Reviews (9)

Stunning Tribute To War Time Nurses Everywhere
"So Proudly We Hail", often comes in for more than it's fair share of criticism over it's depiction of the sterling work carried out by nurses in the South Pacific during World War Two. Mention is made of the nurses looking like they have just stepped out of the beauty parlour with makeup and hair all looking perfect. I'm always mystified by that reaction as I feel this production goes a long way towards depicting the back breaking and often extremely dangerous work that nurses carried out during the war in the Pacific. The film was made with the very best of intentions at a time when the outcome of the war was still far from certain. Criticism has also been leveled at the propaganda inherent in parts of the script. Once again one has to view this film in it's time and place and if it motivated people to feel patriotic about their country in time of war and at least partly informed the movie going public about some of the work of wartime nurses then that is a job well done in my belief.

"So Proudly We Hail", traces the stories of 9 nurses from the time they leave San Francisco through the trials and tribulations of their service with the armed services in the South Pacific. Three in particular are focused on, team leader Lt. Janet Davidson (Claudette Colbert), vivacious Lt. Joan O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) and inwardly tormented Lt. Olivia D'Arcy )Veronica Lake). Their stories are interwoven through the real life action of the group first being sent to Hawaii and then after a torpedo raid which sinks some of their companion vessels, being removed to the Bataan and Correigador regions where they care for and then help evacuate the military and civilian wounded. The saga ends with the remains of their party being evacuated after much loss and suffering to Australia before embarking for home at the end of their tour of duty. The women experience all the deprivations of war and personal loss along the way as Lt. Davidson falls in love with Lt. John Summers (George Reeves) only to live in daily fear of him being killed while still having a job to do as the team's main source of strength. Lt. O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) experiences similiar feelings for "Kansas" (Sonny Tufts), the gangly soldier who wins her heart and in the most tragic situation Lt. D'Arcy who confronts old demons and the loss of her fiance at the hands of the Japanese. Many frightening incidents darken the daily grind of the nurses work such as regular bombing of their medical camp by the enemy and having to experience all the pain and suffering of wartime casualties and death of loved ones. Each woman is touched in some way by her involvement in the action and emerges the better for her experience. We see the women work under not only hazardous conditions but in those that would test the sanity of the strongest person with daily shortages of supplies, shelter and food a constant feature in the daily work.

The film places great emphasis on the inner strength of the individual under fire whether it be soldier, nurse or wounded civilian. In this respect the film could never be judged superficial as many real life elements of this period are tied into the story. Powerful scenes abound in "So Proudly We Hail", a standout is the scene during the evacuation of the camp when the nurses are stranded in one of the huts under fire and the real life treatment of war nurses in Nanking is mentioned as a telling reminder of the brutality of war. Lt. D'Arcy's ultimate self sacrifice for the good of the group still is a scene that packs a real punch with it's graphic depiction of a suicide killing of enemy soldiers. All three lead actresses are standouts in their own unique way. Claudette Colbert delivers yet another powerful and totally convincing performance as the leader of the group. Long associated with extremely glamourous roles here she portrays a character forced under terrible conditions to still be strong for the sake of her nurses. Paulette Goddard in an Academy Award nominated performance is excellent as the flighty mantrap with only men on her mind who develops into a responsible and dedicated nurse as her wartime experiences deepen her character. Veronica Lake also minus her o usual glamourous persona is effective in her role as the bitter nurse who is out to punish all Japanese because of the loss she has suffered. Despite the reported tension between Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard during filming none of that shows on screen as the main three actresses work very effectively together as the one team. One last standout in the cast is actress Mary Servoss who plays Capt. "Ma" McGregor the lead of the camp and in ultimate charge of all nursing staff. Her beautiful scene where she faces the death of her wounded son is a stunner and the emotional highlight of the whole film.

Passed off as Hollywood's removed idea of what war is like, "So Proudly We Hail", offers much more than that and contrary to popular belief in a number of scenes where appropriate, the women do show what the wear and tear of war work does to the individuals. I find the film a powerful depiction of war and the terror it causes. Mixed with horrific scenes such as Lt. D'Arcy's suicide are inspiring ones like the simple Christmas celebration on the boat and the scenes showing operations being conducted right in the middle of air raids. These can't help to move the viewer and instill even in the most hardened cynic a belief in the basic good of man. A true epic is how I would describe "So Proudly We Hail", and a film I recommend to anyone who believes in the power of a person's inner strength to beat outside adversity.

ONE OF THE BEST WARTIME MOVIES MADE!
If there had been a 6-7 star rating for the picture, I would've given it 6-7 stars. Excellent writers, Good direction, + an excellent cast made for an excellent wartime drama.

excellently acted war drama
Story of nurses on Bataan & Correigador during WWII. Paulette Goddard deserving of her oscar nomination for this film. Other performances uniformly good. Reflects role of women early in war & also attitudes at home when film was made.Events depicted in film are true.Love story fiction.Well worth viewing

Truly A Great Movie!
I think that So Proudly We Hail is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. It definately keeps you on the edge of your seat! It has everything that a good movie needs...plenty of action, romance and even humor. The ladies play very convincing roles as the nurses, with the exception of Veronica Lake, whose acting leaves a little to be desired. All in all this movie is the BEST and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good movies.

Excellent movie, showing a little known part of World War II
Excellent action movie depicting a little known women's role during World War II. The pride in duty, country and extreme courage in the face of adversity is something lacking in todays world. That particular battle is one of shame to our government in leaving military personnel to become prisoners of war or die. This movie says it all. Nitengail8 ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Not Fred & Ginger's best, but still lots of fun
Fred Astaire, especially when paired with Ginger Rogers, is probably my favorite movie performer. I once kept a list of how many times I had seen each of his films, and had seen his 30-plus musicals over 130 times when I lost it. Despite my love for Astaire's films, this is far from my favorite Fred and Ginger film. It is by no means a bad movie, but it definitely falls short of such classics as TOP HAT or THE GAY DIVORCEE or SWING TIME.

SHALL WE DANCE is a somewhat frustrating film, because so many of the elements for a great film are there, but so many opportunities are missed. The movie has a great score, and several great classics of popular song were introduced in it, but this in part points out the problems in the film. The two finest songs are "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and the extraordinary "They Can't Take That Away from Me," but neither is well utilized. Instead of dancing to the former, Fred and Ginger do a novelty dance with roller skates, upon which they are stiff and which produce an irritatingly loud rasping sound. The latter song is one of the two or three greatest songs in any of their films, but an unspeakable outrage occurs: they do not dance to it. What could have provided the occasion for a great dance along the lines of "Never Gonna Dance" from SWING TIME or "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Instead, Fred sings this heartbreakingly beautiful song, and the music unexpectedly ends with no dance. When Fred and Ginger reunited in THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY, they try to correct this wrong by dancing to it, but this hardly corrects the error in the earlier film.

The supporting cast is first rate, but to me, at least, the parts played by Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore, otherwise two of my favorite character actors, seem a bit formulaic, efforts at imitating their earlier triumphs in other Astaire-Rogers films.

The plot is pretty hard to swallow. Fred Astaire as Peter P. Peters, a ballet star who prefers to tap dance, is a stretch even by musical comedy standards. And the plot device that a photograph of a woman in dressing gown beside a man who is asleep would convince the world that the couple was married is impossible to swallow. All in all, a pretty disappointing film by the greatest dance team in the history of cinema. Great stars, great songs, but an exceedingly [slow] plot and not nearly enough dances. Worse of all, squandering an opportunity for Fred and Ginger to dance to one of the Gershwin brothers greatest numbers.

Still, it is Astaire and Rogers, and while the film is far from what it might have been, it is still a lot of fun. Not TOP HAT or even FOLLOW THE FLEET (which was flawed but featured absolutely stunning dances), but still quite decent.

