Product Description

Top Hat:Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace's hotel much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.Swing Time:Lucky is tricked into missing his wedding to Margaret by the other members of Pop's magic and dance act and has to make $25000 to be allowed to marry her. He and Pop go to New York where they run into Penny a dancing instructor. She and Lucky form a successful dance partnership but romance is blighted (till the end of the film at least!) by his old attachment to Margaret and hers for Ricardo the band leader who won't play for them to dance together.DVD Features:Available Subtitles: English Spanish FrenchAvailable Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)Includes:Flying Down to Rio (1933)The Gay Divorcee (1934)Roberta (1935)Top Hat (1935)Follow the Fleet (1936)Swing Time (1936)Shall We Dance (1937)Carefree (1938)The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm (bonus disc)Soundtrack CD samplerCollectible photo cardsReplicas of original press booksMail-in poster offerFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS/MUSICALS Rating: UNRATED UPC: 012569829459 Manufacturer No: 82945

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11602 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2006-10-24
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Collector's Edition, DVD, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 11
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 1008 minutes

Features

• Top Hat: Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace's hotel, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace. Swing Time: Lucky is tricked into missing

Amazon.com
2006 marks the arrival of five Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films (Flying Down to Rio, The Gay Divorcee, Roberta, Carefree, and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle) on DVD after the first five were released in 2005. The big package is this Astaire & Rogers Ultimate Collector's Edition, which contains all 10 films plus a CD, a bonus DVD with the documentary Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm, press-book replicas, and some other material. If you want the big package with the extra stuff but already bought the five films in 2005, you can get the Astaire & Rogers Partial Ultimate Collector's Edition, which includes everything except the actual discs of those first five films. Or, if you only want the five new films, pick up Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2 as a bookend to Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 1.

The Astaire-Rogers films mix light romantic comedy (usually centered around mistaken identities and ending, inevitably, in blissful wedding promises) with elegant dinner wear and surreal sets intended to transport '30s audiences away from the Depression to such locales as Rio, Paris, and Venice. The two stars are also aided by a recurring stable of RKO players such as Edward Everett Horton (master of the double-take), Eric Blore, and Helen Broderick. And then there's that sensational dancing set to great songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and Jerome Kern, numbers that are not merely entertaining but also innovative for their time in that they reveal character and advance the plot. Add it all up, and you have a recipe for an irrepressible joie de vivre that practically defines the movie musical.

Flying Down to Rio (1933) headlined Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond, but it was the fourth- and fifth-billed stars who would rewrite cinematic history. Astaire and Rogers had limited screen time, but were still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza in which they take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. The Gay Divorcee (1934) is their best early picture, a loose adaptation of Astaire's stage show, 'The Gay Divorce.' The only song retained for the movie is Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which is the setting for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. The closer is the sprawling 17-minute ensemble number "The Continental." Roberta (1935) was a step backward, with too much time spent on 1930s Parisian fashion and the romance between top-billed Irene Dunne (who gets the best Jerome Kern ballads, "Yesterdays" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") and Randolph Scott. But as the second-banana couple Astaire and Rogers still get a tap battle, a romantic duet, and plenty of comic banter.

With a score by Irving Berlin, Top Hat (1935) is most famous for two numbers, Astaire's definitive tuxedo setting "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" and the feathery duet "Cheek to Cheek." But other joys include Astaire's "Fancy Free" declaration, "Isn't It a Lovely Day," and the grand finale "The Piccolino." Follow the Fleet (1936) changes the pace a bit, with Astaire playing a sailor, and it suffers from making him and Rogers the second-banana couple to the dull Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard. But it still has plenty of laughs and some classic Irving Berlin numbers, including "Let Yourself Go," which Rogers sings before she and Astaire compete in a dance contest; a Rogers solo tap number; "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which the pair dons their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of the series' defining moments. Maybe their most enjoyable picture, Swing Time (1936) features the set-piece "Pick Yourself Up," in which Rogers "teaches" Astaire to dance before they break into a spectacular number; the farewell ode "Never Gonna Dance," and the Oscar-winning "Just the Way You Look Tonight," from the team of Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

