Guest Review: Top Hat (1935)

by Kit

Every once in a while you need a movie that will make you smile. The Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers flick Top Hat is just such a movie. Widely considered their best, it is an escapist, non-cynical comedy that will put a big smile on your face.

The plot

The plot is rather simple: Fred Astaire is famous dancer Jerry Travers who has arrived in London for a show put on by his friend and producer Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton) and Horace’s royal we-using butler, Bates (Eric Blore). Ginger Rogers is Dale Tremont, a "designing woman" (fashion model), who is visiting London with her designer Alberto Beddini (scene-stealing Erik Rhodes) staying in the room below Horace and Jerry. Also, its subtly revealed that Horace’s wife, Madge, who knows both Fred’s and Ginger’s characters is scheming to get them together.

At the beginning of the movie Jerry wakes Dale up in the middle of the night with his dancing prompting her to complain to the front desk. Fred runs down to see who it is that called to complain and meets her in the hallway and is instantly smitten. Ginger? Not so much. But he decides to pursue her, much to her great annoyance. Eventually, though, he pursues her to a gazebo where its raining.

But soon a wrench is thrown into the works when, due to an unlucky set of circumstances, Dale believes Jerry is really the married Horace and Horace is Jerry. So she leaves for Venice and and Jerry and Horace follow. Dale meets up with Horace’s wife, Madge, (Helen Broderick) who she already knows. But, since there is a mix-up we get a rather funny scene where, after telling Madge what happened, Madge reveals, with shocking nonchalance, that Horace has a history of “flirting” with girls (adultery in a Code Era comedy?). Anyway, Horace and Jerry arrive in Venice with Dale and Madge. Hijinks ensue.

Why It Works

There are four reasons this film works: funny humor, great songs, dancing that is a joy to watch, and, most importantly, the phenomenal chemistry between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

The humor is delivered mainly through the dialogue with very little physical comedy. That is not to say there is no goofy comedy or goofy characters. The goofy comedy is mainly provided by the supporting characters of Horace, Beddini, Bates, and Madge with Fred and Ginger playing the straight men. Erik Rhodes as the over the top, effeminate, Italian fashion designer Alberto Beddini is incredible fun, stealing just about every scene he has. While Fred and Ginger’s chemistry is great (more on that later), most of the good humor come when Fred or Ginger or both are interacting with one of the said supporting characters with the funniest scenes occurring while they are in Venice.

The best example would be a scene where Madge, Fred, and Ginger are sitting at a table. Now, again Madge is trying to set Fred and Ginger up and Ginger thinks that Fred is Madge’s husband. So you have Fred wooing Ginger, Madge playing matchmaker with the two, and Ginger just sitting there stunned.

The songs, composed by Irving Berlin, are a lot of fun to hear. In my opinion the three highlights are “Isn’t it a Lovely Day (to be Caught in the Rain)”, “Cheek to Cheek” and “Piccolino”. The dance scenes for them are a lot of fun, especially the ones where Fred and Ginger dance, which is probably why you are watching the movie.

But, as I pointed out earlier, the main reason it works is because of the incredible chemistry between the two leads. The reason is a combination of two things: Fed Astaire’s magnetic charm and Ginger Rogers’ incredible but subtle acting skills.

Film historian John Mueller pointed out this about Ginger Rogers’ acting: "Rogers was outstanding among Astaire's partners, not because she was superior to others as a dancer, but, because, as a skilled, intuitive actress, she was cagey enough to realize that acting did not stop when dancing began ... the reason so many women have fantasized about dancing with Fred Astaire is that Ginger Rogers conveyed the impression that dancing with him is the most thrilling experience imaginable”. He’s right, she takes Fred Astaire’s natural charm and amplifies.

One scene that illustrates this are “Isn’t it a Lovely Day”. In “Isn’t it a Lovely Day” the only dialogue Ginger has in the scene is at the beginning of the scene when Fred enters the Gazebo. Fred does all of the singing, which means everything she is feeling must be conveyed by her body language and facial expressions. Ginger Rogers pulls it off magnificently, making the audience believe that a single dance could make a woman swoon for Fred Astaire.

