Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2 DVD Review

Few would argue against the fact that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are the most famous dancing couple to ever grace the silver screen. They made numerous films together and became icons of classic cinema that will remain as long as we study film history. Their names are synonymous with musicals, and even those opposed to the absurdness of this genre will find that they are mesmerized when Astaire begins incorporating props into his dance routine or woos Rogers on the dance floor. In The Green Mile when the gentle giant asks to watch a “flicka’” show before his execution, it is a sequence with these two stars dancing that is shown, and he compares them to angels. They may not be angels, but when they dance that is as good a description as I have ever heard.

Flying Down to Rio (1933) Certainly not the best film in the set, but a monumental one nonetheless. This is the first film to team up Astaire and Rogers, although they are only supporting players behind Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio. Even still, these supporting players are given some of the best musical numbers and it essentially launched them into stardom and many more films. Astaire Rogers and Raymond all belong to a band that is looking for a new gig, but they find themselves loosing jobs whenever their band leader (Raymond) woos another woman. His latest infatuation (Del Rio) happens to be going to Rio to meet a man she is to marry, but that all changes when the band flies down as well and puts on a spectacular show that even has showgirls dancing on the wings of planes. The DVD also contains a vintage comedy short, a classic cartoon and a theatrical trailer.

The Gay Divorcee (1934) As well as being one of the most tightly constructed Astaire/Rogers collaboration, with consistently good musical number, a great story, and plenty of laughs, The Gay Divorcee also has a timeless quality to it. The humor was right on the brink of causing a disturbance with the Hays office, and the title was even changed slightly to please the censors, but a remarkably large amount of the material was kept. This was their first starring role together and it is a fantastic film. It was nominated for five Academy Awards including best picture, and won for Cole Porter’s still amazing Night and Day. Featuring a 17-minute musical number during which there is even time for Astaire and Rogers to take a seat and watch other dancers have their turn. Astaire plays a famous dancer who falls for a woman who happens to be married, but unbeknownst to either of them they are connected through her lawyer, and she accidentally mistakes him for her correspondent in the divorce case. The DVD also has two musical shorts, a classic cartoon and a radio promo.

Roberta (1935) This may be one of the silliest plots that the team worked with, but it is hard not to enjoy because the musical numbers well make up for the overly confused story. The romantic plot is slightly obnoxious and doesn’t even include Astaire and Rogers, who are the backbone of the film as supporting cast again, but there are such extravagant numbers for them that it doesn’t really matter. At the time this was made it featured the largest camera crane in the world that was able to film the three-level salon. Other highlights include Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach’s Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, and Astaire showing off his singing ability as well as some dancing that is still awe-inspiring with his number I Won’t Dance. The DVD also includes a radio promo, theatrical trailer, musical short and a cartoon.

Carefree (1938) Screwball comedy mixed in with the classic musical makes for a fun and entertaining film with some great sequences. Although the Freudian obsessed plot may seem too silly for some, there are enough elements of charm to win over fans of the dancing team. Rogers play s radio singer who can’t make up her mind about marrying Ralph Bellamy, so he sends her to his friend and analyst, played by Astaire. They get along horribly, but when she induces a dream and it includes her analyst and a fantastic musical number, she realizes who she is truly in love with. There is hypnosis, a dance number on a golf course that took 600 golf balls to film, and Rogers has a great sequence when she is completely uninhibited and out on the streets. There is also a classic cartoon and another musical short included on the DVD.

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) There is a bit too much melodrama in the last film that Rogers and Astaire did for RKO, and there are stories of the real Irene Castle exasperating the crew as a consultant on the film, but regardless of these facts there are still some great dance moments for them. They play the real-life dancing couple who graced the stage during World War I, although the vehement disproval of Vernon’s career as a slapstick actor by Irene comes off as a bit condescending and cold in the script. Still, there is some of the wonderful dancing that is the key component to the film. The DVD also includes a musical short and cartoon as well.