Shall We Dance (1937) has a complex plot that has Astaire and Rogers actually getting married before the final credits roll, and turns George and Ira Gershwin's brilliant "They Can't Take That Away from Me" into a heartbreaking ode. Other great songs include "Slap That Bass," "They All Laughed," and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," unforgettably performed on roller skates. The eighth and ninth entries in the series tried some different approaches, with the underrated Carefree (1938) more of a comedy vehicle for Ginger (yet still including some fine dances and Irving Berlin songs as well as their first onscreen kiss) and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) portraying the pair as historical dancing stars and using a score of turn-of-the-century standards. The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) is the oddity, reuniting the stars 10 years after their last RKO picture when Judy Garland had to be replaced due to health problems. It's trademark MGM: splashy colors, Fred in a gimmicky solo number (playing sorcerer's apprentice to a line of unoccupied shoes), Oscar Levant providing his usual dynamic pianism and acerbic personality, and a score that is at its best when it borrows songs from a previous generation (including the big ballroom number set to "They Can't Take That Away from Me"). The film falls short of their best work, but serves as a fond remembrance of the most glorious partnership in film history. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Fred & Ginger in the 21st Century with Tremendous Extras
The box set is made up of clear plastic thin cases and measures 3 7/8" wide x 7 7/8" high x 5½" deep, which is a real space saver for 12 discs (10 movie DVDs, 1 bonus DVD, and 1 audio CD). Each DVD comes with the feature film, a comedy/musical/vintage short, and a classic cartoon. Seven have a theatrical trailer; five have a featurette; three have a running commentary; two have a radio promo. The Gay Divorcee DVD comes with two vintage shorts, so you get eleven shorts on ten discs. Below are brief reviews/descriptions of the feature films, featurettes, vintage shorts, radio promos, classic cartoons, bonus material, and run times for each.

FEATURE FILMS

Their first film together, FLYING DOWN TO RIO is the only Fred and Ginger (F&G) movie where they play supporting roles. The studio executives and the public did not yet know this couple's dance potential and powerhouse future. They only dance together once 43 minutes into the film (The Carioca). The movie is filled with several post-card quality shots of Rio de Janeiro and has more choreographed group dance routines and vocalists than you can shake a stick at. My favorite is all those girls dancing on biplanes while in flight, which is very creative. The romantic plot of the main characters, Belhina De Rezende (Dolores del Rio) and Roger Bond (Gene Raymond) and the subplot of the Greek investors are a little light but still held my interest.

F&G's second film and their first as leading characters together, THE GAY DIVORCEE is the initial series of boy-chases-girl movies with comic misunderstandings, misgivings, and mistaken identity. F&G do the dancing, but Rodolfo Tonetti (Erik Rhodes) with his accent has the best one liners and password mispronunciations. The forgetful Hortense Ditherwell (Alice Brady) is a hoot. The musical number "Let's K-nock K-nees" is very fun and playful, even though it does not have F&G in it. Its tune is repeated in whistling near the beginning by a bellhop and near the end by canaries. In their previous movie "Rio" the dance craze was the Carioca; in "Divorcee" it's the Continental, which has a spectacular song, F&G dance, dance ensemble, and finale.

If you want to see Paris fashions in 1935, F&G's third film, ROBERTA, is the place to see it. Among all F&G movies, the plot is more sophisticated and dramatic and less comedic. Ginger plays an act within her role: not just the sassy American blonde but also the sophisticated Russian Comtess. She even sings "I'll Be Hard to Handle" with a Russian accent. In that same number, F&G communicate with each other not with words but by taps on their feet. Almost every speaking actor/actress has a three-dimensional personality especially Roberta/Aunt Minnie (Helen Westley) and Johnny (Candy) Candido with his voice performances. However, Stephanie (Irene Dunn) has an excellent singing voice but is overrated and should not have been top billed. As a side note, if you pay attention, look for Lucille Ball as one of the fashion models (uncredited).

The fourth Fred & Ginger (F&G) movie, TOP HAT is considered by many the quintessential one and is my personal favorite. In the Top Hat musical number, Fred cleverly uses his gentleman's cane as a "machine gun." And the ever-so-tender cheek to cheek number where he is singing and dancing with Ginger makes me feel like I am dancing in heaven as well. A deleted scene in some prints in which Bates (Eric Blore) insults a policeman, is present in this DVD. A running commentary with Ava Astaire McKenzie (daughter) and Larry Billman includes background information about the supporting actors and trivia, such as the significance of the ring Fred wears in the film. And even though Ginger rides the horse in this movie, we learn that Fred is the real horse lover. Ava admits she does not know everything about her dad and his career, which adds to the authenticity of what she does know and contributes.

