Fred Astaire courts noble Joan Fontaine in a typical Princess Theater plot.
I enjoy looking at this occasionally, but it was not a success for Astaire nor the studio, despite good supporting comedy by George Burns and Gracie Allen and songs by George & Ira Gershwin, including "Nice Work If You Can Get It". The reasons are obvious. The songs are poorly integrated into the plot, Miss Fontaine's performance is wan, and her one dance number with Astaire is shot so you see as little of her as possible, and it's obvious when you can: she can't dance.
Surprisingly, Burns & Allen can dance, and they get to show off in a couple of numbers with Astaire. Montagu Love offer some nice warmth as her father. Ray Noble is reasonably funny as Love's idiot nephew, and cinematographer Joseph August gets some lovely landscape photography in. Nonetheless, after a series of classic movies starring Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this was an inferior variation on the formula, and the box office was poor. While its reputation has risen over the decades, Astaire went back to Rogers, and stuck with partners who could dance for the rest of his career.
I enjoy looking at this occasionally, but it was not a success for Astaire nor the studio, despite good supporting comedy by George Burns and Gracie Allen and songs by George & Ira Gershwin, including "Nice Work If You Can Get It". The reasons are obvious. The songs are poorly integrated into the plot, Miss Fontaine's performance is wan, and her one dance number with Astaire is shot so you see as little of her as possible, and it's obvious when you can: she can't dance.
Surprisingly, Burns & Allen can dance, and they get to show off in a couple of numbers with Astaire. Montagu Love offer some nice warmth as her father. Ray Noble is reasonably funny as Love's idiot nephew, and cinematographer Joseph August gets some lovely landscape photography in. Nonetheless, after a series of classic movies starring Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this was an inferior variation on the formula, and the box office was poor. While its reputation has risen over the decades, Astaire went back to Rogers, and stuck with partners who could dance for the rest of his career.