"Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again"

#90: Swing Time


Watched on January 28, 2011
Released in 1936
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028333/


Fun Fact: In the scene with "The Way You Look Tonight", Ginger Rogers is seen to be washing her hair.  The crew tried various soaps, shampoos, and even egg white, but is always ran down her face too quickly.  They achieved success with whip cream.

Rob's Thoughts:  Another great movie musical.  This was my first time seeing an Astaire/Rogers movie, and I really liked it.  Their chemistry and musical/dance numbers were amazing.  The movie had its blend of comedy and romance.  The one scene that stuck out for me was "Bojangles of Harlem".  I loved Astaire's dancing and the ensemble's choreography.  If you have not seen an Astaire/Rogers movie, this one should be on the top of your list.

Whit's Thoughts: I was so excited to watch this movie! I had never seen a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie and, when I read that the movie contained one of my favorite songs, "The Way You Look Tonight", I was even more excited. The dancing in the movie was astounding. Flawlessly done and generally in one complete take. I don't know that anyone in Hollywood today could do what these two did. The movie had several comic parts and fun one-liners. However, I felt that the storyline was weak. There wasn't much to it - within the first 20 minutes you pretty much knew what was going to happen. But the dancing and musical numbers were fantastically rich, making up for the loose plot.

"My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you."

#98: Yankee Doodle Dandy

Watched on January 25, 2011

Released in 1942

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035575/


Fun Fact: George M. Cohan chose James Cagney to play him.

Rob's Thoughts: I honestly liked this movie.  James Cagney was very entertaining as George Cohan and his singing/dancing was flawless.  Also, it had been a while since I had heard "Yankee Doodle" and "Grand Old Flag, so it was great to hear those tunes.  If you are a fan of musical movies, I would recommend this classic.

Whit's Thoughts: When we sat down to watch this movie, I turned to Rob during the opening credits and asked, "What is this movie about again?". We immediately paused the movie and did a quick Google search on it. I had no idea it was based on a true story and I had no idea who George Cohan was. So, with that in mind, we continued watching. I can honestly say this movie has everything in it - drama, comedy, music, dancing...and a fairly interesting story line! I was amazed to learn about the songs George Cohan introduced into our culture, the impact he had on Broadway, and that he was he was the first person in an artistic field to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Ultimately, I enjoyed this movie. Even though I am still humming "Yankee Doodle".