Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Movie Musicals
Guide of Songs, Stories, and Songwriters Gershwin, Kern, Porter...
Mar 18, 2009
Astaire and Rogers’ Oscar-nominated movies capture forever their varied and stunning dances, but since it is difficult remembering which Fred and Ginger dances were in which of their movies or what the plots were of their films, here is a map of the songs, songwriters, and stories of the ten movies they made together.
Flying Down to Rio (1933)
Astaire and Rogers play relatively small roles, but it does feature their first dance together and a celebrated airplane-wing-dance sequence which ends the film.
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Mimi (Rogers) arrives in England seeking a divorce from her long unseen husband, Cyril. Upon arrival, she briefly meets dancer Guy (Astaire), who fast becomes besotted. By coincidence, Guy is friends with Mimi’s bumbling lawyer, and, through a series of usual mishaps, Mimi comes to mistake Guy for the professional co-respondent hired to provide grounds for divorce.
Many of the Cole Porter songs from the Broadway stage show were excluded, with a few exceptions, such as “Night and Day.” The movie ends with a twenty minute dance sequence to “The Continental,” which won the first Academy Award for Original Song.
Roberta (1935)
Based on the Broadway hit, Fred and Ginger play important characters of the subplot. The movie shows John Kent (Randolph Scott) going to visit his Aunt Minnie in Paris. Traveling with his friend, dance band leader, Huck Haines (Fred Astaire), they arrive to meet Stephanie (Irene Dunne), the assistant and secret head designer for Minnie’s fashion house, “Roberta.” Huck also discovers that purposely difficult costumer, singing sensation Countess Scarwenka, is actually his former sweetheart, Lizzie Gatz (Ginger Rogers). John, Stephanie, Huck, and Lizzie unit to assist one another.
The music is by Jerome Kern, and performed songs include “Lovely To Look At,” “I Won’t Dance,” and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.” Although the supporting characters, Astaire and Rogers perform several comical numbers and dance the final number.
This is the only Fred and Ginger musical to have been remade with different actors, as 1952 MGM Technicolor musical, Lovely To Look At.
Top Hat (1935)
Dancer Jerry Travers (Astaire) steps wrong when first meeting Dale Tremont (Rogers) while in London. Instantly in love with Dale, just as he begins to win over his lady love a miscommunication causes Dale to mistakenly think that Jerry is actually the husband of her friend.
This is the most famous and most financially successful of the movie musicals starring Astaire and Rogers.
The songs of the musical were written by Irving Berlin, and the movie includes the iconic dance number “Cheek to Cheek,” in which Rogers wears her famous feathered dress, and Astaire tap dancing to “Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails.” Attempting to recapture the success of “The Continental,” the movie ends with the production number “The Piccolino.”
Follow the Fleet (1936)
Bake (Astaire) and Sherry (Rogers) play now separated former dance partners. Following a chance meeting while Bake is on navy shore-leave, he attempts to arrange for Sherry to get work on Broadway. Misunderstandings and mis-identifications mix-up everything until a concert of sailors is staged.
The movie features the songs of Irving Berlin, and a cameo musical performance by new-comer, Betty Grable.
Swing Time (1936)
Dancer Lucky (Astaire), having turned up late to his wedding is turned away by the bride’s father with instructions to earn $25,000 if he is serious about marrying. Meeting dance instructor Penny (Rogers), they soon become dance partners.
Considered by many critics to be the best of the Fred and Ginger musicals, it features several famed dance numbers which are set to the music of Jerome Kern.
Shall We Dance (1937)
Rogers and Astaire play famed dancers who each specialize in different genres of dance. Following various mix-ups and interferences, they find themselves announced in the press as being married. Further complications cause the two to part until the final number.
The music of the Gershwin brothers is used throughout this film, and their popular hit “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” was actually introduced in this movie, sung by Astaire. Rogers and Astaire also impressively perform a dance number on roller-skates to the song, “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off.”
Carefree (1938)
Astaire plays psychiatrist, Tony Flagg, who agrees to council a friend’s fiancée, Amanda Cooper, played by Rogers. Amanda is indecisive about her wedding, only to find herself falling for Tony. Attempting to fix the problem through hypnosis, Tony soon finds himself in love with Amanda, and chaos ensues until the happy ending.
This movie is not as remembered for its dance numbers as it is for being the first film in which its stars shared a long onscreen kiss.
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)
The last of the Fred and Ginger movies to be made at RKO, it is about the real-life dance team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The movie follows the couple’s rise to success prior to World War I, finally depicting the years of the war.
The actual Irene Castle acted as an advisor on the film, although she disagreed with many aspects as being unauthentic.
Although inaccurately relaying the true events of the lives of the Castles, considering that for a number of years it remained the final film of Astaire and Rogers, it is particularly moving to watch the final scene depicting ghostly images of the pair dancing as they fade into memory.
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
Ten years after their other films, it is the only Astaire/Rogers musical made at MGM or filmed in color. Not intended as a reunion for the dance team, Rogers replaced Judy Garland, who was unable to make the film due to illness.
Fictional stage stars Josh and Dinah Barkley are happily married until Dinah begins to desire a dramatic acting career, leading to various complications.
It does not feature music by any one particular popular songwriter, but Astaire does again sing Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”
 |
