#90 - Swing Time

There just has to be a Fred and Ginger movie on the list. And though this is the first one I've ever seen, I can see what all the hullabaloo is about. The film is the ultimate pre-World War II example of good, clean fun.

Fred Astaire has become a cliche in recent years. Not really a joke, but only useful for one type of movie: this type. While I was watching it, I realized that our generation's version of this movie would probably be the "Step Up" trilogy (trilogy!). And that made me sad. But what makes this story that is essentially a vehicle for more, fantastic dancing, is the investment we have in the characters and the personalities that we can see showing from the performances of the triple threats. I haven't seen any of the "Step Up" movies, but I doubt any of them have a character as sassy and hilarious as Mabel, played by Helen Broderick, who is the Ethel Mertz of the movie, which automatically makes her my favorite character.

When it comes to what is the film's greatest contribution to the pop culture arena, an argument could be made for the original singing of the "The Way You Look Tonight." Whereas I always thought Sinatra had started it and made it a standard, I was interested to find that this is where the song got its origin: Astaire sitting at a piano, just singing.

I've never been that impressed by dancing. I've never been wowed; everything I've seen has been okay, but I've never been blown away. This movie's choreography, the emotion behind every movement of Fred and Ginger, blew me away.

Overall, the film was funny, bright, and had an interesting story. The stellar dance routines and my first experience with seeing Fred Astaire float around the room only added to the enjoyment of "Swing Time."