I see written everywhere (thus replicating the words of Leonard Maltin in his 'Movie and Video Guide') that Ginger Rogers declaiming 'La Marseillaise' at the end of 'The Barkleys of Broadway' is the LOW POINT of the movie. Let me say that, as a French viewer, I totally disagree. What Miss Rogers does here is remarkable on the contrary: she actually brilliantly mimics her model, drama diva Sarah Bernhardt whose style of acting was pompous and bombastic. Such a style sure looks very outdated today but was very much admired and in demand at the time. Now, just imagine Sarah had underplayed her scene the way Ginger does so well in other circumstances, she would never have been accepted by the stiff and starchy jury of the Comédie Française! Even more impressive is the American actress's accent: she indeed delivers her tirade in more than passable French. Well, Americans may think this sequence ridiculous, but not French people. In any case, gallically speaking, it by no means constitutes a LOW but a HIGH POINT of this altogether excellent musical comedy.
52 Reviews
Fred&Ginger, They're So Hard To Replace
bkoganbing29 December 2007
For their reunion and final screen pairing, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were teamed again by MGM in The Barkleys of Broadway. They play a pair of musical comedy performers who do have their occasional spats off the stage.
One thing Arthur Freed at MGM did for the pair was give them a better and more mature story to work with than they ever did at RKO back in the Thirties. That was part of the charm though, you didn't really care about the silliness of the plots with music written by folks like, Kern, Gershwin, Porter, and Berlin.
As in real life Fred was the creative one of the pair and he's criticizing Ginger a bit too much at times. So much so that she's very receptive to French director Jacques Francois's overtures to star in a straight dramatic play about young Sarah Bernhardt. This presents quite the dilemma for Fred in his professional and personal life.
Harry Warren and Ira Gershwin wrote the score for The Barkleys of Broadway. I like very much the song You'd Be Hard To Replace it so fits Fred and Ginger for singing and dancing.
Creative continuity was established with the RKO films as They Can't Take That Away From Me which was introduced in Shall We Dance and written by Ira and George Gershwin sung and danced elegantly here. It's one of my favorite ballads ever.
Oscar Levant is his usual laconic and witty self here who inflicts the Saber Dance on party guests and later does Tschaikovsky's Concerto in B Flat in the grand and classical style. Levant's reputation as a wit overshadows his very real skill as a pianist, but not in this film. Also his close association with the Gershwin brothers gives some more official continuity with this film.
I suppose Fred and Ginger could have done more films together, but I suppose that in The Barkleys of Broadway they left their fans on a high note. They'll never dancing partners like them ever again.
One thing Arthur Freed at MGM did for the pair was give them a better and more mature story to work with than they ever did at RKO back in the Thirties. That was part of the charm though, you didn't really care about the silliness of the plots with music written by folks like, Kern, Gershwin, Porter, and Berlin.
As in real life Fred was the creative one of the pair and he's criticizing Ginger a bit too much at times. So much so that she's very receptive to French director Jacques Francois's overtures to star in a straight dramatic play about young Sarah Bernhardt. This presents quite the dilemma for Fred in his professional and personal life.
Harry Warren and Ira Gershwin wrote the score for The Barkleys of Broadway. I like very much the song You'd Be Hard To Replace it so fits Fred and Ginger for singing and dancing.
Creative continuity was established with the RKO films as They Can't Take That Away From Me which was introduced in Shall We Dance and written by Ira and George Gershwin sung and danced elegantly here. It's one of my favorite ballads ever.
Oscar Levant is his usual laconic and witty self here who inflicts the Saber Dance on party guests and later does Tschaikovsky's Concerto in B Flat in the grand and classical style. Levant's reputation as a wit overshadows his very real skill as a pianist, but not in this film. Also his close association with the Gershwin brothers gives some more official continuity with this film.
I suppose Fred and Ginger could have done more films together, but I suppose that in The Barkleys of Broadway they left their fans on a high note. They'll never dancing partners like them ever again.
Fred and Ginger together one more time...
AlsExGal31 December 2017
Except this vehicle is nothing like their other films at RKO. This is a MGM musical in the big MGM tradition. The whole thing was an accident. Judy Garland was supposed to have Ginger Rogers' role, but her chronic illness made a replacement necessary. Rogers and Astaire have the same old chemistry even if it is a different studio. They play feuding song and dance team Josh and Dinah Barkeley who break up personally and professionally over Dinah's desire to do dramatic acting and Josh's jealousy over who the author of the play is - a flirty Frenchman, Jacques.
At first Josh says he wants Dinah to fall on her face. But when he sees her actually stumble in rehearsals when he sneaks in to catch a peek, he blames it all on Jacques, who he says does not know how to direct her. So Josh comes up with a ruse in which he calls Dinah after rehearsals and pretends to be Jacques, complete with fake French accent, giving her cues on how to improve her performance based on what he has seen. Unfortunately it works too well. Dinah thinks even more of Jacques since he is helping her out with great tips, and Jacques is bowled over by Dinah's inexplicable improvement. How will this work out? Watch and find out.
Of course MGM spared no expense in the late 40s with the Arthur Freed unit, which made this film. There is beautiful Technicolor, comedy and masterful piano work from Oscar Levant, a great piece of special effects work by MGM and dancing by Astaire in the number "Shoes with Wings On" in which Astaire seems to be dancing side by side with pairs of tap shoes, and a ballroom number in which Fred and Ginger dance to "They Can't Take That Away From Me". Fred sang it to Ginger but the two did not dance to it in 1937's "Shall We Dance". Finally, Ginger's recitation of "La Marseillaise" when she plays "Young Sarah Bernhardt" in Jacques' play is a (probably) unintentional camp classic. Fortunately the French are forgiving people.
It was an unexpected reunion, but for fans of the big MGM musicals of the period and of Fred and Ginger in particular, I would highly recommend it.
At first Josh says he wants Dinah to fall on her face. But when he sees her actually stumble in rehearsals when he sneaks in to catch a peek, he blames it all on Jacques, who he says does not know how to direct her. So Josh comes up with a ruse in which he calls Dinah after rehearsals and pretends to be Jacques, complete with fake French accent, giving her cues on how to improve her performance based on what he has seen. Unfortunately it works too well. Dinah thinks even more of Jacques since he is helping her out with great tips, and Jacques is bowled over by Dinah's inexplicable improvement. How will this work out? Watch and find out.
Of course MGM spared no expense in the late 40s with the Arthur Freed unit, which made this film. There is beautiful Technicolor, comedy and masterful piano work from Oscar Levant, a great piece of special effects work by MGM and dancing by Astaire in the number "Shoes with Wings On" in which Astaire seems to be dancing side by side with pairs of tap shoes, and a ballroom number in which Fred and Ginger dance to "They Can't Take That Away From Me". Fred sang it to Ginger but the two did not dance to it in 1937's "Shall We Dance". Finally, Ginger's recitation of "La Marseillaise" when she plays "Young Sarah Bernhardt" in Jacques' play is a (probably) unintentional camp classic. Fortunately the French are forgiving people.
It was an unexpected reunion, but for fans of the big MGM musicals of the period and of Fred and Ginger in particular, I would highly recommend it.
Ginger has lost none of her spice! Great reunion with Fred...
Doylenf10 May 2001
Nice to see that when Ginger Rogers put her dancing shoes on again for a reunion with Astaire, she was still a great trouper even though years had flown by in films without Fred. Lucky she was available! Seems that Judy Garland was unable to go on and had to be replaced by Ginger who was relaxing at her farm in Oregon. The script by Betty and Adolph Green had to be revamped to suit Fred and Ginger--and the result is pure gold! Rumors had it that Judy wasn't too happy about being replaced and gave Ginger a hard time by showing up on the set. None of the strain shows in Ginger's performance.
By no means is the storyline a new one--but the manner in which Fred, Ginger, Oscar Levant, Billie Burke and others play it is what makes the film so watchable. And the singing and dancing numbers can't be faulted. Fred has his solo routine with "Shoes With Wings On" (a number, by the way, which would have been impossible to perform on a real stage as he does here)-- but things like that never bothered filmgoers in the '40s. Ginger and Fred have a fine time with their 'My One and Only Highland Fling' routine (in kilts with brogues) and join forces for an elegant version of 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' in formal attire which -- for me at least -- was the highlight of their team effort. Acid-tongued Oscar Levant has plenty of chance to dazzle too with his nimble piano work on 'Sabre Dance' and even joins the two for "A Walk in the Country" which gets the story off to a jaunty start.
