best of: fred & ginger

Swing Time:




Shall We Dance:


Roberta:


Follow the Fleet

The Barkleys of Broadway

roberta

the year: 1935

the genre: musical


the cast: Fred Astaire (Huckleberry Haines); Ginger Rogers (Comtesse Scharwenka); Irene Dunne (Stephanie); Randolph Scott (John Kent); Helen Westley (Roberta / Aunt Minnie)


the plot: Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house which is really run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John, who has fallen in love with Stephanie.


don't miss: Huck and Liz's reunion:



watch for: a bleach blonde Lucille Ball as one of the models during the fashion show.


listen for: "You don't appreciate her. I know she seems a little hard and sophisticated, but underneath she's a pearl." "And a pearl so I'm told, is the result of a chronic irritation on an oyster."


did you know: the film was based on the book "Gowns by Roberta". It's my second favorite Astaire/Rogers movie.

silk stockings

the year: 1957

the genre: musical


the cast: Fred Astaire (Steve Canfield); Cyd Charisse (Ninotchka Yoschenko); Janis Page (Peggy Dayton); Petter Lorre (Commisar Brankov); Geroge Tobias (Commisar Markovitch); Jules Munshin (Commisar Bibinski); Joseph Buloff (Commisar Ivanov)


the plot: After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to complete their mission and to retrieve them. She starts out condemning the decadent West, but gradually falls under its spell, with the help of Steve Canfield, an American movie producer.




don't miss: the Ritz Roll and Rock.



listen for: "Be casual. Don't frighten him. Smile." "I haven't smiled in 30 years."



watch for: Peter Lorre in one of his few comedic roles.




also listen for: "I want to look somebody up. Does this office have a copy of Who's Still Who?"



count: the chemical reactions.

easter parade

the year: 1948

the genre: musical



the cast: Judy Garland (Hannah Brown); Fred Astaire (Don Hewes); Peter Lawford (Jonathan Harrow III); Ann Miller (Nadine Hale); Jules Munshin (Francios)



the plot: When Don Hewes' dancing partner (and object of his affection) Nadine Hale refuses to start a new contract with him, Don is crushed. To prove Nadine's not important to him, Don acquires innocent new protegee Hannah Brown, vowing to make her a star in time for next year's Easter parade.



did you know: Judy Garland and Fred Astaire had not met before filming this movie - although they were both big stars at the time.



check out: the shedding feathered gown worn by Judy Garland in one of their numbers. It's an inside joke referring to Ginger Rogers' problematic gown in Top Hat.


don't miss: Jules Munshin's film debut as Francios the waiter. (I'll have the salad, please.)




listen for: "Can you drown a brunette in this?" bartender: "How tall is she?" "Five foot six." (after filling the glass more) "Try this."


extra bonus points: if you know who was set to star in the movie instead of Astaire and Garland.

bits and pieces

No need to watch the whole movie, but you might enjoy this scene…

Gene Kelly dancing on rollerskates in It’s Always Fair Weather – complete with French subtitles -



Mitzi and Donald on deck in Anything Goes –



Fred and Ginger in The Berkleys of Broadway –



Dancing in the Dark from The Bandwagon –



Frank and Debbie in The Tender Trap –

royal wedding

the year: 1951

the genre: musical



the cast: Fred Astaire (Tom Bowen); Jane Powell (Ellen Bowen); Peter Lawford (Lord John Brindale); Sarah Churchill (Anne Ashmond); Keenan Wynn (Irving Klinger / Edgar Klinger)




the plot: Stage stars Tom and Ellen Bowen are a brother and sister dance act whose show closes in New York. Their agent books them in London for the same period as the Royal Wedding. Innocent-seeming Ellen is a female Don Juan and doesn't take dancing as seriously as brother Tom; on ship she meets her match, Lord John Brindale. Arrived in London, confirmed bachelor Tom auditions and is taken with cool dancer Anne Ashmond. Will romance break up the act?





don’t miss: the fate of Tom’s poor hat during the number “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life.”





check out: the imaginary shop name "Harridge's." It is an amalgamation of "Harrod's" and "Claridge's"





listen for: “I think you have to enjoy living with yourself before you have the nerve to ask anyone else to.”





also listen for: “Pip, now.”





did you know: the ship's rocking during "Open Your Eyes" was based on the Fred Astaires' own dancing experience on a voyage to London in 1923.





More Astaire magic here and here.