Narratives centred around a persistent misunderstanding between characters have always been among my least favourite; the classic musical "Top Hat" is no exception - quite the contrary, in fact, as the precisely vague dialogue and exact plotting here, such that the miscommunication gradually exacerbates, is patently frustrating and tiring. The stars are not particularly charming (Alberto and Bates being the worst offenders), their interactions hardly witty - despite its screwball aesthetic, this scarcely produces a chuckle. (The film's sexual politics are too backwards for it to qualify as a screwball regardless, comparing to e.g. Hawks' "Bringing Up Baby" from three years later.) This is worsened by Fred Astaire's smug performance, his delivery seeming to suggest that every quip is a punchline. Ginger Rogers, on the other hand, is consistently splendid. Her scenes with Astaire are obviously the main draw, when the plot is sidelined, the camera stationary in an all-encompassing wide shot, and the viewer is treated to some song-and-dance. The co-stars display natural chemistry in the "caught in the rain" scene, incorporating their unfamiliarity with each other into the choreography. Astaire shines on the title track, performing a memorable tap-dance number where he mimics the sound of gunfire. "Cheek to Cheek" is possibly the highlight; even a philistine like myself can appreciate the elegant movements of the couple. Frankly, the songs themselves are not noteworthy, often resembling muzak (perhaps that is harsh). "The Piccolino" is especially mediocre as a finale, though once it moves to a larger ensemble this hardly matters, as the editing, cinematography and choreography are all pitch-perfect. These magical sequences just about make up for the lacklustre script, though taken as a whole the film fails to live up to its widespread acclaim.