The Fred And Ginger Collection [1935]

Customer Reviews:

Let yourself go.......2007-04-08

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were a dream partnership and you will be throughly entertained by this collection. Ok so the plots are light farces that exist only as a pretext for the song and dance routines - but when it is George Gershwin and Irving Berlin writing the songs and Fred and Ginger dancing to Hermes Pan's choreography that is more than acceptable! With such standards as "Cheek to Cheek", "Top hat, white tie and tails", "Let Yourself go", "Isn't it a lovely day", "Let's call the whole thing off", "They can't take that away from me", and "Let's face the music and dance" to name but a few, you can be assured of the quality of what you are buying. They are also very funny - Edward Everett Norton and Eric Blore are hilarious in "Shall we dance". The Introductions by Ava Astaire, Fred's daughter, give some interesting background - not sure if I would have noticed Lucille Ball and Betty Grable in small debut roles in "Follow the Fleet" without her. All in all, after 70 years this collection proves that quality is forever whether it be in song or dance and that Astaire and Rogers will always be one of cinema's most lovable and talented partnerships.

sheer entertainment.......2005-10-27

as a newcomer to fred and ginger i decided to dive in and purchase this collection.i was absolutely enthralled firstly by the songs of irving berlin and george gershwin sung in freds wonderful warm style(you will be surprised by how well you know these classics which i believe mr.astaire got first crack at),secondly by the sharp witty dialogue and thirdly and most importantly by the truly outstanding dancing on show.its hard to believe that these films are seventy years old or thereabouts such is their freshness.highlights are many-fred dancing on sand to lull ginger asleep downstairs,fred and ginger on rollerskates,the duo getting caught in the rain and countless more. this is a totally enchanting collection that any lover of classic music and dance will be totally captivated by.truly wonderful

Charm and Elegance.......2005-09-07

It was the touch of finger tips, a hand on the waist, a longing look and a smile, and a graceful spin; it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, making love while they danced into our hearts and stayed there. It was elegance and charm, a romantic screen teaming like no other. Fred and Ginger gave the country a boost and a bit of hope in dire times, and made a collection of funny and romantically elegant dance musicals that have never been surpassed as film entertainment. There was magic when they danced, and charm when the talked to each other.

Here, in this wonderful boxed set, are some of their finest films. It is a bit of heaven you can slide into your vcr any time you need a lift, and never be let down. Even the wonderful "Carefree" is included, a film less like the others in that the emphasis was on the screwball humor rather than the routines, which were less in abundance but still as enchanting.

What I believe is the best of the three films they were in together, before they were "promoted" to starring roles, "Follow the Fleet," is included in this set. It is an early glimpse of their magic, and while the film itself is not on a par with the others, its inclusion here is nice.

Here is an overview of this lovely collection of fun and romantic films we all took to our hearts long ago------

TOP HAT

"Isn't It a Lovely Day to Get Caught In the Rain?"

A merry Dwight Taylor story, this time adapted as a screenplay by Taylor himself and Allan Scott, gave Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire another chance to shine in this elegantly crafted Pandro S. Berman production, directed by Mark Sandrich. Lyrics and music by Irving Berlin and some truly lovely gowns created for Ginger by Bernard Newman, make this Fred and Ginger outing as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the ears. Their's was a style and grace that passed only once this way, and we shall never see anything like it again as long as our planet keeps spinning.

The three wonderful character actors from "The Gay Divorcee," Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, and Erik Rhodes, are joined this time around by Helen Broderick, giving a deft touch to this fun and zany story which was as good an excuse as any for Fred and Ginger to sing and dance the Irving Berlin tunes. It is Eric Blore this time who steals every scene he's in as Horton's quite odd little manservant, Bates. Just as in Deanna Durbin's "Lady on a Train," Edward Everett Horton will somehow manage to get a black eye!

Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) is meeting Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton) at the stuffy Thackery Club to talk about starring in his new show. Horace's wife, Madge (Helen Broderick), has plans to set up the single Jerry with her girlfriend Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers). The meeting will be in Italy, but by chance, his dancing wakes up the prety girl below Hardwick's suite, who just happens to be Dale. From the moment she comes to complain about his dance affliction, Jerry is smitten, pouring sand on the floor to dance her lightly to sleep.

Jerry pursues her, not knowing at first who she is. His posing as a horsedrawn cab driver with an accent is one of the amusing scenes in his pursuit of his dream girl. Both he and Dale get caught in a storm and find shelter under a gazebo, where the couple share one of their finest and most romantic moments ever, to Irving Berlin's "Isn't This a Lovely Day to Get Caught In the Rain?" Later in the story, they will get to dance "Cheek to Cheek."

Another only in the movies mix-up causes Dale to think Jerry is Madge's husband, Horace, bringing about a confused, and twice slapped, Jerry. Horace, of course, has never seen Dale before, and sends his crazy little manservant Bates to follow her around Italy once they arrive, thinking she is out to trap his pal Jerry. Dale tells her friend Madge about the incident, of course, and more fun follows as Dale tries hard not to fall for Jerry, who she thinks is her best friend's husband.

Not to be forgotten in this merry mess is Erik Rhodes, as fashion desiner Alberto Beddini, using Dale as a model for his creations. Dejected at the situation, Dale will marry Beddini, causing no end of frustration and hilarity as Jerry has figured out by this time what is going on. Madge hasn't, and gives Horace a black eye! Can Jerry get Dale to unload her new husband Beddini once everything is cleared up and she is free to love him? Will he even need to? Don't forget, the wildly eccentric Bates, who refers to himself as "we" has been shadowing Dale all over Italy!

The glossy RKO sets match the elegance and beauty of Irving Berlin's songs, giving the public another big dose of what it needed as the country recovered from the great depression, which wasn't so great at all. You don't have to wear white tie and tails while watching this marvelous film, but you'll almost wish you were, so you could be up there with Fred and Ginger and enjoy a style of romance that shone brightly, but passed ever too briefly in American film.

SHALL WE DANCE

"They Can't Take That Away from Me"

The beloved "Shall We Dance" was the only Fred and Ginger film with songs from George and Ira Gershwin, and they were splendid. Songs like "They Can't Take That Away From Me" made for great entertainment when coupled with the opulent RKO sets in this Pandro S. Berman production. The lively tale of mix-ups and misunderstandings was from a screenplay by Allan Scott and Ernest Pagno, based on an adaptation by P.J. Wolfson of a story by Lee Loeb and Harold Buchman. Ginger's gowns by Irene were fabulous as always and Mark Sandrich once again took the helm.

On his stay in Paris, Pete (Fred Astaire), a famous ballet dancer also known as Petrov, wants to meet musical comedy star Linda Keene (Ginger Rogers), and in fact, would like to marry her! Pete and his pal Jeffrey (Edward Everett Horton) discover she's sailing on the S.S. Queen Anne and follow her. Pete uses a fake accent for a short time but is eventually found out, and finds out that dogs are the way to a girl's heart.

A wild story Jeffery told Lady Tarrington (Ketti Gallian) in Paris comes back to haunt Pete, as suddenly everyone on the cruise thinks he and Linda have been secretly married, and are going to have a baby! It's a bit much for Linda, who has sworn off reporters, and they decide to really get married, so they can get divorced. But it's too late for Linda, as she has fallen in love with the pursuing Pete, and there is a sadness as Pete sings "They Can't Take That Away From Me" on a ferry to Manhattan after it's all done. The tune was nominated as Best Song but lost the Oscar to "Sweet Leilani" from "Waikiki Wedding."

Hilarious moments in the film include Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore in a "hushing" duel with ballet patrons, Horton and Jerome Cowan getting tight, with Horton getting ill afterward, and Fred convincing Horton that he's seasick, even though the water is perfectly calm. Blore ends up in jail for the second time in one of the couple's pictures and is once again a riot.

Ginger sings "They All Laughed" and she and Fred share a lovely dance that culminates with a smile, as the couple sit on a piano. A fun and famous scene has them on skates in the park, dancing to "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off." Fred's character Pete wants to dance with Linda all his life, but what's he to do when she won't consider it? Dance with images of her, that's what. A charming conclusion has Linda joining the other girls, but Pete can't figure out which is the real Linda. Will Linda say yes to Pete? If you are a fan of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers you know the answer to that one!

