← Back to Reviews
in
Did I mention that Venice set, wow! I read that it was 300 feet long and took up two entire sound stages. Nowadays with CG everywhere, it might be hard for those use to modern movies to be impressed by a set like that, and that's a shame as the craftsmanship and artistry that was put into movies like Top Hat was half of their charm. The rest of the charm came from the beauty and glamour of it all.
Top Hat (1935)
Director: Mark Sandrich
Writers: Dwight Taylor, Allan Scott
Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
...If you learn one thing about my movie taste it's that I love old musicals. I'm talking really old like 1930-1959, other years are good too, of course. But I love the really old musicals as they have a certain charm that went out of style after the 1950s.
There's nobody smoother on the dance floor than Fred Astaire. Astaire is the man! He's easy to relate to as he's not the tall, handsome leading man type. Let's face it he's a bit different looking. I mean Fred Astaire is no ladies man and yet he's perfect as he's likeable and we can relate to him, as he has to work at winning the girl.
Writers: Dwight Taylor, Allan Scott
Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
'An American dancer comes to Britain and falls for a model whom he initially annoyed, but she mistakes him for his goofy producer.'
...If you learn one thing about my movie taste it's that I love old musicals. I'm talking really old like 1930-1959, other years are good too, of course. But I love the really old musicals as they have a certain charm that went out of style after the 1950s.
There's nobody smoother on the dance floor than Fred Astaire. Astaire is the man! He's easy to relate to as he's not the tall, handsome leading man type. Let's face it he's a bit different looking. I mean Fred Astaire is no ladies man and yet he's perfect as he's likeable and we can relate to him, as he has to work at winning the girl.
And what a girl he wins! Ginger Rogers...goes with Fred Astaire like ice goes with cream. Sure Fred had different female dance partners over the years and some were better dancers than Ginger, but none of them had the down to earth charm that Ginger has. And yes she can dance up a storm too. Ginger and Fred are legendary.
I'd seen Top Hat before, but it had been over a decade...My favorite number was the second dance number No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) with Fred Astaire doing a noisy tap dance in the hotel room above a slumbering Ginger. Loved the choreography which was lose and light and so full of optimistic exuberance. The second part of that with the sand dance was clever too, loved the soft shoe, and the art deco hotel room set was a great place to dance in!
The next music number with Fred and Ginger taking cover from the rain in a band stand gazebo in Isn't This a Lovely Day (to be Caught in the Rain) was my other favorite. Lots of charm and innovation in this number. Actually all the music/dance numbers are beautifully staged and quite unique. A big shout out to the great Irving Berlin who wrote the music numbers (melody and lyrics).
I'd seen Top Hat before, but it had been over a decade...My favorite number was the second dance number No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) with Fred Astaire doing a noisy tap dance in the hotel room above a slumbering Ginger. Loved the choreography which was lose and light and so full of optimistic exuberance. The second part of that with the sand dance was clever too, loved the soft shoe, and the art deco hotel room set was a great place to dance in!
The next music number with Fred and Ginger taking cover from the rain in a band stand gazebo in Isn't This a Lovely Day (to be Caught in the Rain) was my other favorite. Lots of charm and innovation in this number. Actually all the music/dance numbers are beautifully staged and quite unique. A big shout out to the great Irving Berlin who wrote the music numbers (melody and lyrics).
Did I mention that Venice set, wow! I read that it was 300 feet long and took up two entire sound stages. Nowadays with CG everywhere, it might be hard for those use to modern movies to be impressed by a set like that, and that's a shame as the craftsmanship and artistry that was put into movies like Top Hat was half of their charm. The rest of the charm came from the beauty and glamour of it all.