The fifth F&G movie, FOLLOW THE FLEET shows two sides of Fred's character, Seaman Bake Baker. In other F&G movies, he is the upper class, suave gentleman. But in this one he plays a blue collar, enlisted seaman in the navy. In one part, you see him in his white tie and tails dancing and in control; in another part, he gets in trouble for trying to punch a commissioned officer. Two love stories in one movie, the additional romance of Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard) and Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott) keeps the plot moving and enriches the story.

SWING TIME probably has the most intricate and advanced dance routines out of all the F&G movies. Even though the song, "The Way You Look Tonight" is wonderful, I would like to have seen them dance to it instead of watching Ginger with a hair full of whip cream. The running commentary by John Mueller sounds very clinical. Speaking in an almost monotone voice as if reading from his book, he does give interesting tidbits, such as converting any monetary amounts mentioned in the movie into today's dollars to give you a sense of the magnitude of a given situation. Mr. Mueller also points out that F&G are never seen kissing, because the on-screen romance is instead expressed through their dancing.

When you watch a F&G movie you expect to see the two of them to dance together. In their seventh film together, SHALL WE DANCE, you don't see their first dance routine until literally half way through the film (unless you want to count walking the dog as a dance). The way Harriet Hoctor bends backwards in the final dance number is incredible. Her body must be made of rubber. She's probably a better dancer than Ginger, but because she does not speak or act, we don't appreciate her as much.

In this eighth installment of F&G films, CAREFREE, Ginger displays her talents not only as a dancer but also as an actress and a singer. She performs all three simultaneously in The Yam. She causes mischief while under the hypnotic influence of Tony Flagg (Fred Astaire), throwing sticks and dinner rolls, breaking glass, driving erratically, and shooting skeet. The psychiatry is definitely unconventional, but it is a comedy after all. The slow motion dancing in the dream sequence is very smooth and kind of cool. A running joke where Aunt Cora (Luella Gear) keeps telling Judge Joe Travers (Clarence Kolb) to sit down adds a couple of more laughs. Typecasting prevails here; look for Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind) playing a maid here, too.

Their ninth film together and the last for RKO, F&G play real life characters VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE. Since the story is set in the 1910s, which is comparably a more "innocent" era, the dancing is not as sophisticated but just as elegant, because it's F&G. A typical biographical account, it takes you through various trials and conflicts throughout their lives. The movie has more comedy in the beginning but becomes more serious at the end, especially when Vernon joins the Royal Air Corps during World War I. All the characters are lovable, and you wish you could be there. It's also the only F&G movie where the principles are concerned about having enough money to make ends meet.

After a ten-year absence, F&G are dancing as a pair one last time in their only Technicolor movie. THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY is not your typical F&G movie. Their acting has matured so much so that you forget that they dance, too. It has a little more drama and a little less comedy. Instead of boy meeting and chasing girl, their characters are already married, which provides a different relationship on screen. Also, Ezra Miller (Oscar Levant) is superb in his piano playing.

FEATURETTES

Made in 2005, these documentaries are behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the movies and includes interviews with Ava Astaire McKenzie, archivists, film historians, and biographers with a mix of F&G photographs and film clips.

"On Top: Inside the Success of Top Hat" explains many intricacies and attention to detail in the making of this movie. Nothing is left to chance. You will appreciate all the names in the opening credits (Run time 18:20).

"Follow the Fleet: The Origins of Those Dancing Feet" explains how F&G each got into show business, how they got their "big breaks," and where they first met. You'll discover why Fred went to RKO and not to one of the larger, better-known studios (Run time 13:53).

In "The Swing of Things" Broadway choreographers and performers demonstrate and comment on F&G's signature hopping step shown throughout Swing Time. Each dance number is analyzed and appreciated (Run time 14:47).

As the title suggests, "They Can't Take That Away from Me: The Music of Shall We Dance" emphasizes the songs in that movie. There is some good information on the composers, George and Ira Gershwin. Did you know that the origin of the song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is based on how F&G pronounced certain words? (Run time 15:41)

"Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again" explains F&G accidental pair up for their final film, their continuous chemistry, and Fred's perfection. Broadway choreographers and performers also appreciate how F&G have inspired them. (Run time 13:53)

VINTAGE SHORTS

Even without F&G, these film shorts are consistent with the genre and were made close to the times of the feature films they accompany.