Devoted fans of one of the most fondly remembered couples in screen history might be shocked to learn that during production, there were plans for this to be their final film. "Swing Time," their previous entry, now widely regarded by film historians, along with "Top Hat," as the zenith of their films together, had done huge box office business in large cities upon its initial release. But that business had quickly subsided and there were those at RKO who felt they had gone to the well once too often.

Fortunately for us, that theory was squashed, and we got to see the hilarious "Carefree" and the tender "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" before the couple said farewell. Again, fortunately, we don't have to say farewell, only "see you later," because we now have the ability to watch these wonderful films at home whenever we want. "Shall We Dance" is a charming reminder of a magic that passed this way only once, and something you'll want to capture forever by picking up a copy today.

CAREFREE

Ginger's Turn to Shine

While somewhat different than their charming and endearing musical films, this entry from Fred and Ginger is probably my favorite. Fortunately all the great elements that made the previous films so wonderful are still here, but this time those elements are interspersed between some nice screwball comedy that finally got to showcase Ginger's comedic talents. Fred is great as always, but this one is really Ginger's film, and she shines.

Once again, a fine Pandro S. Berman production and some magical songs by Irving Berlin made this Mark Sandrich film a sheer joy. An origional idea by Marian Ainslee and Guy Endore was adapted to story form by Dudley Nicols and Hagar Wilde, then turned into a screenplay by Allan Scott and Ernest Pagano. Fred and Ginger, with fine support from Ralph Bellamy, Jack Carson and Luella Gear, turn all these elements into what, I believe, is the most "fun" of all their films.

Tony (Fred) is a psychiatrist trying to do his pal Stephen (Ralph Bellamy) a favor by seeing his radio singer fiance Amanda (Ginger) so he can figure out why she has called off their wedding three times! She blows Fred off as a quack when she overhears a transcription he's done which is less than flattering but finally gives in and agrees to let Tony disect her dreams and discover what's wrong with her.

A meal of lobster and mayonnaise, and a lot of other things, make her dream alright, but in her dream she's dancing with Tony! Amanda can't tell him, of course, and when he threatens to stop seeing her she makes up a dream that would keep ten psychiatrists busy and the fun really begins.

Rogers was fabulous in this film and it was the impetus for her very successful solo career. This light screwball comedy has some terrific moments. It's a laugh riot as Ginger walks out while being hypnotized, thinking she loves Bellamy, and going after Fred with a shotgun, so he can die like a dog! As Fred tells Bellamy while they run after her: "She's in a trance. She may even act, a little odd!"

During the dream sequence they get to dance to "I Used to be Color-Blind" and later on at a party they do "The Yam" in a very fun scene. Berlin's "Change Partners" was nominated for an Oscar. But Ginger and the screwball comedy take top billing in this one, making it one of their best. It is sophisticated and funny, and Fred and Ginger end up together as always. This time she's in a gorgeous wedding dress, and she has a black eye!

You don't hear as much about this one, but its inclusion here is what puts this collection over the top for me, making it a must have for anyone who wants to collect some of the team's best films in one easy purchase. Just fabulous fun!

THE STARS MUST BE BRIGHTER

Watching the sheer elegance and timeless grace of Fred and Ginger when they danced, and sharing in the laughter of their humorous pursuit of love, is a gift we could never measure, or put a price tag on. The delightful and charming escapism they brought into our lives helped carry us through the roughest of times. They still take our breath away and gives us a boost when we need it, as each new generation discovers the magic of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. And sometimes, in the evening, if we listen carefully, we can hear the faint echo of an orchestra, playing a tune by Berlin, or Kern, or Gershwin, and we know for certain, the couple we hold dear in our hearts, who gave us so much love and laughter, dance the night away, among the stars......

Entertainment at it's best.......2004-03-02

I first came to love Fred and Ginger films when first Fred, and then Ginger died, and all of the films they made together were shown on television. I was looking forward to the release of some of their films on DVD and have not been disappointed with this collection. The Fred and Ginger Collection contains four of their nine films (Top Hat, Shall We Dance, Follow the Fleet and Carefree), chosen by Ava Astaire, Fred's daughter. Each film has an introduction from Ava, telling a little about the production of the film - which I found very interesting. It was of course for the films that I bought this collection, and an excellent selection it is too. I confess I was hoping that my favourite Fred and Ginger film, 'Swingtime', would be included in this collection, so I'm now hoping for The Fred and Ginger Collection II to be released some time. The picture and sound quality is very good on the DVDs and the songs and dances are wonderful. With such classics as 'They Can't Take that Away From Me' 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Let's Call the Whole Thing Off', you can't complain. Never mind what the various plots are, I just love to see Fred and Ginger tapdance together - perhaps my favourite routine being the one after Ginger's solo song 'They All Laughed' in 'Shall We Dance.' Good clean fun!

Shall we Dance?.......2004-02-27

The answer is a definite "yes". I'll keep this short, but the bottom line is, if you love Fred & Ginger this is a beautifully presented collectors set. The package folds out and has great photos and even 4 cards of the posters for the films - a nice touch. The bad thing about this packaging is that it tends to get haggard after a bit of use, and isn't as functional as separate cases for each of the four dvds, but it sure is pretty.

The quality of the picture transfer is pretty good (it varies - Top Hat seems to be the most cleaned up), but there are still artifacts, a few skipped frames, and it's not as clear as it could be, but it's certainly not bad. Just don't expect the stunning visual quality such as that on the Casablanca set. The audio is as good as one could expect.

Really the only bad thing is that it doesn't include their 6 other movies together, although a decent length documentary wouldn't hurt, but as it is Ava Astaire's intros are informative if a bit scripted.

The movies speak for themselves. Not flawless, sure, but Fred & Ginger dancing is one of the magical things in this world, and there's plenty of that here, whether it be "Cheek to Cheek", "Change Partners" or "Let's Face the Music and Dance". Sure, I would have liked to see Swing Time in there too, but what I really want is a complete set with all the movies, restored and docos galore. Bring on the complete set!

Easter Parade [1948]
Average customer rating:

Beautiful Musical and Comedy

Join Fred + Judy on 5th Avenue for the Easter Parade

a must buy!

a treat worth waiting for

The only pairing of Judy and Fred

Easter Parade [1948]
Starring: Fred Astaire , Judy Garland , Peter Lawford , and Ann Miller
Director: Charles Walters
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Easter Parade [1948]

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Musical and Comedy .......2008-02-13

I loved this film even as a young child, I am an absolute huge fan of Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Judy was a fantastic singer and really good at comedy all of which you see in this film. As for Fred Astair this man was perfection, grace and elegance in motion. The opening number in this film shows the elegant Mr Astaire on a shopping spree, it crescendos with him tap dancing between to large base drums where he plays them by kicking his feet againt them. This is just one of many beautiful, memorable musical numbers in the film, the colour, costumes everything is a delight to the ears and eyes. It was lovely to see a postive review from a 15 year old, I am now 35 years old and I was fortunate that I grew up watching these kinds of movies. These were times of class, style and elegance which we just do not see so much of these days, these kind of films are timeless classics which I think all generations can enjoy and appreciate, unfortunately alot of people my age and younger are not exposed to these wonderful gems. I hope with the value for many releases on DVD of these films that may change. Buy this and watch this, you will not be sorry and it is definately one of those films you can watch and enjoy again and again and again, and never tire of.

Join Fred + Judy on 5th Avenue for the Easter Parade.......2007-03-29

Garland's biggest money-maker for MGM and one of her greatest performances comes in the lovely musical 'Easter Parade'.

The storyline focuses on a Broadway dance star (Astaire) who has to find a dance partner to replace his former partner Ann Miller who's left him to join the Ziegfeld Follies. He just happens to stumble upon Judy Garland and from the then on the result is pure musical entertainment!

With a vast array of some old + some new Irving Berlin hit tunes in the score, it guarrantees a brilliant film in all aspects.

