96. Swing Time (1936)

Running Time: 103 minutes
Directed By: George Stevens
Written By: Erwin Gelsey, Howard Lindsay, Allan Scott, from the story Portrait of John Garnett by Erwin Gelsey
Main Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick

JUST PICK YOURSELF UP, DUST YOURSELF OFF AND WRITE A REVIEW OF 'SWING TIME'

With the starting punches of a cold hitting me fairly hard today, a nestled down into my warm bed, popped "Swing Time" into the DVD player and had a good time watching Fred and Ginger sing and dance and make me forget about my cold.

This time around Astaire plays John "Lucky" Garnett, who is part of a dance crew that he's planning to leave behind to get married. When his dance mates make him miss the wedding and also succeed in angering the girl's father, he's forced to go and make things right. Upon arriving at the home of his fiance, John makes a deal with the gal's father, that he can earn $25,000 while he's in New York City. The father admires a man who can make money, and agrees that if he returns with that much cash in tow, that he'll allow his daughter to marry him. Lucky hops a train to the Big Apple and almost immediately meets up with Penny Carrol, who he gets into an argument with over a measley twenty five cents. With his friend Pop beside him, Lucky follows Ms. Carrol into the dance academy where she works and tries to make things right, as he's obviously smitten with her. He gets his free introductory dance lesson and even Astaire looks great as he pretends not to know how to dance. Penny is fired, but Lucky gets her job back for her and they become fast friends, who seem to want more.

Later, the two are set up to do a dance number at one of the fancy nightclubs in town, but the orchestra leader, who is himself, smitten with Penny, refuses to play for them, stating that he no longer works at the particular nightclub and that he's been hired on at another. Lucky, also with a history of gambling, decides to go to the other club and gamble for ownership of the orchestra leader's contract, which he wins, forcing the orchestra leader, Ricardo, to play for them, as they dance. The rest is pretty much set in stone, as love triangles and romances are established to give us enough material to finish out the film and send everyone home happy.

I didn't like this quite as much as "Top Hat", but I still liked it a lot. Who can resist these two and my only regret is, that this is my last Fred and Ginger movie in the book. I'm sure I'll soon find myself taking detours on my journey, checking out some of the other Fred and Ginger pictures, while these ones are still fresh in my memory. Ginger Rogers is an absolute beauty on the screen and when she starts dancing and being twirled by Fred, in her gorgeous gowns and sparkling dresses, complete with capes and jewels, who can help but be dazzles by the vivacious Rogers. Astaire was, of course, a joy to watch as well, as he serenaded Rogers with his rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" and does his own song and dance solo act, complete with blackface, in "Bojangles of Harlem". However, it was my favorite scene and number, that came in the beginning of the film, when Astaire pretended to be a clutz and the two dueted on "Pick Yourself Up". Bottom line: It seems as though, if you enjoy one Rogers/Astaire picture, then the rest will please you as well.

RATING: 7.5/10 Deducted just a hair, since it didn't strike me as good as "Top Hat" did and thus I couldn't give it an equal rating.

NEXT UP: My Man Godfrey...I'm excited to see William Powell in a different role, as I loved him in "The Thin Man", but didn't care for the movie that much. Check back for the review, either later tonight or tomorrow.

February 9, 2010 3:22pm