Jerome Kern provides his wonderful and inimitable music for the screen adaptation of his famous stage smash hit.
John Kent (Randolph Scott) an all American football player, is in Europe with his friend Huckleberry 'Hunk' Haines (Fred Astaire) a band leader who's band have been left stranded and jobless in Paris. Desperate for a job and a place to stay, John turns to his Aunt Minnie who is otherwise known to the world as the famous Roberta, chic fashion designer extraodinaire and owner of the most exclusive boutique in Paris.
Irene Dunne plays Stephanie, an exiled Russian Princess who has become a sort of adopted daughter to Roberta and is practically running the business in the ailing Roberta's stead.
When however Roberta suddenly passes away, she leaves the fashion business entirely to John who, knowing absolutely nothing about female evening attire goes into partnership with Stephanie, and the two slowly start to fall in love.
However, with fame comes the inevitable hangers on and John's ex girlfriend Sophie (Claire Dodd) turns up in Paris out of the blue to see if she can extract her own slice of John's new lucrative piece of pie.
What problems will Sophie cause to John's up and coming romance with Stephanie and in turn what effect will this have on the future of Roberta's?
Ginger Rogers brings her comic expertise to the forefront as she plays Parisean socialite Comtesse Scharwenka, who turns out to be nothing more than Lizzy Gatz, Huckleberry's long lost girlfriend all the way from Anytown U.S.A.
Fred and Ginger revert to third and fourth billing once more, therefore becoming nothing more than a novelty act in what is primarily a love story built around Dunne's and Scott's characters, but they are given the opportunity to perform some memorable dances, most notably 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes'
Jerome Kern's wonderful ballad has been cited by many of his contemporaries as the best and most perfectly constructed love song ever, and it is certainly showcased here, not only as one of Astaire and Rogers' slower tempo dance classics, but it is wonderfully sung by Irene Dunne, who's obvious appreciation for the lyrics stand out.
Look out also for 'I'm Too Hot to Handle' a delightful comic number sung brilliantly by Rogers which she then taps out delightfully with Astaire.
Not one of the best of the Astaire/Rogers series due to their position in billing and scenario, but still an entertaining and enjoyable film.
John Kent (Randolph Scott) an all American football player, is in Europe with his friend Huckleberry 'Hunk' Haines (Fred Astaire) a band leader who's band have been left stranded and jobless in Paris. Desperate for a job and a place to stay, John turns to his Aunt Minnie who is otherwise known to the world as the famous Roberta, chic fashion designer extraodinaire and owner of the most exclusive boutique in Paris.
Irene Dunne plays Stephanie, an exiled Russian Princess who has become a sort of adopted daughter to Roberta and is practically running the business in the ailing Roberta's stead.
When however Roberta suddenly passes away, she leaves the fashion business entirely to John who, knowing absolutely nothing about female evening attire goes into partnership with Stephanie, and the two slowly start to fall in love.
However, with fame comes the inevitable hangers on and John's ex girlfriend Sophie (Claire Dodd) turns up in Paris out of the blue to see if she can extract her own slice of John's new lucrative piece of pie.
What problems will Sophie cause to John's up and coming romance with Stephanie and in turn what effect will this have on the future of Roberta's?
Ginger Rogers brings her comic expertise to the forefront as she plays Parisean socialite Comtesse Scharwenka, who turns out to be nothing more than Lizzy Gatz, Huckleberry's long lost girlfriend all the way from Anytown U.S.A.
Fred and Ginger revert to third and fourth billing once more, therefore becoming nothing more than a novelty act in what is primarily a love story built around Dunne's and Scott's characters, but they are given the opportunity to perform some memorable dances, most notably 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes'
Jerome Kern's wonderful ballad has been cited by many of his contemporaries as the best and most perfectly constructed love song ever, and it is certainly showcased here, not only as one of Astaire and Rogers' slower tempo dance classics, but it is wonderfully sung by Irene Dunne, who's obvious appreciation for the lyrics stand out.
Look out also for 'I'm Too Hot to Handle' a delightful comic number sung brilliantly by Rogers which she then taps out delightfully with Astaire.
Not one of the best of the Astaire/Rogers series due to their position in billing and scenario, but still an entertaining and enjoyable film.