Conclusion

This movie is a delight to watch and a must-see. It's not only Fred and Ginger at their best it is Classic Hollywood at their best.

I recommend purchasing the TCM Classics Film Collection Astaire & Rogers Volume 1; it comes with four movies: Top Hat, Gay Divorcée, Swing Time, and Shall We Dance. The Top Hat DVD has a great bonus feature about the making of the film with special attention paid to Rogers and Astaire’s chemistry that provided an important source on understanding their dynamic.

Trivia: A young Lucille Ball appears as the clerk at a flower shop.

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My Favorite Films: Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock is easily one of the greatest film directors of all time. His films are technically fantastic, clever, compelling and entertaining. His characters are deep and layered. Interestingly though, I find that my favorite films of his are not the ones that always get cited. Here are my favorites.

1. Rope (1948): This is by far the most clever, sickest film Hitchcock has done. The story of two men who kill another man and then invite his family to have a dinner party with the body hidden in the room, this thing is perhaps the best written film I’ve ever seen. This is also one of those rare times where you see the director’s choices actually controlling the story, and Hitchcock proves to be a master at manipulating your tensions.

2. The Trouble With Harry (1955): This is easily the nicest Hitchcock film. It’s essentially a soft, but dark comedy about a group of people who find a body and all think they may have killed him.

3. North by Northwest (1959): This film should be in the debate for greatest film of all time. The acting, the direction, and the twisting plot are iconic and nearly perfect. This film also has the sexiest scene ever shot as Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint flirt on the train.

4. Lifeboat (1944): Made during WWII, or else I suspect the ending would be different, this is a highly political film as it is awash in capitalists, communists, and Nazis, and it all takes place on board a single lifeboat. This is another one that needs incredibly strong characters and dialog to work, and it has them.

5. Dial M For Murder (1954): Ray Milland deserves consideration as one of the most vile villains of all time in this film. The way he lets his wife go down for murder is sickening and Hitchcock manages to convey a tremendous amount of raw emotion to his audience in a film that is so sedate on the surface that it could be about an afternoon tea.

6. Topaz (1969): This is a deeply flawed film and perhaps what draws me to it is the potential it never achieves. Actually, what draws me to this film is that it is the only real attempt at making a true (i.e. real life) spy story during the Cold War and everything about it overflows with interest. It’s just too bad that the film ultimately feels like it lacks a climax.

7. The Birds (1963): Tippi Hedron and Rod Taylor have amazing chemistry in this suspense/horror film. The effects are amazing too, given the total lack of CGI and other similar effects. And while the premise may not be that scary in real life, the story feels real and this is a character film more than anything.

8. Turn Curtain (1966): This is another defective film. This one is about Paul Newman as the defector whose girlfriend Julie Andrews follows him to East Germany against his desires. But is he really a defector? The plot to this one feels a little too restrained to call this a great film, but the story has tension and solid characters. I suspect that if Hitchcock had dropped Andrews from the story, he might have made an all time classic here. As it is, he made an enjoyable film with an interesting plot and characters you like a good deal.

9. Vertigo (1958): A tale of obsession, this is often listed by critics as Hitchcock’s greatest film. Others cite it as evidence of his own sick mental state. Personally, I see it as a beautifully shot, beautifully acted film that holds strong interest, but isn’t my favorite to watch.

10. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956): As with the others, this film has some flaws. Things happen too easily for the heroes. Some scenes are too drawn out. And Doris Day isn’t the greatest actress. That said, this one feels solid. The trip to Marrakesh is fascinating, even if it is all faked. Jimmy Stewart is compelling. And the way the mystery of the plot builds holds your interest.

11. Strangers On A Train (1951): This is a fascinating film. With homosexual undertones and an array of moral questions just beneath the surface, this one is about a man who stupidly agrees to exchange murders with another man he meets on a train.

