FilmWeViews.com » Fred Astaire

Carefree

movieMoll — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:15:18 +0000

This movie would be worth seeing for the slow motion dream sequence dance number alone. Fortunately, there’s plenty more to recommend “Carefree,” Astaire and Rogers eighth film pairing. Fred Astaire plays psychiatrist Tony Flagg, who takes on Amanda Cooper (Ginger Rogers) as a patient at the request of her fiancé, played by Ralph Bellamy. It seems the bride-to-be keeps getting cold feet when it comes to walking down the aisle. Rogers gets to flex her comedic muscles more than usual in this film, particularly while her character is under the influence of pharmaceuticals and hypnosis. There are also a few nice dance numbers. In addition to the dream sequence, Astaire does some impressive steps on the golf course and he and Ginger do some fancy footwork on “The Yam,” where he literally sweeps her off her feet with a series of dance lifts. “Carefree” is missing the memorable, sing-along tunes featured in many of the pair’s other movies, causing this fun film to be perhaps the most underrated Astaire-Rogers pic. (83 min.)

Not rated - 1938

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Ralph Bellamy
Luella Gear
Jack Carson
Clarence Kolb

Writers:
Marian Ainslee (story)
Guy Endore (story)
Dudley Nichols (story)
Ernest Pagano (writer)
Allan Scott (writer)
Hagar Wilde (story)

Carefree

GroovyMovieGuy — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:10:10 +0000

Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. She’s taken. There’s complications. It’s Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Carefree.”
Astaire plays a psychiatrist who tries to do the right thing for his patient portrayed by Rogers. Guess what it leads to? Yep, dancing and romance.
One of the best dance numbers is a solo by Astaire dancing and driving — driving golf balls. Not the usual fancy footwork found on the links.
While this isn’t the best of the Astaire-Rogers movies, it’s certainly worth watching and great late-night fare. (83 min.)

Not rated - 1938

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Ralph Bellamy
Luella Gear
Jack Carson
Clarence Kolb

Writers:
Marian Ainslee (story)
Guy Endore (story)
Dudley Nichols (story)
Ernest Pagano (writer)
Allan Scott (writer)
Hagar Wilde (story)

Flying Down to Rio

movieMoll — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:55:36 +0000

Although they were not the lead actors in this film, “Flying Down to Rio” was the first pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Their screen chemistry was more sparkling than the romantic leads (Delores Del Rio and Gene Raymond), and leaving audiences wanting to see more of them led to several starring roles pairing Fred and Ginger in later movies. On the romance front, I didn’t particularly care if Del Rio ended up with Raymond or with her fiancé (Raul Roulien). However, this is a very stylish musical, with Astaire and Rogers dancing on a revolving stage surrounded by pianos, a Latin-flavored and passionate big production of “The Carioca,” and scantily clad dancing girls performing “in-flight” on airplane wings! It’s pure entertainment. (89 min.)

Unrated - 1933

Director:
Thornton Freeland

Starring:
Delores Del Rio
Gene Raymond
Raul Roulien
Ginger Rogers
Fred Astaire
Blanche Friderici
Eric Blore
Franklin Pangborn

Writers:
Lou Brock (story)
Anne Caldwell (play)
Erwin Gelsey
H.W. Hanemann
Cyril Hume

Flying Down to Rio

GroovyMovieGuy — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:51:47 +0000

The first pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on the silver screen had them in supporting roles, but their screen chemistry put them in the lead for numerous movies to come.
“Flying Down to Rio” stars Delores del Rio, Gene Raymond and Paul Roulien. The plot: boy meets girl who already has a boy. Astaire and Rogers provide the light entertainment with a little singing and dancing.
Playing out the aviation theme, this movie features a wing-walking dance segment that shouldn’t be missed (and really can’t be since it’s in the middle of the film). I remember watching this as a kid and being scared they would fall from the planes.
Eric Blore as Mr. Butterbass, assistant hotel manager, was also featured in a number of later Astaire-Rogers movies. He added comic relief as uptight characters, like such as managers, butlers and such.
While not the best of the Astaire-Rogers films, “Flying Down to Rio” is definitely worth watching. (89 min.)

1933 - Not rated

Director:
Thornton Freeland

Starring:
Delores del Rio
Gene Raymond
Paul Roulien
Ginger Rogers
Fred Astaire
Blanche Friderici
Walter Walker
Etta Moten
Roy D’Arch
Maurice Black
Armand Kaliz
Paul Porcasi
Reginald Barlow
Eric Blore

Writers:
Lou Brock (story)
Anne Caldwell (play)
Erwin S. Gelsey (writer)
H.W. Hanemann (writer)
Cyril Hume (writer)

Follow the Fleet

movieMoll — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:12:34 +0000

Most critics won’t agree, but I’m an Astaire-Rogers fan and “Follow the Fleet” is my favorite Fred and Ginger film. The storyline is better than their usual mistaken identity plots. The subplot romance of Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard) and Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott) is pleasing. Fred and Ginger have two really cute dance numbers together — in the dance competition and at the show rehearsal, as well as an elegant and mesmerizing performance of “Let’s Face the Music and Dance.” Fred and Ginger each have nice solo numbers — Fred looks great in his sailor uniform. I never get tired of hearing “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket.” And Lucille Ball and Betty Grable shine in a small roles. What more could you want? (110 min.)