"Beer and Pretzels" is a very early three stooges short with Ted Healy still with the comedy team. The slapping-of-the-face sound effects have not yet even entered the soundtrack. Just like F&G in Rio, Moe, Larry and Curly are in supporting roles. The four men cause havoc as waiters in a high class restaurant. Most of this short consists of song and dance routines of people I have never heard of. (1933, B&W, Run time 20:33)

In "Show Kids" the proprietor of a dying vaudeville theater turns it over to his 12-year-old son, who invites a children's dance company to perform. It has some really cute dance numbers, and some of these kids have real talent and acrobatic skills. The picture has excellent Technicolor for its time except for a red shadow that appears in all the song and dance numbers. (1934, Color, Run Time 19:59)

"Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove" takes place where the title says. A narrator takes you through celebrity introductions and various performances including a fashion show of different time periods, Rumba dance, hula dance, song by Bing Crosby, two big bands. Candy Candido's musical voice impersonations are very impressive. (1934, Color, Run Time 19:33)

In "Starlit Days at the Lido" guests enjoy outdoor entertainment. Reginald Denny takes you through celebrity introductions and various performances, including one neat trick where a girl keeps pulling cigarettes from nowhere. (1935, Color, Run Time 19:16)

"Watch the Birdie" has a young Bob Hope playing a prankster on a cruise ship who himself gets "pranked." It's sort of a let down after Top Hat, so I am not sure why it's included on the same DVD (1935, B&W, Run time 18:16).

"Melody Master: Jimmy Lunceford and His Dance Orchestra" starts with a scene with the devil in hell, which makes you wonder, "What's this short all about?" but then quickly cuts to a show of the dance orchestra. (1937, B&W, Run time 10:13).

In "Hotel a la Swing" a group of performers, who unable to pay their hotel bill, make a deal with the owner to run the hotel and make it a fun place to check in. Lots of song and dance numbers (1937, B&W, Run time 14:47).

In "Sheik to Sheik" a radio salesman is knocked unconscious by a golf ball and dreams of selling radios to the Foreign Legion and to the Arabs in the desert. The singing duet is quality. It has a good plot and is humorous (1936, B&W, Run time: 21:28).

"Annie Was a Wonder" is a narrated docudrama about the Scandinavian working immigrant girl. It's a heart-warming, almost tear-jerker of a time gone by. (1938, B&W, Run time 10:51)

In "Public Jitterbug No. 1" a group of "Feds" is out to catch Jitterbug Dancer #1. The tap dancing is superb. The cigarette and match-eating routine is a neat trick. (1939, B&W, Run Time 19:01)

In "Happily Buried" two presidents of competing waffle iron companies want to marry each other but cannot agree on the shape of the iron in the merged company. As a publicity stunt, John Hubbard (Richard Wright) buries himself on display. Look for Tommy Bond, who played Butch in the Little Rascals. (1939, B&W, Run time 20:01)

HOLLYWOOD ON THE AIR RADIO PROMOS

The "Hollywood on the Air Radio Promo" is just what it says. It is just like a theatrical trailer for a movie except it is audio only, complete with crackles, pops, and varying playing speeds. A narrator pitches the movie and introduces you to excerpts directly from it.

The Gay Divorcee includes "Looking for a Needle in a Haystack," "Let's K-nock K-nees," "Night and Day," and "The Continental." (Mono, Run Time 13:43)

Roberta includes "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "I'll Be Hard to Handle," "Lovely to Look At," and "I Won't Dance." (Mono, Run Time 11:55)

CLASSIC CARTOONS

These ten cartoons are great for the kids.

In "I Like Mountain Music" the characters in a department store come to life and perform. Most of them jump out from magazine and book covers and are caricatures of personalities popular at the time. (1933 B&W Run time 6:59)

In "Shake Your Powder Puff" the animals of a farm put on a vaudeville show in the barn. A drunken dog causes mischief and is repeatedly thrown out. (1934, B&W, Run Time 5:59)

In "The Calico Dragon" a little girl reads a fairy tale about a dragon, then falls asleep. She dreams that three of her dolls, a boy, a horse, and a terrier, enter the land of calico to slay a three-headed calico dragon. Good use of that pattern. (1935, Color, Run Time 7:57)

"Page Miss Glory" is about the exploits around a bell boy in an upscale hotel. It has a touch of Busby Berkeley near the end. (1936, Color, Run time 7:43)

"Let It Be Me" tells the story of an innocent farm hen who gets wooed by a cocky, big-time, radio-star-singing rooster. (1936, Color, Run time 7:51)

In "Bingo Crosbyana" a community of flies enjoys singing and dancing until a spider attacks. The main fly does sound like Bing. (1936, Color, Run time 7:54)

In "Toy Town Hall" the toys in a child's room come to life and perform. (1936, Color, Run time: 6:31)

In "September in the Rain" the labels of packaged goods in a general store come to life and perform. (1937 Color, Run Time 4:39)

In "Puss Gets the Boot" a cat and mouse fight for household domination. It is a Tom & Jerry predecessor before they were called Tom & Jerry. (1940, Color, Run time 9:11)

"September in the Rain" and "Puss Gets the Boot" both have a written preface commenting on how racist those cartoons are. However, the stereotyping did not bother me, and I would not have even noticed if they did not point it out. Nevertheless, I am glad they were sensitive about it.

