Dream when you’re feeling blue
Dream, that’s the thing to do.
The Skylines in the final musical number, “Dream” by Johnny Mercer
No, Fred Astaire’s character was not a “sugar daddy” to Leslie Caron’s character, but he was the 1955 film’s eponymous “Daddy Long Legs.”
In this musical comedy adapted from a 1912 novel, a French orphan is sent to an American university by her nameless 50-something-year-old millionaire guardian. The two fall in love after he visits her. However, she doesn’t know he’s her benefactor because he introduces himself using a pseudonym. I’ll note that the characters in the film were aware of the age difference between them.
Astaire’s wife died during the filming of the movie. He reportedly cried during production and wanted to back out. He offered compensation for the amount of money already spent on the film, but he ended up finishing film. Surrounded by blue while gazing at the star, Astaire looks like he’s keeping his hopes up for the future.
Apart from the plot, the film’s choreography and set design are timeless. The sets for the dance scenes were so aesthetically pleasing that I wanted to recreate them.
The image depicted comes from the “Daydream Sequence.” I also intended on doing something from the “Nightmare Ballet” number, but — perhaps echoing Caron’s sentiments about performing it in interviews — my hand was exhausted.
I had a couple of film-inspired illustrations drafted in 2022. I ended up not finishing them because either (1) I wasn’t emotionally invested in the plot or production or (2) my hands were good with the flats and line art, but that was it.
At least I can say I have this scene down, albeit less visually complex than my other drafts. Then again, some people say “less is more.”
Here’s an alternative quote:
Mmm, you’re a dandy.
Leslie Caron as Julie Andre in “Daddy Long Legs” (1955)
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Dearest Reverie 