Carefree (1938)

Carefree
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Written by Allan Scott and Ernest Pagano from a story by Dudley Nichols and Hagar Wilde
1938/USA
RKO Radio Pictures
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Must you dance every dance with the same fortunate man?/ You have danced with him since the music began./ Won’t you change partners and dance with me? (“Change Partners”, lyric by Irving Berlin)[/box]

The repartee of Astaire and Rogers kind of jumps the shark here but there is still some fantastic dancing in this, the eighth of their pairings.

Stephen Arden’s (Ralph Bellamy) fiancée Amanda (Ginger Rogers) keeps breaking their engagement.  So Stephen seeks the help of his friend psychoanalyst Tony Flagg (Fred Astaire).  When Amanda claims she doesn’t dream, Tony loads her up on dream inducing foods.  Amanda dreams of Tony and immediately falls in love.  She can’t tell Tony so she makes up a very disturbing dream.  Tony puts her under anesthetic (a form of hypnosis??) but before he can get the truth out of her she has to leave for a broadcast.  In her trance, Amanda creates havoc.  The story continues in this vein for the remainder of the movie.

The plot requires Ginger Rogers to act goofy throughout and, while she is good at this, the movie just lacks the sparkle and sophistication of the earlier, better films.  And what can you say about “The Yam” number featuring a song so stupid that Astaire refused to sing it?Still, “Change Partners” in which Fred hypnotizes Ginger is one of the most romantic of their ballroom dances.

Contributors to Carefree were nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of:  Best Art Direction; Best Original Song (“Change Partners”); and Best Original Score.

Clip – Fred hypnotizes Ginger while dancing