So get onto 5th Avenue + join the Easter Parade!

a must buy!.......2006-11-18

im 15 years of age and think this film is really good and interesting to watch, in the film they have an array of songs which are very memerabe such as; easter parade, a couple of swells etc....etc.... it has a good storyline which wont bore you so i think to all those people who love a good classic film should definatly buy this one :D

a treat worth waiting for.......2005-07-20

This DVD has restored a film from the MGM period of great musicals to its original state.Ive seen this film on many occaisions but never with such outstanding colour sound and clarity.Full marks!!!!
Also included is a commentary by John Fricke who gives you tons of information in a casual and not preaching manner.A must buy for all who apreciate the musicals of the Golden Age

The only pairing of Judy and Fred.......2005-06-06

"Easter Parade" is one of the most famous of the MGM musicals from the 1940s, combining for the only time the talents of two of the biggest stars in the genre: Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. Astaire is Don Hewes, a ballroom dancer abandoned by his parter (Ann Miller), who decides to make a chorus girl (Garland) into his new partner. What follows is a funny and romantic musical with some very good Irving Berlin songs.

This is definitely one of Garland's best films, and shows how good a comedienne and a singer she was - her timing during the scene where she dances with Astaire imitating Miller is a gem. I am not a very big fan of Astaire or his style of musical, but his numbers are quite good.

The DVD presents the newly restored copy along with an audio commentary, a making-of which is focused mostly in the songs, a Judy Garland trailer collection and outtakes for a deleted number, similar to Judy did later with "Get Happy" in "Summer stock".

The Towering Inferno [1975]
Average customer rating:

THE BEST OF THE GENRE

Stellar Cast as tall as the building itself

the best disaster movie ever made.

The classic disaster movie

The original Die Hard in a great 2-disc NTSC special edition

The Towering Inferno [1975]
Starring: Steve McQueen , Paul Newman , William Holden , Faye Dunaway , and Fred Astaire
Director: John Guillermin , and Irwin Allen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Release Date: 2006-06-01
The Towering Inferno [1975]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Disaster movies used to work because there was little certainty as to who would survive. Not so in this film, really an amalgam of two original stories, about a group of well-to-do celebrants at the top floor of a skyscraper. Cheapo electrical wiring and bad construction management cause an enormous blaze at the lower floors, steadily rising to consume the revellers. Newman's an architect, McQueen a firefighter and Fred Astaire a kind old gentleman, for which he was Oscar-nominated. OJ Simpson plays a security guard who rescues a cat. Now that's a disaster. -- Keith Simanton, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

THE BEST OF THE GENRE.......2008-01-13

A film guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Yes, some of the production design and special effects look a little rusty but overall this is superior film making. The acting is generally very good and the set pieces fantastic, especially the scene where McQueen is holding onto a fireman on the Scenic Elevator. John Williams contributes a fine score and despite the long running time you will not be bored. Only some clumsy lines in the script and a slightly tedious scene on a damaged stairwell detract from the film.

Rated 15 because of some strong language and some distressing scenes.

The Swarm was producer Irwin Allen's next movie, look out for a Towering Inferno poster in this film.

Stellar Cast as tall as the building itself.......2007-12-18

What a movie! it has an all star cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden and many more.

The basis for this movie is the opening of the worlds tallest building, but things aren't as perfect as they seem as architect Paul Newman discovers inadequate electrical wiring in the building which could result in dangerous concequences. He then reports this to the buildings owner James Duncan but he doesn't think that it is a problem and still decides to go on with the opening ceremony which puts 300 peoples lives in the balance while trapped on the top of the 138 storey skyscraper when the building goes on fire due to the poor wiring, this results in unpredictable explosions and fires breaking out everywhere in the building. It is now up to fireman Steve McQueen his crew and the aide of the Navy to rescue the 300 people on top of the building and put out the fire.

By far the best disaster movie ever made with a terrific all star cast. Not to be missed!

the best disaster movie ever made........2006-09-03

I have bought several copies of The Towering Inferno hoping to get some special features, but unfortunately I was unsuccessful until I bought this copy. This is a 2 disc special edition with featurettes, 2 trailers, cast interviews, deleted scenes, photo gallery, interactive menu, and improved stereo sound for best effect of the movie, what more could you ask for. This edition is definately worth investing in especially if you are a fan of this movie.

The classic disaster movie.......2006-07-14

Although fans of the original Poseidon Adventure might have something to say about that. Frankly, I love them both.

Little needs to be said about The Towering Inferno. Skyscraper catches fire due to corner cutting in the construction. Lots of people try to get out. The end. It's a mini adventure.

I'm being flippant about a pretty grim film here. With my serious hat on, I will now state that the acting is uniformly superb; it's impossible to complain, and this is really the most important thing. The script, such as it is, works well, and the effects are, for their time, superb. Direction is well paced, and cleanly and imaginatively shot. A good effort all round. The sound could do with a little work though -the dialoge can get a little muddy unless you crank the volume up, whereupon the music blows your head off. Minor fault, that doesn't detract from the film though. Highly entertaining, and difficult to take your eyes off. Perhaps they could make a proper special edition, stuffed with extras and reballanced sound, but until then, this will do very nicely, thank you.

There is only one real problem I can think of to be honest. It's on TV in the UK just about every other week, rather like Zulu.

The original Die Hard in a great 2-disc NTSC special edition.......2006-07-07

The Towering Inferno is still the daddy of all the 70s disaster movies, even if time has taken the edge off some of the special effects and rendered the fashions and décor more frightening than the pyrotechnics. It's also the blueprint for Die Hard, which borrows many of its key setpieces almost verbatim - the trapped party guests, the hero crawling around at the top of a seemingly endless lift shaft, the chopper exploding on the roof, the explosion that unleashes a deluge on the building - while scaling down the all-star cast and adding gunplay to the mix. As a rule in the genre, movie stars survive, TV stars die, but it's not ironclad here, although the probability of death does seem directly correlated to the amount of screen time a character gets.

It's a lavishly mounted affair and, unlike the Glass Tower itself, beautifully constructed. Stirling Silliphant's script sets up the characters (although some, like Robert Vaughn, end up sidelined completely for most of the film) and the premise so efficiently that you barely notice it's 36 minutes before anyone even notices the fire, while the survival (or otherwise) set pieces are well-staged and show some imagination - particularly the scenic elevator scene. If with recent history it may seem a tad tasteless to say it, the film is Hollywood enough to enjoy as an old-fashioned survival story/disaster movie and at least doesn't dodge the bullet of the main characters' complicity in the corner-cutting that results in the disaster - even Newman's supposedly idealistic architect takes the blame for his inaction in preventing it.

Fox's 2-disc Region 1 DVD is an impressive package: there's perhaps more quantity than quality, but there's more than enough good extras to make it worth the price of an upgrade if you already have the old version. The AMC backstory is the best behind the scenes feature despite running only 22 minutes. The new featurettes are more sort of sidebars than a comprehensive acount of the production - interesting and occassionally gossipy fun (Richard Chamberlain's enthused fascination for Irwin's outrageous weave, Irwin taking Stella Stevens out to lunch at Jack in the Box). The NATO presentation by Allen at his most shamelessly hucksterish is hilariously hokey as hell - shame they couldn't find the script for the onstage bits - and the unedited interview footage of Irwin and his incredible hair was fun if only to see his attempts to be a dignified serious figure quickly give way to the carnival sideshow barker side of him! There are also two original 10-minute featurettes covering the fire and water stunts, teaser and full trailer, stills galleries and more.

Sadly, F.X. Sweeney's commentary tends to play at times like an audio description ("Here we see the secretaries talking and Robert Wagner having the outside phone line turned off. And here we see the pretty secretary with the glasses walking through the door.."). I did dip in and out where I wanted to know more about certain scenes, but on the few occasions he was talking about the making of the film, it had no relevance to what was happening onscreen. However, it's not enough to take the shine off what is still a great fun disc.

Sadly, the PAL region 2 discs from Warners don't match up to Fox's 2-disc special edition, boasting only a decent widescreen transfer and the original trailer.

Average customer rating:

Still Magic !
Half a loaf is better than none
Truly, Truly Disappointing!

The Fred And Ginger Collection
Starring: Fred Astaire , and Ginger Rogers
Director: Mark Sandrich , George Stevens , Thornton Freeland , and H.C. Potter
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Musicals | Classics | Categories | DVD | Video

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Release Date: 2006-02-06
The Fred And Ginger Collection

Customer Reviews:

Still Magic !.......2007-01-21

Having read the previous review I held off buying this collection until January 2007. I needn't have worried.