The MGM cartoon "Wags to Riches" stars Droopy the dog, who inherits his owner's estate but has to contend with a rival dog trying to get rid of him. (1949, Run time 7:11)

THEATRICAL TRAILER RUN TIMES

Flying Down to Rio 1:29
The Gay Divorcee 1:18
Roberta 2:56
Top Hat 1:02
Follow the Fleet 1:25
Swing Time 2:38
The Barkleys of Broadway 2:30
For whatever reason, the Shall We Dance, Carefree and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle DVDs do not include a theatrical trailer.

BONUS MATERIAL

Bonus DVD (Astaire and Rogers Partners in Rhythm) "Featuring clips from all 10 films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made together ... this glorious salute captures the sweat, determination, inspiration, talent, and scintillating chemistry that made the team an icon of elegance in motion. Candid photos, behind-the-scene tidbits and sidelights about such famed Astaire-Rogers collaborators such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Hermes Pan, and George Stevens add to the fun ..." -excerpt from back cover. Most notable are interview snippets with Ginger from 1972 and 1987. Run Time 76:18

Bonus audio CD (Timeless Songs from the Original Soundtrack) As the title describes, tracks are taken directly from dance numbers in the movies.
1. Night and Day (from the Gay Divorcee) 4:29
2. The Continental (from the Gay Divorcee) 8:17
3. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (from Top Hat) 4:30
4. Cheek to Cheek (from Top Hat) 5:02
5. I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket (from Follow the Fleet) 5:17
6. Let's Face the Music and Dance (from Follow the Fleet) 4:35
7. Pick Yourself Up (from Swing Time) 4:44
8. The Way You Look Tonight (from Swing Time) 1:57
9. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (from Shall We Dance) 3:46
10. They Can't Take That Away from Me (from The Barkleys of Broadway) 4:33
Total Play Time 47:15

Collectible Behind-the-Scenes Photo Cards-You get ten 5"x7" B&W glossy photo cards. Captions, associated movie, and copyright information are on the back of each card. Most are behind-the-scene looks at F&G and the people they worked with, such as Irving Berlin, Hermes Pan, and George Gershwin.

The Campaign/Press Books have story line, newspaper clippings, artwork, photographs, and star biographies. Roberta is 28 pages saddle-stitched in B&W plus a throwaway. Shall We Dance has 21 sheets in B&W stapled across the top in two books plus a throwaway, a folder, and ideas for a dance remembrance contest.

The slip sheet on the outside of the box holds the proofs of purchase in the upper right corner. Do not discard. You'll need it for the mail-in offer for the four Astaire and Rogers movie posters.

The greatest dance team we've ever seen or are ever likely to see
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers comprised what is without compare the greatest dance team in the history of cinema. Even today the pair represents the height of romantic elegance, and their dancing together still generates an onscreen excitement that has been seen since. Tragically, the Astaire-Rogers films have not previously been available on DVD, but this first of two sets will make all of their films available to the public.

