While demonstrating his new dance sequences to producer Horace Hardwick, showman Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) severely annoys the resting Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers) in the room below. After Dale goes up to complain about the noise, both Dale and Jerry are very attracted to each other, but due to a case of mistaken identity the path of true love is far from being smooth.
Top Hat is the first film from acclaimed duo Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers that was specifically written for them. Working around the twin source material of The Gay Divorcée and The Girl Who Dared, the screenplay sparkles amidst the frothy nature of the plot. Standard (but lovely) fare here, the kind that would define all of the duo's films, silly plot, boy meets girl and it's not straight forward, and of course a simmering sexual undercurrent that comes with the chase between the sexes.
Songs come courtesy of the magnificent Irving Berlin (aided by Max Steiner), belting show stoppers like "Cheek to Cheek", "Isn't It A Lovely Day" and the sublime solo cane Astaire showcase that is "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails". Gorgeous sets enhance the piece, such as an art deco Venice arrangement, but ultimately it's the charm and artistry of the leading pair that shines the brightest. Coming as it did during the Depression era, Top Hat, and the even better Swing Time a year later, really were (and still are) tonics for the people, I find it almost impossible to not lose myself in these types of pictures, and the audiences of the 30s clearly felt the same as me. Mussolini and his Italian countrymen may have been offended by Erik Rhodes comedy portrayal of Alberto Beddini, and Ginger's self styled gorgeous Ostrich feathered dress may have briefly caused a ripple in Fred and Ginger's working relationship (the feathers caused Fred no end of problems during the magnificent "Cheek To Cheek" sequence), but it all came good in the end with Top Hat taking over $3 million in takings and becoming RKO's biggest earner of the decade.
Much like how the film can lift you, that is just as priceless. 8/10
Top Hat is the first film from acclaimed duo Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers that was specifically written for them. Working around the twin source material of The Gay Divorcée and The Girl Who Dared, the screenplay sparkles amidst the frothy nature of the plot. Standard (but lovely) fare here, the kind that would define all of the duo's films, silly plot, boy meets girl and it's not straight forward, and of course a simmering sexual undercurrent that comes with the chase between the sexes.
Songs come courtesy of the magnificent Irving Berlin (aided by Max Steiner), belting show stoppers like "Cheek to Cheek", "Isn't It A Lovely Day" and the sublime solo cane Astaire showcase that is "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails". Gorgeous sets enhance the piece, such as an art deco Venice arrangement, but ultimately it's the charm and artistry of the leading pair that shines the brightest. Coming as it did during the Depression era, Top Hat, and the even better Swing Time a year later, really were (and still are) tonics for the people, I find it almost impossible to not lose myself in these types of pictures, and the audiences of the 30s clearly felt the same as me. Mussolini and his Italian countrymen may have been offended by Erik Rhodes comedy portrayal of Alberto Beddini, and Ginger's self styled gorgeous Ostrich feathered dress may have briefly caused a ripple in Fred and Ginger's working relationship (the feathers caused Fred no end of problems during the magnificent "Cheek To Cheek" sequence), but it all came good in the end with Top Hat taking over $3 million in takings and becoming RKO's biggest earner of the decade.
Much like how the film can lift you, that is just as priceless. 8/10