Though Judy's fans missed the opportunity to see her again with Astaire after "Easter Parade", nobody was disappointed with the results. For their fans, this was their only chance to see Fred and Ginger together in a Technicolor musical with no expense spared. The results were Grade A entertainment.
Ginger's Sarah Bernhardt recitation has become a camp classic--good for laughs! The less said about it, the better. Nevertheless, it's easy to see why Astaire welcomed her back with open arms.
By no means is the storyline a new one--but the manner in which Fred, Ginger, Oscar Levant, Billie Burke and others play it is what makes the film so watchable. And the singing and dancing numbers can't be faulted. Fred has his solo routine with "Shoes With Wings On" (a number, by the way, which would have been impossible to perform on a real stage as he does here)-- but things like that never bothered filmgoers in the '40s. Ginger and Fred have a fine time with their 'My One and Only Highland Fling' routine (in kilts with brogues) and join forces for an elegant version of 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' in formal attire which -- for me at least -- was the highlight of their team effort. Acid-tongued Oscar Levant has plenty of chance to dazzle too with his nimble piano work on 'Sabre Dance' and even joins the two for "A Walk in the Country" which gets the story off to a jaunty start.
Though Judy's fans missed the opportunity to see her again with Astaire after "Easter Parade", nobody was disappointed with the results. For their fans, this was their only chance to see Fred and Ginger together in a Technicolor musical with no expense spared. The results were Grade A entertainment.
Ginger's Sarah Bernhardt recitation has become a camp classic--good for laughs! The less said about it, the better. Nevertheless, it's easy to see why Astaire welcomed her back with open arms.
Fred and Ginger in Glorious MGM Technicolor
ijonesiii21 December 2005
THE BARKLEYS OF Broadway was originally written to reunite Fred Astaire and Judy Garland after their smash hit EASTER PARADE; however, Judy was having a lot of health problems at the time and was unable to do the film, which paved the way for Ginger Rogers to reunite with her former film partner for the first time in ten years and for the first time in color. Sadly, this would also be their last film together but it is quite the send off for these dancing legends. The film, written by Betty Comden and Aldoph Green (SINGIN IN THE RAIN)follows a Broadway song and dance team named Josh and Dinah Barkley, who are at the peak of their careers, but Dinah feels like she's suffocating from Josh's Svengali-like grip on her career and decides she wants to become a serious actress. Of course, this story does parallel what happened with Astaire and Rogers ten years earlier when Rogers yearned to become a dramatic actress and actually won an Oscar the following year for KITTY FOYLE. The road to their inevitable reunion is predictable (and as for Ginger's interpretation of some French play, the less said the better)but the team;s dancing is still spectacular even after ten years away from each other. Their comic duet in Scottish kilts "Me One and Only Highland Fling" is a delight and Fred's solo "Shoes with Wings On" is brilliant, even though realistically, this number would be physically impossible to do in a theater as it is presented here, but I digress. And their final dance to "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is one of the loveliest pas de deuxs ever filmed. Not up to par with SINGIN IN THE RAIN or THE BAND WAGON, but classy entertainment with that beloved MGM gloss.
Fred & Ginger in Color
claudio_carvalho12 November 2011
The couple Josh (Fred Astaire) and Dinah Barkley (Ginger Rogers) are successful musical comedy artists in Broadway and perfect on stage. However, they frequently argue with each other backstage and at home and the perfectionist Josh usually questions the performance of his wife. Their close friend and pianist Ezra Millar (Oscar Levant) usually calms them down.
When Dinah is introduced to the playwright and director Jacques Pierre Barredout (Jacques Francois), he believes that she is a great dramatic actress and offers a lead role in his play to her. After an argument with Josh, Dinah splits up with her husband and decides to pursue the career of actress. The stubborn Josh misses Dinah and secretly helps her in her new career but none of them seems to give in.
"The Barkleys of Broadway" is another musical comedy with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but in Technicolor. This time, in addition to the beautiful numbers of Fred and Ginger, Oscar Levant wonderfully plays Tchaikovsky. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Ciúme, Sinal de Amor" ("Jealousy, Sign of Love")
When Dinah is introduced to the playwright and director Jacques Pierre Barredout (Jacques Francois), he believes that she is a great dramatic actress and offers a lead role in his play to her. After an argument with Josh, Dinah splits up with her husband and decides to pursue the career of actress. The stubborn Josh misses Dinah and secretly helps her in her new career but none of them seems to give in.
"The Barkleys of Broadway" is another musical comedy with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but in Technicolor. This time, in addition to the beautiful numbers of Fred and Ginger, Oscar Levant wonderfully plays Tchaikovsky. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Ciúme, Sinal de Amor" ("Jealousy, Sign of Love")
I find that girl completely resistible.
hitchcockthelegend7 May 2015
The Barkleys of Broadway is directed by Charles Walters and written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant, Billie Burke, Gale Robbins and Jacques François. Music is by Lennie Hayton and cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr.
Fred and Ginger play the Barkleys, a successful husband and wife musical comedy team that seems to thrive on feuding. However, one day it goes too far and a break up appears certain when the wife entertains an offer from Jacques François to become a serious actress.
Firsts and lasts here as it was the first film Astaire and Rogers did for MGM, their first in colour, and their last they would make together after reconvening after 10 years - Rogers stepping in when Judy Garland fell to her troubled wayside. The screenplay is pretty thin, serving only as a thin piece of meat to the dance and musical numbers sandwich, but with stand-outs like the wonderful "Shoes with Wings On" and the joyous uplift of 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' to spend time with, it's a film to brighten the darkest of days. 7/10
Fred and Ginger play the Barkleys, a successful husband and wife musical comedy team that seems to thrive on feuding. However, one day it goes too far and a break up appears certain when the wife entertains an offer from Jacques François to become a serious actress.
Firsts and lasts here as it was the first film Astaire and Rogers did for MGM, their first in colour, and their last they would make together after reconvening after 10 years - Rogers stepping in when Judy Garland fell to her troubled wayside. The screenplay is pretty thin, serving only as a thin piece of meat to the dance and musical numbers sandwich, but with stand-outs like the wonderful "Shoes with Wings On" and the joyous uplift of 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' to spend time with, it's a film to brighten the darkest of days. 7/10
8 out of 10
vert00122 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
THE BARKLEYS OF Broadway has a script written by Comden and Green for Astaire and Judy Garland as a followup to EASTER PARADE. The script doesn't seem to have been much changed when Ginger Rogers came on board to replace Judy. Ginger, having signed a contract with a new studio (Enterprise Studios, which to the surprise of the industry wound up making very few movies before going bankrupt) hadn't done much of anything for about 2 years other than reading possible scripts, and was available. Most of the musical numbers would receive a radical makeover, though 'A Weekend in the Country' still seems very much like a stroll down the Yellow Brick Road.
At the ages of 38 and 50, Rogers and Astaire serve as the oldest couple that I know of to headline a musical comedy, and it was probably a good idea to make them an established married pair rather than to repeat the courting rituals of the usual (and the usual Astaire/Rogers) musical. Unfortunately, the musical numbers are not especially well-integrated into the plot. Oscar Levant's Tchaikovsky interlude, spectacular as the playing is in itself, does nothing but kill time as we wait for the emotional climax of 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'. Similarly, Astaire's solo with the dancing shoes is impressive, but it stops the plot cold immediately after a dramatic turning point, Dinah's walking out on Josh. These interludes, plus a generally pokey second half, stretch the proceedings out to an uncomfortable length. And there's no ultimate reward for it, as the great 'Let's Face The Music And Dance' had been for the overlong FOLLOW THE FLEET. And most of all, one must wonder at the idea of burying the first dance number beneath the opening credits! Decisions don't get any dumber than that.
