Musicals showcase the talented triple threats who can act, sing, and dance, transporting viewers to the utmost fantasy lands where characters break into song when emotions overflow, sometimes accompanied by elaborate, synchronized dancing. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers partnered for multiple movies with theatrical flair, emotional performances, and beautiful songs, that account for some of the most entertaining musicals of all time.
Their dynamic partnership began with supporting roles in 1933’s Flying Down to Rio. It didn’t take long for their chemistry to shine through as they matched each other step for step – and not just on the dance floor. They kept up with each other through flirtatious jabs, romantic miscues, mistaken identities, a flurry of complex dance routines, and upbeat melodies and heartfelt ballads, crafted to make the audience smile. Fred and Ginger danced across screens and into our hearts through 10 movies and now is a good time to revisit or be introduced to some of their best films.
The Gay Divorcee
In 1934 the duo took the lead in The Gay Divorcee with Rogers as Mimi, a woman seeking divorce by hiring someone to make it appear like she’s cheating and Astaire as Guy, the man Mimi mistakenly thinks has been sent to her for the faux affair. It featured the Cole Porter hit “Night and Day” and “The Continental,” which was the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Top Hat
They starred in the screwball comedy Top Hat in 1935 with Astaire as an American dancer who travels to London to star in a new show. He tries to impress Rogers as a model who caught his eye and she in turn mistakes him for the show’s producer. The case of mistaken identity is presented with songs by Irving Berlin, including the fun “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” and the romantic “Cheek to Cheek.”
Follow the Fleet
For Follow the Fleet, their fifth outing, Rogers and Astaire play former dance partners who were separated by the Navy and a San Francisco ballroom. Their reunion sparks renewed devotion and he attempts to help her get a job on Broadway and raise money to refurbish her deceased father’s ship. This 1936 gem features the catchy tunes “Let Yourself Go” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance.”
Swing Time
They had another hit in 1936 with Swing Time with Astaire playing a performer and gambler engaged to a woman when he meets Rogers as Penny, a dance teacher, with whom he reluctantly becomes smitten. It featured the gorgeous Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields song “The Way You Look Tonight,” which one Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
Shall We Dance
In 1937’s Shall We Dance, Astaire is a famous ballet dancer interested in creating a show that blends dance style and tries to woo Rogers as a tap dancer – who is not as impressed with him. They meet again and become the topic of a juicy piece of gossip that they are secretly married. It featured the first score by George and Ira Gershwin and included the song “They Can’t Take that Away from Me.”