My Favorite of All the Fred and Ginger's
"Shall We Dance" is perhaps the finest example of the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers partnership. Set to the music of the Gershwin brothers, Ginger is a musical comedy star and Fred is a famous "Russian Ballet Dancer" from Penn. He sees her and falls in love, she doesn't like him, everyone thinks they are married, then they really are - and it keeps getting better.
The dance scenes are elaborate - imagine roller skates and 30 dancers with Ginger's face - and extremely well done. The supporting cast also help to make the movie. Even though the movie is good, it would be nothing without the help of Eric Blore and Edward Everett Horton (did I get that right?).
The plot is contemporary, the scenes are funny and everything is totally relatable - not counting the fact that everyone spontaneously bursts into song and dance at least once every 7 minutes.
If you have never seen a Fred and Ginger movie, this is the one you should see either first or last. Get your feet wet with the best or save it for last. Definately don't miss it.

Fred & Ginger Meets the Gershwin Brothers
Great Music and Great Dancing! The storyline is funny and entertaining, one of the finest Astaire/Rogers Films. The highlight of the film is the dance number with the rollerskates!

Featuring Songs By George and Ira Gershwin
The emphasis in SHALL WE DANCE? is even more than usual on the dancing of Fred Astair and GINGER Rogers. The movie includes six songs by George and Ira Gershwin and is based on a story by Lee Loeb and Harold Buchman. Much humor is provided by Edward Everett Horton and Eric Biore.

The film received an Oscar nomination in 1937 for Best Song ("They Can't Take That Away from Me")

Mark Sandrich also directed THE GAY DIVORCEE.

One of the Best Astaire & Rogers films
I think this is one of my favorite movies of all time. Fred Astaire as the famous ballet dancer, Petrov, is hilarious, especially when he meets Linda Keene (Rogers) for the first time. The entire movie is very funny and will bring a a smile to anyone's face. "Zoom, Zoom", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and "They All Laughed" are all brilliant. I reccomend this movie to any Astaire & Rogers fan. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This perennial, Christmas-season favorite from 1942 teamed Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as entertainers (and rival suitors of Marjorie Reynolds) running an inn that is only open on holidays. It's a great excuse for lots of singing and dancing, seamlessly wrapped in a catchy story, and Astaire's frequent director Mark Sandrich (Top Hat, Shall We Dance?) doesn't let us down. The Irving Berlin numbers (each one connected to a different holiday) are winners. Crosby's warm performance of "White Christmas" is a movie touchstone. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Year round holiday classic!
For us, this movie is far superior to WHITE CHRISTMAS. It stars Fred Astaire and Bing Cosby as competive entertainers. Fred is the dancer (great scenes in this) , BING is the singer. (Bum, bum, bum, bum - - Bing adopted his "style" because he sometimes forgot the words. but, he maintained the music of the melody with his bum, bum, bum, bum s'-- a little trivia) Anyway, Bing grows tired of the cut-throat entertainment biz after his fiance' decides to marry someone else. He moves out of the city and up to a wintry zone, taking over an old motel. Since he is set to become a lazy owner, he vows only to open the motel for HOLIDAYS, hence HOLIDAY INN.

Every holiday is represented, including CHRISTMAS with age-old hit, WHITE CHRISTMAS. Performances with Marjorie Reynolds ( who plays Linda Mason, an upstart want-to-be ) and Virginia Dale ( Lila Dixon, Bing's here today, gone for stardom ex-fiance') are excellent. If you are looking for this movie for Christmas, get it now. Last year, it sold out early, pretty much like every year.

Kick your troubles down the stairs and come to Holiday Inn!
This is one of the finest holiday films ever made.

Inspired by a story by Irving Berlin, the film features many wonderful Berlin holiday tunes, from "White Christmas" to "Easter Parade". This is the film that introduced "White Christmas", Bing Crosby's signature song (which was almost cut from the final version!).

Holiday hijinks ensue when Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), decides that he's had enough of show business and chooses to retire to a farm in Connecticut. His pal and partner Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) steals his gal Lyla at the last minute, so Jim takes up the life of a farmer on his own. Unfortunately for Jim, the farm life drives him nuts. He decides to turn the farm into an inn, where he can do entertainment shows for every holiday. The result is Holiday Inn, "open holidays only".

Jim meets and falls in love with Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds), a fellow entertainer, and she helps out with the shows.

Things are looking up for Jim, but about this time, Ted's girl Lyla leaves him. Heartbroken (and crocked), Ted shows up at Holiday Inn on New Year's Eve and does a new dance number with Linda. It looks like he's found himself a new dance partner. Trouble is, he was so drunk, he can't remember who she is! Jim knows if Ted hooks up with Linda, he'll take her away from the Inn (and him!), so Jim begins some comedic conniving to keep Ted and Linda from meeting up. But poor Jim isn't out of the stewpot yet!

Walter Abel turns in a wonderful supporting perfomance as a scheming talent agent, and Irving Bacon is the quintissential New Englander as Gus the handyman. Fred does an inspired July Fourth dance routine, and Bing is in fine voice.

Holiday Inn has it all. Romance, laughter, crooning, catchy Irving Berlin tunes, and Bing and Fred at their best! We also get a sneak peek at the soundstage and set for Holiday Inn, as a Hollywood crew make a movie within the movie! A Christmas classic you're sure to love, not only at Christmastime, but at any time of the year.

If you need a lift, then come to Holiday Inn!

Wonderful movie!!!!
Holiday Inn is a wonderful old movie about a man who owns an inn that is only open on holidays. (If only there was such a place!) Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are great as "friends" going after the same woman. Some of my favorite scenes include Fred's July 4th's firecracker tap dance and when he tries to dance on New Year's Eve when he's already drunk.

A film NOT just for Christmas
This is one of the better musicals from the 1940s. This is not MGM (luckily) so you don't get that 'songs coming from places for no reason' problem. In this, like a lot of the musicals from, lets say, the 1930s, the songs have reason to be there.

I think both Bing and Fred are great, but I have kind of a hate for Fred in this one. Really I guess, because his character is, well, kinda horrible. He is always stealing the women away from Bing, and he does it so easily. The film is mixed with a lot of the usual 'double-crossing' scenes, with some amazing songs by Irving Berlin, mostly sung by Bing, including 'White Christmas', 'Easter Parade' and a number of others, and not forgetting the wonderful dancing by Fred Astaire. Its Bing opening up his own inn, the 'Holiday Inn', which is open only during holidays. This is where the 'music being there for a reason' comes in, and there's lots of it too. Watch out for George Washington's birthday, I mean look out for the dance, which is, lets say amusingly funny.

The following part of this review, refers to a UK Region 2 release on DVD from Laureate/Universal.

The thing I love most about this DVD though is the print of the film, which looks great, and the extra features that go with it. The best being the 'A Couple of Song and Dance Men' featurette, with Ava Astaire MacKenzie and Ken Barnes, lasting around 40 odd minutes I think, which contains some interesting stories. Particularly the one about a certain dance which Fred does in the movie, while 'playing' drunk. Along with this, you get an audio commentary, filmographies, and a few other little things too.

Great movie, with a great DVD presentation. Highly recommended.

a great feel good movie!
This movie has become one of my holiday traditions. great dancing, and one of those which you get both Bing and Fred! They just don't make 'em like this anymore! Get the Dvd, and you get "Going My Way" too. It's worth it..and this IS the original "White Christmas" redition (for you purists). Lots of fun any time of the year! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A 'Continental' Appeal!
The Gay Divorcee is one of my favorite films. Fred plays a persistant bachelor determined to capture the heart of Mimi (Ginger), who is married and ready for a divorce. As the plot unfolds, this romantic comedy is hilarious and can make anyone smile. Fred and Ginger shine as they perform the hauntinly beautiful 'Night and Day' and the seventeen minute 'Continental'. A must see for any Astaire Rogers fan!