Unrated - 1936

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Randolph Scott
Harriet Hilliard
Astrid Allwyn

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Hubert Osborne (play)
Allan Scott (screenplay)

Shall We Dance

movieMoll — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:39:04 +0000

Of the 10 Astaire-Rogers movie pairings, “Swing Time” has the best of the duo’s dance numbers and this film, “Shall We Dance,” has the best songs. Not surprising since it features tunes that George and Ira Gershwin wrote specifically for long-time friend Fred Astaire. Highlights include “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” noting the couple’s differing pronunciations of ‘either’ and ‘potato,’ and “You Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Usual silly plot features Astaire as ballet dance master Petrov, an American with the worst-ever fake Russian accent, and Rogers as Linda Keene, a musical revue star. A love-struck Petrov pursues Keene. Ironically, their budding romance is complicated by the fact that everyone else thinks they are already married. Edward Everett Horton is onboard again as Petrov’s manager, as is Eric Blore as a hotel manager. The comic chemistry between Horton and Blore is as enjoyable as the chemistry between the two leads. Best Fred and Ginger dance number in this one is performed on roller skates. (109 min.)

Unrated - 1937

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Eric Blore
Jerome Cowan
Ketti Gallian
William Brisbane
Harriet Hoctor

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Harold Buchman (story)
Lee Loeb (story)
Ernest Pagano (screenplay)
Allan Scott (screenplay)
P.J. Wolfson (screenplay)

Shall We Dance

GroovyMovieGuy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:36:08 +0000

It’s the classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie plot, this time spanning from Paris to New York with a cruise ship in between. “Shall We Dance” includes two of my favorite Astaire and Rogers dance scenes. In the first scene, the two are unexpectedly brought together for a dance that is light, fun and looks impromptu. The second features the two on roller skates. They even tap dance on skates. Now that’s impressive.
Reoccurring actors in the Astaire/Rogers series, Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore, bring their usual counterpoint to the majors’ roles. They engage in one of cinema’s finest “shushing” scenes during a ballet that proves the difficulty of a performance does not equal it’s merit in grace or artistry.
Not only is this possibly the best of the ten Astaire/Rogers movies, it has one of the best soundtracks. The score was written by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Great songs include “They All Laughed (at Christopher Columbus), “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” (109 min.)

Unrated - 1937

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Eric Blore
Jerome Cowan
Ketti Gallian
William Brisbane
Harriet Hoctor

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Harold Buchman (story)
Lee Loeb (story)
Ernest Pagano (screenplay)
Allan Scott (screenplay)
P.J. Wolfson (screenplay)

Top Hat

movieMoll — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:25:52 +0000

“Top Hat” has all the best that 1930s musicals had to offer — glamorous evening gowns, dreamy art deco sets, an array of quirky supporting character actors and perfect chemistry between leads Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The plot finds Rogers falling in love with Astaire, but trying to avoid him because she mistakenly believes he is married to a friend of hers. The couple’s dance number to Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” is pure movie magic. Look fast to spot Lucille Ball as the girl in the flower shop. (99 minutes)

1935

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Erik Rhodes
Eric Blore
Helen Broderick

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Allan Scott (writer)
Dwight Taylor (screenplay)

Top Hat

GroovyMovieGuy — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:20:13 +0000

“In dealing with a girl or horse, one just lets nature take its course.”
Fred Astaire as Jerry Travers said this in “Top Hat,” one of the best Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies. The old “boy meets girl” formula with an interesting twist at the end features fewer big dance segments than usual. However, it has some of the better songs (music and lyrics composed by Irving Berlin) including a favorite of mine, “Cheek to Cheek.”
The biggest downside to this movie is the constant fluctuation in volume. Keep a remote handy because the dialogue is way too quiet and the music is way too loud. If Dante was alive today, he would have a special level of hell for these artless sound people who can’t get the audio right.
Great late night or lazy day fare. (99 min.)
The DVD has an interesting segment about the movie and the making of Astaire and Rogers movies. It also has a Bob Hope short, “Watch the Birdie.” This short is filled with one-liners and gags by Hope of such quality it is amazing it didn’t put an early end his long career.

1935

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edward Everett Horton
Erik Rhodes
Eric Blore
Helen Broderick

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Allan Scott (writer)
Dwight Taylor (screenplay)

Swing Time

movieMoll — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:17:32 +0000

“Swing Time,” Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers third musical together, features some of the most magical dance moments the two ever performed onscreen. The ending of the “Never Gonna Dance” number at the top of the stairs is so perfect I always have to rewind and watch it again. The film also includes “A Fine Romance” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” Unfortunately, this movie also has one of the least appealing story lines of any of their films, with Astaire trying to resist falling in love with Rogers because he is engaged to a girl back home. While Astaire’s Bojangles number, where he dances with his shadows is classic, it’s also performed in black face, which was considered acceptable in its day. (103 minutes)

Available on DVD individually or in the “Astaire and Rogers Collection, Vol. 1 (Top Hat, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet, Shall We Dance, The Barkleys of Broadway).”

1936

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Victor Moore
Helen Broderick
Eric Blore
Betty Furness
Georges Metaxa

Director:
George Stevens

Writers:
Erwin S. Gelsey (story)
Howard Lindsay (screenplay)
Allan Scott (screenplay)