THE FILMS: The films are still classics of movement, light and music with the incomparable dancing pair. Flying Down to Rio is the oldest and most dated with too much footage devoted to the rather wooden Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. The climax with the aerobatics and wing walking is still exciting despite the use of back projection. The Gay Divorcee is a lighter than air farce about divorce, co-respondents and seaside hotels. Almost as dated as Flying Down to Rio but with better comedy and more dancing. It resembles Top Hat but is more like a trial run. Swingtime is very polished under the direction of George Stevens but like Shall We Dance (not in this collection) the plot is annoying. However the dances are among the duo's best. The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is the only dramatic vehicle, albeit a light, agreeable biopic of real dancers who were Astaire and Rogers predecessors. The ending is tragic but not unbearable. The only missing film is Roberta (1935) about a troubled Parisian fashion house with Fred, Ginger, Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott (in a pre-western role). This little seen film is essential viewing for fans.
THE DVDs:
No extras just scene menus. This is a shame since Fred Astaire's daughter pleasantly introduced the films in the first DVD collection. The sound on the earliest films is a bit tinny but this is unavoidable for the age of the films. Forget Dolby 5.1 the music is what matters not the hi fi. The films do jump momentarily where repair splices have been made - I counted 3 in Gay Divorce, but the picture quality is clean and sharp. Enjoy and remember these films are 70 years old!

Half a loaf is better than none.......2007-01-03

You face 3 issues with this set: how much you enjoy the films; the quality of the transfer to DVD; and the value for money.

In terms of enjoying the films, "Swingtime" is up there with the best of the Rogers/Astaire films - boy meets girl, boy and girl don't hit it off due to misunderstandings etc... great music and great dancing. "The Gay Divorcee" is similar but before they fully got into their swing (as you might say). It's nevertheless highly enjoyable. The other two films are completely different. "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" is more a straight story of the lives of the Castles without the usual will they/won't they anticipation and with dances which mostly are the Castle's ballroom dances rather than plot elements. In "Flying Down to Rio" Astaire and Rogers are not romantically involved and are only a sideplot. They dance in the marvellous Carioca, but the main stars are the wooden Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio.

Technically, "Swing Time" occasionally has some small marks, which you probably won't notice if you're caught up in the story. The sound is a little muffled, as if the treble has been cut to remove sissing. You will need to turn up your volume and, if you're able, increasing the treble will help.

"The Gay Divorcee" also has muffled sound and at one point there is a jagged line on screen but you may not think about it - after all, old films have defects.

"Flying Down to Rio" has OK sound but often has small scratches and in a number of places bad ones. I compared this with my off-air video recording and that also had many small scratches but also a noisy soundtrack which is more irritating, to me. We would all like a perfect print but perhaps some films just don't have one. However some work in editing out the odd frame here and there would have much improved this DVD release.

In conclusion the quality in parts is disappointing but for around £14 you get 2 excellent films and 2 less good! In terms of value for money, just the 2 films would be worth it.

Truly, Truly Disappointing!.......2006-02-23

After owning, loving and playing to death the wonderful Universal Fred and Ginger Collection Volume 1 for the past couple of years I was salivating at the prospect of the release of Volume 2. I have rarely been so disappointed, there's only one word to describe it - awful. The packaging, is identical to the first collection and excellent. I opened it with growing anticipation and put 'Flying Down To Rio' in my DVD player. It was almost unwatchable with scratches and bad picture quality throughout the film and an equally unlistenable soundtrack of varying volume, hissing and bad quality. Next 'The Gay Divorcee' almost, but not quite, as bad. 'The Story Of Irene And Vernon Castle' - better but not really sharp enough - the improvement obviously coming from a better print. Lastly 'Swing Time', this was the best of the lot, but again obviously due to a better print of the film (even so there were quite a few 'jumps'). I haven't felt so conned in ages. It is obvious that someone felt with all us Fred and Ginger fans out there they could get away without the expense of restoring and they probably will, because by the time you find out about it it's too late. I suppose now it's too much to hope we'll ever get to see properly restored versions of these films. My well-worn VHS tapes are probably better quality.

Average customer rating:

For the most part, a charming excursion into the world of high style with Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson
Great film, disappointing transfer to DVD
S'Wonderful
Charming...
New Look musical

Funny Face [1957]
Starring: Fred Astaire , Audrey Hepburn , Robert Flemyng , Michel Auclair , and Suzy Parker
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005Q59K
Release Date: 2001-09-03
Funny Face [1957]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Fred Astaire plays a fashion photographer based on real-life cameraman Richard Avedon, in this entertaining musical directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The story finds Astaire's character turning Audrey Hepburn into a chic Paris model--not a tough premise to buy, especially within this film's air of enchantment and surrounded by a great Gershwin score. Based on an unproduced play, this is one of the best films from the latter part of Astaire's career. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

For the most part, a charming excursion into the world of high style with Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson.......2007-01-07

For the first not-quite-half of Stanley Donen's Funny Face we are in the midst of a stylish, high-fashion fairy tale, populated by the likes of Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson, and transported along by some fine George and Ira Gershwin songs. For the second half, some of the effervescence loses its fizz...all that boy-loses-girl, boy-wins-girl-back stuff, combined with some unfunny, dated riffs on beatniks and Hollywood's version of Sartre. Still, Funny Face has much in its favor, and to my way of thinking is the best of the Astaire movies he made following The Band Wagon.

Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), relentless force of nature and editor of the high fashion magazine Quality, is determined to find a new look. Her top fashion photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) thinks he's found just the person, a mousy little bookseller they encountered during a fashion shoot in Greenwich Village. But Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) is having none of it. Jo is a devotee of empathecalism, thinks fashion is ridiculous and wants nothing more than to read books, dress sensibly and go to Paris to meet her guru. It's not long before they're all in Paris...Maggie with her expansive ideas for the magazine with Jo as the new woman, Jo reluctantly agreeing to model so she can get to Paris, and Dick photographing Jo in some stunning creations (designed for Hepburn by Givenchy). After some songs, some dances, some arguments and some kisses, a reasonably believable Autumn/Spring romance between Astaire and Hepburn sends them dancing into the countryside to S'Wonderful. We exit smiling.

Funny Face glows with style. The Avery character was based on high-fashion photographer Richard Avedon (who also is noted for serious photo collections). Avedon was a consultant on the movie, and his sense of color and composition, and how to present high fashion permeates the place. Style was also one of Astaire's noted gifts, as it was with Kay Thompson. And Hepburn isn't far behind. The three of them give a fine gloss to a simple story. Their skills as performers and personalities make the musical numbers, for the most part, special. Among the high points:

--Think Pink, a specialty number for Thompson by Roger Edens and Leonard Gershe. It's bright and funny, and introduces us to Maggie Prescott, the magazine and the world of high fashion. It sets the tone of the movie.

--How Long Has This Been Going On is sung without ornamentation by Hepburn. She's a competent singer.

--Funny Face, perhaps the highlight of the movie. Even though we've had to wait almost 30 minutes to get to Astaire doing his stuff, it's worth it. Astaire sings to Hepburn in a darkroom while he takes her picture, blows it up and develops it. Hepburn thinks her face is "funny;" Astaire thinks it's extraordinary.

"I love your funny face,
Your sunny, funny face.
For you're a cutie
With more than beautie.
You've got a lot of
per-son-a-li-ty N.T.
You fill the air with smiles
For miles and miles and miles.
Though you're no Mona Lisa,
For worlds I'd not replace
Your sunny, funny face."

After we see the print, a tight, soft close-up of her features, we know Astaire's right. The song and its delivery has everything we expect of Astaire and includes a nice, not-too-demanding dance with Hepburn that's light and graceful.

--Lets Kiss and Make Up. This clever Gershwin song sung by Astaire to Hepburn moves into an extended dance routine where he once again demonstrates he can make excellent dance partners of inanimate objects, in this case his umbrella and his topcoat.

--He Loves and She Loves. A sweet and graceful declaration of love sung by Astaire and danced by the two of them outside a country church. It's filmed with a soft focus which some may appreciate and others find irritating.

The only real stinker is a humorless send-up of beatniks sung and danced by Astaire and Thompson to the Gershwin's Clap Yo' Hands. The routine probably was dated when it was filmed.