GAY ALL THE WAY!
The Gay Divorcee, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, is still as funny and charming today as when it was first released. Just watch the two of them dance to "Night and Day"-- beautiful chemistry! All the dance numbers are great, but "The Continental" number went on a bit too long for me (although admittedly it was written for this movie, so it is understandable that an elaborate production was made out of it.) The loverboy who keeps forgetting his lines ('chance is a fool's name for fate' and the many variations that he came up with) had me in stitches too. To sum it up, this movie is great for the whole family and you won't be disappointed!

My favourite Astaire and Rogers film
Fred Astaire plays a dnacer returning to England from a trip abroad. In the Customs shed he meets Ginger Rogers in an embarassing predicament. He tries to find out who she is, but she refuses to tell him, and he spends ages searching London for her until he finally tracks her down and begins to awaken her interest. Ginger goes down to Brighton with her friend dithery much-married Alice Brady, and Astaire and his dithery lawyer friend Edward Everett Horton go in pursuit. Ginger has gone to Brighton to try and obtain a divorce, she intends to spend the night with a professional co-respondent. Somthing Astaire says makes her think he is the co-respondent, which puts her right off him. Fortunately the real co-respondent, a diminutive Italian, turns up ("your wife is safe with Tonetti,he prefer spaghetti") and the mystery is sorted out. But what will happen when Ginger's husband arrives the next morning? will she get her divorce. This is a wonderful film, with a silly but extremley funny plot, and some wonderful dialogue, particularly between Horton and Brady, who somehow manage to end up married to each other, much to their surprise. An absolutely delightful film.

a joy to watch
This is such a great movie! In their first starring roles, Fred and Ginger carry the movie on their shoulders. Alice Brady is more than hilarious, so is Edward E. Horton. Look for a very young Betty Grable singing "lets knock knees."
the night and day nember is incredible. Ginger looks like something out of this world with her soft features. The look that she gives him at the end of night and day make the rest of the picture unnecessary. but then you would miss Fred's hilarious looks, especially when he's confused. The nice thing about this movie is that the mistaken identity plot only lasts for a little while. (about 13 minutes) the continental is great too.

A classic from its period
A classic. The dancing, first, with Fred Astaire, is perfect and many will remember the Continental. The singing is quite humoristic, light and entertaining. The comedy itself is very simple but extremely effective. An enormous amount of humor, of puns, of funny situations, etc, and a general situation that is both banal but dealt with so much grace and lightness that it is pleasant and entertaining. The punch line is of course totally unexpected, though a averagely trained viewer will have known the outcome some time before the end because it is hinted at all along the film. Definitely a film that will survive time as one of the best representatives of that type of light comedy with dancing and singing, and of course Fred Astaire.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Hollywood Classic
The film Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, was released in 1935. At this point in time "Astaire - Rogers" were a big item at RKO primarily because they were a top notch dancing team who not only made a lot of money for the movie company but also kept them from going out of business. They complemented one another with their ease of dancing, singing and acting together. They worked well with one another and were 'the' big hit of the '30s.

Top Hat resembled the Gay Divorcee in a number of ways: The plot was similar, the way the romance evolved and the ever present appearance of Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore and Erik Rhodes. In the movie, Fred Astaire is a dancer who falls head over heels for Ginger Rogers who has no interest in him. She mistakenly believes that he is the husband of her best friend, actress Helen Broderick (of course, we don't understand why she never met her best friend's husband - this could only happen in the movies). Fred Astaire pursues and follows Rogers to Venice. This pursuit is sprinkled with some of Irving Berlin's most excellent songs including "Isn't This a Lovely Day," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails." No one, since Fred Astaire, has been able to do the latter song justice. In essence, it belonged to him.

A very important characteristic contained in the nine films of Fred and Ginger made for RKO-Radio Pictures was the art deco created by Van Nest Poglase. It was an enchanted world of make-believe where the audience became so engrossed with the movie, they forgot about the real world and the troubles that engulfed their lives as the Depression lingered on.

The film Top Hat marked Irving Berlin's entrance to the world of the Hollywood Musical. The movie earned more than $3,000,000 for RKO and was a huge success all over the country. It was a movie of rich people and money, men who always wore evening dress and of women who wore stain dresses and costly furs. It was gaudy, it was unbelievable, it was Hollywood.

I did not live during the depression, so I cannot truly appreciate or understand what the audience felt in their need to escape reality while they watched the picture. In my opinion, it was phony, corny, unrealistic and with a confusing plot. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the dancing and the music, which I felt made the movie a hit. I honestly feel that Ginger Rogers was the best partner that Fred Astaire ever had. According to Ted Sennett in his book 'Hollywood Musicals,' "Astaire's later partners, for all their dancing skill, lacked the delicious air of conspiracy, the sense of amused wonder, that she brought to her films with him."

rivals swing time
Fred may have danced with other girls, and Ginger may have had other leading men, but together, there were no others. (despite what the plot suggests, we know they'll end up together) Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in every scene, and in the cheek to cheek scene, she looks like a porcelain doll. Fred of course is unbeatable, just watch top hat white tie and tails to see what I mean. They go beyond chemistry in this film, they are the greatest dancing team in history for a reason. We can't imagine them with anyone else. In KITTY FOYLE, for which Ginger won the oscar, she had to choose between 2 men. If Fred had popped in, she wouldn't have given it a second thought. In TOM DICK AND HARRY the following year, Gin has to choose between 3 men. Had Fred been one of the choices, the movie would have been and hour shorter. In TOP HAT, we can't imagine them in any other movies, for they are just ASTAIRE AND ROGERS, and to quote Shall we Dance "they can't that away from me."

How can we forget this cosmicall couple?
Top hat is one of the top ten musicals in any time. Its charm is so fine , so human that still beats you besides this film dates from 1935. Astaire and Rogers make a couple hard to find ; the rapport among them was an artistic fact. You think in Gene Kelly , for instance in Singin n the rain and you feel the absence of the female counterpart¨ Cheek to cheek , Isn{t a lovely day to be caught in the rain? . Top hat , White ties, and tails Piccolino and other songs from this mythical composer Irving Berlin become themselves in other actor.
This film inspired Fellini in Ginger and Fred and more recently it was employed as a smart emotional link in The green mile.
Captivating and overwhelming. A film for all the eternity!

Fred & Ginger: Style & Grace in Any Age
Both Astaire & Rogers were in the perfect place at the perfect time. Has there ever been a pair more suited to make exactly these movies at exactly this time in film and American history? They both graduated from the stage to film at just the time talkies took over Hollywood in the early 30's. They provided the safe slightly risque and mildly clever fare the public crowded the theaters to see. Ginger was so beautiful & talented; she might have made it in mainstream dramas and musicals. Fred, on the other hand, owed his livelihood to a top hat, coattails & a bow tie. He fit perfectly into the smallest of niches: the former vaudeville sing & dance star turned into a popular Hollywood old fashioned sing & dance star. Freed from the constraints of the stage, Fred & Ginger used the real world as their dancing backdrops & props. They define grace.

Top Hat Top Entertainment
This was the first Astaire ROgers film I saw. I saw it on TCM, but only the last ten minutes. Since then, I've not only seen the whole thing, but I've bought it. GInger was never cuter than in Lovely Day, the team was never more seductive then inCheek to Cheek, with Ginger looking as light as a feather. (NIght and Day is a close second) Ginger's rendition of the Piccolino would run the depression out of an undertaker. I love it! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Hollywood Classic
The film Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, was released in 1935. At this point in time "Astaire - Rogers" were a big item at RKO primarily because they were a top notch dancing team who not only made a lot of money for the movie company but also kept them from going out of business. They complemented one another with their ease of dancing, singing and acting together. They worked well with one another and were 'the' big hit of the '30s.

