Summer Under the Stars: Ginger Rogers
Star of the Day: Ginger Rogers
photo by me
Oh boy, was I excited when I saw Ginger Rogers's name on the Summer Under the Stars list! That being said, this isn't exactly the line-up I would've chosen (where's Vivacious Lady? Where's Bachelor Mother? Where's Fifth Avenue Girl? Where's Kitty Foyle?!), but there were so many great films featured—and of course I've seen them all—and I'm going to give you my thoughts on all of them!
Rafter Romance (1933)
I love the premise of Rafter Romance: Ginger and Norman Foster rent the same apartment. He gets it during the day and she gets it at night. They don't meet for a while, and only know they have a 'roommate' because of the state of the apartment. Their hostility, of course, changes once they meet... without knowing that they're the source of the other's ire. This is fun and breezy and a perfect Pre-Code picture, in my books! A strong start to Ginger Rogers Day.
Professional Sweetheart (1933)
This one's fine, but I think I would've chosen In Person instead of it, especially since Rafter Romance already featured Ginger and Norman Foster (to greater success, in my opinion).
Romance in Manhattan (1935)
Oh my heart. I absolutely adore Romance in Manhattan. There's just the right amount of romance, the right amount of melodrama, and it's such a lovely story. This shows Ginger at her mid-'30s best, proving that she wasn't just the gal dancing with Fred Astaire. Every time I do an order with CC Video, this always winds up in my cart, but, for whatever reason, keeps getting re-added to the wish list. I'll own it in a physical format someday!
Weekend at the Waldorf (1945)
What if Grand Hotel but set at the Waldorf in New York! That's basically the premise of this update-to-the-classic, with Ginger in the Greta Garbo role. She excelled at playing grand dames, and the cast is stacked too: Lana Turner, Walter Pidgeon, and Van Johnson round out the starring cast.
Perfect Strangers (1950)
In terms of later career Ginger, this one's a solid choice. Ginger and Dennis Morgan play sequestered jurors who fall in love over the course of the trial. It hits all of the melodramatic mid-century soap moments, and of course Ginger's great in it. I think if I were picking '50s fare, I would've gone with Monkey Business or Black Widow... maybe Forever Female.
Tender Comrade (1943)
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There's a little too much speechifying in this one for my tastes, but tender is the right word: Ginger and her cohort of women making do while the men are off at war live and love and lose and every moment is tender. The ending kills me.
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
So charming! These Ginger/Fred dance flicks were some of the best things to come out of the '30s, and you can fight me on that opinion.
Top Hat (1935)
Worth it for the absolutely insane ostrich feather gown Ginger wore in the 'Cheek to Cheek' dance scene, though it's not my favourite of their collaborations. (That honour, and you can come for me if you'd like, goes to Roberta).
Swing Time (1936)
Wait... is Roberta my favourite Ginger/Fred flick, or is it Swing Time? Jury's out, this one's a delight!
Shall We Dance (1937)
Oh I adore that roller skating dance routine!
The Major and the Minor (1942)
If you've spent any time on the blog, you know that The Major and the Minor is one of my top three favourite movies. Everything about it is perfect, I will not be taking criticisms at this time.
Primrose Path (1940)
After her partnership with Fred ended, Ginger wanted a chance to star in more serious fare. She got her wish with Kitty Foyle, which ended up winning her an Oscar, and she spent the rest of her career balancing comedy with drama. Case in point: Primrose Path, where she plays a young woman determined not to follow her mother and grandmother into the family profession (prostitution). Her performance in this is sublime.
Storm Warning (1951)
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