Look at me: back at it again with EXCUSES! But here’s the thing: I watched SEVEN films today. I feel like my eyeballs are going to pop out of my skull. But it was all worth it: it’s Fred Astaire day.
Here’s the thing about today’s films: they’re VERY similar – musicals about entertainers. At one point they all started to blend together in my mind.
But you know what? I don’t mind. Because I love musicals, I love dancing (the one skill I wish I had is the ability to dance), I love Fred, and I love Ginger! Ginger showed up so much today it almost seems like it was a „Fred and Ginger day” rather than just „Fred Astaire day”.
Anyway, let’s take a brief look at what I watched today. But keep in mind that to me those films are mostly about the emotions, about how happy they make me feel.
Flying Down to Rio (1933)
Flying Down to Rio is THEE first Fred and Ginger movie ever! And you could tell those two will be something great. Because technically the leads of the film are Dolores del Rio and… Gene Raymond. Okay. But Fred and Ginger steal the show! They are both hilarious, Ginger a sassy flirt, and Fred a joker, and the musical numbers are pretty great.
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Okay, I am in love with this film. It’s no wonder, I’ve been listening to The Continental for YEARS, including the dialogue, and now I’m going to listen to it even more since I am now familiar with the dance number that accompanies it (and NO, it’s NOT too long). The film is hilarious, Fred gets some great zingers, they look amazing, they dance beautifully – it’s a delight.
A Damsel in Distress (1937)
Ginger Rogers is not in this film – I am suing. I’m kidding, it has Joan Fontaine, so they get away this time.
Fred plays an entertainer who comes to England and is planning to hide out in the countryside. Joan Fontaine happens to be a lady of the manor there and the two meet. Shenanigans ensue.
An interesting part of the film is the character of Gracie (Gracie Allen), the not-so-bright assistant who serves as the comic relief. I felt like that kind of character would usually be played by a man (but you could also argue that there is nothing interesting about a woman playing dumb, I guess).
Carefree (1938)
Ginger is back! And this film apparently includes Fred and hers first „proper” on-screen kiss. The story is, honestly, a bit gross as it concerns a psychoanalyst (Fred) using his expertise to woo his patient (Ginger) – for a friend. But the dance number are truly magical and Fred and Ginger’s chemistry is through the roof. And there is a song about potatoes – I have to stan.
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)
This is actually the ninth and last film Fred and Ginger made together before a decade-long break. And it’s a biopic about a married pair of entertainers, Veron and Irene Castle (duh). It’s quite cute, quite tear-jerker-y. There is a scene in which Ginger dances in a clown costume and for the first time in my life I did not mind clowns.
The real Irene Castle actually was an advisor during production of the film and, according to Wikipedia, called out some whitewashing in casting. Nice to know!
Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
This time Eleanor Powell is the leading lady. The story is about the case of mistaken identity, as comedies often are, and Fred working as an entertainer (when is he not).
This film to me is all dance numbers – they were fantastic and I loved the costumes too.
It’s a good film but I can’t stop thinking about our last picture of today…
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
Fred and Ginger made The Barkleys of Broadway ten years after The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle and it was their last film together. And so it happened, that it was also the last of their films that I have not seen before. I watched five out of ten of their films today and I honestly have no idea how that happened – I feel like those two have been a part of my life forever, constantly.
Here they play married actors again and it feels fitting. The reality seems to get through to the story a bit which makes it all very emotional. There is a throwback scene to Shall We Dance? and it mad me very soft.
As I said, it felt more like a “Fred and Ginger day” than just a “Fred day” but I am fine with this. What an extraordinary pair those two were. I think they might be the greatest on-screen duo of all time – I can’t think of many people whose chemistry and synergy is comparable.
Thank you Fred and Ginger, you’ve given me and the entire world so much joy.
Swingin' at the Seance 