a couple of old pals

[bratfarrar]

This is from the movie Roberta, in which Fred & Ginger play the backup couple--no drama from them, just the slightly awkward and then very comfortable reunion of two old friends and dance partners. I love this routine because they're just so easy with each other, in a way that really sells the idea that they've been doing this together since they

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[violeteyedcat]

I have a fierce and fiery love for Fred Astaire, so I love when you pull out these clips and give me new movies to hunt down. I watched Carefree recently, one of the early screwball comedies that they did together, and while the dances aren't especially remarkable, there is quite a bit of physical comedy that he and Ginger pull off hilariously. Hypnotism and shotguns feature heavily. :P

[bratfarrar]

Yay! I've been having great fun trawling through YouTube for good routines to share.

I saw "Singing in the Rain" on the big screen last Saturday with some friends, and it was such a good time. That movie just solid all around. No wonder it's considered a classic by everyone! Not a Fred Astaire, I know, but seeing Gene Kelly's much more grounded and controlled style made me realize how almost light and airy Fred Astaire is in comparison--he looks like he could walk on water, sometimes, he's so weightless in his movements.

[violeteyedcat]

Yes, Astaire is very light and casual with his movements, even when they get very wild, compared to Kelly's ballet/jazz stylings which are much more weighty. I like Kelly, I just can't get over his obsession with adding 15 minute ballet or modern instrumental dance sequences into all his movies. Singing in the Rain mostly manages to escape that, and the addition of Donald O'Connor as the funny man is another key part of it's classic status - it moves it beyond standard romance numbers and let the songwriters and actors have more fun.

[bratfarrar]

Yeah, the friendship between Don & Cosmo is one of my favorite aspects of the movie.

I haven't seen enough of Gene Kelly's other movies to weigh in on the inclusion of ballet/modern dance sequences, but I did always think that the "Broadway melody" felt a little out of place with the rest of the movie. Have you seen the "Choreography" dance number from White Christmas? I wonder if that was a bit of a poke at Gene Kelly.

[violeteyedcat]

Oh it 100% is a poke at him :D

[bratfarrar]

Also! I have actually seen Carefree, but it was a while ago and I don't remember much in the way of plot, just that I had fun with it. My mom and I are slowly working our way through one of those "50 classic (fill in the blank) movies" cheapo collections--maybe it's in there somewhere....

[violeteyedcat]

Oh man it's worth a re-watch, I'm gonna make my mom and brother John watch it with me when we're all together for Thomas' wedding in late June. It's on HBO Max and probably rentable through Amazon Prime, but definitely check the collections, although it's from 1938 I think. Just avoid Damsel in Distress of you can - Astaire's weakest effort, where the screwball comedy just meanders aimlessly and doesn't have strong enough songs to hold it together.