Enjoyable and frothy story of Americans Astaire, Burns, and Allen in England. Astaire falls for Joan Fontaine at first sight and vice versa. There follows confusion regarding his identity and intentions, leading her to reject, accept, reject, and accept Astaire in that order. I know -- it sounds familiar.
The difference here is that Ginger Rogers is absent and there is no one to replace her. Joan Fontaine, at nineteen, had a pale, blond, virginal, winsome beauty that was dazzling, although make up overdid it and in some scenes, in close up, she looks a little debauched. She's a very appealing actress but not a dancer. She and Astaire have only one number together and her inadequacies are somewhat masked by foreground objects and camera placement. Her participation is mostly limited to hand-in-hand strolls and occasional spins.
In another number, Astaire dances with Burns and Allen, two seasoned troupers, and if they aren't dancers either they march around and skip and do their steps with confidence and aplomb. Burns joked that his right leg did all the tapping while his left leg wanted to go into some other business.
Astaire has two solos. One is a quick knockabout tap in the middle of a London street. The other, at the climax, sans the usual partner, is an exuberant tap-and-drum number to George and Ira Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It." It was George Gershwin's last score. He died of a brain tumor a few months before the film's release.
It's not a memorable musical but rather a blithe romantic comedy that has a certain amusement quotient. And the numbers are nice. They include "A Foggy Day in London Town," sung but not danced by Astaire, that has become a standard.
The plot probably has more substance than the Astaire/Rogers films but it's mainly a diverting and enjoyable trifle.
The difference here is that Ginger Rogers is absent and there is no one to replace her. Joan Fontaine, at nineteen, had a pale, blond, virginal, winsome beauty that was dazzling, although make up overdid it and in some scenes, in close up, she looks a little debauched. She's a very appealing actress but not a dancer. She and Astaire have only one number together and her inadequacies are somewhat masked by foreground objects and camera placement. Her participation is mostly limited to hand-in-hand strolls and occasional spins.
In another number, Astaire dances with Burns and Allen, two seasoned troupers, and if they aren't dancers either they march around and skip and do their steps with confidence and aplomb. Burns joked that his right leg did all the tapping while his left leg wanted to go into some other business.
Astaire has two solos. One is a quick knockabout tap in the middle of a London street. The other, at the climax, sans the usual partner, is an exuberant tap-and-drum number to George and Ira Gershwin's "Nice Work If You Can Get It." It was George Gershwin's last score. He died of a brain tumor a few months before the film's release.
It's not a memorable musical but rather a blithe romantic comedy that has a certain amusement quotient. And the numbers are nice. They include "A Foggy Day in London Town," sung but not danced by Astaire, that has become a standard.
The plot probably has more substance than the Astaire/Rogers films but it's mainly a diverting and enjoyable trifle.