Swing Time
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Movie Reviews of Swing Time
Movie Review: Silly to Sublime -- Or Swinging-- in Seconds
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, let's make one thing clear: the ten movies Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made, for RKO Radio Pictures, as it was then called, all have silly plots, and "Swing Time" is no exception. But they are what they are, and all there is.
"Swing Time's" plot, if you can call it that, as cobbled together by Astaire's frequent writer/collaborators, Howard Lindsay and Allan Scott, revolves around cuffs on striped pants. But, as produced by Pandro S. Berman, who threw enough money at the screen for Astaire pictures -- the sets are lovely, cool, black and white, shadowed art nouveau creations; and as directed by Oscar-winning George Stevens, the plot keeps perking along for a swift 104 minutes. Music, by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, ranges from the happy "Pick Yourself Up," to the sublime, Oscar-winning "The Way You Look Tonight," and the moving "Never Gonna Dance." And then there's the dancing, never matched, never bettered.
Astaire and Rogers were still relatively new together at this point: Katherine Hepburn memorably quipped that he brought her class; she brought him sex appeal. But, having lost his first partner, his sister Adele, in a marriage to English nobility -- see "Royal Wedding," Astaire was reluctant to be assigned a steady partner again. The leads are backed by regulars from Astaire's Broadway, and vaudeville past. Victor Moore reprises his many comic roles, as do Eric Blore and Helen Broderick: and why was her character always called Madge or Mabel? A young Betty Furness makes one of her few big screen appearances, before getting chummy with Frigidaire. Georges Metaxa plays the usual Erik Rhodes part, as the swarthy suitor who loses Rogers to Astaire.
It's said that, great composer that he was, Kern didn't swing, and that's what Astaire always wanted from him. But Kern and Astaire surely swing in the great "Bojangles" number, with those dancing shadows on the curtains behind the hoofer. But beware, the politically correct: Astaire, not really that long out of vaudeville at this point, dons blackface for this.
Movie Review: Astaire and Rogers at their Best
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been watching the Astaire and Roger's movies since I was two and recently went ahead and purchased all ten, despite the corniness and less popular titles in the series, mainly because no matter how silly, each movie showcases a great pairing and fantastic dancing!
As A child it was Top Hat that had my top votes, however I have come to think that Swing Time is the best of everything that made Astaire and Rogers so great to watch! Their comic timing is on target, the script well written and well executed. The supporting cast, the commonly seen in Astaire/Rogers films, Eric Blore and Helen Broderick are dry and prefect. Swing Time also features some of the best songs: The Way You Look Tonight (singing to Rogers as she washes her hair), The heart-breaking, Never Gonna Dance, and the fantastic Bojangles of Harlem.
But of course the cherry on top is the dancing. Out of all ten films Astaire and Rogers did together, they have never appeared more in sync as they do in Swing Time, from they moment they clasp hands (after Astaire has fumbled their first meeting, naturally) at the Dance school where Rogers is working to the wide sweeping, SINGLE SHOT take of the Never Gonna Dance number (that supposedly left Rogers's feet bleeding). The duo never miss a step and are just fascinating to watch.
Throw in the usual, entertaining misunderstandings and fumbles amongst the two, accompanied by the catty remarks of Ms. Broderick, and wrap it up with a Happy Ever After, and you have a simply delightful, physically amazing movie to watch over and over and over.
Movie Review: Astaire/Rogers - maybe their best film and the best DVD package
Summary: 5 Stars
"Swing Time", the 6th of the Astaire/Rogers films, is often considered their best. In this one, the farce has been replaced with a straight musical romance and the film is accordingly richer. Here are some of the highlights:
- a much more 3 dimensional performance from Rogers whose makeup has been simplified and looks much better. She really benefits from the thoughtful direction of George Stevens, with whom she became romantically involved at the time.
- unusual and interesting orchestrations with a different sound to the previous films. Listen to the harpsichord like sound of "Bojangles".
- outstanding songs from Jerome Kern: the jolly "Pick yourself Up", the exhilarating "Waltz in Swing Time", the spectacular "Bojangles of Harlem" and the devastating "Never Gonna Dance" - every number a showstopper.
This superb film benefits from a good print and a great DVD package. In contrast to the dreadful commentary on "Top Hat", Astaire author John Mueller provided an outstanding perfectly paced commentary telling us interesting detail about all the performers, the construction of the dances, the music and the director - invaluable. There is also an excellent featurette about the film using contemporary interviews of historians, dancers etc, an amusing cartoon sending up Bing Crosby, the trailer of the film and a comprehensive musical short featuring swing and some well staged and surprising numbers.
This is the best DVD in the Astaire/Rogers sets not only because the film is so good but the extras are too.
Movie Review: I think this is the greatest musical of all time.
Summary: 5 Stars
The DVD transfer is good but not great. It is still very watchable.
While MGM was featuring Jeanette McDonald and Warner Bros. was turning out Busby Berkeley shows, RKO released a series of danced based musicals featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Not only did they out dance the other studios, they found greater chemistry too. I can't think of any musical number ever to top "Never Gonna Dance." Passion and love, great dance moves and a song that says it all, "Never gonna dance, only gonna love". "Swing Time" is every thing a musical should be and more. Every song is memorable and Ginger is perfect in her performance (Fred too!). "The Way you Look Tonight", a non-dance number, won the Oscar for best song and it's been a standard every since. Frank Sinatra recorded it many years later. I also really like "Pick Yourself Up". This is beautiully performed with pratfalls and sensational dual dancing roled into a fun and exciting number I never forget.
I often debated myself on the merits of "Swing Time" vs. "Top Hat" and it's close. But, I give the nod here for best musical of all time.
Recommended for: All movie fans and the whole family. This is genre topping jewel.
Movie Review: One of the Greatest Musicals of All Time
Summary: 5 Stars
This film, along with Singing in the Rain and Oliver!, is one of the greatest movie musicals I've ever seen. The film has the perfect blend of music, dancing and comedy I expect when watching a musical. In most musicals, there's usually one or two musical sequences that don't fit or don't match the rest of the material. Not in Swing Time. Altogether there are six musical sequences that are pure genius. The two finest of these are the final two: Bojangles of Harlem, which has Astaire dancing a musical tribute to one of the finest black entertainers of the all time, Bill Bojangles Robinson. This dance number goes right along side Gene Kelly's Singing in the Rain as the finest solo dance number in film history. Lastly, there's the final dance number between Astaire and Rogers, Never Gonna Dance. In my humble opinion, it's the best dancing they ever did together and an unusually touching moment in a film which is loaded with very good comedy. If you like music or dancing and you haven't seen this film, you need to place it as your top priority of films to see.
Also, it's a crime this movie isn't available yet on DVD. What are they waiting for?