The success of Fred and Ginger was both unlikely and unanticipated. In the early 1930s, as advances in recording technology made the production of musicals more possible, studios that had not previously been in the business of producing musicals tried their hand at it. RKO was rather late in attempting to make musicals, and worked hard in 1932-1933 to acquire musical talent. Two of their first acquisitions were Astaire and Rogers. Fred Astaire was a famous stage performer, but unfortunately as the "straight" man of a brilliant comic dance team consisting of Adele and Fred Astaire. The center of the act was Adele, and many wonder how second fiddle Fred would fare following Adele's retirement to marry into British royalty. Happily, Fred found success on Broadway in the Cole Porter musical THE GAY DIVORCE (when it became a film the title was changed to THE GAY DIVORCEE when the Hays Office declared that divorcees could be gay, but divorces were always tragic), and it led to his signing by RKO (his famous screen test results--"Can't sing, can't act, balding, can dance a little"--are unfortunately mythical). RKO lent him out briefly to MGM for THE DANCING LADY (with a leaden footed Joan Crawford as his partner) while they were assembling the crew to make FLYING DOWN TO RIO, into which they threw him along with their other new musical talent. RKO was also lacking in women who could dance, so they bought the contract from Warner Brothers of a second lead actress with a background in the Charleston named Ginger Rogers. Though only 22, she had already appeared in some twenty-odd films, including several musicals. She had achieved some fame opening the hit film THE GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 singing its most famous song, "The Gold Diggers Song (We're in the Money)." Almost as an afterthought, Fred and Ginger were partnered in FLYING DOWN TO RIO as secondary leads after the stars of the film, Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond. Once the film came out, however, the leads were ignored, and the wise-cracking Fred and Ginger were the hits, especially their dance number "The Carioca." Although Fred was leery about teaming with a new partner after years of being identified with his sister, the greatest dance team in the movies was born.

FLYING DOWN TO RIO-- Today this film is remembered exclusively for its pairing of the two future legends. Although they weren't actually yet a team, every scene they have together show a natural chemistry. The airplane numbers at the end are unintentionally quite funny.

THE GAY DIVORCEE--Filming Fred's huge Broadway hit THE GAY DIVORCE was an obvious next step in RKO's attempt to produce its own string of musicals. Because of the success of their pairing in FLYING TO RIO, putting Ginger Rogers into the film was a no brainer. A new set of songs was produced, though the big hit from the stage play, "Night and Day," was kept. Otherwise the script followed the stage play almost entirely and one of the most popular actors from the play, Erik Rhodes, who was hysterical as paid correspondent Rodolfo Tonetti, reprised his role in the film. An absolutely perfect group of character actors was added to the mix. This film became the blueprint for all of the best Astaire-Rogers films. In a wonderful example of the weird logic of the censors, they were forced to change the title of the film. Divorces, they were moralistically told, could never be gay, though divorcees could be. Thus, THE GAY DIVORCE became THE GAY DIVORCEE.

The film is remarkable on a number of levels. No film previously made featured so much extraordinary dancing. Most film dancing had focused on spectacular, heavily choreographed spectaculars, such as the productions we associate with Busby Berkeley. But Astaire insisted that his numbers be filmed with the camera only slightly above the angle of his and/or his partner's body and that his feet be visible at all times. This gives his numbers an intimacy that had never previously been seen in the film musical. The film also features many interior design innovations that would become even more famous in TOP HAT (e.g., Venetian blinds are so called not because they have any connection with Venice, but because they were used in the clean, new, and white Venice of TOP HAT). The dance numbers are all great, but none more so than "Night and Day." I remember reading a number of years back a film critic who wrote that the entire prior history of film would have been justified by their performance of "Night and Day." I don't disagree.

ROBERTA--Many are perplexed that in the follow up to THE GAY DIVORCEE Fred and Ginger take second billing to Irene Dunne. Surely they proved in that film that they were the stars of any film that they appeared in. The mystery is resolved when one realizes that work on ROBERTA began before the release of THE GAY DIVORCEE. Unfortunately, Irene Dunne and Astaire-Rogers were not a great match. Dunne's singing style was quite mannered and didn't mesh with the remarkably natural style that both Fred and Ginger employed (it isn't often noted that they didn't sing at all like the vast majority of thirties vocalists--their singing voices were a complete extension of their talking voices, while most vocalists of the period had much more mannered styles). Still, it is a pretty good film with a lot of good moments. There is one great tragedy: Fred and Ginger do not dance to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," the best song in the film. They would later try to correct this in THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY, but by then the time had passed. This is far from one of my favorites of their films, but I do enjoy rewatching it from time to time.

TOP HAT was the fourth film that the two made together, and I will confess that it is probably my favorite movie. It was an enormous box office success in 1935, and was largely responsible for the two of them being the biggest box office stars for the year. It features a spectacular comic cast, with such stellar supporting characters as Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, and Helen Broderick. It also featured the Oklahoman Erik Rhodes in one of the two great roles he would play as an Italian Lothario, both in Astaire-Rogers's vehicles (the other one being THE GAY DIVORCEE). The plot was improbable, the sets gorgeous but surreal (with Venice looking more like a hospital ward than an ancient city), and the jokes numerous but extremely and delightfully corny. Most of all, it was riddled with great songs and superb dancing. The songs were also magnificently integrated with the plot. For instance, the first number is Fred's marvelous "No Strings (Fancy Free)," in which he declares that he is completely free of any romantic entanglements, ironically waking up in his enthusiastic dancing Ginger Rogers, with whom he would fall in love at first sight. Later, Fred gets a telegram asking him to come to Venice, and he carries it onto a theater stage, tapping it with his cane as he sings, "I just got an invitation in the mail." The musical highlight of the film, however, is the almost inconceivably gorgeous "Cheek to Cheek," with a beautiful song giving way to a dramatically romantic dance (the filming of which was made difficult by the propensity of Ginger's beautiful feathered-dress to shed).