Whatever the movie may have been like with Judy Garland, it is laden with the mystic chords of memory with Ginger Rogers as one of its stars. For some reason, somebody seems to have had ROBERTA on their minds. The best number in BARKLEYS, 'Bouncing the Blues', sees Fred and Ginger dressed in very similar costumes to those they wore in the great tap dance number 'Hard to Handle' from ROBERTA. Where the earlier number is graced by spontaneous ejaculations from Ginger and Fred, 'Bouncing the Blues' is burdened by forced (recorded) interjections from Fred, and it's no accident that such echoes are on the final sound track. Also, the romantic ballad 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes' dance ends with Fred taking Ginger's hand as they exit stage right to be met with her loving gaze as prelude to a comedic proposal and acceptance (she proposes, he accepts); in BARKLEYS, 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' ends exit stage left with Fred similarly taking Ginger's hand, but this time she turns her face down and away from him as prelude to rejecting his proposal to get back together. It's quite effective if you notice it, but I'm not sure that many will (John Mueller, author of ASTAIRE DANCING, thinks that the 'Highland Fling' number is a parody of the 'Night and Day' dance from THE GAY Divorcée. I've never been able to see that myself).
For good or ill, the movie centers around the character of Dinah Barkley. That's mostly good, though Ginger's turn as Sarah Bernhardt must be the low point of her entire career (especially odd for an actress who regularly underplayed her most emotional scenes). However, she received the best contemporary notices for the film, and would have been considered the most important actor in it by contemporary audiences. The script isn't especially sharp, and the musical score is the least of all the Astaire/Rogers films, though this says more about the extraordinary quality of the music from their RKO efforts than it does about THE BARKLEYS OF Broadway in particular (for example, the song 'You'd Be Hard To Replace' seems to me a lovely tune that is pretty much thrown away in the film). Still, it's always great to see the wondrous Astaire/Rogers pairing, and it's nice to have a chance to see them in color. It says everything about the quality of this series that I give BARKLEYS an 8 out of 10 rating though I consider it only the 8th best of the 10 films they made together. There's simply never been anything like them.
At the ages of 38 and 50, Rogers and Astaire serve as the oldest couple that I know of to headline a musical comedy, and it was probably a good idea to make them an established married pair rather than to repeat the courting rituals of the usual (and the usual Astaire/Rogers) musical. Unfortunately, the musical numbers are not especially well-integrated into the plot. Oscar Levant's Tchaikovsky interlude, spectacular as the playing is in itself, does nothing but kill time as we wait for the emotional climax of 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'. Similarly, Astaire's solo with the dancing shoes is impressive, but it stops the plot cold immediately after a dramatic turning point, Dinah's walking out on Josh. These interludes, plus a generally pokey second half, stretch the proceedings out to an uncomfortable length. And there's no ultimate reward for it, as the great 'Let's Face The Music And Dance' had been for the overlong FOLLOW THE FLEET. And most of all, one must wonder at the idea of burying the first dance number beneath the opening credits! Decisions don't get any dumber than that.
Whatever the movie may have been like with Judy Garland, it is laden with the mystic chords of memory with Ginger Rogers as one of its stars. For some reason, somebody seems to have had ROBERTA on their minds. The best number in BARKLEYS, 'Bouncing the Blues', sees Fred and Ginger dressed in very similar costumes to those they wore in the great tap dance number 'Hard to Handle' from ROBERTA. Where the earlier number is graced by spontaneous ejaculations from Ginger and Fred, 'Bouncing the Blues' is burdened by forced (recorded) interjections from Fred, and it's no accident that such echoes are on the final sound track. Also, the romantic ballad 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes' dance ends with Fred taking Ginger's hand as they exit stage right to be met with her loving gaze as prelude to a comedic proposal and acceptance (she proposes, he accepts); in BARKLEYS, 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' ends exit stage left with Fred similarly taking Ginger's hand, but this time she turns her face down and away from him as prelude to rejecting his proposal to get back together. It's quite effective if you notice it, but I'm not sure that many will (John Mueller, author of ASTAIRE DANCING, thinks that the 'Highland Fling' number is a parody of the 'Night and Day' dance from THE GAY Divorcée. I've never been able to see that myself).
For good or ill, the movie centers around the character of Dinah Barkley. That's mostly good, though Ginger's turn as Sarah Bernhardt must be the low point of her entire career (especially odd for an actress who regularly underplayed her most emotional scenes). However, she received the best contemporary notices for the film, and would have been considered the most important actor in it by contemporary audiences. The script isn't especially sharp, and the musical score is the least of all the Astaire/Rogers films, though this says more about the extraordinary quality of the music from their RKO efforts than it does about THE BARKLEYS OF Broadway in particular (for example, the song 'You'd Be Hard To Replace' seems to me a lovely tune that is pretty much thrown away in the film). Still, it's always great to see the wondrous Astaire/Rogers pairing, and it's nice to have a chance to see them in color. It says everything about the quality of this series that I give BARKLEYS an 8 out of 10 rating though I consider it only the 8th best of the 10 films they made together. There's simply never been anything like them.
Still a fun musical
harry-761 March 1999
"The Barkleys of Broadway" holds up well as a fun musical, especially significant as Fred and Ginger's final re-teaming effort. It's just downright good fun to see them together again, singing and dancing as only they can. What a delightful screen pair they are!
Delightful in every sense of the word.
crowdpopart7 May 2020
Well I personally prefer most of the musical offerings from the 1930's, The Barkleys of Broadway trumps them all. Ginger and Fred are delivered in full blown technicolor (for the first time!) and what a treat it is to see them move. Some films will never become dated despite centuries passing. This will be one of those movies. A true testament to how cinema used to deliver legitimate magic into small playhouses around the country. I can't think of a better movie to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I smile just thinking about it.
Under-appreciated
utgard1427 December 2013
Bickering husband and wife musical comedy team break up over her ambitions to become a dramatic actress. Final Fred & Ginger movie and their only film in color. Doesn't seem to get a lot of love but I enjoyed it. Fred and Ginger still play well off of each other, though admittedly the script doesn't have any of the sexual tension or playful banter of their more classic films. The bickering is nowhere near as bad as other reviewers have said, though. I felt the relationship between the two was very loving.
Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in Technicolor. I can't remember her ever looking so radiant. Her wardrobe was great, too. Speaking of beauties, I have to mention lovely Carol Brewster who had a small part but caught my eye. She looked quite fetching as well. Cutie Gale Robbins is fun as Ginger's understudy. Oscar Levant is great as their friend. He also has a couple of nice piano numbers.
The musical numbers are good. The Scottish number, Fred's solo number, and "They Can't Take That Away from Me" were all excellent. But whose brilliant idea was it to ruin the opening (and probably best) dance number by putting the opening credits over it? Regardless, it's a good movie with some solid musical numbers, luscious Technicolor, and the great Fred & Ginger in their last film.
Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in Technicolor. I can't remember her ever looking so radiant. Her wardrobe was great, too. Speaking of beauties, I have to mention lovely Carol Brewster who had a small part but caught my eye. She looked quite fetching as well. Cutie Gale Robbins is fun as Ginger's understudy. Oscar Levant is great as their friend. He also has a couple of nice piano numbers.
The musical numbers are good. The Scottish number, Fred's solo number, and "They Can't Take That Away from Me" were all excellent. But whose brilliant idea was it to ruin the opening (and probably best) dance number by putting the opening credits over it? Regardless, it's a good movie with some solid musical numbers, luscious Technicolor, and the great Fred & Ginger in their last film.
Together Again
lugonian13 September 2006
"The Barkleys of Broadway" (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949), directed by Charles Walters, goes down in history as one of Hollywood's biggest events, being the motion picture that reunited the ever popular song and dance team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, whose nine musicals for RKO Radio from 1933 to 1939, entertained as well as popularized the art of the dance on screen, and whose reputation continues to make this dynamic dual a legendary item.
Plot Summary: Josh (Fred Astaire) and Dinah Barkley (Ginger Rogers) are a sensational husband and wife dancing team on Broadway who appear to be the most perfect couple while performing on stage, but in reality, come to arguments after the curtain goes down. It is up to Ezra Millar (Oscar Levant), composer and close friend, to act as their referee. Dinah feels Josh takes her for granted while Josh finds Dinah neglectful towards him, with instances finding Josh literally left out in the cold on a patio during a social function given by Mrs. Livingston Belney (Billie Burke), and later at the golf course waiting for Dinah's arrival only to remain there until he gets himself drenched from a sudden rain storm, each due to Dinah's meetings with playwright (Jacques Francois) who insists she's wasting her time in musical comedy and should pursue a dramatic career and become another legend like Sarah Bernhardt. At first she turns down his offer to star in his latest play, but after Josh belittles her, she decides to take the challenge, splitting up the team and causing the Barkleys partnership to go their separate ways.
