Fri 7/10 @ 7PM
The 1935 musical romance Top Hat was probably the ultimate Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire vehicle. It was actually the fourth film to pair the two, but it exaggerated to the Nth degree the elements that made these films so endearing, and today, so endearingly archaic: Astaire becoming instantly smitten with Rogers, Rogers brushing him off due to a misunderstanding, the slick lothario who tries to come between them, and everything straightened out for a big final dance number.
It featured a string of memorable Irvin Berlin tunes: “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails,” which encapsulated Astaire’s legendary image, “No Strings,” “Isn’t It a Lovely Day (To be Caught in the Rain); the spectacular finale “The Piccolino,” and of course, the unforgettable falling-in-love dance “Cheek to Cheek” with Rogers in a stunning feathered gown, one of the most romantic duet dances in film history.
The film is the topic of The Musical Theater Project’s next Zoom film discussion with TMTP’s artistic director Bill Rudman. Watch the film on any streaming service, then join Bill for a discussion and Q&A. It’s free. Go here to hook up. Its airy, upbeat spirit is just the antidote for these times, just as it was a welcome distraction for those in 1935, when unemployment was even higher than now.
musicaltheaterproject.org/moviesathome