I'm not a huge fan of Fred Astaire (I always found Gene Kelly more my style). But I can't deny he was an amazing dancer. Nowhere does that become even more apparent when he's paired with Ginger Rogers.
This was their fourth film together. The plot is almost standard romantic comedy, leaning towards farce (mistaken identity, slamming doors, jealous lovers, etc). And it's a rather slight story that is really just a vehicle for the amazing dance numbers between Astaire and Rogers as well as some stuff for just Astaire. The camera stays on the artists to keep every move in frame, something which becomes even more attractive when in the final large number (The Piccolino) the camera keeps cutting away from one Busby Berkeley style shot to dissolve into the next without any rhyme or reason or rhythm in the flow. But I guess that's okay as once Fred and Ginger join the dance, the shot stays the same to keep them in your view the whole time.
This is a fun, yet slight, film. As to why this was nominated over "Swing Time" (which entered NFR later) is anyone's guess. Perhaps it was the added plus of having a score by Irving Berlin...but it could have just been a flip of a coin as well.
Next week: "Dodsworth" from 1936.
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