12. Rear Window (1954): This is probably Hitchcock’s favorite film for the public and it is a very good film. It’s also one of Hitchcock’s most straight-forward “what you see is what you get” films.

Thoughts?

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My Favorite Films: Classics

Classics are well... classic. They are part of our film and cultural heritage and everyone should see them. Here is my list of my favorite classics, which I'm defining as pre-1961 because things kind of changed after that.

Note: This list won’t include any Hitchcock films, which need their own list.

1. Wizard of Oz (1939): Not only is this a great, great film, but it's the cultural granddaddy of them all - you almost can't watch a movie or television show today without seeing some reference to this film. This is a must see and I like to watch it at least once a year.

2. The Bogarts: I’m grouping these all at once so they don’t dominate the list. Here are my favorite Humphrey Bogart films in order:

The Maltese Falcon (1941): This film IS noir. Nothing else comes close. The story of a group of unsavory people who are seeking a fabled golden bird that has been stolen and re-stolen many times over the years and which just happens to fall into the lap of detective Sam Spade. With a great cast and all kinds of interesting undertones, this is a fantastic film.

The Big Sleep (1946): Another Bogart detective film, this one is much more complicated than anything else Bogart has done and it's full of great performances and tense moments... and a few errors.

The Have and Have Not (1944): This one is just fun as Boggie and a very young Bacall play a romantic cat and mouse in occupied Martinique.

The Caine Mutiny (1954): Probably Bogart's best performance as the tyrannical Commander Queeg who panics and must be replaced by his crew during a typhoon, only to have the court martial that follows not turn out the way the audience expected. This is an excellent, excellent film.

Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948): The only Western I've seen Bogart do, this one is truly memorable and has some amazing moments as the three friends search together for gold and then turn on each other once they strike it rich.

Key Largo (1948): Boggie a coward? It seems that way when he finds himself held prisoner in a hotel by Edward G. Robinson as a hurricane is about to strike, and Boggie won't stand up to defend the people he's trapped with.

Casablanca (1942): Often voted the best film ever, I truly enjoy this film, but honestly, it feels a little light compared to the other Bogart films.

2. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938): Starring Flynn as Robing Hood, Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marion, and some lesser-knowns like Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains and Alan Hale, this is THE Errol Flynn film. Both a rousing adventure, a romantic love story, and a showcase for Flynn's charm, this is another can't miss.

3. High Noon (1952): Gary Cooper plays Marshal Will Kane who has lost his nerve and learns that the people he's defended all these years are deeply ungrateful when it comes time to help him. This is a great character study and it's a powerful film when Cooper stands up in the end.

4. Forbidden Planet (1956): Leslie Nieslen in a serious role? Yep. This is probably the strongest science fiction entry in Hollywood's catalog until 2001, as Nielsen and crew find Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter alone on a planet that once belonged to the Krell, before they destroyed themselves somehow.

5. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): This is just an awesome movie all around. You have amazing cinematography from David Lean, a tremendous performance from Alex Guinness as the British commander who lets his pride overwhelm his judgement in a Japanese prison camp as the Japanese use the British prisoners to build a railroad, and strong supporting actors.

6. Gone With The Wind (1939): This film has proved so strong and so enduring that it's defined the antebellum American South for most people.

7. Spartacus (1960): Kirk Douglas stars as escaped slave-turned-general Spartacus as he battles Romans for the very survival of his army of slaves and romances Tony Curtis... uh, the girls. Anyway, this is one of Stanley Kubrick's best and you can't swing a crucified slave without hitting a famous actor. Highly recommend.

8. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946): Sappy, depressing and yet deeply heartwarming, this is one of Jimmy Stewart's best films as he contemplates what the world would be like without him around.

9. His Girl Friday (1940): Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in an unforgettable romantic comedy.

10. Ben-Hur (1959): Staring Charlton Heston, this is the story of Juda Ben-Hur, and it's truly epic. Pry my chariot from my cold dead hands.

And of course, don't forget things like the Marx Brothers or war films that may have already appeared on other lists like Sergent York or All Quiet On the Western Front.

Thoughts?

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