Top Hat resembled the Gay Divorcee in a number of ways: The plot was similar, the way the romance evolved and the ever present appearance of Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore and Erik Rhodes. In the movie, Fred Astaire is a dancer who falls head over heels for Ginger Rogers who has no interest in him. She mistakenly believes that he is the husband of her best friend, actress Helen Broderick (of course, we don't understand why she never met her best friend's husband - this could only happen in the movies). Fred Astaire pursues and follows Rogers to Venice. This pursuit is sprinkled with some of Irving Berlin's most excellent songs including "Isn't This a Lovely Day," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails." No one, since Fred Astaire, has been able to do the latter song justice. In essence, it belonged to him.

A very important characteristic contained in the nine films of Fred and Ginger made for RKO-Radio Pictures was the art deco created by Van Nest Poglase. It was an enchanted world of make-believe where the audience became so engrossed with the movie, they forgot about the real world and the troubles that engulfed their lives as the Depression lingered on.

The film Top Hat marked Irving Berlin's entrance to the world of the Hollywood Musical. The movie earned more than $3,000,000 for RKO and was a huge success all over the country. It was a movie of rich people and money, men who always wore evening dress and of women who wore stain dresses and costly furs. It was gaudy, it was unbelievable, it was Hollywood.

I did not live during the depression, so I cannot truly appreciate or understand what the audience felt in their need to escape reality while they watched the picture. In my opinion, it was phony, corny, unrealistic and with a confusing plot. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the dancing and the music, which I felt made the movie a hit. I honestly feel that Ginger Rogers was the best partner that Fred Astaire ever had. According to Ted Sennett in his book 'Hollywood Musicals,' "Astaire's later partners, for all their dancing skill, lacked the delicious air of conspiracy, the sense of amused wonder, that she brought to her films with him."

rivals swing time
Fred may have danced with other girls, and Ginger may have had other leading men, but together, there were no others. (despite what the plot suggests, we know they'll end up together) Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in every scene, and in the cheek to cheek scene, she looks like a porcelain doll. Fred of course is unbeatable, just watch top hat white tie and tails to see what I mean. They go beyond chemistry in this film, they are the greatest dancing team in history for a reason. We can't imagine them with anyone else. In KITTY FOYLE, for which Ginger won the oscar, she had to choose between 2 men. If Fred had popped in, she wouldn't have given it a second thought. In TOM DICK AND HARRY the following year, Gin has to choose between 3 men. Had Fred been one of the choices, the movie would have been and hour shorter. In TOP HAT, we can't imagine them in any other movies, for they are just ASTAIRE AND ROGERS, and to quote Shall we Dance "they can't that away from me."

How can we forget this cosmicall couple?
Top hat is one of the top ten musicals in any time. Its charm is so fine , so human that still beats you besides this film dates from 1935. Astaire and Rogers make a couple hard to find ; the rapport among them was an artistic fact. You think in Gene Kelly , for instance in Singin n the rain and you feel the absence of the female counterpart¨ Cheek to cheek , Isn{t a lovely day to be caught in the rain? . Top hat , White ties, and tails Piccolino and other songs from this mythical composer Irving Berlin become themselves in other actor.
This film inspired Fellini in Ginger and Fred and more recently it was employed as a smart emotional link in The green mile.
Captivating and overwhelming. A film for all the eternity!

Fred & Ginger: Style & Grace in Any Age
Both Astaire & Rogers were in the perfect place at the perfect time. Has there ever been a pair more suited to make exactly these movies at exactly this time in film and American history? They both graduated from the stage to film at just the time talkies took over Hollywood in the early 30's. They provided the safe slightly risque and mildly clever fare the public crowded the theaters to see. Ginger was so beautiful & talented; she might have made it in mainstream dramas and musicals. Fred, on the other hand, owed his livelihood to a top hat, coattails & a bow tie. He fit perfectly into the smallest of niches: the former vaudeville sing & dance star turned into a popular Hollywood old fashioned sing & dance star. Freed from the constraints of the stage, Fred & Ginger used the real world as their dancing backdrops & props. They define grace.

Top Hat Top Entertainment
This was the first Astaire ROgers film I saw. I saw it on TCM, but only the last ten minutes. Since then, I've not only seen the whole thing, but I've bought it. GInger was never cuter than in Lovely Day, the team was never more seductive then inCheek to Cheek, with Ginger looking as light as a feather. (NIght and Day is a close second) Ginger's rendition of the Piccolino would run the depression out of an undertaker. I love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's a flimsy excuse to romp through more than two dozen Irving Berlin songs, but Blue Skies is good fun nonetheless (and one of the top-grossing films of 1946). Bing Crosby is a restless nightclub entrepreneur, Fred Astaire his Broadway buddy, Joan Caulfield the woman they both want. Ignore the plot and enjoy the numbers, especially Astaire's marvelous "Puttin' on the Ritz," which is breathtaking even before multiple images of Fred are introduced dancing in a row (who needs CGI, anyway?). Bing and Fred flash great showbiz chutzpah in "A Couple of Song and Dance Men," which wonderfully captures the appeal of both stars:Fred's heavenly precision, and Bing's "can-you-believe-they're-payin'-me-for-this?" sense of play. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Wonderful movie--See it for Astaire!
Okay, so we all know 'Blue Skies' had a simple, thin plot designed around a bunch of Irving Berlin songs instead of vice versa, but it really works and it's a good movie.

Fun, memorable songs are all over the place. Bing's simple reading of the title song is beautiful. His Oscar-winning "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" is a treat, and "I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now" is a hoot. Bing and Fred team up for "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" in a particularly fun number.

But, Astaire's dancing steals the show, with big sequences like "Heat Wave" and what is certainly one of his greatest moments, the mind-blowing "Puttin' on the Ritz." It was originally designed as his final screen dance (he had said he was quitting the business) and just the type of flashy number that Astaire didn't like to do, but ya gotta admit, it's amazing. The high-voltage big band arrangement crackles, and Astaire's moves are flawless--you can really see that he gives this piece his all.

Classic tunes, great leads, and beautiful production conquer a weak story to make a nonetheless wonderful movie worth three stars. The fourth is for Astaire's phenomenal would-be swan song. All in all, a light, fun way to pass an lazy afternoon at home.

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire SHINE!
As an editor to Club Crosby, I may be a bit biased, but I think "Blue Skies" is one of the best musicals. I can point out countless great musical numbers like:Fred Astaire's "Puttin On The Ritz, which was supposed to his swan song from musicals,Bing Crosby's "You Keep Coming Back Like A Song", and countless others. Bing,Fred Astaire, and the Irivng Berlin score make this film one of the best post war movies. Don't miss it if you like great movies,smart lyrics, and romance as it used to be in movies.

Fred and Bing, and I thought it would be good. Wrong.
"Blue Skies", while being the second screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby, fails to entertain. Fails with me, atleast.

It has one of the most poorest stories of all of the Fred Astaire musicals. One of them, that is. It is so boring, that its somewhat hard to watch. The movie is kept together only by the musicals seens, with the Irving Berlin songs. The best (and maybe only) parts of the movie that are enjoyable, are the "Couple of Song and Dance Men" and "Puttin' on the Ritz" numbers.

The film just drags on, and on, and it seems like it is never going to end, when I really wished it would. Only watch this movie if you must see it because your a fan of Bing and/or Fred. Atleast the musicals numbers are good. This movie is just ok, nothing more.

A great and classic film!
This is a beatifully done film. Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby are reunited in it. The costumes are beautiful. The acting isn't the best, but the songs are very good. It's entertaining and colorful, like every good musical shoud be.

