Top Hat

RKO, 1935
Starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Helen Broderick, and Edward Everett Horton
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Our last musical before my vacation hiatus is a true classic, and probably the most famous of the ten movies Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made together. Will this feather-light confection keep us dancing cheek to cheek, or should it be slapped back into those Venetian waters? Let's find out...

The Story: American dancer Jerry Travers (Astaire) is in London to star in a new show produced by his friend Horace Hardwick (Horton). While rehearsing his new tap routine in his hotel room, he awakens fashion model Dale Tremont (Rogers). When she comes to his room to complain, he's smitten with her beauty and spunk. He softens the routine so she can sleep. The next day, he follows her around London, including in a rainstorm, trying to get her attention. It works too well. She thinks he's Hardwick, who happens to be the husband of her sarcastic best friend Madge (Broderick). He follows her to Venice, where she's modeling the gowns of fussy Italian fashion designer Alberto Beddini (Erik Rhodes). Jerry tries again, but his attempt at proposing doesn't go over well with Dale. It'll take intervention from Horace's sly manservant Bates (Eric Blore) to bring these two together and clear up the confusion.

The Song and Dance: This was the first movie written expressively as a vehicle for Astaire and Rogers, and RKO went all-out. The massive sets recreate a fantasy London and Venice, with Rogers and Broderick costumed in gorgeous gowns and every man in a tux. Both of the stars have some great moments; Astaire in particular makes Jerry's constant pursuit of Dale seem more romantic than creepy. Horton and Blore are hilarious together, especially in the second half in Venice when Blore disguises himself as a priest and a gondolier. I adore Helen Broderick, who steals every scenes she's in with her wisecracks about the opposite sex and how to deal with them.

Favorite Number: Irving Berlin wrote one of his best movie songs for this film. Fred and Ginger's big duet "Cheek to Cheek," with Ginger moving like a swan in her feather dress, is probably the most famous routine (check out Ginger's amazing back bend towards the end), but there's also the big ensemble number "The Piccolno" in the finale, Fred's tap dance with the chorus to the title song, and the less formal "Isn't It a Lovely Day?" as Fred flirts with Ginger in a gazebo in the rain.

Trivia: As nifty as Ginger's feathered dress looked in the "Cheek to Cheek" duet, it kept molting and getting in Fred's mouth. He nicknamed her "Feathers" after that.

Top Hat was the second-biggest hit of 1935. Only the massively popular Clark Gable-Charles Laughton version of Mutiny on the Bounty was bigger at the box office that year.

It's been made into a stage musical in England that played the West End (though it doesn't seem to have made it to the States yet). The stage version added songs from other Irving Berlin films and shows.

It was nominated for four Oscars, including Art Direction.

What I Don't Like: As with most musicals of the 1930's (and most of Fred and Ginger's vehicles), the plot is basically a light-as-air romantic comedy with musical interludes. This obviously isn't for people looking for something more dramatic or substantial. All the drama is in the duets.

The Big Finale: If you ever wanted to check out Fred and Ginger's starring vehicles, this is a good place to start. It has many of their most famous routines and a great cast bolstering a thin but fun plot.

Home Media: Doesn't look like it's on Blu-Ray at press time, but the DVD copy I have is still in print, and it's on Amazon Prime.
DVD
Amazon Prime