FOLLOW THE FLEET (1936) was a tad of a comedown from TOP HAT. The plot is weaker, the supporting cast not as strong, and the Randolph Scott/Harriet Hilliard (later Harriet Nelson of OZZIE AND HARRIET) distracting. But the dance numbers are glorious, especially "Let's Face the Music and Dance," one of the greatest numbers Fred and Ginger ever did together. Ginger's beaded glass dress had a tendency to cut up Fred's ankles, so completely the number was a challenge.

SWING TIME, found them back in top form, with a great story, a fine supporting cast, and an extraordinary collection of songs. The score was primarily by Jerome Kerns and Dorothy Fields, and included such masterpieces as "The Way You Look Tonight," "Pick Yourself Up (Dust Yourself Off, and Start All Over Again)," and "A Fine Romance." Dance highlights also include Fred's blackface tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, "Bojangles of Harlem," and the spectacular "Never Gonna Dance." The latter involved Fred and Ginger dancing separately up facing staircases, arriving at the top at precisely the same moment. This proved difficult, and Ginger's shoes cut her feet badly as the takes were repeated. The results, however, are amazing.

SHALL WE DANCE? is a good, but not great film, not as good as what came before, but a shade better than what would come later. Sadly, we can tell in retrospect that the possibilities in the pairing were beginning to wan. Nonetheless, there are many very good things in this film, though for the first time the songs were better than the dances. The score includes two of the Gershwin's greatest songs: "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me," to which they tragically did not dance.

CAREFREE--This is not a great musical though it is a very good comedy. It is a commonplace that this is the film that Ginger completely stole from Fred. I think that is true. It also foreshadows her subsequent career, in which she would establish herself as a truly great comic actress. The musical numbers aren't up to the level of their other films, but the film is a complete delight simply because of Ginger's great comic performance.

THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE--It is pretty much a toss up between this film and THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY for the dubious distinction of being the weakest Astaire-Rogers film. Today it is fairly baffling why there would have been a demand for them to portray another dance team and largely just recreate their dances. Today the Castles are remembered almost exclusively for having been portrayed by Fred and Ginger. For a long while, it appeared that this was going to be Fred and Ginger's last film together and it was their last at RKO. But ten years later Judy Garland had to pull out of . . .

THE BARKLEY'S OF BROADWAY, and Ginger stepped in to take her place. Ironically, the film was to be a follow up to the unexpected success of Fred and Judy's EASTER PARADE, ironic because Fred was in that one only because Gene Kelly had injured himself before filming began, causing Fred to come out of a relatively brief retirement. While we ought to be grateful that they made one last film together, it failed to recapture the magic of their RKO films. I rarely watch it and only this with some sadness.

Heaven...
WB has done a great thing in releasing Volume Two of these sets with Volume One as an alternative for those who don't yet own the first. Hope it sets a trend so that they consider doing the same in future with sets like the Signature Collections that now have more than one volume eg. Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart etc. The films included in this set are:

FLYING DOWN TO RIO:
This is the first of the famous Astaire-Rogers musicals, about an American bandleader who romances a pretty South American socialite on two continents. The highlights are a production number on the wings of a moving airplane, and, of course, the overall chemistry between the two stars, which we were soon to see much, much more of.

THE GAY DIVORCEE:
A lively adaptation of the stage musical, which featured Astaire and his sister, Adele and the first film in which Astaire and Rogers actually received star billing. While vacationing at an English seaside resort, a soon-to-be-divorced woman mistakes a lovestruck song-and-dance man for her paid co-respondent. As usual, the plot's not important when you see these two and hear classics like Cole Porter's Night and Day. Academy Award Nominations: 5, including Best Picture.

ROBERTA:
This elegant adaptation of the Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach stage play stars Irene Dunne as an aristocratic Russian emigrée in Paris, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as Americans abroad. Huck Haines sails all the way to the City of Lights with his friend John, whose jazz band has a couple of gigs lined up at a local club.

