Shall We Dance

Why did I have to watch this 5 times in the last 2 weeks?

Well, I can't explain. I guess because this is one of those rare cases where a movie becomes a masterpiece in spite of a (intentionally!) loose storyline; the strength of the choreography, melodies, and the pure delight of dance sequences gives it all. There's Fred Astaire, there's Ginger Rogers, and there's the Fred-Ginger duo - 3 (sic.) distinct personalities! I have watched scores of musicals - but never have I been so bewitched by duet dance sequences unaccompanied by any of the garish excesses characteristic of the Hollywood musical.

Just think of the number " Let's call the whole Thing Off"; what grace, what poise of the couple tap-dancing on roller skates! And oh, what wondrous blend of lyrics and melody. And closely follows another number that, in all it's apparent lightness, provides a counterpoint that makes one misty eyed.

About the solo dance sequences of Fred - the one in the ship's boiler room, the brilliant choreography of his tapdancing with the "pistons" moving in phase, well - it's superhuman!

I shouldn't miss mentioning Edward Everett Horton ("Jeffrey", "Petrov"'s impresserio) - for his misadventures hold the struggling storyline of movie on, just as it was probably meant to be. Eric Blore ("Cecil", the floor manager of the hotel) does his inimitable role as in many other Fred-Ginger musicals; rarely have I seen anything more hilarious than the telephone conversation between Cecil (from jail!!) and Jeffrey.

It's unalloyed and delightful entertainment for those who love musicals. Just forget the world and enter into a dreamland for 108 minutes!

As a classic movie buff,I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest movies Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire ever made together. The story line is light, however, you must remember that this movie was made in the middle of the Depression, a time when people needed a light story(hence the major reason why Musicals were made in the first place). This movie is in my top 4 favorite Astaire/Rogers musicals, along with Top Hat(1935),Swing Time(1936), and Follow The Fleet(1936).I urge everyone to see those as well. The songs in this movie are wonderful,particularly "They All Laughed" and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off."

... because there's not that much Fred and Ginger actually dancing together versus the other Astaire and Rogers films of the 1930s.

As for the plot, Fred Astaire plays Peter Peters, an American ballet dancer billed as "Petrov". Publicity has him billed as such so that he can cultivate the public persona of a demanding and temperamental Russian. He falls for fellow American singer/dancer Linda Keene (Rogers) and finds out she is sailing the next morning on the Queen Anne. He also books passage on the same ship at the same time, hoping to strike up an acquaintance with her on the voyage from Europe to New York. Both Peters and his manager Jeffrey Baird (Edward Everett Horton) tell a woman who is basically stalking Peters -to put it in modern terms - that Peters is secretly married to Linda Keene in order to get her off his case. Instead, this rumor begins to circulate in the press with Linda blaming Peter for telling the press this falsehood, and the resulting misunderstanding threatening any burgeoning relationship. Complications ensue that include a rather frightening looking mannequin in a comedic situation.

It was good to have Eric Blore and Edward Everett Horton back in larger doses in this film. Astaire always made a great comic foil for Horton and Blore and Horton always played off of each other exceedingly well.

Astaire and choreographer Hermes Pan try some new and novel numbers in this one. Included is "slap that bass" with Fred dancing and an African American band singing and playing in the engine room of a ship. Also, there is the dance duo with Astaire and Rogers doing a dance number on roller skates. Astaire liked to do his dance numbers in one take, without editing, but the complexity of this number required multiple takes, and Astaire realized that. The duo skated 80 miles before shooting was complete. Then there is the ballet number that is part of the big finale with ballet soloist Harriet Hoctor whose specialty was performing an elliptical backbend. It hurt just to watch her, and she is probably one of the few people on earth who could kick herself in the head.

If you like the other Astaire/Rogers collaborations you'll like this one. Sure, it's the same basic romantic formula, but the song and dance numbers always delight.

It was a delight to come across the movie on DVD. 'Shall We Dance' was the only Fred and Ginger movie of 1937 and didn't do as well as previous efforts, making less than half a million dollars profit at the time (ref. 'The RKO Story' by Jewell and Harbin). Obviously I'd never be able to pick a money-maker as I found it totally brilliant from beginning to end! A wonderful sound track and beautiful score - the only one George and Ira Gershwin ever wrote for Fred and Ginger, more's the pity.

The skimpy story involving romances, misunderstandings and a luxury liner across the Atlantic has been done numerous times but here it seems to work, thanks to the wonderful Eric Blore, Edward Everett Horton and a good supporting cast, with the exception of Ketti Gallian. This lady seems out of place, not unlike the unfortunate Randolph Scott in 'Follow the Fleet'. The musical numbers are a knockout, especially the ship's engine room and roller-skating sequences. Fred plays one of his most endearing parts while Ginger is spellbindingly gorgeous. Viewing a sharp transfer really does show up a lot of things missed when watching less than good prints on television. Ginger's eyes kept me transfixed whenever she appeared :)

A movie to be viewed, and enjoyed, again and again. As good as 'Swing Time' and not far short of my favourite Fred and Ginger movie, 'Flying Down to Rio'.

With a fluff plot that's sillier than usual, Shall We Dance marks the one and only time the brothers Gershwin wrote a score for an Astaire/ Rogers musical. Fred was certainly no stranger to George and Ira, they had written Funny Face on Broadway for him and also had done Damsel in Distress which he co-starred with Joan Fontaine the year before.

This also is the last complete score the Gershwins did for the screen. While writing the score for the Goldwyn Follies, George would suddenly die of a brain tumor. It's a beautiful selection of songs, topped off by They Can't Take That Away From Me, a song forever after identified with Fred Astaire. It's also one of my favorite Gershwin songs, in fact one of my favorites period.

Fred's a hoofer at heart, but he's pretending to be a Russian ballet star named Petrov, appropriate for a guy named Peter Peters in real life. The girl he's infatuated with, musical comedy star Ginger Rogers is sailing to America on the same ship.

Through an incredible combination of circumstances rumor gets around that the two of them are in fact married. All the doing of her producer Jerome Cowan and Fred's manager Edward Everett Horton. They actually have to get married to keep the ruse going. Of course I needn't say what happens after that.

Two other Gershwin standards, They All Laughed and Nice Work If You Can Get It are sung and danced by the pair, the latter on roller skates. I also liked Fred's solo number with the engine room men on the ocean liner, Slap That Bass. The brothers Gershwin obviously saw the success Astaire had with Bojangles of Harlem in Swing Time and decided to imitate shall we say.

Look for a nice performance also by Eric Blore who plays the frustrated hotel manager who is getting positively flustered about how to handle the married/unmarried pair of Astaire and Rogers in his hotel.

There is a touch of sadness to this musical realizing that an incredible talent in George Gershwin would be stilled very shortly. I do love that man's music so.

You'll keep the memory of this film long after seeing it even once.