The Music and Lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Harry Warren: "The Swing Trot" (danced by Astaire and Rogers); "The Sabre Dance" (piano solo by Oscar Levant); "You'd Be Hard to Replace" (sung by Astaire); "Bouncin' the Blues" (instrumental); "My One and Only Highland Fling" (sung by Astaire and Rogers); "A Weekend in the Country" (sung by Astaire, Rogers and Levant); "Shoes With Wings On" (sung and performed by Astaire); "Concerto in "B" Flat Minor" (by Tchaikovsky/piano solo by Levant); "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (sung by Astaire/danced by Astaire and Rogers) by George & Ira Gershwin; "You'd Be Hard to Replace" (sung by Astaire from phonograph record) and "Manhattan Downbeat" (danced by Astaire and Rogers).
Supporting casts consists of Gale Robbins as Shirlene May, Dinah's understudy; Clinton Sundberg as Bert; and George Zucco appearing briefly as the judge in the play portion of the film.
For their tenth and final collaboration of Astaire and Rogers on screen, "The Barkleys of Broadway" could very well have been a sequel to any one of their earlier efforts, showing what's become of their characters after dancing to a happy conclusion. SHALL WE DANCE? (1937) comes to mind since it introduced one of their signature tunes, "They Can't Take That Away From Me," only this time having Fred and Ginger dancing to it, resulting as being one of the most moving and sentimental dance pieces ever recorded on film, illustrating the chemistry and magic they had over a decade ago is still quite evident in 1949. After many musicals, the genius of Astaire never ceases to amaze with his creativity, particularly the "Shoes With Wings On" number, one of the true classics in movie musical history. As for the dance numbers with Astaire and Rogers during the opening and closing segments, it a wonder why they're so brief.
While screen reunions usually fail to recapture the magic of the "good old days," "The Barkleys of Broadway" is no exception. The writers had wisely avoided reliving the past for them with the typical boy meets girl plot that had become standard with most Fred and Ginger musicals. However, the film offers supporting players in the likeness and manner of those who have enacted with the team in the past. Billie Burke and Jacques Francois could easily be true reminders of GAY Divorcée (1934) co-stars Alice Brady and Erik Rhodes, although Hans Conried, seen briefly as a waiter, comes close as the Rhodes prototype. Edward Everett Horton might have been most welcome in the Levant role, but as far as it goes, new and younger faces of MGM players assumed center stage instead.
Astaire's character comes as a little sarcastic at times, which he is supposed to be, thus offering him new direction from those easy going dancing guys he's portrayed so well and often. Rogers appears more youthful during the film's latter portion, and although a fine comedienne, her Sarah Bernhardt interpretation reading of "La Marseillaise" comes off as a bit forced. And then there's the droll and dry, yet sometimes amusing humor of Oscar Levant, whose piano solos slow down the pace, making one yearn for Chico Marx in piano playing to these classical compositions with his unique and lively style instead.
In spite of its pros and cons, this is a satisfactory conclusion for Astaire and Rogers partnership, offering viewers a chance in seeing them together again, dancing on stage one last time on screen as the Barkleys of Broadway.
Displayed on video cassette since the 1980s and later to DVD, "The Barkleys of Broadway" at 109 minutes, is one of the more revised classic films broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. (***1/2)
Plot Summary: Josh (Fred Astaire) and Dinah Barkley (Ginger Rogers) are a sensational husband and wife dancing team on Broadway who appear to be the most perfect couple while performing on stage, but in reality, come to arguments after the curtain goes down. It is up to Ezra Millar (Oscar Levant), composer and close friend, to act as their referee. Dinah feels Josh takes her for granted while Josh finds Dinah neglectful towards him, with instances finding Josh literally left out in the cold on a patio during a social function given by Mrs. Livingston Belney (Billie Burke), and later at the golf course waiting for Dinah's arrival only to remain there until he gets himself drenched from a sudden rain storm, each due to Dinah's meetings with playwright (Jacques Francois) who insists she's wasting her time in musical comedy and should pursue a dramatic career and become another legend like Sarah Bernhardt. At first she turns down his offer to star in his latest play, but after Josh belittles her, she decides to take the challenge, splitting up the team and causing the Barkleys partnership to go their separate ways.
The Music and Lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Harry Warren: "The Swing Trot" (danced by Astaire and Rogers); "The Sabre Dance" (piano solo by Oscar Levant); "You'd Be Hard to Replace" (sung by Astaire); "Bouncin' the Blues" (instrumental); "My One and Only Highland Fling" (sung by Astaire and Rogers); "A Weekend in the Country" (sung by Astaire, Rogers and Levant); "Shoes With Wings On" (sung and performed by Astaire); "Concerto in "B" Flat Minor" (by Tchaikovsky/piano solo by Levant); "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (sung by Astaire/danced by Astaire and Rogers) by George & Ira Gershwin; "You'd Be Hard to Replace" (sung by Astaire from phonograph record) and "Manhattan Downbeat" (danced by Astaire and Rogers).
Supporting casts consists of Gale Robbins as Shirlene May, Dinah's understudy; Clinton Sundberg as Bert; and George Zucco appearing briefly as the judge in the play portion of the film.
For their tenth and final collaboration of Astaire and Rogers on screen, "The Barkleys of Broadway" could very well have been a sequel to any one of their earlier efforts, showing what's become of their characters after dancing to a happy conclusion. SHALL WE DANCE? (1937) comes to mind since it introduced one of their signature tunes, "They Can't Take That Away From Me," only this time having Fred and Ginger dancing to it, resulting as being one of the most moving and sentimental dance pieces ever recorded on film, illustrating the chemistry and magic they had over a decade ago is still quite evident in 1949. After many musicals, the genius of Astaire never ceases to amaze with his creativity, particularly the "Shoes With Wings On" number, one of the true classics in movie musical history. As for the dance numbers with Astaire and Rogers during the opening and closing segments, it a wonder why they're so brief.
While screen reunions usually fail to recapture the magic of the "good old days," "The Barkleys of Broadway" is no exception. The writers had wisely avoided reliving the past for them with the typical boy meets girl plot that had become standard with most Fred and Ginger musicals. However, the film offers supporting players in the likeness and manner of those who have enacted with the team in the past. Billie Burke and Jacques Francois could easily be true reminders of GAY Divorcée (1934) co-stars Alice Brady and Erik Rhodes, although Hans Conried, seen briefly as a waiter, comes close as the Rhodes prototype. Edward Everett Horton might have been most welcome in the Levant role, but as far as it goes, new and younger faces of MGM players assumed center stage instead.
Astaire's character comes as a little sarcastic at times, which he is supposed to be, thus offering him new direction from those easy going dancing guys he's portrayed so well and often. Rogers appears more youthful during the film's latter portion, and although a fine comedienne, her Sarah Bernhardt interpretation reading of "La Marseillaise" comes off as a bit forced. And then there's the droll and dry, yet sometimes amusing humor of Oscar Levant, whose piano solos slow down the pace, making one yearn for Chico Marx in piano playing to these classical compositions with his unique and lively style instead.
In spite of its pros and cons, this is a satisfactory conclusion for Astaire and Rogers partnership, offering viewers a chance in seeing them together again, dancing on stage one last time on screen as the Barkleys of Broadway.