"Puttin On The Ritz" is amazing... but...
Bing sings and Fred treads in this sketchily-plotted musical, which pits Astaire and Crosby against one another, rivals for the hand of the blonde, domestically-minded Joan Caulfield. This frothy postwar frolic has a wild Techncolor exuberance, with crazy explosions all over the pastel-lined spectrum (and an odd tilt towards purple). The sad thing, though, is that this isn't a very good movie -- the plot is razor thin, barely a hint of an excuse to stage a bunch of great (and lesser) Irving Berlin tunes. Some numbers fall flat (and Billy DeWolfe's interminable, painfully unfunny drag routine brings the movie to a screeching halt)... Still, Astaire's killer performance on "Puttin' On The Ritz" is the stuff that legends are made of: as he's angelically hoofing his heart out, a curtain parts behind him, revealing a phalanx of distant, miniature Astaires, keeping time with the big guy. A technical and aesthetic triumph! This flick might be worth it for that routine alone, although Bing gets in some choice vocal performances as well. A dud scriptwise, but it still has two of the greatest performers of the 20th Century, both still at their peak. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Perhaps because it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers's penultimate picture together for RKO, or perhaps because it is more romantic comedy than musical, Carefree tends to be a neglected entry in the series. This is unfortunate, because it retains many of the elements that made the duo so popular while also breaking new ground. Fred plays Tony Flagg, a psychoanalyst who is asked by his friend Steve (Ralph Bellamy) to try to figure out why his fiancée, Amanda Cooper (Ginger), keeps breaking off their engagement. During the course of treatment, and in a reversal of the usual pattern, Ginger falls for Fred and begins to pursue him. The emotionally repressed doctor resists, leading to a number of comic encounters, as well as a moment of genuine heartbreak. Other innovations include Fred's dance on a driving range, a slow-motion dream sequence (which was going to be shot in color until budget concerns won out), Fred and Ginger's first screen kiss, and some of Ginger's best turns as a comic actress.More familiar elements include Ginger fronting the band at the start of a large company dance number ("The Yam," which failed to catch on as a dance craze), an expert if skimpy Irving Berlin score including the lovely ballad "Change Partners," and of course fabulous, high-flying dancing. Fred and Ginger fans can't afford to miss Carefree. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Ginger's Turn to Shine
This is my favorite Fred and Ginger entry and is actually quite different than their standard if entertaining musical/dance films that preceded it. Those great elements are still here but are fewer and interspersed between some nice screwball comedy that finally got to showcase Ginger's comedic talents. Fred is great to, but this one is really Ginger's film, and she shines.

Tony (Fred) is a psychiatrist trying to do his pal Stephen (Ralph Bellamy) a favor by seeing his fiance Amanda (Rogers, who is a radio singer) so he can figure out why she's called off their wedding three times! She blows Fred off as a quack when she overhears a transcription he's done which is less than flattering but finally gives in and agrees to let Fred disect her dreams so he can see what's wrong with her.

A meal of lobster and mayonaise and a lot of other things make her dream alright! In her dream she's dancing and in love, but it's not Stephen but Tony in her dream! Amanda can't tell Tony of course, and when he threatens to stop seeing her she makes up a dream that would keep ten psychiatrists busy and the fun begins.

Rogers was wonderful in this film and it was the impetus for her very successful solo career. This light screwball comedy has some terrific moments. It's hilarious as Ginger walks out while being hypnotized thinking she does love Bellamy and going after Fred with a shotgun, thinking he deserves to die like a dog! Like Fred tells Bellamy as they run after her, "She's in a trance, she may even act, a little odd"!

During the dream sequence they get to dance to "I Used to be Color-Blind" and later on at a party they do "The Yam" in a very fun scene. But Ginger and the screwball comedy take top billing in this one, making it one of their best. It's sophisticated and funny and Fred and Ginger end up together as always. This time she's in a gorgeous wedding dress, and she has a black eye!

You don't hear as much about this one but don't let that stop you from picking up this wonderful film.

A harbinger of Ginger's future successes in film
This is probably the most unique of all the Astaire/Rogers films, because while it is enormously enjoyable, it isn't principally because of the musical numbers. In fact, the dance numbers are among the weakest of all their films. What makes the film a delight is the comedy, and the person who drives the comedy is Ginger Rogers. Ginger was not Fred's equal as a dancer, but she complemented him perfectly. Still quite young in their first film together (she was 21 when filming started for FLYING TO RIO), Fred was able to mold her dance style to fit his perfectly. She was able to follow him perfectly, and many of their dances have their finest moments as she reacts in her face to what is happening in their dance.

Where Ginger far surpassed Fred was as an actress. At the time of CAREFREE, she had already scored a major success the year before in the drama STAGEDOOR (it was in the wake of this film that her costar Katherine Hepburn, who didn't get along with Ginger at all, quipped of Fred and Ginger, "He gives her class and she gives him sex." But by the time of CAREFREE, Ginger's abilities as an actress had begun to place her career apart from Fred on a higher individual plane. In fact, from this point until his comeback from retirement in 1948 (to replace the injured Gene Kelly in EASTER PARADE), Ginger was actually the larger box office draw. The next few years after CAREFREE would see Ginger starring in a string of superb comedies like BACHELOR MOTHER and THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR, as well as winning an Oscar for KITTY FOYLE.

The plot is simple: Ginger can't quite bring herself to feel for suitor Ralph Bellamy as she should. So, she agrees to go to a psychiatrist (Fred) to find out why. She gets accidentally hypnotized and for the rest of the film she accidentally either loves Fred or wants to [do away with him]. The dance numbers are, as I mentioned, not among their best. There is a long slo-mo number that fails to work as well as one might hope. "The Yam" is a pale imitation of the classic numbers centering on a new dance in previous films. Possibly the best dance number, though one that is unfortunately eliminated from some television cuts of the film, is Fred's solo number "Since They Turned Loch Lomand into Swing," in which he combines dancing with golfing. But there is no question about it, you see this film not for the dance numbers, but for Ginger's escapades as a comedienne.

hypnotic
in retalliation the the review thing at the top, since when was the Yam supposed to be a dance craze? when were any of their dances supposed to be a dance craze? No one else could danc elike that! anyway, I love this movie because it so funny. Ginger has incredibly funny running-amuck scenes with perfect timing. Her facial expressions arer superior. You also realize what a superb actress she was. This movie isn't the typical Fred/Ginger formula, but who minds a little change if it turns out as well as this?

A fun, funny film
One of the best-plotted, most delightful Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers team-ups... The dance routines actually aren't as great here as in other films, but Rogers is a hoot as a wisecracking, no-nonsense gal who will have none of Astaire's patronizing airs in his role as a high-handed psychiatrist, hired by her bewildered beau (played by Ralph Bellamy) to find out why she doesn't want to tie the knot. All of Astaire's attempts to diagnose her fail: he talks to her and she runs rings around him, he hypnotizes her and the results are equally disasterous, he dopes her up with an inhibition-lowering "anasthetic" and she goes on a impish, hilarious crime spree. Ginger's comic timing is devastating, and she's also as gorgeous as ever in this fine, fun film. Recommended!

one of the best
*Carefree* is one of my favorite of the Astaire/Rogers series. I like this one because Ginger is not her usual skeptical self about poor Fred, who's usually trying to woo her. She falls in love instantly, and it's convincing. After that, he can't really help himself. This film has some pretty good dance sequences and some great comedy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Of the nine films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers completed for RKO Pictures, Follow the Fleet falls short of the top echelon. Coming between series peaks Top Hat and Swing Time, Fleet repeats the mistake (à la Flying Down to Rio and Roberta) of casting Fred and Ginger as the comic couple, while the romantic roles went to Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard (before she went on to fame with her husband, Ozzie Nelson, in Ozzie and Harriet). Fred puts down his top hat to become sailor Bake Baker (yet another of his alliterative screen names), while Ginger plays old flame Sherry Martin. The two are reunited when Fred takes shore leave in San Francisco, and soon their efforts turn to helping Ginger's sister Connie (Hilliard) land Fred's shipmate Bilge (Scott). (Look for Lucille Ball and Betty Grable in small roles.) Too much screen time is spent on Hilliard and Scott, but Fred and Ginger make up for it with plenty of laughs and some classic musical numbers, and Irving Berlin's score is one of the best of the series, with cunning lyrics and melodies that linger in the memory. Highlights include Fred and Ginger in a dance contest, a Ginger solo tap number, and "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance.The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which Fred and Ginger don their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of Fred and Ginger's defining moments. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Scott and Hilliard take up too much Screen time.
"Follow the Fleet", the fifth movie in the Fred and Ginger RKO series, will always remain an enjoyable movie, worthy of atleast 4 stars, but it does have a few bad points to it, which would obviously be better off without. Another one Directed by Mark Sandrich. Released in 1936.