And even if you don't much care for high fashion (I'm one of those) and even if your heart doesn't beat all that faster for Audrey Hepburn (mine doesn't skip too many beats), the combination of Hepburn's face, Givenchy's gowns and Avedon's photography are in a different kind of reality. Hepburn taking a pose in a green silk gown with her hair pulled back and that neck as long and graceful as a swan's is stunning. Hepburn in a red gown with a long red scarf flowing behind her as she lightly runs down the stone steps in the Louvre with the Winged Victory of Samothrace framing her descent is unforgettable.

And here's to Kay Thompson, one of the most vivid and stylish of creatures. She only made two or three movies but had a long career as vocal arranger, voice coach, singer, nightclub entertainer, songwriter and author (all those books about Eloise and the Plaza). She was a great and true friend of Judy Garland's and was Liza Minnelli's godmother. In Thompson's last years when she was frail and ill, Minnelli moved her into Minnelli's New York apartment and oversaw her care until Thompson died.

The DVD transfer looks good. There are no extras to speak of, just a photo gallery, a movie trailer and a puff-piece featurette called Paramount in the 1950's, largely a collection of brief snips from Paramount movies.

Great film, disappointing transfer to DVD.......2007-01-03

Great film (OK he's old enough to be her dad) but poor DVD. The blacks e.g. men's jackets, are just solid black. So there's no detail in things like Hepburn's early black clothing, and the bookshop looks like a cellar. (I tried 2 DVD's on 2 different players.) One of the main delights of this film is its colour and style but only the highlights and midrange have been transferred to DVD. And turning up your brightness won't help as the detail just isn't there. My video'd version is better.

Regarding the actual film, Astaire is famous fashion photographer Dick Avery (modelled on Richard Avedon who provided some of the stunning fashion shots used in the film) who discovers the intellectual Hepburn and helps transform her into the latest modelling sensation. S'wonderful songs and dances, Hepburn is vivacious, the colours are amazing (in the original) and Kay Thompson provides pazazz. The downsides: his age and the sniping at youth culture but they're outweighed by the positives.

S'Wonderful.......2005-08-15

Audrey Hepburn does indeed fill the air with smiles in Stanley Donen's exquisite and happy film about a shy book clerk in New York who is transformed into the toast of the Paris fashion world. George and Ira Gershwin wrote some of their best songs for the film and a few additional numbers were contributed by Roger Edens and Leonard Gershe, who also wrote the delightful story. The premise is quite frivilous but the execution glorious and joyful and it is easy to see why this was Audrey's favorite among all her films.

Fred Astaire is winning as fashion photographer Dick Avery and Kay Thompson is marvelous as Miss Prescott, the one-track mind owner of Quality Magazine he works for. Hepburn is adorable as the shy New York bookstore clerk, Jo Stockton. They bully her into letting them do a photo shoot, making a mess off things for her to clean up. From the moment Donen's camera catches her sliding on the ladder in panic we are in love and we know it won't be long before Jo and Dick are also.

Jo is a shy intellectual, mad about empathicalism, a screwy philosophy endorsed by Professor Emile Flustre (Michel Auclair) who, of course, lives in Paris. Once Dick displays his own brand of empathy by kissing Jo while they are cleaning up, he gets an idea for a new layout and the seed of love is planted in Jo's heart. Donen captures Hepburn's child-like yet feminine grace like no one else ever has and her wistful and waif-like beauty has never been seen to better advantage than in Funny Face.

Making Jo the face for Quality magazine may not be such an easy task, however, as it goes against everything she believes. Being chased by Miss Prescott's minions, Jo ducks into Dick's darkroom, where she and Dick share a lovely song and dance moment to the title-tune, Funny Face. Once Jo discovers it will all lead to Paris, where she can meet the great empathicalist, Emile, she gives the green light and the fun really begins.

Stanley Donen staged every song himself, and it shows. That moment that nearly always exists in every musical, even the great ones, when we are tempted to fast-forward and get on with the story, simply does not exist here. Every number is lively and imaginative, easily holding our interest. None of the numbers is more joyful or fun than the one when they first arrive in Paris and become typical tourists. Ray June's photography shows off the beautiful City of Lights and the funny and happy face of Audrey Hepburn in wonderful fashion.

It is like watching a great chef make the sweetest and most delicious of pastries as Dick takes Jo through one great shoot after another all over Paris, transforming the cocoon into a butterfly. The two share a lovely song sequence in a garden with a brook outside a church, when Jo finally tells Dick she is in love with him. Hepburn in a white wedding gown is as elegant and graceful as the doves and swans surrounding them.

There are some fun complications involving Jo's idol Emile, of course, who Dick knows is more man than philosopher. A fun and frantic ending caps a film that is a sheer delight from beginning to end. Astaire was somewhat older than Hepburn and it seems to work in the film's favor, as you could see where the innocent Jo would need a more worldly man to appreciate her charms rather than take advantage of them.

This is a wonderful confection from Stanley Donen, who would work with Audrey once again in another classic, Charade. The little girl from Holland who aided the Dutch resistence during WWII grew into one of the most lovely and luminous stars ever to grace a movie screen. She is gone now and Funny Face is a wonderful way to remember her......

Charming..........2004-02-03

'Funny Face' is a rather superficial glance at the fashion world, an ideal subject for a joyous musical. Hepburn is the stiff bookish Jo, who is whisked away by Astaire, an (ageing) photographer, to Paris to model for him. She only goes in the hope that she can perhaps meet her intellectual idol, a professor of empathicalism, while she is there. Obviously the two fall in love, which is clearly on the cards from their very first meeting in her dusty bookshop.

Hepburn, as ever, is utterly beguiling, (if towards the end slightly annoying as the plot twists become quite obvious as a result of her intellectual viewpoint) in her earnestness. Astaire is good as the cheeky photographer, but his wonderful dancing isn't showcased enough. A highlight is their "'s wonderful" number where they glide from bank to bank on a picturesque river seamlessly using a tiny wooden ferry-platform.

The film ultimately suggests that women are better off without strong intellectual capabilities, and as silent models of fashion. The hints that those around Hepburn are taking on board her ideas aren't strong enough to conclude anything else from this.

However, this is an enjoyable film, with good strong numbers, a predictable plot, and a lovely leading actress, so what more could you want from a musical?

New Look musical.......2003-11-22

Although first impressions may suggest this is a slight offering, "Funny Face" holds up as one of the best fifties musicals on repeated viewing. Inspired by the chic fashion world of renowned photographer Richard Avedon and Dior's new look, Audrey Hepburn plays Jo, a drab Greenwich Village bookshop assistant and philosophy student who is spotted by Astaire's photographer as the ideal new face for the cover of "Quality" magazine. Before she knows it, Hepburn has been whisked off to Paris for fashion fittings and photos, with the proviso that she can also attend some philosophy lectures with a renowned exponent of "Empathicalism".
The Parisian scenes are pure tourist chocolate box and none the worse for it - especially when Astaire gets to dance an impromptu Spanish routine under Hepburn's balcony. Thanks to the DVD release, we're now able to see all three leads in the split screen sequence where they explore Paris. Kay Thompson is a vital force as Maggie, the editor of Quality magazine, who commands "Think Pink" at the start of the show. Hepburn can't really sing but boy does she dance well in a Parisian beatnik bar! Other excellent Gershwin songs such as the title song, "S'Wonderful" and "Ring dem Bells" (the latter a great comic routine for Dick and Maggie as they infiltrate the philosopher's salon disguised as Florida spiritualists) all conspire to make this as effervescent as pink champagne. I think it eclipses Astaire's "The Bandwagon" from the same period, which was largely based around two songs, "Thats Entertainment" and "Triplets". Sure, its hard to believe Hepburn would fall for Astaire, given the age gap, but I thought musicals were all about suspension of disbelief anyway! Treat yourself and check this little gem out.

Average customer rating:

A musical 'oddity'!
Amazing*****
"Isn't This a Lovely Day to Get Caught In the Rain?"
Fantastic dancing
They don't make them like this any more!

