Top Hat, although the most successful of all the Astaire/Rogers movies of the 1930's, is however the most hard to swallow.
The songs and dances are as wonderful as ever, especially when provided by the great Irving Berlin, and executed by such consummate performers as Fred and Ginger, but it's the storyline that lets this one down. In short, it's entertaining enough but it's just not believable enough.
Fred and Ginger are Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont who as ever, meet under acrimonious circumstances and as ever, put down their weapons, kiss and make up and fall in love. That's before a case of mistaken identity makes Dale believe Jerry is actually Horace Hardwick, erring husband of her very best friend Madge played as brilliantly as ever by Helen Broderick.
Here is the plot down point as I find it hard to accept that after falling in love after dancing together in a rain soaked bandstand to Irving Berlins 'Isn't it a Lovely Day' that they didn't deem it necessary to introduce each other. Apparently the unimportant matter of somebodies name means nothing when it comes to true love. They obviously believe their romance can survive with the occasional 'Hey you' or a far from personal grunt.
Jerry is determined to woo her and put right any wrongs, and in true stalker style follows her all the way the Venice resort to which the ever elusive Miss Tremont has escaped too.
Again despite the fact that Jerry, Dale and Madge all meet at a poolside café and have a rather long conversation, Madge under the impression that this is Jerry and Dales' first meeting also neglects the preliminary introductions, with Jerry instead fanning the flames of the fire by declaring his love and respect for Madge and the impact she has on his life, which the rest of the film goes on to show as none whatsoever.
In fact the only person who goes out of his way to ask who anybody is Alberto Beddini (Erik Rhodes) Dale Tremont's fashion designer and would-be boyfriend who unfortunately finds and threatens to kill the real and completely innocent Horace Hardwick played by the ever watchable Edward Everett Horton.
See what I mean, I practically pulled my hair out by the roots in pure desperation the first time I saw this movie, but as ever it is the dances that really make up the missing magic.
Fred delights us with two wonderful solo numbers, 'Fancy Free' an energetic tap number around a spacious London apartment and 'Top Hat' a song that has over the years become Fred's signature tune and a routine where he made the ensemble of top hat, white tie and tails his very own brand name of swelegance (although many have said in real life, he hated wearing the outfit)
With Ginger he performs the aforementioned 'Isn't it a Lovely Day' and the films finale the The Piccolino, which was again an attempt to recreate both The Carioca, and The Continental, a concept that was later dropped from future movies.
But without doubt the highlight of this musical is the Cheek to Cheek number in which Fred and Ginger perform one of their best routines around a deserted Italian veranda, falling in love all over again.
Although the scene and the dancing is faultless, it was the routine that caused most of the off screen problems between the two. It is the now notorious ostrich feathers incident. These feathers can be seen quite clearly floating from Ginger's self designed evening gown onto Fred's suit and no doubt up his nose. Despite the bad feeling it caused at the time, according to Ava Astaire it became a life-long joke that the two would laugh and reminisce about whenever they spoke.
Forget the story, just watch the dances, they are great.
The songs and dances are as wonderful as ever, especially when provided by the great Irving Berlin, and executed by such consummate performers as Fred and Ginger, but it's the storyline that lets this one down. In short, it's entertaining enough but it's just not believable enough.
Fred and Ginger are Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont who as ever, meet under acrimonious circumstances and as ever, put down their weapons, kiss and make up and fall in love. That's before a case of mistaken identity makes Dale believe Jerry is actually Horace Hardwick, erring husband of her very best friend Madge played as brilliantly as ever by Helen Broderick.
Here is the plot down point as I find it hard to accept that after falling in love after dancing together in a rain soaked bandstand to Irving Berlins 'Isn't it a Lovely Day' that they didn't deem it necessary to introduce each other. Apparently the unimportant matter of somebodies name means nothing when it comes to true love. They obviously believe their romance can survive with the occasional 'Hey you' or a far from personal grunt.
Jerry is determined to woo her and put right any wrongs, and in true stalker style follows her all the way the Venice resort to which the ever elusive Miss Tremont has escaped too.
Again despite the fact that Jerry, Dale and Madge all meet at a poolside café and have a rather long conversation, Madge under the impression that this is Jerry and Dales' first meeting also neglects the preliminary introductions, with Jerry instead fanning the flames of the fire by declaring his love and respect for Madge and the impact she has on his life, which the rest of the film goes on to show as none whatsoever.
In fact the only person who goes out of his way to ask who anybody is Alberto Beddini (Erik Rhodes) Dale Tremont's fashion designer and would-be boyfriend who unfortunately finds and threatens to kill the real and completely innocent Horace Hardwick played by the ever watchable Edward Everett Horton.
See what I mean, I practically pulled my hair out by the roots in pure desperation the first time I saw this movie, but as ever it is the dances that really make up the missing magic.
Fred delights us with two wonderful solo numbers, 'Fancy Free' an energetic tap number around a spacious London apartment and 'Top Hat' a song that has over the years become Fred's signature tune and a routine where he made the ensemble of top hat, white tie and tails his very own brand name of swelegance (although many have said in real life, he hated wearing the outfit)
With Ginger he performs the aforementioned 'Isn't it a Lovely Day' and the films finale the The Piccolino, which was again an attempt to recreate both The Carioca, and The Continental, a concept that was later dropped from future movies.
But without doubt the highlight of this musical is the Cheek to Cheek number in which Fred and Ginger perform one of their best routines around a deserted Italian veranda, falling in love all over again.
Although the scene and the dancing is faultless, it was the routine that caused most of the off screen problems between the two. It is the now notorious ostrich feathers incident. These feathers can be seen quite clearly floating from Ginger's self designed evening gown onto Fred's suit and no doubt up his nose. Despite the bad feeling it caused at the time, according to Ava Astaire it became a life-long joke that the two would laugh and reminisce about whenever they spoke.
Forget the story, just watch the dances, they are great.