The basic plot of the story is, Bake (Fred Astaire) and Bilge (Randolph Scott) are two sailors, who's fleet has just stopped off in San Francisco. Bake goes to see his old dancing partner, Sherry (Ginger Rogers), and tries to get into working again, but he, throughout the film, keeps on ruining his chances, and making her lose jobs -- by accident. Bilge finds himself meeting up with Sherry's sister, Connie (Harriet Hilliard), which brings about an annoying, and unwanted romance story between the two of them, which isn't working out too well, since Connie is more keen on ideas of marriage, whereas Bilge can't keep away from other women.

So as for the real reason for watching a Fred and Ginger movie, the songs and dances. A highlighted title would be "Let's Face the Music and Dance". It's brilliantly shot, and it's among one of the best (although not THE best) dances Fred and Ginger ever did. It's certainly the main reason to watch this movie. There's also an amusing "practice" dance to "I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket", where the two find themselves unprepared, and completely lose what they're doing, but its all the more a fun scene. Unfortunately, you have to put up with Harriet Hilliard singing the terribly annoying "Get Thee Behind Me Satan". There are a number of others, that are worthy to note aswell, such as Ginger singing "Let Yourself Go". Overall the musical scenes are the things that keep the movie going.

So for the really bad, and annoying points to the movie. Nobody cares about Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard's scenes together, which can only be described as extremely boring. This is the same problem I had with "Flying Down to Rio", which was equally annoying, with Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio". That one can be accepted, due to the fact that it was Fred and Ginger's first movie together. But "Follow the Fleet", being the fifth, you can only wonder why we had to be tortured by such an annoying romance story inbetween their scenes. "Roberta" might have had Irene Dunne taking up some screen time, but she was always enjoyable to watch, and that movie was not ruined in the way that this one has been. We are here to watch Fred and Ginger, not two other people taking up a lot of screen time, and using it so badly.

Overall, the movie does include a number of highlights, and is worth watching, and easily more than "just a few times". Fred and Ginger's other movies together, for the most part, were a lot better, but fans of the two shouldn't be without this movie. It's always good, no matter how many times you watch it over, but if only it could have been saved, and not slightly ruined by the horrible bad points the movie includes. Own a copy of this movie, and enjoy.

Let Yourself Go
Some of the best Rogers/Astaire dances, and some great music. But you'll be glad you have a fast-forward button, because this is the Fred & Ginger movie with the worst script; most of the scenes with Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard are just plain unwatchable. Just getting into Astaire and Rogers? Then "Roberta," "Barkleys of Broadway," "Top Hat" and "Swing Time" are the ones to get.

Relax, Let Yourself Go
Ginger Rogers singing that song, and with the closeups shows her beauty. This is a fun movie with misunderstandings and mixups. It is entertaining! Make sure to keep a close watch of the dance number "Lets Face the Music and Dance" when Ginger Rogers' heavy sleeve hits Fred and he makes a face!

More Great Singing and Dancing by Fred and Ginger
In FOLLOW THE FLEET two sailors (Fred Astair and Randolph Scott) go ashore on liberty after completing a long cruise. Astair looks up his old dance partner (Ginger Rogers). Scott meets Ginger's sister (Harriet Nelson) quite by accident. Soon the romancing begins followed by the usual misunderstandings and reconciliations. The plot is not very intricate and serves merely as a platform for some great music and dancing.

The movie featured seven songs by Irving Berlin. Astrid Allwyn and Betty Grable were members of the supporting cast. At this point in her career Harriet Nelson was primarily a singer with prior experience only on the radio and with Ozzie Nelson's band.

Mark Sandrich directed several other excellent films including TOP HAT and HOLIDAY INN.

One of the Best Astaire & Rogers Movies Iv'e Ever Seen!!!!!
I am a big fan of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and thought that "Follow the Fleet" is one of their best films. I especially like the comical plot. Irving Berlin is brilliant, as usual, and delivers several fantastic numbers including "Let Yourself Go" (my personal favorite), "We Joined the Navy", and "Let's Face the Music"(which brings tears to my eyes). I also liked the comical number, "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket". Absolutly Brilliant. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Even the best Fred and Ginger musicals are merely lavish excuses for some of the most elegant dancing ever put on screen, and Top Hat is no exception. The story is a silly but timeless tale of mistaken identity that compounds itself to extremes. Fred Astaire is the famous American hoofer Jerry Travers, in London preparing for a new show with his befuddled producer Horace Hardwick (the always entertaining Edward Everett Horton) when he falls for Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers), a lovely, wisecracking American girl as light on her feet as Jerry. Dale believes Jerry to be Horace, the husband of her best friend Madge (Helen Broderick) and rebuffs his advances by marrying her dressmaker Alberto (Erik Rhodes), but in the best tradition of musical comedy, true love finds its own way. Practically the entire cast of the 1934 hit The Gay Divorcee reunites for this frothy confection, along with director Mark Sandrich, designer Van Nest Polglase, and choreographer Hermes Pan. Irving Berlin provides a tuneful score, including "Cheek to Cheek," which provides a classic duet for Astaire and Rogers, and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails," which remains one of Astaire's finest solo numbers. Polglase outdoes himself with sets both elegant and outrageous and Hermes Pan's choreography is as smooth as ever, but ultimately it's the grace and chemistry of the leads that makes Top Hat top entertainment. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Hollywood Classic
The film Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, was released in 1935. At this point in time "Astaire - Rogers" were a big item at RKO primarily because they were a top notch dancing team who not only made a lot of money for the movie company but also kept them from going out of business. They complemented one another with their ease of dancing, singing and acting together. They worked well with one another and were 'the' big hit of the '30s.

Top Hat resembled the Gay Divorcee in a number of ways: The plot was similar, the way the romance evolved and the ever present appearance of Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore and Erik Rhodes. In the movie, Fred Astaire is a dancer who falls head over heels for Ginger Rogers who has no interest in him. She mistakenly believes that he is the husband of her best friend, actress Helen Broderick (of course, we don't understand why she never met her best friend's husband - this could only happen in the movies). Fred Astaire pursues and follows Rogers to Venice. This pursuit is sprinkled with some of Irving Berlin's most excellent songs including "Isn't This a Lovely Day," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails." No one, since Fred Astaire, has been able to do the latter song justice. In essence, it belonged to him.

A very important characteristic contained in the nine films of Fred and Ginger made for RKO-Radio Pictures was the art deco created by Van Nest Poglase. It was an enchanted world of make-believe where the audience became so engrossed with the movie, they forgot about the real world and the troubles that engulfed their lives as the Depression lingered on.

