Swing Time

Title: Swing Time (1936)
Director: George Stevens
Starring: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Rank: 90

There are a lot of old movies that I absolutely love, but Swing Time isn't one of them. The dancing and the singing are fantastic, and the story is easy to follow, but the plot is not very strong and the main character, Lucky (played by Astaire), is not the best of guys.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are a fantastic pair on screen, and it is amazing to watch their routine. The singing is beautiful, the dancing is astronomical, and the songs are catchy and fun. Because of their chemistry and fame as an on-screen pair, it is not surprising to see an Astaire and Rogers picture on AFI's list. Swing Time was one of ten films that the duo did together.

The character of John "Lucky" Garnett is a bit of a sleazy guy. He forgets his own wedding to Margaret due to a gambling problem, only to show up hours late when everyone has gone home. Then, he makes a deal with Margaret's father that he'll go to New York to earn $25,000 and come back and marry Margaret once he's proved himself worthy by earning the money. After being in New York for only a few minutes, Lucky meets Penny and becomes instantly smitten with her, following her around. He then proceeds to pursue a romance with Penny, all the while talking behind her back about returning to marry Margaret. He also lies to Penny and says that he is giving up his gambling, only to give in to temptation the first time it arises. At one point, Lucky mentions that he isn't sure if he would rather go back and marry Margaret or stay in New York and be with Penny. In the end, it is only by chance that Penny and Lucky end up together when Margaret confesses that she doesn't really love Lucky. If Margaret hadn't confessed that she didn't really love Lucky, it seems almost as though he would've went through with marrying her.

Even though the plot may be weak, I do have to appreciate the entertainment value of the film. Astaire and Rogers put all their effort into each film that they did, and Swing Time is no exception to that. For the "Never Gonna Dance" routine, everything kept going wrong and it took 47 takes to get it right, and Ginger Rogers' feet actually bled due to the repetition of the intense dancing. Not many people can honestly say they put that much effort into their job!

Movies to Go: 94