Directed by George Stevens
1936/USA
Radio Pictures
Repeat viewing
#96 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
John “Lucky” Garnett: Now, eh… how did you say that last step went? Eh… oh, yes!
This might not be my favorite of the Astaire/Rogers films in terms of the comedy and story but it does have some of the best dance routines and wonderful standards by Jerome Kern.
John “Lucky” Garnett (Fred Astaire) is a hoofer who makes most of his money at the gambling table. He is tricked by Pop Cardetti (Victor Moore) and the rest of his vaudeville team into missing his own wedding. The bride’s angry father finally agrees to reconsider the union if Lucky returns with $25,000. So Lucky and Pop hop a freight train to New York.
Lucky almost immediately runs into dance instructress Penny (Ginger Rogers) and through a number of misunderstanding infuriates her. But this turns to love once they are in each other’s arms on the dance floor. Pop and Penny’s pal Mabel (Helen Broderick) also become chummy. Can love triumph through the many obstacles this plot presents for the dancing duo? With Eric Blore as the owner of the dance studio, Betty Furness as Lucky’s fiancée, and Georges Mexata as a pompous band leader who is in love with Penny.
This is the film in which Ginger Rogers is allowed to love Fred back and might be her best performance in one of their pictures. Her yearning in the scene before she sings “A Fine Romance” is palpable. The movie also features the iconic “The Way You Look Tonight” sung by Astaire while Rogers is shampooing her hair and a really fun routine set to “Pick Yourself Up.” None of my regular readers will be surprised that I come back to this again and again despite the half hour of danceless, silly scenes at the beginning.
Despite the brilliance of the tapping in Astaire’s blackface “Bojangles in Harlem” number, I have never understood why a living and working artist, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, needed this “tribute”. While I can cut the times some slack, I just find the whole thing extremely odd.
Dance – “Waltz in Swing Time”
This is the next film I am going to see and reading your review make me just more excited. I am really looking forward to seeing this one again. I remember the story to be better than in Top Hat, but that the score lacked a killer tune like Cheek to cheek. I will be much smarter in a few days.
The ballroom dance tunes (“Waltz in Swing Time” and “Never Going to Dance”) aren’t up there with “Cheek to Cheek” or “Night and Day”. I really like the Academy Award winning “The Way You Look Tonight”, even though there is no dance. “A Fine Romance” is cute too, but again no dance.
I like your note on how Ginger is allowed to love Fred back in this one. At first, this was my favorite Fred & Ginger film, but upon multiple viewings, Top Hat stands up much better. I still very much enjoy this one, but it’s not *quite* as awesome as Top Hat. Still, it’s a ton of fun!
Heavenly!!!!!! Great dance sequences, great songs, stupid story (but they always were pretty silly). I can never get enough of Astaire and Rogers. I love, love, love “Pick Yourself Up”,……..such a fun song and dance.
“Pick Yourself Up” is my favorite from the film as well.