Displayed on video cassette since the 1980s and later to DVD, "The Barkleys of Broadway" at 109 minutes, is one of the more revised classic films broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. (***1/2)
Fred and Ginger's last film together may be their weakest, but is still very enjoyable
TheLittleSongbird11 August 2013
Even when such an iconic partnership like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are in a film that doesn't showcase their talents as well as their previous outings, you can still enjoy the film on its own. That is definitely the case with The Barkleys of Broadway, still a good enough film despite lacking compared to their previous films. The story may be far-fetched but considering that that component wasn't ever as strong as everything else in their films together that isn't as big an issue. More problematic is Ginger's La Marseillaise scene feeling forced, the Weekend in the Country number never shaking off the feeling that it would have been more suited to Judy Garland(the originally intended female lead, this song really doesn't play to Ginger's strengths) and some of Ginger's clothes- somewhat frumpy-looking here- not accommodating her lovely figure. The costumes, scenery and sets generally are sumptuous and the film is beautifully filmed. The score is lovely too with a sense of whimsy and wit, and while there have been more memorable songs in other Fred and Ginger outings the songs are still good. Shoes with Wings On is a charming and good-natured song that shows off Fred's skills as a dancer very well, Bouncin' the Blues is catchy and fun and anybody who want to see Fred and Ginger's dancing and chemistry will find pleasure in You'd Be Hard to Replace. The Highland Fling song is not particularly memorable but is fun to watch, the kilts are a nice touch. The dance duet of You Can't Take That Away from Me from Shall We Dance is musically and choreographically in a different league, nostalgic and moving it is very effective and doesn't feel out of place at all. The choreography is elegant and sparkling if not with new ideas(ie. dancing on roller-skates or girls on airplanes), and Fred and Ginger's dancing is as poised and athletic as it ever was. Their chemistry is very convincing too. The dialogue is smart and witty with a good amount of heart. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are great here, Ginger may have lost some of her freshness, not helped by some frumpy outfits, but she is still sassy and beautiful. Fred is wonderfully chirpy and debonair, that comes through loud and clear in Shoes With Wings on. The supporting cast give solid performances, Oscar Levant brings some amusing touches and a fresh personality while playing the piano brilliantly, especially when it's as demanding as Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no.1(though not so much as Rachmaninov 3rd or particularly Brahms 2nd). Billie Burke is charming in her role. All in all, very enjoyable though a little disappointing too. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Hits too close to home
HotToastyRag27 April 2023
The Barkleys of Broadway isn't exactly tough to watch, but it is a little sad. After ten years apart, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers reunited to play a married dancing duo who argue all the time. Why would audiences want to see them that way? Yes, in some of their movies they bickered, but it was the meet-cute type of bickering that led to a happily ever after. As an unhappily married couple who criticized each other's dancing, it's not ideal for their fans. We want to believe they got along well and admired each other's talent, instead of seeing them finish a performance only to pick it apart in their dressing room after taking bows. Adding insult to injury, Ginger's character is tired of living in Fred's shadow and decides to try her hand at serious dramatic acting. Do you really want to watch this?
If you do, you'll see your favorite team a little older but still extremely talented. After all, it's only 1949; they're not decrepit yet! Twenty years later, Fred was still cutting a rug in Finian's Rainbow! For the sentimental, there is a repeat performance of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" which is fairly sweet. But the majority of it hits a little too close to home.
If you do, you'll see your favorite team a little older but still extremely talented. After all, it's only 1949; they're not decrepit yet! Twenty years later, Fred was still cutting a rug in Finian's Rainbow! For the sentimental, there is a repeat performance of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" which is fairly sweet. But the majority of it hits a little too close to home.
Very watchable comedy
SoftKitten808 December 2004
This is my first Astaire Rogers film and it was better than I expected. They are both good at the fast dialgue. Although older looking in this one, Ginger is pretty to look at. She has an intelligent wisecracking way about her in this film. It is fast paced and never lags. It is highly entertaining, and if this is one of their least watchable, I can't wait to see the others. The dialogue is quite witty. The storyline may be a little far-fetched, not exactly realistic, but a good picture. I enjoyed it more than some of the better known stuff. I would for instance take them over Hepburn and Tracy. They look good together visually. Someone did a clever job with their dressing table decor and attire. It is fun to watch them as they primp in front of the mirror and carry on with each other.
Will dramatic ambitions deprive musical theater from one of its greatest stars?
mark.waltz20 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Tired of being part of their musical comedy song and dance team, Dinah Barkley (Ginger Rogers) decides to pursue a career as a dramatic actress, disappointing her hoofer husband Josh (Fred Astaire) which leads to their separation. But as much as he resents her for deserting him, he can't help but interfere in her career, calling her up with a disguised voice and pretending to be her director to offer her "acting advice". This turns her career as a dramatic actress around but leads to the possibility of romance between Dinah and Jacques, the director whom Fred had been pretending to be with a "Cyrano de Bergerac" facade. It's obvious that these two will get back together, but how the scam is exposed is all part of the fun.
In their first movie together in ten years, Fred and Ginger appear as if time had stood still. He's gone onto other partners, and she's mixed an infrequent musical with mostly comedy or dramatic parts. For what was supposed to be a follow-up for Fred and Judy Garland (after the smash success of "Easter Parade") came as the reunion that nobody thought would ever happen, and one of the most delightful re-teamings in film history. You can see the story being a continuation of "Easter Parade"; Josh Barkley tells his wife that he helped her learn everything she knows, which having seen "Easter Parade" just recently is a perfect way to continue the story. But without Fred and Judy, there's no need to continue that story, and even if Judy had been Dinah Barkley (not Hannah Brown), the connections would have been obvious.
Adding color to the Fred and Ginger pairing enhances their stardom, although I certainly wouldn't want to see their 1933-1939 pairings colorized. But you certainly need color for the "Manhattan Downbeat", "My One and Only Highland Fling" and "Shoes With Wings On", one of the most creative of all of Fred's masterpieces. Fred has a beautiful solo he sings to Ginger ("You'd Be Hard to Replace") and the reprisal of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is elegantly staged. Ginger's singing in "Highland Fling" is a bit off key, but she still dances beautifully.
Oscar Levant provides some acerbic dialog, but when he plays classics on the piano during a few concert performances, it is absolutely grand. His best line is a comment about Fred's replacement dance partner, Gale Robbins, and is one she totally deserves. Carol Brewster made my ears ring as Levant's dizzy date, but nothing put me in a bigger tizzy than poor Billie Burke's almost unnecessary contribution as a befuddled matron who may provide excellent parties but provided an annoyance even to her society friends who all seemed to run every time they heard her screeching out their names.
When Ginger recites the French National Anthem (very over dramatically), she sounds like she's imitating Blanche Yurka in "A Tale of Two Cities", appropriate for Madame La Farge, but certainly hammy for a rising Sarah Bernhardt to expect to get away with at the "La Comédie-Française". But that's the only embarrassing scene here, with her rehearsals for her straight play very much done like Hepburn's scenes in "Stage Door" where she must face her inadequacies as a dramatic actress until it hits her how she has to play each scene. It's a shame that with each of their careers still in full swing that this was their last movie together. They did present an Oscar together only a few years later, and at any event where they were together, it was like Elvis or the Beatles had taken the stage. More than 80 years after their first appearance together, Fred and Ginger strike magic more than pretty much any other couple. He may have given her class, and she may have given him sex appeal, but together, they sparkled like the stars in the sky and still make cloudy days a lot better.
In their first movie together in ten years, Fred and Ginger appear as if time had stood still. He's gone onto other partners, and she's mixed an infrequent musical with mostly comedy or dramatic parts. For what was supposed to be a follow-up for Fred and Judy Garland (after the smash success of "Easter Parade") came as the reunion that nobody thought would ever happen, and one of the most delightful re-teamings in film history. You can see the story being a continuation of "Easter Parade"; Josh Barkley tells his wife that he helped her learn everything she knows, which having seen "Easter Parade" just recently is a perfect way to continue the story. But without Fred and Judy, there's no need to continue that story, and even if Judy had been Dinah Barkley (not Hannah Brown), the connections would have been obvious.
Adding color to the Fred and Ginger pairing enhances their stardom, although I certainly wouldn't want to see their 1933-1939 pairings colorized. But you certainly need color for the "Manhattan Downbeat", "My One and Only Highland Fling" and "Shoes With Wings On", one of the most creative of all of Fred's masterpieces. Fred has a beautiful solo he sings to Ginger ("You'd Be Hard to Replace") and the reprisal of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is elegantly staged. Ginger's singing in "Highland Fling" is a bit off key, but she still dances beautifully.
Oscar Levant provides some acerbic dialog, but when he plays classics on the piano during a few concert performances, it is absolutely grand. His best line is a comment about Fred's replacement dance partner, Gale Robbins, and is one she totally deserves. Carol Brewster made my ears ring as Levant's dizzy date, but nothing put me in a bigger tizzy than poor Billie Burke's almost unnecessary contribution as a befuddled matron who may provide excellent parties but provided an annoyance even to her society friends who all seemed to run every time they heard her screeching out their names.
