Fred and Ginger’s Top Five Dances by Jill Blake
What better way to celebrate the launch of TCM Select on Filmstruck than with a marathon of musicals starring the legendary dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers? That’s right—FilmStruck currently has all ten Astaire/Rogers collaborations, from their very first on-screen appearance in 1933’s FLYING DOWN TO RIO to their final reunion 16 years later in THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY (’49). If you’re like me, the storylines of all of these films run together a bit, making it difficult to keep them all straight based on plot alone. But despite their similarities, each one features masterful choreography by the legendary Hermes Pan (yes, he choreographed every single Astaire/Rogers film), beautifully carried out by two of Hollywood’s greatest and most popular on-screen couples. Instead of breaking down what makes each of these films so great, I’ve decided to list five of my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dances. It was difficult for me to narrow down five from a body of work featuring some of the greatest dancing ever captured on film, but I think I’ve chosen ones that not only demonstrate Astaire and Rogers’s talents, but how their partnership evolved throughout their heyday in the 1930s, culminating in their on-screen farewell in 1949.
TOP HAT (‘35)— Fred and Ginger Dance “The Piccolino”
Directed by Mark Sandrich and featuring songs penned by Irving Berlin, TOP HAT, Astaire and Rogers’s fourth collaboration, is often regarded as their greatest film. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, TOP HAT features some of their greatest dances, including Astaire’s outstanding solo work on “No Strings (I’m Fancy Free)” and “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” (considered one of his best). The most famous dance number from this film is the beautifully choreographed “Cheek to Cheek,” featuring Rogers’s infamous “feathers” dress, which the actress designed herself. While I love this routine, my favorite from this film is Astaire and Rogers’s final dance to “The Piccolino.” Like most musical finales, “The Piccolino” is a long, sweeping number featuring a large ensemble of singers and dancers. For most of the number, Astaire and Rogers are not the focal point, but the audience is well-aware that the couple is ready to jump into the dance at any moment. This building of excitement and anticipation, along with the Busby Berkeley-style choreography, is what makes this dance a favorite for me. And when Fred and Ginger finally join in, our first glimpse is of their feet, elegantly tapping down the steps and across the polished floor. For roughly 15 seconds, we see only their feet, with the glittery hem of Ginger’s gown and Fred’s perfectly shined shoes. And as the camera slowly pans out, we see they have made it to the center of the dance floor. Their moves are light and graceful, making it all look effortless. This routine is the very definition of happiness, as Fred and Ginger look like they are having a blast.
SWING TIME (‘36) — Fred and Ginger Dance to “Never Gonna Dance”
In this film directed by George Stevens and featuring music by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, Astaire and Rogers’s dancing is somehow more sophisticated and mature. Throughout their films, each dance routine represents their characters’ courtship and romance, from casual flirting to estrangement to falling madly in love. This signature storytelling is perfectly executed in SWING TIME, possibly better than in any of their other films. While TOP HAT is quite possibly my favorite Astaire/Rogers film, SWING TIME features better musical numbers overall, including “Waltz in Swing Time,” “A Fine Romance,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and the innovative Fred Astaire solo routine, “Bojangles of Harlem,” which was a tribute (albeit a problematic and misguided one) to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. But for me, I can’t get enough of Fred and Ginger’s “Never Gonna Dance” routine. This number is at a crucial moment for their characters and the possible future they have together. We witness their deep, heart-aching love through this dance. Everything we need to know about their relationship is interpreted through their dance. It’s a stunning and deeply emotional number. I love everything about this dance, including the art deco set and Ginger’s stunning gown and hairstyle. This routine is simple and elegant and is a great number to introduce to someone unfamiliar with Astaire and Rogers.
SHALL WE DANCE (‘37) — Fred and Ginger Dance to “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
In this follow-up to SWING TIME, Fred and Ginger reunited with director Mark Sandrich and choreographer Hermes Pan for another fun musical. While an entertaining film, SHALL WE DANCE was not nearly successful as their previous musicals. With this film being Astaire and Rogers’s seventh collaboration in five years, it’s possible that audiences were suffering from a bit of musical fatigue. Astaire and Rogers were too, as Astaire was eager to explore new possibilities with different leading ladies, and Rogers desperately wanted to expand her range as a comedienne and dramatic actress in non-musical roles. While not as memorable as TOP HAT or SWING TIME, this film has its own charm and has the distinction of featuring music written specifically for the film by George and Ira Gershwin. My favorite dance sequence in this film features Fred and Ginger on roller skates dancing to “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” For starters, the song itself is delightful, and Fred and Ginger’s vocal interpretations are perfect. But what makes this number so special is that both of them are dancing on roller skates. It makes an otherwise basic dance number exceedingly complicated. And of course, Fred and Ginger make it look way too easy. Eighteen years later, Gene Kelly filmed one of his greatest tap routines on roller skates, in the MGM musical IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER, which was no doubt inspired by Fred and Ginger in SHALL WE DANCE.
CAREFREE (‘38) — Fred and Ginger Dance “The Yam”
In their fifth and final collaboration with director Mark Sandrich and featuring music by Irving Berlin, Fred and Ginger return in the underrated CAREFREE. Featuring fewer dance numbers than previous films, CAREFREE has two significant routines: the famous “Hypnotic Dance” during the “Change Partners number; and my personal favorite, “The Yam.” Now, the words to this song are pretty ridiculous and it’s far from a masterpiece. But the accompanying dance is so fun and Fred and Ginger’s enthusiasm and cheery attitude is contagious. A large portion of this number is Ginger on her own, singing to a small crowd. But when she grabs Fred from the audience and pulls him into her routine, it’s pure magic. Their syncopated movements and Ginger’s adorable head wobble as they dance their way around a party, is one of my favorite musical moments. Absolutely charming.
THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY (’48) — Fred and Ginger Dance to “They Can’t Take That Away from Me”
In 1948, two years after Fred Astaire had announced his retirement from Hollywood, he was lured back to star in MGM’s EASTER PARADE alongside Judy Garland, replacing his friend Gene Kelly who had suffered an injury to his foot. EASTER PARADE was a huge success, and MGM wanted a follow-up with the on-screen team of Astaire and Garland. Legendary screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green, along with Sidney Sheldon, wrote the screenplay for THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY, with Astaire and Garland in mind for the leading roles. But Garland was in poor health and struggling to meet the demands of the studio, so MGM decided to recast her role. MGM producer Arthur Freed approached Ginger with an offer to reunite with her old dance partner for the first time in nine years. The result was a magical return to form for the pair, providing a satisfying bookend to their on-screen partnership. My absolute favorite routine from this film is their dance to George and Ira Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Originally featured in SHALL WE DANCE, this rendition features Fred in his trademark tuxedo and Ginger in a glistening, flowy white gown similar to one she wore in SWING TIME. “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” was a personal favorite song of both Fred and Ginger, and is a beautifully sentimental and perfect way to bid farewell to their partnership.
Honorable Mention: Fred and Ginger Dance “The Carioca” in FLYING DOWN TO RIO (’33)
Fred and Ginger dance together for less than two minutes and they aren’t even the stars of the film. But their quick, fun dance to “The Carioca” is where it all began. Without that moment, there would be no Fred and Ginger as we know them today.
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