Top Hat [1935]
Starring: Fred Astaire , Ginger Rogers , Edward Everett Horton , Erik Rhodes , and Eric Blore
Director: Mark Sandrich
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006Z3RD6
Release Date: 2006-10-02
Top Hat [1935]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Even the best Fred and Ginger musicals are merely lavish excuses for some of the most elegant dancing ever put on screen, and Top Hat is no exception. The story is a silly but timeless tale of mistaken identity that compounds itself to extremes. Fred Astaire is the famous American hoofer Jerry Travers, in London preparing for a new show with his befuddled producer Horace Hardwick (the always entertaining Edward Everett Horton) when he falls for Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers), a lovely, wisecracking American girl as light on her feet as Jerry. Dale believes Jerry to be Horace, the husband of her best friend Madge (Helen Broderick) and rebuffs his advances by marrying her dressmaker Alberto (Erik Rhodes), but in the best tradition of musical comedy, true love finds its own way. Practically the entire cast of the 1934 hit The Gay Divorcee reunites for this frothy confection, along with director Mark Sandrich, designer Van Nest Polglase, and choreographer Hermes Pan. Irving Berlin provides a tuneful score, including "Cheek to Cheek", which provides a classic duet for Astaire and Rogers, and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails", which remains one of Astaire's finest solo numbers. Polglase outdoes himself with sets both elegant and outrageous and Hermes Pan's choreography is as smooth as ever, but ultimately it is the grace and chemistry of the leads that makes Top Hat top entertainment. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

A musical 'oddity'!.......2007-03-03

I really think that I need to see this movie again, as I appear to have missed the plot...

Some time into the movie, I began to realise that the story was basically about two people (Fred & Ginger) being at cross-purposes about their marital status, but I appear to have missed the moment when the original incident had occurred that had resulted in this mix up, and so for some time, the film did not make any real sense to me... Another thing that irritated me, and I found rather a distraction, was the constant and over-loud music that I felt should have been more in the background, but was all too prominent - even when there was no singing or dancing! Perhaps this was the case with old movies of this genre, or perhaps it had something to do with the re-mastering that made the music a little louder than it originally was. However, the film was funny in parts, and I normally like this sort of mistaken and misunderstanding type of dialogue/plot. I also had a problem with finding Fred Astaire attractive; partly because, to me he never appeared to look terribly healthy, though he must have been, since he went on to live to a great age, but I found him too painfully thin to find him very appropriate to portray any real romantic lead...

All this aside, I will take a second viewing to see if I change my mind, and probably come back and edit this review. As this was the first 'Fred and Ginger' movie I have seen, I do feel I ought to give it/them a second chance before making my final judgement.

Amazing*****.......2005-11-23

This film is excellent, the characters a great and there are some good one liners and of course the dancing is the best you'll ever see.

"Isn't This a Lovely Day to Get Caught In the Rain?".......2005-09-06

Fantastic dancing.......2005-08-13

This film does not include a particularly brilliant storyline; it is about a mix up that results in Ginger Rogers believing that Fred Astaire is married, when is he actually single. However, this film includes some of the best dance routines ever performed, including No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) and , of course, Top Hat. This is the first film with Fred and Ginger that I have seen, and I can definitely say that I would like to see some more!

An inspiration to dancers today!

They don't make them like this any more!.......2003-06-04

Easily the greatest of the Astaire-Rogers musicals, 'Top Hat' is the perfect blend of light comedy and dancing genius. It boasts the greatest score that Irving Berlin ever wrote, featuring the romantic 'Cheek to Cheek', 'The Piccolino' and the title song, 'Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.' A particular favourite of mine is 'Isn't it a lovely day to be caught in the rain', which gives Ginger the unusual luxury of wearing flat shoes in a dance with Fred. Even the story is remotely tolerable, with an amusing supporting performance by Edward Everett Horton. An absolute must for musicals and dancing fans alike.

Average customer rating:

Simply Lovely
Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer...And "I'm Old Fashioned"
I don't think she ever was!
The Wonderful Rita and Fred
Delightfully corny

You Were Never Lovelier [1942]
Starring: Fred Astaire , Rita Hayworth , Adolphe Menjou , Isobel Elsom , and Leslie Brooks (II)
Director: William A. Seiter
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001HK0QQ
Release Date: 2004-05-24
You Were Never Lovelier [1942]

Customer Reviews:

Simply Lovely.......2007-12-30

In 'Gilda' and 'Affair in Trinidad', Rita Hayworth performs dance routines which are not the kind of routines found in movie musicals. The routines in 'Gilda' and 'Trinidad' give the impression that Hayworth is a musical and rhythmical person who is responding naturally to the music but is not a dancer. These routines work very well as Rita is a great mover but if anyone is in any doubt about her talent as a dancer then watch 'You Were Never Lovelier' - she is a sheer delight to watch. She is a fabulous dancer and a wonderful partner for Fred Astaire. 'The Shorty George', a tap routine, is my favourite next to Astaire's wonderful solo number.

This film has a silly, nonsensical storyline but this is part of its charm. The characters are engaging, the music is lovely, the dance routines are a joy and Adolphe Menjou is very funny in the role of Eduardo Acuna.

Movies were never lovelier.

Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer...And "I'm Old Fashioned".......2007-07-15

In some of Fred Astaire's movies there's only one excellent reason to watch, and that's to watch Fred Astaire. In You Were Never Lovelier there are three other excellent reasons. Rita Hayworth. Jerome Kern. Johnny Mercer. The four of them have concocted a romantic and funny South American fable that features some great dancing by both Astaire and Hayworth and some memorable songs by Kern and Mercer.

Eduardo Acuna (Adolphe Menjou), a wealthy Buenos Aires businessman, has four beautiful daughters, and in the Acuna family they must marry in age order. The eldest fulfills her responsibilities and the two youngest have beaus they're now anxious to share vows with. But the second eldest, Maria (Rita Hayworth) is in no hurry. She wants romance and charm and the men she meets are just panting boys. Then she sees Robert Davis (Fred Astaire), a very charming, down-on-his-luck dancer, singing Dearly Beloved at her elder sister's wedding. He tries to chat her up; she stares him down. Then the plot intervenes. Before long she knows what she wants. Robert knows what he wants. Eduardo Acuna knows what he doesn't want...a down-on-his-luck dancer in the family. From then on it's songs, dances, romance and misunderstandings, which moves into songs, dances and romance. The plot feels sluggish at times and there's way too much Xavier Cugat and his orchestra, but Astaire and Hayworth are at their peak, Kern has written some memorable melodies and few could top Mercer at lyric writing, none in Hollywood.

Hayworth not only was a gorgeous creature, she was a gifted dancer; many think she was the best Astaire worked with. Technically, she not only handled the steps Astaire created, she did so without a hint of effort. After you've watched the dances a couple of times, go back and watch again, but this time concentrate on her face and her hand and arm action. She gives every indication of being utterly relaxed and enjoying herself, even in the fast tap routines. She seems naturally to find the most graceful attitude for an extended arm, a turn of her head, a raised hand. She may not be quite as good as Astaire, but she's good enough.

Among the stand-out routines are:
--The Audition Dance. Robert shows up at Acuna's office and demands a chance to show his stuff as a dancer. From there Astaire takes off on a fast tap routine that takes him all over the floor, onto Acuna's desk, the sofa and chairs. He works into the dance a cane, a rug, the drapes and Acuna's head.

--I'm Old Fashioned. This is probably the best romantic wooing dance Astaire did. It's all fluid motion and spontaneous recognition, danced on the elegant, polished outdoor landing of Acuna's mansion. Rita Hayworth is a vision, and matches him step for step. We move from Maria declaring with humor and assurance that Robert's the man for her, to Robert's protestation that he's just a guy from Omaha, Nebraska, to the dance that brings them closer and closer together until we know through the dance that a love match has just happened. The funny exit through the doors and back into the living-room, bumping into each other, each giving way, bumping again and then going in together arm in arm hits just the right note. The dance works so well in part because Kern and Mercer came up with a classic:
I'm old fashioned,
I love the moonlight,
I love the old fashioned things.
The sound of rain
Upon a window pane,
The starry song that April sings.
This year's fancies
Are passing fancies
But sighing sighs, holding hands,
These my heart understands.
I'm old fashioned
But I don't mind it.
That's how I want to be,
As long as you agree,
To stay old fashioned with me.

