat, Easter Parade) and Peter Lawford, (Oceean’s 11). Ann Miller, an amazing tap dancer, replaced Charisse, after auditioning for, and getting the part of Nadine Hale, and arrogant, self-centered dancer. Gene Kelly, (Singin’ in the Rain, An American In Paris) was also scheduled to do Easter Parade, but broke his ankle playing volleyball. One good thing about 1948, is that Charisse married another MGM star, singer, Tony Martin, (Ziegfeld Girl) a marriage that would last sixty
The Mark of the Renegade, starred Ricardo Montalban, (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) and Cyd Charisse. It is one of the lesser known MGM movies. The story revolves around Manuella de Vasquez, (Cyd Charisse) who is a girl with many suitors. Eventually, Marcos Zappa wins her love, but on the day of their wedding, he has to fight a duel with another one of her suitors. Marco wins at the end. The Mark of the Renegade, was a hit at the time, but is not as popular as other MGM westerns. The Wild North, tells a story of “primitive love.” It stars, Stewart Granger, (Scaramouche) Wendell Corey, (Rear Window) and Cyd Charisse. The Wild North, is about a trapper who helps an Indian girl fend off unwanted visitors. The Wild North, was a big hit, and a great fresh start for Cyd Charisse coming back from