The film Top Hat marked Irving Berlin's entrance to the world of the Hollywood Musical. The movie earned more than $3,000,000 for RKO and was a huge success all over the country. It was a movie of rich people and money, men who always wore evening dress and of women who wore stain dresses and costly furs. It was gaudy, it was unbelievable, it was Hollywood.

I did not live during the depression, so I cannot truly appreciate or understand what the audience felt in their need to escape reality while they watched the picture. In my opinion, it was phony, corny, unrealistic and with a confusing plot. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the dancing and the music, which I felt made the movie a hit. I honestly feel that Ginger Rogers was the best partner that Fred Astaire ever had. According to Ted Sennett in his book 'Hollywood Musicals,' "Astaire's later partners, for all their dancing skill, lacked the delicious air of conspiracy, the sense of amused wonder, that she brought to her films with him."

rivals swing time
Fred may have danced with other girls, and Ginger may have had other leading men, but together, there were no others. (despite what the plot suggests, we know they'll end up together) Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in every scene, and in the cheek to cheek scene, she looks like a porcelain doll. Fred of course is unbeatable, just watch top hat white tie and tails to see what I mean. They go beyond chemistry in this film, they are the greatest dancing team in history for a reason. We can't imagine them with anyone else. In KITTY FOYLE, for which Ginger won the oscar, she had to choose between 2 men. If Fred had popped in, she wouldn't have given it a second thought. In TOM DICK AND HARRY the following year, Gin has to choose between 3 men. Had Fred been one of the choices, the movie would have been and hour shorter. In TOP HAT, we can't imagine them in any other movies, for they are just ASTAIRE AND ROGERS, and to quote Shall we Dance "they can't that away from me."

How can we forget this cosmicall couple?
Top hat is one of the top ten musicals in any time. Its charm is so fine , so human that still beats you besides this film dates from 1935. Astaire and Rogers make a couple hard to find ; the rapport among them was an artistic fact. You think in Gene Kelly , for instance in Singin n the rain and you feel the absence of the female counterpart¨ Cheek to cheek , Isn{t a lovely day to be caught in the rain? . Top hat , White ties, and tails Piccolino and other songs from this mythical composer Irving Berlin become themselves in other actor.
This film inspired Fellini in Ginger and Fred and more recently it was employed as a smart emotional link in The green mile.
Captivating and overwhelming. A film for all the eternity!

Fred & Ginger: Style & Grace in Any Age
Both Astaire & Rogers were in the perfect place at the perfect time. Has there ever been a pair more suited to make exactly these movies at exactly this time in film and American history? They both graduated from the stage to film at just the time talkies took over Hollywood in the early 30's. They provided the safe slightly risque and mildly clever fare the public crowded the theaters to see. Ginger was so beautiful & talented; she might have made it in mainstream dramas and musicals. Fred, on the other hand, owed his livelihood to a top hat, coattails & a bow tie. He fit perfectly into the smallest of niches: the former vaudeville sing & dance star turned into a popular Hollywood old fashioned sing & dance star. Freed from the constraints of the stage, Fred & Ginger used the real world as their dancing backdrops & props. They define grace.

Top Hat Top Entertainment
This was the first Astaire ROgers film I saw. I saw it on TCM, but only the last ten minutes. Since then, I've not only seen the whole thing, but I've bought it. GInger was never cuter than in Lovely Day, the team was never more seductive then inCheek to Cheek, with Ginger looking as light as a feather. (NIght and Day is a close second) Ginger's rendition of the Piccolino would run the depression out of an undertaker. I love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The year before, in 1933, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had grabbed America's attention in Flying Down to Rio, even though they were the second bananas in that film. The duo had a certain chemistry--Fred with his lighter-than-air elegance, Ginger with her moxie--and studio heads gambled that they could carry a starring vehicle of their own. Nobody guessed there would be another eight movies together after The Gay Divorcee, which turned into a huge success for RKO Pictures. The plot is the usual silliness, with Ginger a divorce-minded gal in England, Fred a dancer whose sincere interest in her is mistaken for something else. But plots never mattered much in these affairs, and this one achieves a kind of free-floating bliss. Astaire had starred in the stage version of the story, titled The Gay Divorce. The censors forced the extra e to be added to the title because surely no divorce could be portrayed as a happy one (this frothy movie's evidence notwithstanding). Only one song was carried over from the stage show, Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which forms the basis for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. A tune, "The Continental," written for this film won the first Oscar ever awarded in the best-song category. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A 'Continental' Appeal!
The Gay Divorcee is one of my favorite films. Fred plays a persistant bachelor determined to capture the heart of Mimi (Ginger), who is married and ready for a divorce. As the plot unfolds, this romantic comedy is hilarious and can make anyone smile. Fred and Ginger shine as they perform the hauntinly beautiful 'Night and Day' and the seventeen minute 'Continental'. A must see for any Astaire Rogers fan!

GAY ALL THE WAY!
The Gay Divorcee, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, is still as funny and charming today as when it was first released. Just watch the two of them dance to "Night and Day"-- beautiful chemistry! All the dance numbers are great, but "The Continental" number went on a bit too long for me (although admittedly it was written for this movie, so it is understandable that an elaborate production was made out of it.) The loverboy who keeps forgetting his lines ('chance is a fool's name for fate' and the many variations that he came up with) had me in stitches too. To sum it up, this movie is great for the whole family and you won't be disappointed!

My favourite Astaire and Rogers film
Fred Astaire plays a dnacer returning to England from a trip abroad. In the Customs shed he meets Ginger Rogers in an embarassing predicament. He tries to find out who she is, but she refuses to tell him, and he spends ages searching London for her until he finally tracks her down and begins to awaken her interest. Ginger goes down to Brighton with her friend dithery much-married Alice Brady, and Astaire and his dithery lawyer friend Edward Everett Horton go in pursuit. Ginger has gone to Brighton to try and obtain a divorce, she intends to spend the night with a professional co-respondent. Somthing Astaire says makes her think he is the co-respondent, which puts her right off him. Fortunately the real co-respondent, a diminutive Italian, turns up ("your wife is safe with Tonetti,he prefer spaghetti") and the mystery is sorted out. But what will happen when Ginger's husband arrives the next morning? will she get her divorce. This is a wonderful film, with a silly but extremley funny plot, and some wonderful dialogue, particularly between Horton and Brady, who somehow manage to end up married to each other, much to their surprise. An absolutely delightful film.

a joy to watch
This is such a great movie! In their first starring roles, Fred and Ginger carry the movie on their shoulders. Alice Brady is more than hilarious, so is Edward E. Horton. Look for a very young Betty Grable singing "lets knock knees."
the night and day nember is incredible. Ginger looks like something out of this world with her soft features. The look that she gives him at the end of night and day make the rest of the picture unnecessary. but then you would miss Fred's hilarious looks, especially when he's confused. The nice thing about this movie is that the mistaken identity plot only lasts for a little while. (about 13 minutes) the continental is great too.

A classic from its period
A classic. The dancing, first, with Fred Astaire, is perfect and many will remember the Continental. The singing is quite humoristic, light and entertaining. The comedy itself is very simple but extremely effective. An enormous amount of humor, of puns, of funny situations, etc, and a general situation that is both banal but dealt with so much grace and lightness that it is pleasant and entertaining. The punch line is of course totally unexpected, though a averagely trained viewer will have known the outcome some time before the end because it is hinted at all along the film. Definitely a film that will survive time as one of the best representatives of that type of light comedy with dancing and singing, and of course Fred Astaire.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Scott and Hilliard take up too much Screen time.
"Follow the Fleet", the fifth movie in the Fred and Ginger RKO series, will always remain an enjoyable movie, worthy of atleast 4 stars, but it does have a few bad points to it, which would obviously be better off without. Another one Directed by Mark Sandrich. Released in 1936.

