Friday, December 12, 2014

Movie review - "Roberta" (1935) ***1/2

A silly story about a football player running a dress shop in Paris is given a lift by some incredible Astaire-Rogers dance numbers. Fred and Ginger don't actually drive most of the action in this one - that job is taken up by jock Randolph Scott, who inherits the dress shop, and Irene Dunne who runs it. Another big role is taken up by Claire Dodd, as Scott's snooty ex. Fred basically plays Scott's sidekick, with Ginger as his ex - neither actually necessary for the plot.

There's lots (and lots) of fashion on display, and Irene Dunne sings opera which may get on your nerves (or not - I'm not a fan of her singing), and plenty of talk about being a snob. Dunne and Randolph Scott aren't a great team. There's an unexpectedly moving moment when Helen Westley dies. (Watching this I got the feeling this heavily influenced Dad and Dave Come to Town - a hick inheriting a fashion store, a climax involving a beauty show).

But all is forgiven when Fred and Ginger dance - there's "sex dancing", with the dancing standing in for sex, both of them flirting around each other, getting into it and building to a climax. I laughed how little thought was put into their romance - they were once a couple and don't really have any obstacles to getting back together again - they don't even really do anything with the fact that Ginger is impersonating a Polish countess; far more time and complication is given to Scott-Dunne. (I'm assuming the reason Fred and Ginger play essentially support roles is that no one would believe Fred as a footballer).

Songs include "When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".

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