Vernon and Irene Castle were genuine historical figures whose dancing, and whose other commercial enterprises, became a craze in 1911 and lasted for some years. Vernon's contribution ended with his death in a flying accident during World War I.
From what I can gather, this film sticks fairly closely to the facts, not only as regards their dance steps but other incidents in their lives, given the necessity for inventing some events and telescoping others. Irene Castle is credited as Technical Adviser and she evidently made something of a nuisance of herself on the set. She was displeased by Fred Astaire's idiosyncratic touches in the dances but reserved most of her criticism for Ginger Rogers. Rogers' gowns weren't exact enough replicas of her own. They were, said Irene Castle, "too plunketty," a reference to Walter Plunkett who designed them. Moreover, when Vernon and Irene meet in the film, Ginger Rogers dives awkwardly into the water, and Castle complained that she herself dived and swam much better than Rogers. How would you like to live with somebody like Irene Castle? However, all but one of the songs are from the period, and they are orchestrated accurately -- banjos instead of guitars, and no saxophones. And the dance steps were taken as often as practicable from Irene Vernon's own published book of instructions. In one of them -- "Too Much Mustard" -- the feminist plaint is fully justified. Ginger Rogers does everything Fred Astaire does, only she does it backwards and in high heels.
This was the last of seven or so movies that Fred and Ginger did together at RKO in the 1930s and they're both as charming and talented as ever. But the popularity of the Astaire/Rogers musicals had been waning and this example differs rather drastically from all the others.
It's not just that this is their only period movie, and not just that it's based more or less on fact. It lacks the silly grace of their earlier films. There are no mixed identities, no misunderstandings. Neither star is compelled to pursue the other. They pretty much are together right from the start.
And the film has a darker tone. When the couple are married and poor, they don't brush it off with a couple of wisecracks -- "Here are some peanuts. I only wish they were diamonds." Their jokes about poverty have a feel of desperation about them. And the couple -- Rogers in particular -- have some scenes of genuine drama. It's more of a Hollywood biography than a romantic comedy.
For my dough, there should have been more dances, and more romance in the dances we see. Dancing was a suspect activity in the pre-war period, viewed by bluenoses as couples snuggling together in a simulacrum of sexual activity. The Castles promoted dance as a non-sensual, even healthy way to stay fit. It deflected any tendency towards alcohol use, too. And that's what's missing from these numbers. Not the alcohol, but the sensuality. Give me "Let's Face the Music and Dance" any day. These dances look too much like part of the German water cure. As if to make up for it, Astaire gets to kiss Rogers for the first time on screen -- twice.
The duo went their separate ways after this effort. The decision was a joint one. Rogers had ambitions of becoming an actress and indeed won an Academy Award for her performance in "Kitty Foyle." She was a cute blue-eyed blond from the Midwest and a competent actress but not an outstanding one, and she was beginning a new career while approaching 30. Astaire was even older, 40, but stuck to dancing with other partners. He was as antic in "The Bandwagon" with Cyd Charisse, playing an aging hoofer, as he had been with Rogers fifteen years earlier. The team were reunited in 1949 at MGM for "The Barkleys of Broadway," but the story was weak and there was something sad about the whole thing.
Their RKO pictures had a throw-away charm and an enchantment that seems to endure though, and this was the final entry. Nice while it lasted.
From what I can gather, this film sticks fairly closely to the facts, not only as regards their dance steps but other incidents in their lives, given the necessity for inventing some events and telescoping others. Irene Castle is credited as Technical Adviser and she evidently made something of a nuisance of herself on the set. She was displeased by Fred Astaire's idiosyncratic touches in the dances but reserved most of her criticism for Ginger Rogers. Rogers' gowns weren't exact enough replicas of her own. They were, said Irene Castle, "too plunketty," a reference to Walter Plunkett who designed them. Moreover, when Vernon and Irene meet in the film, Ginger Rogers dives awkwardly into the water, and Castle complained that she herself dived and swam much better than Rogers. How would you like to live with somebody like Irene Castle? However, all but one of the songs are from the period, and they are orchestrated accurately -- banjos instead of guitars, and no saxophones. And the dance steps were taken as often as practicable from Irene Vernon's own published book of instructions. In one of them -- "Too Much Mustard" -- the feminist plaint is fully justified. Ginger Rogers does everything Fred Astaire does, only she does it backwards and in high heels.
This was the last of seven or so movies that Fred and Ginger did together at RKO in the 1930s and they're both as charming and talented as ever. But the popularity of the Astaire/Rogers musicals had been waning and this example differs rather drastically from all the others.
It's not just that this is their only period movie, and not just that it's based more or less on fact. It lacks the silly grace of their earlier films. There are no mixed identities, no misunderstandings. Neither star is compelled to pursue the other. They pretty much are together right from the start.
And the film has a darker tone. When the couple are married and poor, they don't brush it off with a couple of wisecracks -- "Here are some peanuts. I only wish they were diamonds." Their jokes about poverty have a feel of desperation about them. And the couple -- Rogers in particular -- have some scenes of genuine drama. It's more of a Hollywood biography than a romantic comedy.
For my dough, there should have been more dances, and more romance in the dances we see. Dancing was a suspect activity in the pre-war period, viewed by bluenoses as couples snuggling together in a simulacrum of sexual activity. The Castles promoted dance as a non-sensual, even healthy way to stay fit. It deflected any tendency towards alcohol use, too. And that's what's missing from these numbers. Not the alcohol, but the sensuality. Give me "Let's Face the Music and Dance" any day. These dances look too much like part of the German water cure. As if to make up for it, Astaire gets to kiss Rogers for the first time on screen -- twice.
The duo went their separate ways after this effort. The decision was a joint one. Rogers had ambitions of becoming an actress and indeed won an Academy Award for her performance in "Kitty Foyle." She was a cute blue-eyed blond from the Midwest and a competent actress but not an outstanding one, and she was beginning a new career while approaching 30. Astaire was even older, 40, but stuck to dancing with other partners. He was as antic in "The Bandwagon" with Cyd Charisse, playing an aging hoofer, as he had been with Rogers fifteen years earlier. The team were reunited in 1949 at MGM for "The Barkleys of Broadway," but the story was weak and there was something sad about the whole thing.
Their RKO pictures had a throw-away charm and an enchantment that seems to endure though, and this was the final entry. Nice while it lasted.