I loved this movie from the get-go. Last night’s movie (Follow the Fleet) was too full of, well, fleet stuff. The Navy. Not enough Fred and Ginger, and barely any elegant gowns and tails. Swing Time is almost totally gowns and tails. It’s sublime dance numbers, along with memorable music and wonderful lyrics, supplied by … [Read more…]
Despite what its entry on Wikipedia tells me (“Follow the Fleet was extremely successful at the box office”), this movie is a snooze fest to me. If you want to know a brief summary, visit The Movies page, or take a look at its entry on Wikipedia. Maybe I’m not a fan of movies with … [Read more…]
A delightful film, perhaps the quintessential Astaire-Rogers movie. I was hooked from the start. Astaire and Rogers look great in formal wear. And I’ve come to appreciate the over-acting skills of Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore. This movie has everything – Irving Berlin songs, gorgeous sets, elegant costumes, and the pace of a farce … [Read more…]
The Gay Divorcee (1934), features the second time Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared in a film together, and the first time as its stars. Co-stars are Alice Brady (1892-1939) and Edward Everett Horton (1886-1970), according to a title card at the beginning. Then, this screen appears: THIS PICTURE APPROVED BY THE PRODUCTION CODE ADMINISTRATION … [Read more…]
The first on-screen pairing of Fred Astaire (1899-1987) and Ginger Rogers (1911-1995) occurred in the 1933 RKO film Flying Down To Rio, directed by Thornton Freeland (1898-1987). The score was supplied by Max Steiner (1888-1971). Dolores del Rio (1904-1983), a beautiful actress I’d seen in a photograph countless times on the wall of a local … [Read more…]