TOP HAT:
This elegant adaptation of the Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach stage play stars Irene Dunne as an aristocratic Russian emigrée in Paris, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as Americans abroad. Huck Haines sails all the way to the City of Lights with his friend John, whose jazz band has a couple of gigs lined up at a local club.

FOLLOW THE FLEET:
When he is rejected by his lady love, a song-and-dance man enlists in the navy. The estranged couple later meet again and join forces to solve the romantic difficulties of another star-crossed pair. An Astaire-Rogers musical featuring some of Irving Berlin's best songs including: "Let's Face the Music and Dance," "Let Yourself Go," "We Saw the Sea." Typical but delightful.

SWING TIME:
The fifth sublime teaming of Astaire and Rogers, SWING TIME is regarded by many as their finest film. The tenuous plot, which mainly serves to connect the brilliant dance numbers, concerns John "Lucky" Garnett (Astaire), a gambler and professional dancer. When Garnett arrives late to his wedding, his prospective father-in-law implements a punishment, insisting that Garnett raise $25,000 before he can marry Margaret Watson (Betty Furness). Still in tails, he hops a freight for New York, where he gets involved in a scrape with dance instructor Penny Carrol (Rogers). After following her to the dance studio, Lucky poses as a neophyte in need of training. Penny's boss Gordon (Eric Blore), happens to witness Lucky's incompetence, in the "Pick Yourself Up" number and is about to fire the young woman for nonperformance when Lucky launches into a dazzling display of terpsichorean skill. Impressed, the studio owner offers to get them an audition at the famed Silver Sandal nightclub. Arguably the peak of the Astaire-Rogers partnership, the dancers' nearly perfect blending of song, dance, wit, and decor only improves with time. Especially memorable are the subtly erotic tempo shifts of "Never Gonna Dance" and the coruscating technical command of "Bojangles of Harlem," a tribute to the great African-American tap dancer.

SHALL WE DANCE:
The seventh feature starring the magical and incomparable dance team of Astaire and Rogers.
Famous ballet star Petroff -- otherwise known as Pete Peters from Philadelphia, PA -- would rather tapdance than do grands jetes. And he knows the partner he'd like, too: the lovely nightclub hoofer Linda Keene. But she dashes all hopes of a pas de deux by informing him that she's about to get married and retire from the stage.
Then, suddenly, rumors of a romance between the two get splashed on the cover of every newspaper tabloid... and everyone's plans are about to change.

CAREFREE:
The seventh feature starring Astaire and Rogers.
Famous ballet star Petroff -- otherwise known as Pete Peters from Philadelphia, PA -- would rather tapdance than do grands jetes. And he knows the partner he'd like, too: the lovely nightclub hoofer Linda Keene. But she dashes all hopes of a pas de deux by informing him that she's about to get married and retire from the stage.
Then, suddenly, rumors of a romance between the two get splashed on the cover of every newspaper tabloid... and everyone's plans are about to change.

THE STORY OF VERNON & IRENE CASTLE:
Fred and Ginger star in this musical tribute to a famous real life dance team. 20 years before Astaire and Rogers, there were the elegant Castles, so it was no surprise that the most famous dance pair of the silver screen ultimately played their illustrious predecessors. In the 1910s, Irene and Vernon Castle took the dances of the Americas, the tango of Argentina, the maxixe of Brazil, and the foxtrot of the United States to France and became the talk of Paris. With the Castles' success, the formal waltzes of the past gave way to the looser, ragtime-influenced choreography of the future. The plot follows the pair from their first audition as a team for a café in Paris through Vernon's enlistment as a flight instructor in the war. Director H. C. Potter stays true to the team, keeping all the song and the dance numbers typical of the early 20th Century. This is top-notch cinematic entertainment which includes over 40 pop songs from the past. Irene Castle herself diligently over saw the entire production.

THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY:
Astaire and Rogers come together one final time for this film. The magical pair play performers Josh and Dinah Barkley, whose act -- and marriage -- break up when Dinah decides to become a "serious actress". Among the unforgettable numbers are: "They Can't Take that Away from Me" (which Astaire and Rogers first performed in 1937's "Shall We Dance"), "Shoes With Wings On", "Swing Trot" and "You'd Be So Hard to Replace".

The price is no different to buying the two volumes separately, but the two-in-one format of this really appeals. Treat yourself!