What year was this supposed to be set in...right after the war or in 1953 when it came out? If right after the war, Mel's character could have danced young and still only be 20 YO in age even though he was around 36 at the time of filming and Leslie was 22 or so.
shareI'm thinking it was meant to be set in 1950 or 1951. Remember the entertainment promoters recognized Paul as having been a well-known dancer (and that he had changed his name). So let's say before the war Paul had enjoyed a distinguished career, which means he wouldn't have been a beginner. When he went into the military he may have been 24 or 25 at latest. 6 years or more years later, he'd be 32, or maybe a year older. His bitterness (remember how Lili perceives Paul as 'the angry man'?) make him seem a it older.
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