When Ginger recites the French National Anthem (very over dramatically), she sounds like she's imitating Blanche Yurka in "A Tale of Two Cities", appropriate for Madame La Farge, but certainly hammy for a rising Sarah Bernhardt to expect to get away with at the "La Comédie-Française". But that's the only embarrassing scene here, with her rehearsals for her straight play very much done like Hepburn's scenes in "Stage Door" where she must face her inadequacies as a dramatic actress until it hits her how she has to play each scene. It's a shame that with each of their careers still in full swing that this was their last movie together. They did present an Oscar together only a few years later, and at any event where they were together, it was like Elvis or the Beatles had taken the stage. More than 80 years after their first appearance together, Fred and Ginger strike magic more than pretty much any other couple. He may have given her class, and she may have given him sex appeal, but together, they sparkled like the stars in the sky and still make cloudy days a lot better.
A mesh of MGM and the old format of variety television.
movibuf196227 May 2005
It's weird the things that get stuck in your memory. I never thought of this as an inferior film just because the formula is MGM rather than RKO. It's also made in 1949, why not up the ante a little bit? Our favorite dancers perform in color and are established as a married couple for the first and only time (although they *eventually* get married in two of the RKO films). So what's the thought here: do the critics want Astaire and Rogers to be young forever? People grow up, even on screen. In fact, when I watch the dance of 'They Can't Take That Away from Me,' it feels like I'm watching an exhibition from live television rather than a movie musical (television was a new medium at the time, but curiously, a medium that Astaire and Rogers never performed in together). The dance is lovely, but almost- I don't know- cold. But maybe this is how a former screen team performs 10 years after the fact; they are 38 and 50 respectively, and harbor enough magic to saunter off stage (with Rogers' head tilted downward), and excite an audience into applause- as if they've been watching THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. It's extraordinary that ten years after Rogers remade herself doing straight award-winning drama and Astaire remade himself as a solo performer and a man who could dance with just about anyone, they could settle back into one more film and not have one strain of foot or hair out of place. MGM formula and Oscar Levant aside, it's a very nice way to end a professional marriage.
"You'd be hard to replace"
ackstasis25 July 2008
The on screen partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers was among the most celebrated of the 1930s, and the pair co-starred in a total of nine films between 1933 and 1939. Following 'The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939),' the duo parted ways, and rumours were abound that their working relationship had turned sour, though both firmly denied this. An MGM film entitled "You Made Me Love You" was originally intended to re-pair Astaire and Judy Garland, as a follow-up to 'Easter Parade (1948),' but the actress' drug problems became both physically and emotionally overwhelming, and so producer Arthur Freed asked Ginger Rogers to take the part, reuniting her with Astaire after a ten-year hiatus. 'The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)' isn't quite up to the 'Top Hat (1935)' standards, but, with vivid Technicolor photography and the undiminished comedic chemistry of its two leads, Charles Walters' musical is certainly worthwhile viewing. The story wisely takes into account the ten intervening years since we last saw the stars, and, notably, they open the film already married.
John and Dinah Barkley (Astaire and Rogers) are the toast of Broadway, the country's most beloved comedic musical performers. However, though their marriage seems watertight on the surface, the pair are prone to spiteful arguments over the most trivial of issues; Dinah, for one, feels as though she is taken for granted, and wants to prove that she can be a success even without her husband. When a suave French playwright, Jacques Pierre Barredout (Jacques François), offers Dinah the lead role in his "serious" play about great stage actress Sarah Bernhardt, she doesn't need much persuasion to jump ship, and John is left wondering if his wife still loves him. Oscar Levant provides much of the comic relief as Ezra Millar, a classical musician and mutual friend of both husband and wife, who, despite having a new woman by his side every night, is the epitome of a pessimist. Levant performs two classical pieces during the film, the most memorable being Aram Khachaturian's breathtaking "Sabre Dance."
Throughout the 1940s, Ginger Rogers had successfully advanced past her foundations in musical comedy, and had won a Best Actress Oscar for 'Kitty Foyle: The Natural History of a Woman (1940).' In a way, 'The Barkleys of Broadway' is about Rogers' own struggles to break free from her "cinematic marriage" with Fred Astaire, and her successful bid to gain respect as a dramatic actress. The film's most memorable musical number, tellingly, is a nostalgic retread of George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" {from 'Shall We Dance (1937)'}, though, without the context and atmosphere of the original film, the number is still a lot less emotional than its predecessor. "Shoes with Wings On," a fun, special effects-driven comedy number, in which Astaire is hassled by an army of feet-less shoes, is also very impressive. Though 'The Barkleys of Broadway' couldn't possible rival the great musical comedies of the pair's golden period, the film provides plenty of enjoyable and undemanding entertainment, and works nicely as a bittersweet swan song to Astaire and Rogers' partnership.
John and Dinah Barkley (Astaire and Rogers) are the toast of Broadway, the country's most beloved comedic musical performers. However, though their marriage seems watertight on the surface, the pair are prone to spiteful arguments over the most trivial of issues; Dinah, for one, feels as though she is taken for granted, and wants to prove that she can be a success even without her husband. When a suave French playwright, Jacques Pierre Barredout (Jacques François), offers Dinah the lead role in his "serious" play about great stage actress Sarah Bernhardt, she doesn't need much persuasion to jump ship, and John is left wondering if his wife still loves him. Oscar Levant provides much of the comic relief as Ezra Millar, a classical musician and mutual friend of both husband and wife, who, despite having a new woman by his side every night, is the epitome of a pessimist. Levant performs two classical pieces during the film, the most memorable being Aram Khachaturian's breathtaking "Sabre Dance."
Throughout the 1940s, Ginger Rogers had successfully advanced past her foundations in musical comedy, and had won a Best Actress Oscar for 'Kitty Foyle: The Natural History of a Woman (1940).' In a way, 'The Barkleys of Broadway' is about Rogers' own struggles to break free from her "cinematic marriage" with Fred Astaire, and her successful bid to gain respect as a dramatic actress. The film's most memorable musical number, tellingly, is a nostalgic retread of George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" {from 'Shall We Dance (1937)'}, though, without the context and atmosphere of the original film, the number is still a lot less emotional than its predecessor. "Shoes with Wings On," a fun, special effects-driven comedy number, in which Astaire is hassled by an army of feet-less shoes, is also very impressive. Though 'The Barkleys of Broadway' couldn't possible rival the great musical comedies of the pair's golden period, the film provides plenty of enjoyable and undemanding entertainment, and works nicely as a bittersweet swan song to Astaire and Rogers' partnership.
Just One More Time For Old Time Sake
joseph95200126 January 2006
O.K., so it's not up to par with other Fred and Ginger movies, but it IS entertaining and their song and dance numbers are great especially when Fred sings "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and the dance with the number that they perform is the best number they ever danced together, but the making of the film was not that easy.
Originally the film was written for Fred and Judy Garland, but not quite into rehearsals, as Fred put it in his autobiography, "Our Judy got sick and finally it was decided to recast Ginger in her role. There was a wise crack about Fred and Ginger together on the screen that Fred gave Ginger class and Ginger gave Fred sex, and, of course, this wise crack was taken the wrong way, but if you think about it, Fred was never a Cary Grant, so dancers like Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers did make Fred look sexy on the screen. In Fred Astairs autobiography he states that after Betty Comden and Adolph Green gave their interpretation of their material that they felt they would have a hard time passing them up 'cause they were known for giving these readings better that the actors and actresses who finally got the parts, but Judy Garland couldn't complete the film and Fred Astaire stated that they really wanted to do this together because of their success together in Easter Parade, so after deciding to pull in one of their old hits They Can't Take That Away From me for their reunion, they began to slightly revise the script for Ginger.
I remember as a teenager that the movie was given the big build up that this was the first reuniting of Fred and Ginger since their last movie, and the great thing was that it was in Technicolor. I remember seeing the big campaign for the movie in Life Magazine and since I was taking tap dancing lessons, Dad took us to the Palace Theatre in downtown Cincinnati to see it. I also remember during the World War II seeing Gene Autry on the stage at the Palace Theatre, here in Cincy, singing and promoting War Bonds. Yee Gads! Am I really that old today? Of course, during the filming, Judy Garland visited the set acting like a Virago and Ginger Rogers escaped Judy's madness and disappeared in to her dressing room until after they quite frankly had to force Judy Garland out of the sound stage where they were filming the movie, but then Judy Garland did the same thing to Betty Hutton on the set of Annie Get Your Gun, but I know this is going off on a tangent, thank God Judy Garland didn't play Annie in the movie version. She would have stunk up the joint! Betty Hutton was far better for the role, except for maybe Betty Grable who wanted to play Annie in the worse way, but 20th wouldn't loan her out.
