Swing Time Movie Review

I don't think I ever smile more during movies than I do during Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals. There is something about them that radiates joy and warmth. Maybe it is the paper thin plots that really don't make any sense, yet don't have to. Maybe it's the elegance of Astaire who can make anything seem important just because he is in the room. Maybe it's the beauty of Rogers who, after almost seventy years still makes men take notice. But most likely it is the seemingly effortless dance sequences that transcend time and space.

It is well noted in film history how many hours these two rehearsed their numbers before putting them onscreen and the results are breathtaking. Take for example the first dance routine in this film. After randomly bumping into Rogers in the street, Astaire follows her into a dance academy (big surprise) and pretends he can't dance so that she would give him lessons. He falls repeatedly and accidentally gets her fired, but then comes to the rescue by showing the boss "how much she taught him" in just that short period of time. It is these absurd moments that would make any other film falter, but with these two giants of film, the movie shines.

Another staple of the Astaire/Rogers musicals is the comic relief, this time supplied by Victor Moore as Pop and Helen Broderick as Mable. Their timing is perfect together and they give ample support to the main story which revolves around Astaire earning $25,000 in order to marry his fiancé back home. He goes to New York and instantly falls for Rogers, so he avoids making the money and tries to stay in New York. Obviously all he has to do is tell the truth and never go back, but what fun would that be. The lies and secrets make these films fun. They don't try to pretend that this is the real world. Take for instance the musical number in the park where they drive up with a convertible, top-down during a snow storm. None of them appear to be cold and no one even mentions that they should probably put the top up.