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October 23, 2009
Friday Flickers: Swing Time
This clip from Swing Time 1936, in which Fred saves Ginger's job, is a perfect illustration of why Astaire and Rogers revolutionized dance in movies. Elegant, explosive—watch the amazing shifts in tempo—and deeply romantic, their dance numbers are, Astaire insisted on this, seamlessly integrated into the plot line of their films.
Astaire also wisely demanded that the dance sequences be filmed in one take, or as close to one take as was technically feasible. He did not care for the Busby Berkeley style of extravagant dance numbers photographed from extreme angles emphasizing a fearful geometry and then edited down to rapid fire shots.
Astaire favored a coherent movie geography in which time and space adhere to the rules of gravity and human beings are flesh and blood rather than mechanical props.
Astaire boldly stated: “Either the camera will dance, or I will.”
So, you think you can dance, watch this:
Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a joyous and restful Shabbat.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at October 23, 2009 07:43 AM
Comments
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Great dance clip - what athleticism!
Shabbat Shalom from The Great White North.
Posted by: Mark at October 23, 2009 07:54 AM
Wunderbar!
Posted by: ProphetJoe at October 23, 2009 08:03 AM
I really dislike watching almost all forms of dance, but watching those two is... well, it's incredible. The phenomenal and tremendous talent they had makes me wish I could do something that good.
Amazing.
Posted by: pdwalker at October 23, 2009 09:34 AM
It is beautiful to watch them - poetry in motion - Someone once said that Fred Astair got all the accolades in dancing (certainly justified) but Ginger Rogers did it all too - backwards and in high heels!
Posted by: Bill Brandt at October 23, 2009 09:55 AM
Astaire favored a coherent movie geography in which time and space adhere to the rules of gravity
But didn't Astaire dance on a ceiling in Royal Wedding? Without CGI too.
Astaire was great with Rogers or any other partners (it's too bad he didn't do more with Rita Hayworth). He also did a good job in a dramatic role in On The Beach.
But my single favorite solo dance scene was Kelley getting wet in Singin' In The Rain.
This clip is a great way to go into the weekend. Thanks!
Posted by: Johnny at October 23, 2009 01:35 PM
Mark:
Glad you enjoyed the clip. You should screen the film, it's really great.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 23, 2009 02:50 PM
Joe:
They are the best.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 23, 2009 02:52 PM
pdwalker:
I can't watch any of the dance shows that are on TV. The rapid fire cutting and the lack of a story line just puts me into a coma.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 23, 2009 02:53 PM
Bill:
Later in Swing Time, Astaire and Rogers perform a famous waltz. To get it right director George Stevens shot about 50 takes. By the last take, Ginger's shoes were filled with blood.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 23, 2009 02:55 PM
Johnny:
Very good point.
By 1951, when Royal Wedding was produced, Hollywood musicals were becoming an endangered species and Astaire no longer had the juice to make demands. I kind of enjoy the sequence, but ultimately it's just a clever gimmick that falls below the quality of his classic work with Rogers.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 23, 2009 03:03 PM
channeling Paul Harvey:
... and Dorothy Fields' (the lyricist) father was Lew Field, whose backstage feud with his vaudville partner is said to be the source material for Neil Simon's Sunshine Boys.
---------
PS: Hey Robert - Did you know that Frederic Austerlitz (Fred Aistaire) was Jewish? (check out the latest biography of him)
Posted by: Real Name at October 23, 2009 05:41 PM
Viewing suggestion: watch it on New Years Eve, while the idiots are on the roads. Either rented or on Turner Classic Movie.
Posted by: Real Name at October 23, 2009 05:44 PM
I love checking out this site on Fridays. Great stuff. I dare anybody to watch this Fred & Ginger dance clip without smiling. I also appreciate the notes. Thanks!
Posted by: labwriter at October 23, 2009 08:50 PM
Of all their pairings, I have to say this is my favorite.
Trivia: Ginger's requisite plain wise-cracking gal pal is Helen Broderick, who was Broderick Crawford's mom.
"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you...
And the way you look tonight."
Posted by: Sal at October 24, 2009 08:46 AM
Wonderful. A great way to see Shabbat out. Thanks!
Posted by: Sara at October 24, 2009 09:44 AM
It's a great clip! But my favorite is still of him literally dancing all over the room -- over the floor, wall, ceiling, other wall, and back again!
Posted by: Rivka with a capital A at October 24, 2009 01:48 PM
Didn't Ginger Rogers also say she did all the steps Astaire did only she did them backwards ?
I'm having a discussion of dance in corporate worship on a Christian online forum. Not comfortable with it, but one of the points that has come up is that dance is part of the Jewish culture.
Do Jews dance coed in synagogue ? Or is dancing done at weddings ?
Basically, do young women dance in front of a mixed group in synagogue.
Posted by: Jackie W. at October 25, 2009 08:24 AM
Good point and observation.
I think that even if Fred and Ginger had no story or plot-line, I'd still watch them dance, but yes, I guess I also enjoyed the way that the story blended in with their dancing.
*goes off to check the TCM schedule*
Posted by: pdwalker at October 25, 2009 08:20 PM
wild dancing, for sure
They're generally known for elegance, aren't they?
Jumping over the barrier etc, not easy.
Posted by: Batya from Shiloh at October 25, 2009 09:39 PM
Thanks for that!
Halevai we should all dance so light-footed as that twosome. They make it look soooo easy.
Posted by: Pearl at October 26, 2009 09:05 AM
I've heard that Astaire also insisted on full-body shots exclusively, and I believe it, since I can't remember ever having seen a Fred Astaire dance that didn't show him (and his partner, if any) from head to toe. Good for him! Of what use is a head-shot to a dancer? "Astaire boldly stated: “Either the camera will dance, or I will.” The same applies to any shot that doesn't include a dancer's entire body. I'm not interested in camera tricks when I watch someone dance!
Isn't "Swing Time" the movie that includes the song and dance sequence "Never Gonna Dance"? That's one of my all-time Rogers/Astaire dances.
Posted by: Shira Salamone at October 27, 2009 04:44 PM