--The Shorty George. This fast tap routine starts out with Maria visiting Robert at a rehearsal. He sings The Shorty George and she takes a couple of lines. He looks surprised that she knows the song. He starts to dance and invites her to join him. Hayworth stays right with Astaire and looks like she's having the time of her life.

--You Were Never Lovelier. Robert declares his feelings for Maria, but more misunderstandings occur. Finally, everything is resolved. Robert shakes off some knight's armor he was wearing (there is sort of a reason) and appears below Maria's bedroom window in black tie. She rushes down...and off they go dancing while all the members of the Acuna family look on approvingly. And the Johnny Mercer lyrics and Jerome Kern music brings us to the happy end:
You were never lovelier, you were never so fair;
Dreams were never lovelier,
Pardon me if I stare.
Down the sky the moonbeams fly to light your face;
I can only say they chose the proper place.
You were never lovelier, and to coin a new phrase,
I was never luckier
In my palmiest days.
Make a note, and you can quote me, honor bright,
You were never lovelier than you are tonight.

I don't think she ever was!.......2007-06-18

I've waited a while to review this since buying the DVD. I've watched it half a dozen times since and it still seems as fresh as when I first saw it too many years ago. I fell in love with Rita Hayworth then (as an impressionable teenager and have probably been `in love' ever since). In my view she was then, and still is now, the most beautiful woman ever to grace the silver screen and, in this film, she was `never lovelier' (and I have seen Gilda and Cover Girl - many times!). I don't like comparing - Fred had some wonderful partners and I'm not really qualified to comment on their respective abilities but Rita is my favourite - for obvious reasons. She dances sublimely and, as a reviewer below has commented, `I'm Old-fashioned' is superb amongst several dance numbers (I wonder what her singing voice actually was like - her singing was dubbed).

Of the two films with Fred this is the best and, in my view, better than Cover Girl, although that is in colour and she is again beautifully photographed. I probably prefer this film because I prefer Astaire to Kelly - again I make no judgement, I just like Fred's style more than Kelly's.

Yes the plot is of it's time and shouldn't be taken seriously (I doubt it really was when it was made) but just seen as a vehicle for a fantastic score, great dancing, and a chance to see a truly beautiful woman beautifully photographed.

A must for Astaire fans and an absolute necessity for anyone who likes Rita Hayworth. Interestingly, I do think that he dances differently with Rita than with Ginger. Mind you, that might be because when he dances with Rita I watch her, when he dances with Ginger I watch them both!

The Wonderful Rita and Fred.......2007-01-28

Superb, superb, superb, what can one say to add to the below reviews just breathtaking dance sequences with a wonderful Fred and Rita, what a pity they never danced more together than on two films, the world is a sadder place for this! Ginger Rogers move over Rita has such lightness and swiftness of foot, in comparison to heavy footed Ginger!!!
I would recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys nostalgia and also You Will Never Get Rich, which duos Rita and Fred again.

Delightfully corny.......2006-11-08

The storyline for this is hilarous to modern-day women, with gems of lines such as "remember not to act too intelligent on your honeymoon dear, I made that mistake with your father", and a storyline that makes out that a woman's life just isn't complete unless she marries :-)

The dance routine to "I'm Old Fashioned" makes me cry every time I watch it - the combination of the beautiful song and the elegant dancing just turns me to jelly. Jerome Kern was THE best songwriter of that era!

An enjoyable if corny romp!

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Unexpected...

Finian's Rainbow [1968]
Starring: Fred Astaire , Petula Clark , Tommy Steele , Don Francks , and Keenan Wynn
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007KVE4O
Release Date: 2005-05-16
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Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2008-01-20

I've loved this film since I first watched it many moons ago. The songs are great. A lovely family film.

Unexpected..........2005-06-11

Underrated film. The transfer to DVD is fantastic, colours really bright (perhaps too bright, I had to tone down the saturation on my screen somewhat). Audio is perfect, imho.

An unexpected pleasure was Francis Ford Coppola's commentary track. He really packs it in... hardly a second goes by without any comments... extended anecdotes about his reasons for making this film - trying to impress his dad, Carmine, his first experience helming a hollywood feature, casting, candid regrets on how certain things were done, how he'd do them today... Coppola's a wonderful, humble storyteller - the commentary track is a real treat.

On The Beach [1959]
Average customer rating:

Peck bombs

There Is Still Time Brother

the ultimate Cold War film

Still holds up

On the beach

On The Beach [1959]
Starring: Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire , Anthony Perkins , and Donna Anderson
Director: Stanley Kramer
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001P1BR0
Release Date: 2004-05-03
On The Beach [1959]

Customer Reviews:

Peck bombs.......2005-12-27

After having recently read a bio of Gregory Peck, I was curious enough about those of his films that I haven't yet seen to watch ON THE BEACH. Mind you, I'm a big GP fan, and visited Rome based almost solely on ROMAN HOLIDAY. Well, that's another story. Let's just say the experience was a far departure from stumbling across Audrey Hepburn.

Here, Peck plays Cmdr. Dwight Towers, USN, captain of the sub USS Sawfish, left to its own devices in the mid-Pacific after a nuclear exchange between superpowers makes toast out of the Northern Hemisphere. Towers takes his boat to Australia, otherwise untouched by the Armageddon, though the radioactive cloud that now covers North America, Europe, and Asia is expected to descend upon the Aussies in five months time. In the meantime, Dwight falls for local lush Moira Davidson (Ava Gardner), but not without a repressed angst over his wife and kids left behind in the States, all of whom are now nothing more than glowing skeletons. Between frolics on the beach with Moira, Towers carries out one more mission with the Sawfish at the behest of the Royal Australian Navy - to make a quick dash up to Alaska to monitor the radiation level, and circle by California on the way back to investigate mysterious radio signals emanating from San Diego, the cause of which is perhaps the film's cleverest construct.

The film's antiwar message, which presumably appealed to Peck's liberal political leanings, caused the U.S. Navy to deny the use of one of its submarines for the filming. (The RAN loaned one of theirs.) In any case, Towers, while steadfast, square-jawed, and handsome in his uniform as only Gregory Peck can be, is remarkably unemotional throughout. No impassioned speeches to his crew about duty, honor, and country. Moreover, in the original novel by Nevil Shute, the romantic attraction between Dwight and Moira is unconsummated because of the deference the former feels for his dead wife, an element of the story that Peck wanted to retain in the screenplay. But Director Stanley Kramer insisted on a juicier ending to the affair to raise audience morale in the face of an unrelentingly somber theme, and Peck caved, though his subsequent ardor seems of the detached sort.

At 2 hours and fourteen minutes, ON THE BEACH is in need of some serious editing, particularly the extended and incongruous sequence where atomic scientist Julian Osborne (Fred Astaire) realizes a lifelong dream by racing an old Ferrari in the last Australian Grand Prix before the killer cloud arrives. (Perhaps that's why editor Frederic Knudtson, nominated for an Oscar, lost.) Then there's the improbable casting of Anthony Perkins as Peter Holmes, the RAN officer with family concerns temporarily assigned to the Sawfish for no other apparent reason than the scriptwriter had to put him somewhere.

Though ON THE BEACH was the eighth-highest-grossing film of 1960 earning $6.2 million on initial release, it seemed to me an ineffective anti-nuclear and anti-war vehicle. Only the film's beginning scenes of a bustling Melbourne compared to the ending shots of a deserted city were in any way thought provoking. An infinitely better anti-war picture - and one which doesn't veer off into extraneous subplots - was 1983's TESTAMENT, in which Carol Wetherly (Jane Alexander) is left to cope in suburbia with her three kids after a Soviet nuke vaporizes her husband and San Francisco to the west, but leaves Carol's community directly unaffected by the blast. Things are OK until the fallout arrives. In one incredibly heart-breaking scene, Wetherly, while standing in front of the funeral pyre consuming the town's dead residents and one of her children, screams for God's damnation of those that have visited this catastrophe on her world. There's more passion in this one sequence than in the entirety of ON THE BEACH.

There Is Still Time Brother.......2005-03-18

That is the message displayed on the Salvation Army banners as Humanity slips into extinction. There are no explosions, no bodies, no physical horror or special effects whatsoever....and more importantly, no hope. The plot is well covered by other reviewers, so I'm giving nothing else away.

