I love old Hollywood musicals, especially when there’s dancing involved.
Why? Because, let’s be honest, the most serious thing likely to happen in an MGM musical is that the boy risks not getting the girl. Or, an energetic, talented young couple risks not being able to put on a show that could save the town. But political skulduggery, explosions, bullets flying, and screaming-tire car chases…no way.
But in real life, those things – whether in the news or in the movies – happen all the time. No wonder people’s blood pressures are on the rise.
So I thought it would do me good to watch all 10 movies starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, one movie per night.
While the movie is playing, I’ll take notes and post about it during and afterward.
I’ve done this kind of thing before, many times.
For example: I watched all (at that time) 81 Oscar-winning movies, every Woody Allen movie, listened to everything Mozart composed, everything Beethoven composed, then focused on listening to all nine symphonies by Beethoven (served up by different conductors and symphonies to see how much those variables mattered in the performances), and did the same thing with nine of Anton Bruckner’s major symphonies.
I enjoy these projects because I always learn a lot.
Plus, I have a grand time doing them.
What more could one ask for in a project?
I have another motive for this particular project: I’d like to know which of these classic Astaire-and-Rogers Hollywood musicals is the “best.”
Why? I don’t know. Perhaps, just in case if someone comes up to me and asks, “Say, would you happen to know which of those classic Hollywood films starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers is the best” I’ll be able to say, without hesitation, “Why it’s…”
Granted, that’s not likely. But, it’s possible.
More likely, though, is that I’ll be writing something one day and I’ll reach back to this project and pull out some memorable scene, bit of dialogue, character actor, or movie title. And then I’ll work it into whatever I happen to be working on at the time.
For a list of the movies I’ll watch, visit The Movies page.