Top Hat

1935 - Dir.: Mark Sandrich
Shown at The FeckenOdeon on December 27th, 2004

The story, as you'll discover, is incidental to the music and dance - not many films could survive on such a minuscule plot, but somehow "Top Hat" is one that excels because of it. No one really cares how and why Fred and Ginger get together, just that they do.
Practically the entire cast of the 1934 hit "The Gay Divorcee" reunites for this frothy confection, along with director Mark Sandrich, designer Van Nest Polglase, and choreographer Hermes Pan. Irving Berlin provides a tuneful score, including "Cheek to Cheek," which provides a classic duet for Astaire and Rogers, and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails," which remains one of Astaire's finest solo numbers. Polglase outdoes himself with sets both elegant and outrageous and Hermes Pan's choreography is as smooth as ever, but ultimately it's the grace and chemistry of the leads that makes "Top Hat" top entertainment.
It's worth remembering that the world was still in the grip of the Great Depression in 1935 - this kind of film was popular with the poorest audiences and allowed a temporary escape into into a world of luxury and excess. There's hardly a second of realism allowed to intrude - even the waters of the (studio) Venetian lagoon were dyed black to provide a greater contrast with the shimmering white buildings.... and swimming in the canals? Even today that'd be taking a risk!
Incidentally Eric Rhodes, who plays Bedinni and who specialised in funny Italians ("For zee woman, zee kiss; for zee man, zee sword!") was a native of Oklahoma - not many people know that.