This B/W 1959 film by Stanley Kramer based on a novel by Nevil Shute (A Town Like Alice), will haunt you for the rest of your life. Not often repeated on afternoon TV, buy this DVD to show your children and grandchildren how really brave and talented film makers were, before they became a meaningless dross factory.

The only choreography that Fred Astaire oversees is the Dance of Death. He is simply sensational in this straight acting role as the scientist, Julian Osborne. All the suffering of the world is etched in every line on his face. Peck plays Peck, one of the greatest screen actors of the 20th Century expressing the qualities of leadership, integrity and vulnerability in Dwight Lionel Towers, commander of the American submarine USS Sawfish.Ava Gardner is perhaps a little old and glamorous for the role of Moira Davidson, Peck's love interest, but she does OK.

Pre Psycho, Anthony Perkins, as Lt. Cmdr. Peter Holmes, Royal Australian Navy, is devastating as he assists his wife and baby in mutual suicide in the privacy of their bedroom. This relays a horror, greater than anything in Hitchcock's vivid imagination.

This is a real film, about real issues and real people, by real actors. As I said before, buy it, it's probably the only chance you'll get to see this classic.

the ultimate Cold War film.......2004-06-21

This is the film that for me captures the terror I felt as a child, growing up at the height of the Cold War; it is bleak and intense, with scenes that are forever etched in my mind. It's one of the great films of that era ("Seven Days in May" and "Fail Safe" are others) that I can watch repeatedly, and their power and impact are never diminished.
Based on Nevil Shute's best seller, and brilliantly directed by Stanley Kramer, the use of sound effects combined with Ernest Gold's Oscar nominated score is very effective. Sometimes the simplest noise set against complete silence is ominous, and gives the feeling of the desolation of empty cities.
As time runs out, people try to avoid the "morbid discussion" of what awaits them, and some make the most of those precious days, weeks and months, like the elderly scientist Julian (in an exceptional performance by Fred Astaire), who completes his dream of being a race car driver.

Both strong and tender, Gregory Peck is fabulous as Dwight Towers, the commander of a submarine, who has trouble accepting that he is alive, while his family are victims of the "monstrous war". The woman who falls in love with him is Ava Gardner, who has spent far too much time being consoled by a bottle of brandy. The plot is filled out by Anthony Perkins and Donna Anderson, a young couple facing the fact that their baby has no future.
In the late 50s and early 60s, the scenario in this film was all too real; we face other dangers now, but there was something truly chilling about those Cold War years, and this film vividly brings back the memory of them. Total running time is 134 minutes.

Still holds up.......2004-06-15

Wore out my VHS now working on the DVD. I am saddened that there are not a lot of DVD goodies on their film. Maybe one day there will be a criterion version.

Yes the book was written in the Cold War Era environment. Some characters are predictable or are portrayed as such so we can see how different people face or do not face the inevitable. Even those characters that change easily through some sort of epiphany can be predictable. The basic story in the book is that Albania sends a plan with a major country's markings and we retaliate. In the movie they changed it to some hotshot getting trigger-happy with a weapon that could only cause assured destruction. However the book not a pacifist (don't build bombs story). It could be a speculative fiction or just speculative.

Again the book On the Beach as most books is more complete in the characterization and description of the story. One the people is a cross of characters. The captain, Dwight Towers, is well trained and loyal to the U.S. to the end. He takes the sub out to international waters, as Australia is an ally, but not the U.S. Moira Davidson realizes that Dwight is married and helps him buy a pogo stick for the kid. She also decides to make something of herself by going to secretarial school. Others plan for next year.

The movie On the Beach (1959) stays fairly loyal to the feel, with a few minor changes. Some of the changes were necessary due to the difference in media. However others were a little distracting. They used major stars that overshadowed the character that they were playing. Ava Gardner was just a tad old for the part of Moira Davidson. However the movie still let the characters be real and predictable. Such as Dwight Towers, loyal to the U.S. takes his crew back to the US (not quite the book but still loyal to this command).

It is worth re-wathcing. But defiantly read the book.

On the beach.......2004-06-09

This film takes place under the tension of the cold war although it could have been set very slightly in the future (it was made in 1959). There has been a massive nuclear war. Every major city in the Northern Hemisphere has been destroyed and two thirds of the world is covered in a deadly radioactive cloud. This cloud is moving ever southward to the last remaining survivors in Australia.
A radio signal is picked up from the North and the USS Sawfish sets sail in the hope that life has survived in the North. In the end, each person has to face the invetabiilty of thier immortality and the end of mankind.

A stark sad film, it gives one a poignient reminder of what would become important in such circumstances. Superb performances from the stars and based on the excellent book by Nevil Shute which is itself a well crafted classic, this film will have you thinking for some time to come.

That's Entertainment Box Set
Average customer rating:

Extras Missing

DONT GET THIS VERSION GET HTE US ONE >>READ < <

Absolutely fabulous

That's Entertainment Box Set
Starring: Judy Garland , Fred Astaire , Frank Sinatra , Elizabeth Taylor , and Gene Kelly
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G5SG7I
Release Date: 2006-10-17
That's Entertainment Box Set

Customer Reviews:

Extras Missing.......2008-01-10

I bought this as a gift for someone.
The extra disc is missing only on the US Version.
DO NOT buy this.

DONT GET THIS VERSION GET HTE US ONE >>READ < <.......2007-10-11

THE AMERICAN US 4 disc version RELEASE IS FAR SUPERIOR

AND IS >>NOT < < REGION LOCKED even though it says region 1

We got a bum deal in uk europe, the people who did this version were downright cheap and lazy

THE UK VERSION IS ONLY 3 DISCS, The US version is 4 with lots of extras including brilliant behind scenes footage

IF YOU HAVE WIDESCREEN TV. The UK dics are in 4:3 only. meaning black bars left and right. Lots of these shows were shot in widescreen and you wont be able to watch properly on your widescreen tv. THE US VERSION IS WIDESCREEN . It has double sided dics. On one side 4.3 version and the other side widescreen version.

And most unbelievable of all the UK VERSION DOES NOT HAVE CHAPTER SELECT OR SCENE SELECTION. When you put the disc in it just says play!! You might think so what? but when there is so much goodies crammed into these discs you will have to ffw to your favourites. THE US VERSION HAS CHAPTER SCENE SELECT WITH PICTURES.

GET THE US VERSION. IF you get the 4 disc version IT IS NOT REGION LOCKED even though says reigon 1.

Absolutely fabulous.......2006-11-19

Virtually everyone will have seen "That's Entertainment" Part One made in 1974 and has appeared regularly on TV over the years, but the other two parts have passed at least this viewer by.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT 1 (1974) - Set the standard with great set pieces from the incomparable MGM musicals introduced by a series of greats, Sinatra, Astaire, Rooney, O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. Introductions often set in the crumbling back lot of MGM which was demolished for property development immediately following filming.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT II (1976) - This time all the introductions are by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelley including some extended scenes between them and dance routines. This part does not work as well for me as Part 1, concentrating rather too much on Kelly and Astaire musicals, but even so there is a great deal to enjoy.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT III (1985) - With Part Three we are right back to form, in fact the whole thing rattles along in even finer style than Part 1. However there is a different emphasis, there is more cutting from one film to another to build up a better picture of the star. Also some great out takes that never saw the light of day, particularly Judy Garland in "Annie get your Gun" (yes I mean Judy Garland, she started filming but had a breakdown) singing "I am an Indian too" also Judy in a show stopping "March of the Doagies" that was cut from "The Harvey Girls". Two other outstanding highlights are stage hands moving scenery in real time ahead of Eleanor Powell tapping her way through "Fascinatin' Rhythm"; also two takes of Fred Astaire performing the same dance in difference costumes and settings the performances shown side by side on the screen and Fred is in perfect sync throughout, proving he did rehearse as hard as they say.

Once again a great series of introducers, Kelley, Keel, Charisse, Allyson, Horne, Miller and the swimming wonder Esther Williams.

FINALLY - Strangely these compilations do not have any scene selections, so if you want to regularly access any particular item you will have to make your own list of favourite chapter numbers.

A wonderful DVD set and a never ending treat for all lovers of MGM musicals.

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