The basic plot of the story is, Bake (Fred Astaire) and Bilge (Randolph Scott) are two sailors, who's fleet has just stopped off in San Francisco. Bake goes to see his old dancing partner, Sherry (Ginger Rogers), and tries to get into working again, but he, throughout the film, keeps on ruining his chances, and making her lose jobs -- by accident. Bilge finds himself meeting up with Sherry's sister, Connie (Harriet Hilliard), which brings about an annoying, and unwanted romance story between the two of them, which isn't working out too well, since Connie is more keen on ideas of marriage, whereas Bilge can't keep away from other women.

So as for the real reason for watching a Fred and Ginger movie, the songs and dances. A highlighted title would be "Let's Face the Music and Dance". It's brilliantly shot, and it's among one of the best (although not THE best) dances Fred and Ginger ever did. It's certainly the main reason to watch this movie. There's also an amusing "practice" dance to "I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket", where the two find themselves unprepared, and completely lose what they're doing, but its all the more a fun scene. Unfortunately, you have to put up with Harriet Hilliard singing the terribly annoying "Get Thee Behind Me Satan". There are a number of others, that are worthy to note aswell, such as Ginger singing "Let Yourself Go". Overall the musical scenes are the things that keep the movie going.

So for the really bad, and annoying points to the movie. Nobody cares about Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard's scenes together, which can only be described as extremely boring. This is the same problem I had with "Flying Down to Rio", which was equally annoying, with Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio". That one can be accepted, due to the fact that it was Fred and Ginger's first movie together. But "Follow the Fleet", being the fifth, you can only wonder why we had to be tortured by such an annoying romance story inbetween their scenes. "Roberta" might have had Irene Dunne taking up some screen time, but she was always enjoyable to watch, and that movie was not ruined in the way that this one has been. We are here to watch Fred and Ginger, not two other people taking up a lot of screen time, and using it so badly.

Overall, the movie does include a number of highlights, and is worth watching, and easily more than "just a few times". Fred and Ginger's other movies together, for the most part, were a lot better, but fans of the two shouldn't be without this movie. It's always good, no matter how many times you watch it over, but if only it could have been saved, and not slightly ruined by the horrible bad points the movie includes. Own a copy of this movie, and enjoy.

Let Yourself Go
Some of the best Rogers/Astaire dances, and some great music. But you'll be glad you have a fast-forward button, because this is the Fred & Ginger movie with the worst script; most of the scenes with Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard are just plain unwatchable. Just getting into Astaire and Rogers? Then "Roberta," "Barkleys of Broadway," "Top Hat" and "Swing Time" are the ones to get.

Relax, Let Yourself Go
Ginger Rogers singing that song, and with the closeups shows her beauty. This is a fun movie with misunderstandings and mixups. It is entertaining! Make sure to keep a close watch of the dance number "Lets Face the Music and Dance" when Ginger Rogers' heavy sleeve hits Fred and he makes a face!

More Great Singing and Dancing by Fred and Ginger
In FOLLOW THE FLEET two sailors (Fred Astair and Randolph Scott) go ashore on liberty after completing a long cruise. Astair looks up his old dance partner (Ginger Rogers). Scott meets Ginger's sister (Harriet Nelson) quite by accident. Soon the romancing begins followed by the usual misunderstandings and reconciliations. The plot is not very intricate and serves merely as a platform for some great music and dancing.

The movie featured seven songs by Irving Berlin. Astrid Allwyn and Betty Grable were members of the supporting cast. At this point in her career Harriet Nelson was primarily a singer with prior experience only on the radio and with Ozzie Nelson's band.

Mark Sandrich directed several other excellent films including TOP HAT and HOLIDAY INN.

One of the Best Astaire & Rogers Movies Iv'e Ever Seen!!!!!
I am a big fan of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and thought that "Follow the Fleet" is one of their best films. I especially like the comical plot. Irving Berlin is brilliant, as usual, and delivers several fantastic numbers including "Let Yourself Go" (my personal favorite), "We Joined the Navy", and "Let's Face the Music"(which brings tears to my eyes). I also liked the comical number, "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket". Absolutly Brilliant. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Ginger's Turn to Shine
This is my favorite Fred and Ginger entry and is actually quite different than their standard if entertaining musical/dance films that preceded it. Those great elements are still here but are fewer and interspersed between some nice screwball comedy that finally got to showcase Ginger's comedic talents. Fred is great to, but this one is really Ginger's film, and she shines.

Tony (Fred) is a psychiatrist trying to do his pal Stephen (Ralph Bellamy) a favor by seeing his fiance Amanda (Rogers, who is a radio singer) so he can figure out why she's called off their wedding three times! She blows Fred off as a quack when she overhears a transcription he's done which is less than flattering but finally gives in and agrees to let Fred disect her dreams so he can see what's wrong with her.

A meal of lobster and mayonaise and a lot of other things make her dream alright! In her dream she's dancing and in love, but it's not Stephen but Tony in her dream! Amanda can't tell Tony of course, and when he threatens to stop seeing her she makes up a dream that would keep ten psychiatrists busy and the fun begins.

Rogers was wonderful in this film and it was the impetus for her very successful solo career. This light screwball comedy has some terrific moments. It's hilarious as Ginger walks out while being hypnotized thinking she does love Bellamy and going after Fred with a shotgun, thinking he deserves to die like a dog! Like Fred tells Bellamy as they run after her, "She's in a trance, she may even act, a little odd"!

During the dream sequence they get to dance to "I Used to be Color-Blind" and later on at a party they do "The Yam" in a very fun scene. But Ginger and the screwball comedy take top billing in this one, making it one of their best. It's sophisticated and funny and Fred and Ginger end up together as always. This time she's in a gorgeous wedding dress, and she has a black eye!

You don't hear as much about this one but don't let that stop you from picking up this wonderful film.

A harbinger of Ginger's future successes in film
This is probably the most unique of all the Astaire/Rogers films, because while it is enormously enjoyable, it isn't principally because of the musical numbers. In fact, the dance numbers are among the weakest of all their films. What makes the film a delight is the comedy, and the person who drives the comedy is Ginger Rogers. Ginger was not Fred's equal as a dancer, but she complemented him perfectly. Still quite young in their first film together (she was 21 when filming started for FLYING TO RIO), Fred was able to mold her dance style to fit his perfectly. She was able to follow him perfectly, and many of their dances have their finest moments as she reacts in her face to what is happening in their dance.

Where Ginger far surpassed Fred was as an actress. At the time of CAREFREE, she had already scored a major success the year before in the drama STAGEDOOR (it was in the wake of this film that her costar Katherine Hepburn, who didn't get along with Ginger at all, quipped of Fred and Ginger, "He gives her class and she gives him sex." But by the time of CAREFREE, Ginger's abilities as an actress had begun to place her career apart from Fred on a higher individual plane. In fact, from this point until his comeback from retirement in 1948 (to replace the injured Gene Kelly in EASTER PARADE), Ginger was actually the larger box office draw. The next few years after CAREFREE would see Ginger starring in a string of superb comedies like BACHELOR MOTHER and THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR, as well as winning an Oscar for KITTY FOYLE.

The plot is simple: Ginger can't quite bring herself to feel for suitor Ralph Bellamy as she should. So, she agrees to go to a psychiatrist (Fred) to find out why. She gets accidentally hypnotized and for the rest of the film she accidentally either loves Fred or wants to [do away with him]. The dance numbers are, as I mentioned, not among their best. There is a long slo-mo number that fails to work as well as one might hope. "The Yam" is a pale imitation of the classic numbers centering on a new dance in previous films. Possibly the best dance number, though one that is unfortunately eliminated from some television cuts of the film, is Fred's solo number "Since They Turned Loch Lomand into Swing," in which