Anyway, even though basically Barkleys is slow moving in some of the parts of the movie, altogether it is fine entertainment and it's just a shame that movies like this no longer play on the big movie theater screen, because that's how you would see some fine singing and dancing by Fred and Ginger in glorious Technicolor, but then, watching this proves that they were the finest dancing pair on the screen, and for that - no - They Can't Take That Away From Me!
Originally the film was written for Fred and Judy Garland, but not quite into rehearsals, as Fred put it in his autobiography, "Our Judy got sick and finally it was decided to recast Ginger in her role. There was a wise crack about Fred and Ginger together on the screen that Fred gave Ginger class and Ginger gave Fred sex, and, of course, this wise crack was taken the wrong way, but if you think about it, Fred was never a Cary Grant, so dancers like Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers did make Fred look sexy on the screen. In Fred Astairs autobiography he states that after Betty Comden and Adolph Green gave their interpretation of their material that they felt they would have a hard time passing them up 'cause they were known for giving these readings better that the actors and actresses who finally got the parts, but Judy Garland couldn't complete the film and Fred Astaire stated that they really wanted to do this together because of their success together in Easter Parade, so after deciding to pull in one of their old hits They Can't Take That Away From me for their reunion, they began to slightly revise the script for Ginger.
I remember as a teenager that the movie was given the big build up that this was the first reuniting of Fred and Ginger since their last movie, and the great thing was that it was in Technicolor. I remember seeing the big campaign for the movie in Life Magazine and since I was taking tap dancing lessons, Dad took us to the Palace Theatre in downtown Cincinnati to see it. I also remember during the World War II seeing Gene Autry on the stage at the Palace Theatre, here in Cincy, singing and promoting War Bonds. Yee Gads! Am I really that old today? Of course, during the filming, Judy Garland visited the set acting like a Virago and Ginger Rogers escaped Judy's madness and disappeared in to her dressing room until after they quite frankly had to force Judy Garland out of the sound stage where they were filming the movie, but then Judy Garland did the same thing to Betty Hutton on the set of Annie Get Your Gun, but I know this is going off on a tangent, thank God Judy Garland didn't play Annie in the movie version. She would have stunk up the joint! Betty Hutton was far better for the role, except for maybe Betty Grable who wanted to play Annie in the worse way, but 20th wouldn't loan her out.
Anyway, even though basically Barkleys is slow moving in some of the parts of the movie, altogether it is fine entertainment and it's just a shame that movies like this no longer play on the big movie theater screen, because that's how you would see some fine singing and dancing by Fred and Ginger in glorious Technicolor, but then, watching this proves that they were the finest dancing pair on the screen, and for that - no - They Can't Take That Away From Me!
The magic seems to have worn off
planktonrules26 December 2006
While I am a big fan of the earlier films teaming Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this one is a pretty big disappointment. Perhaps it was partly the result of a decade since their last film together, but it is really tough to place film in the same league as fine films such as TOP HAT and SHALL WE DANCE. It was like the original spark and fun was missing from this film. Probably the biggest problem was the script. In most of their more successful films, the plot involves single man Fred meeting and falling for single lady Ginger (or vice-versa). However, in this one they are already married and the bloom has worn off the marriage--realizing they really didn't love each other so much after all! Fans of the team would in many cases be naturally appalled as I was. A bickering and nasty Astaire and Rogers is NOT what we'd come to expect!
Apart from the plot, the film was a mixed bag. The songs, in general, were pretty poor and weren't especially memorable (though I did like a few numbers, such as the one with the shoes and the invisible dancers). For support, instead of a best friend for Fred and a best friend for Ginger (the old formula), there is one shared friend in the form of Oscar Levant--who was one of the brighter parts of the film. While I missed Edward Everett Horton or Eric Bloor from the earlier films, Levant was still excellent--with his funny and droll comments as well as his amazing talent at the piano (particularly "The Russian Sabre Dance"--wow).
So, overall, the film is pretty good--even slightly better than average, but definitely a step down for the team. Worth seeing, but not a film to rush to see and not at all indicative of the team's earlier work.
Apart from the plot, the film was a mixed bag. The songs, in general, were pretty poor and weren't especially memorable (though I did like a few numbers, such as the one with the shoes and the invisible dancers). For support, instead of a best friend for Fred and a best friend for Ginger (the old formula), there is one shared friend in the form of Oscar Levant--who was one of the brighter parts of the film. While I missed Edward Everett Horton or Eric Bloor from the earlier films, Levant was still excellent--with his funny and droll comments as well as his amazing talent at the piano (particularly "The Russian Sabre Dance"--wow).
So, overall, the film is pretty good--even slightly better than average, but definitely a step down for the team. Worth seeing, but not a film to rush to see and not at all indicative of the team's earlier work.
A Lesson in Sixteen Years' Worth of Chemistry
beautiful-blue-eyes6 September 2010
I love Fred and Ginger movies. Although the Hays Code made very sure to eradicate obscenity and sex from American movies, Fred and Ginger found other ways to express the crackling chemistry between them. I wonder that more people haven't noticed how overt the sexual attraction is between the two actors. For example, at the end of "Bouncin' the Blues,"(the big tap number where they're dressed like "Roberta's" Hard To Handle number) Fred takes a long leisurely look at Ginger from head to toe as she sashays towards him and says, "Oh, God, Ginger" as they move offstage. Since the music and taps are dubbed, you don't hear the real reactions of the actors as they're dancing (Ginger lets out a "pop!" as she hits a move), but I imagine Fred said it out loud, which accounts for the look Ginger gives him as they go offstage. On a side note, that "Hard to Handle" number from Roberta is all natural taps and music without overdubbing, so you can hear Ginger make a few suggestive noises and Fred laughs and hollers once or twice.
As a married couple, Fred and Ginger are extremely believable. They're so familiar to each other by this time, and they exude this quality of utter honesty with each other. The fighting is GREAT, and only two people who love each other can yell at each other like that. The kisses are still very chaste and though there are two separate beds for Fred and Ginger (they're pushed together), reflecting the times, Ginger nonchalantly sheds her bra right in front of Fred while changing into pajamas. It comes off as a very easy and natural relationship.
My favorite part of this movie is the fact that it's a chance for Fred and Ginger to give their own send-up of what people perceived their relationship to be. They're married, so their sexual involvement is implicit (people believed they either hated each other or had been sexually involved). They dance, just like Fred and Ginger. They're both extremely melodramatic, which lends a tongue-in-cheek atmosphere to their fights. Neither Fred nor Ginger were ever so over-dramatic in real life so the characters are, in a way, like fun-house versions of themselves.
The dancing is exactly what should be expected from Fred and Ginger sixteen years after their first film; she's 38 and he's 50, and they can both still swing it. It seems Fred worked with the small changes to Ginger's figure (what was everyone complaining about? She looks stunning the whole movie), and every film they did before was represented in the choreography somehow: the fall in "Highland Fling" is the same kind of stunt (albeit scaled down a bit) as the fall from "I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket," the ultra-slow walk from "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is seen at the end of "They Can't Take That Away from Me," as well as the dancing-while-nearly-kissing from "Change Partners." It's a nice blend and it shows off everything they can do.
Every scene is well-played, and Ginger proves she is every inch the Oscar winner opposite Fred, whose own acting skills are deliciously natural and filled with affection for his leading lady. They have no compunction about getting in each others' faces, nor are they shy about expressing their attraction to each other. At the resolution of an argument, Fred grabs Ginger and kisses her. She apologizes and he kisses her again (a much more natural peck this time that's just cute), and one can hear him let out a "Hm," that sounds like even that little peck knocked him for a loop. Owchamagowch.
Some people call Fred Ginger's Svengali. He wasn't, and it was nice to see "Ginger" asserting her independence from "Fred," which she had done so successfully in real life ten years before. They go through the breakup with real pain but it's evident they never stop loving each other. I love this movie and can watch it repeatedly. There are always new details to discover and it bears repeated viewings.
As a married couple, Fred and Ginger are extremely believable. They're so familiar to each other by this time, and they exude this quality of utter honesty with each other. The fighting is GREAT, and only two people who love each other can yell at each other like that. The kisses are still very chaste and though there are two separate beds for Fred and Ginger (they're pushed together), reflecting the times, Ginger nonchalantly sheds her bra right in front of Fred while changing into pajamas. It comes off as a very easy and natural relationship.
