Follie d'inverno

An excellent feature in almost every respect, "Swing Time" is usually (and deservedly) considered to be, along with "Top Hat", the best of the series of Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire musicals. And while "Top Hat" is a well-crafted and enjoyable movie, "Swing Time" might be even better. The story is light but entertaining, and the singing and dancing sequences are not only first-class, but also contain quite a variety of material, making this an ideal showcase for the stars and their talents.

Fred and Ginger are joined by Helen Broderick, who fits in very well. Victor Moore has some good moments, although his character is a bit over-used, and ceases to be funny after a while. The four of them carry almost all of the load - Eric Blore and Betty Furness are in the cast, but they do not get a lot of screen time.

The story is not bad, but it is the musical numbers that make this so enjoyable. Practically all of them can be watched a number of times without becoming dull. The upbeat sequence in the dance studio, and the "A Fine Romance" song in the snow both show, in different ways, the two stars working together closely. Astaire's tribute to Bojangles is an impressive display of talent and choreography. Then there are the more thoughtful sequences between the two, which show yet another side of their talents.

If "Swing Time" had Edward Everett Horton back in the cast, instead of the Victor Moore character, this would easily be the best of all of the Astaire/Rogers musicals. Even as it is, it's awfully good.