My favorite part of this movie is the fact that it's a chance for Fred and Ginger to give their own send-up of what people perceived their relationship to be. They're married, so their sexual involvement is implicit (people believed they either hated each other or had been sexually involved). They dance, just like Fred and Ginger. They're both extremely melodramatic, which lends a tongue-in-cheek atmosphere to their fights. Neither Fred nor Ginger were ever so over-dramatic in real life so the characters are, in a way, like fun-house versions of themselves.
The dancing is exactly what should be expected from Fred and Ginger sixteen years after their first film; she's 38 and he's 50, and they can both still swing it. It seems Fred worked with the small changes to Ginger's figure (what was everyone complaining about? She looks stunning the whole movie), and every film they did before was represented in the choreography somehow: the fall in "Highland Fling" is the same kind of stunt (albeit scaled down a bit) as the fall from "I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket," the ultra-slow walk from "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is seen at the end of "They Can't Take That Away from Me," as well as the dancing-while-nearly-kissing from "Change Partners." It's a nice blend and it shows off everything they can do.
Every scene is well-played, and Ginger proves she is every inch the Oscar winner opposite Fred, whose own acting skills are deliciously natural and filled with affection for his leading lady. They have no compunction about getting in each others' faces, nor are they shy about expressing their attraction to each other. At the resolution of an argument, Fred grabs Ginger and kisses her. She apologizes and he kisses her again (a much more natural peck this time that's just cute), and one can hear him let out a "Hm," that sounds like even that little peck knocked him for a loop. Owchamagowch.
Some people call Fred Ginger's Svengali. He wasn't, and it was nice to see "Ginger" asserting her independence from "Fred," which she had done so successfully in real life ten years before. They go through the breakup with real pain but it's evident they never stop loving each other. I love this movie and can watch it repeatedly. There are always new details to discover and it bears repeated viewings.
Astaire and Rogers - A Beautiful Gift from MGM Wrapped up in a Technicolor Bow
lonestar5316 August 2005
This movie was to have starred Fred and JUDY.....Garland, that is. About three weeks after starting the picture Judy was replaced with Ginger who at the time was up at her ranch in Oregon taking a break from Hollywood. Certainly not one of the best Fred and Ginger pictures but certainly watchable, made even more so by the talented Oscar Levant and the effervescent Billie Burke. The opening credits number can be seen SANS credits in "Thats Entertainment III.
It would have been interesting to see how this picture would have turned out with Judy Garland. It was written for them by Comden and Green as a follow-up to "Easter Parade." They may have de-emphasized the dancing and added a couple of solos for Garland. The scene in the movie with Rogers, Astaire, and Levant singing as they walk through the country on the way to Billie Burkes house is a number that screamed out for Judy - Its obvious that the beautiful Rogers was just out of her element in this particular number.
It would have been interesting to see how this picture would have turned out with Judy Garland. It was written for them by Comden and Green as a follow-up to "Easter Parade." They may have de-emphasized the dancing and added a couple of solos for Garland. The scene in the movie with Rogers, Astaire, and Levant singing as they walk through the country on the way to Billie Burkes house is a number that screamed out for Judy - Its obvious that the beautiful Rogers was just out of her element in this particular number.
Ginger and Fred in silly arguments about nothing in a nonsensical story saved by Oscar and dancing.
clanciai9 February 2018
There is nothing wrong with this film, and yet it doesn't really get going. The intrigue is too stupid (a couple quarrelling all the time without coming to a decision whether to split or not), the dialogue is insipid, the tempo is too slow, the film is too long about nothing, and you keep longing for the musical dancing scenes, which of course save the film, including Oscar Levant, who is the only one adding some ingenuity to this general awkwardness. Not until Fred and Ginger at last get going in proper classical style and elegance in "They Can't Take That Away From Me" you feel at home with their standard again. This is clearly not their best film, maybe the worst, but it's still worth watching for their and Oscar Levant's sake. Sorry, I can't give it more than 8.
One Last Outing
AAdaSC6 July 2013
Fred Astaire (Josh) and Ginger Rogers (Dinah) play a married showbiz couple. They perform musical acts written by Fred but Ginger wants to break free and be taken seriously as an actress. Enter respected director Jacques Francois (Barredout) who casts Ginger in the lead role in his play about the young Sarah Bernhardt. Meanwhile, Gale Robbins (Shirlene) is after a little more from Fred other than being Ginger's understudy. We all know how things will work out, especially after seeing Ginger Rogers recite "La Marseillaise"!
Contrary to popular belief, this is not the first time Fred and Ginger played a married couple. They were married to each other in their previous outing - "The Story Of Vernon and Irene Castle". In this offering, the film starts well with a couple of entertaining dances. Sadly, the film loses momentum and the songs and dances that follow aren't really up to standard. We watch because it is Fred and Ginger. In fact, it is Oscar Levant who comes away with the musical honours with his two piano performances. He also provides some of the better comedic moments with his 'can't be bothered' attitude and his popularity with the ladies. He's with a different woman in every scene - good on him!
The highlight from Fred and Ginger's set pieces comes at the beginning of the film as they rehearse a piece called "Bouncin' The Blues". It comes just after Gale Robbins has been introduced and at a point in the film where the humour is spot on as Ginger Rogers clearly doesn't take very kindly to her. It's a good beginning to the film, and I found myself surprised at how good this offering actually was. Downhill from there, I'm afraid. While there are still some occasional funny moments, we have to endure some crap - the Scottish number is embarrassing, there is a nonsense song about going away to the country which is so obviously ripped off from "The Wizard of Oz" and designed with Judy Garland in mind, Fred's solo in a shoe shop alongside sets of dancing shoes is different but uninspiring, and their dance to "They Can't Take That Away From Me" belonged to an earlier film and seemed pointless and geared towards soppy reminiscence.
Overall, the film had a typical family musical feel to it (as opposed to a Fred and Ginger style of film) and I half expected Dick Van Dyke to show up at any moment. If it wasn't for the fact that it is a Fred and Ginger film, I would have to consign it to the reject pile. They are a magical couple and their reputation is what just keeps this film above water. Thank goodness for "Bouncin' The Blues".
Contrary to popular belief, this is not the first time Fred and Ginger played a married couple. They were married to each other in their previous outing - "The Story Of Vernon and Irene Castle". In this offering, the film starts well with a couple of entertaining dances. Sadly, the film loses momentum and the songs and dances that follow aren't really up to standard. We watch because it is Fred and Ginger. In fact, it is Oscar Levant who comes away with the musical honours with his two piano performances. He also provides some of the better comedic moments with his 'can't be bothered' attitude and his popularity with the ladies. He's with a different woman in every scene - good on him!
The highlight from Fred and Ginger's set pieces comes at the beginning of the film as they rehearse a piece called "Bouncin' The Blues". It comes just after Gale Robbins has been introduced and at a point in the film where the humour is spot on as Ginger Rogers clearly doesn't take very kindly to her. It's a good beginning to the film, and I found myself surprised at how good this offering actually was. Downhill from there, I'm afraid. While there are still some occasional funny moments, we have to endure some crap - the Scottish number is embarrassing, there is a nonsense song about going away to the country which is so obviously ripped off from "The Wizard of Oz" and designed with Judy Garland in mind, Fred's solo in a shoe shop alongside sets of dancing shoes is different but uninspiring, and their dance to "They Can't Take That Away From Me" belonged to an earlier film and seemed pointless and geared towards soppy reminiscence.
Overall, the film had a typical family musical feel to it (as opposed to a Fred and Ginger style of film) and I half expected Dick Van Dyke to show up at any moment. If it wasn't for the fact that it is a Fred and Ginger film, I would have to consign it to the reject pile. They are a magical couple and their reputation is what just keeps this film above water. Thank goodness for "Bouncin' The Blues".
Mediocre!
hemisphere65-121 June 2021
Ginger Rogers was great, Fred Astaire is a poor actor and a great dancer, and Oscar Levant is not an actor at all and a great pianist.
It's amazing that Levant was ever on screen, but apparently I'm in the minority on that point.
Most of the songs are terrible, but a few of the dance numbers are good.
Only worth watching to see Fred and Ginger dancing in color!
It's amazing that Levant was ever on screen, but apparently I'm in the minority on that point.
Most of the songs are terrible, but a few of the dance numbers are good.
Only worth watching to see Fred and Ginger dancing in color!
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