The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply Perfect

Instant Favorite.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This is a worthy tribute to Irene and Vernon Castle who really were the Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Dance sensation for their own time 1913-1917. This was the ninth and last RKO musical for Fred and Ginger, although they did a reunion picture in 1949. Consider that they started dancing on-screen together in Dec 1933 with "Flying Down to Rio" and this film came out in March of 1939, so Fred and Ginger mania really lasted only 5 1/2 years, not much more than the Castles' time at the top of popular American culture. The Beatles lasted about the same 1964-1970. Social Icons have a limited shelf life before they are replaced, but the fan base does continue for many decades and even into new generations.The first half of the film is quite hilarious and really typical Fred and Ginger. Ginger's "The Yama Yama Man" is the highlight for me. The second half does become more serious. This is appropriate, as they were honoring two dancers who really paved the way for all popular dancers in the century. I loved the great special effect shot here of the couple dancing across a map of the United States and hundreds of tiny dancers suddenly popping up where ever they went.Some people have commented that Irene Castle was unhappy about some things in the production. I think she was probably trying to make the production as truthful as possible and largely succeeded. The fact that her black friend and companion was portrayed as a white man would have upset anyone who was not a racist. This is, in fact the only problem that I have with the film. Hollywood missed a great opportunity to show a case of real interracial harmony. It was a sad misjudgment on the part of RKO management. Irene Castle was entirely correct to criticize the decision.Walter Brennan and Edna May Oliver do a good job of providing the sidekick laughs, allowing Fred and Ginger to stick more to the romance. Oliver received a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination that same year for "Drums Along the Mohawk." Oliver played Maggie Sutton, a character based on Elizabeth Marbury, one of the most famous lesbians of the her time. She was one of the first literary and theatrical agents who included Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw and Jerome Kern among her clients. Sadly, the Hayes Codes made it impossible to show any suggestion that she was gay. If there was a remake today, I'm sure that would be a major point.So far I have watched six of the ten Fred and Ginger movies. Each of them has been a joy. This one was a joy, but I also shed a tear. I hope to watch the other four in the coming weeks.

I'm glad there are a lot of positive reviews for this film as it is definitely one of my favourite Astaire / Rogers teamings.Vernon and Irene Castle's popularity in the years before World War One was phenomenal. The film recreates the sensation they caused as the public flocked to buy Irene Castle hats, shoes, frocks and coats - she was even a trend setter with her hairstyles (the costumes in the film were designed by Irene Castle). Apparently Irene Castle, who was quite involved as an adviser on the film, while admiring Fred Astaire, did not get on with Ginger and there were some fights on the set.Vernon Castle (Fred Astaire) is a comedian playing vaudeville (he is teamed with Lew Fields). He has organized to meet the troupes' leading lady at the beach at New Rochelle. When she doesn't show up, an accidental meeting with Irene Foote (Ginger Rogers) (they are both trying to rescue a very cute pup from drowning) causes him to spend the afternoon at her house. I found this part very funny. Irene is a star- struck, would be performer and her family (with the exception of her father) have great faith in her abilities. She performs "The Yama Yama Man" (introduced by Bessie McCoy in the Ziegfeld Follies) with great gusto - much to Vernon's and the rescued pup's fright. Walter Brennan is great in his role as Walt, who has a blind faith in Irene's talent. Vernon calls her a "ham" and she is thrilled (not knowing what it means but she soon learns). Vernon then performs a skillful tap dance to "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" at the train station and Irene can hardly wait to see him perform at the theater. She brings her girlfriends, but is horrified when instead of a dance routine he is the buffoon in a slapstick comic barbershop act. She then hears someone calling him a ham and goes back to his dressing room to tell him off.Despite the bad beginning they hit it off and Vernon teaches Irene to dance in the hope of forming a dancing partnership. Of course there is a theme song - this time it is the beautiful "Only When You're in My Arms". Their first audition is a fabulous dance to "Waiting For the Robert E. Lee" - but Mr. Fields is not impressed - "who would pay money to see a man dance with his wife??" After that disappointment they are approached by two men who want them for their club in Paris. Vernon and Irene think it is for their dancing but it is really for Vernon's comedy routine. By the time they get over there they are penniless and must get a job to tide them over.They meet Maggie Sutton (Edna May Oliver) who gets them an audition at the Cafe De Paris. They dance the wonderful Castle Walk to "Too Much Mustard" and create a sensation - Irene looks beautiful and wears her lucky Dutch cap. They made ballroom dancing popular and introduced many now standard dances to European audiences - the Tango, the Foxtrot and the Castle Polka. The Maxixe was particularly stylish with Irene in a beautiful striped silk dress with her now familiar Dutch cap. They do a tour of the United States. A very effective scene shows them dancing across a map of the United States leaving cheering fans in each state. They also write a book entitled "Modern Dancing". They eventually settle in England but war is declared.While doing a benefit performance Fred (doing a mean imitation of James Cagney doing George M. Cohan)enlists. On one of his leaves, he and Irene do a medley of the dances they have made famous - Irene looks beautiful in a floaty chiffon dress. When the Americans enter the war, Irene volunteers for war work and even takes time out to make a patriotic serial in Hollywood - "Patria".The ending is beautifully done as an image of Irene and Vernon (who had been killed in a freak air accident) dance down a treed walk to their song, "Only When You're in My Arms".Highly Recommended.

Despite participation of the then still living Irene Castle on the costumes and the script (and acting as Technical Adviser), this is a typically Hollywoodized version of the lives of the famous dancing couple who started the craze for ballroom dancing, including the Fox Trot, the Tango, the Castle Walk.Even having pros like EDNA MAY OLIVER and WALTER BRENNAN in the supporting cast, can't conceal the fact that the screenplay is a trite affair, however accurate some of the incidents may be.Fans of FRED ASTAIRE and GINGER ROGERS are hardly likely to count this among the dancing couple's best films. Beginning with the dreadful "Yama Yama" number Ginger does in clown suit and make-up, none of the subsequent musical numbers have any of the style and class associated with Astaire and Rogers when they're being themselves.They both give it the old try, but Ginger has been seen to better advantage in any number of other musical comedy roles, as has Fred. Some of the familiar old-time songs ("You Great Big Beautiful Doll") and others are sprinkled throughout to give the story the needed period atmosphere, but even that period glow seems ineffective.Summing up: A misfire as both a biography of the Castles and an old-fashioned song and dance show. Something went very wrong.

Here's one of those rare films that I like where there are no villains, just a nice, old-fashioned story with good people.Of all the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films, I would guess this gets the least amount of publicity and if that's true, it's a shame.There are plenty of dance scenes in here. I prefer the tap dancing to ballroom, but that's just my personal tastes. The famous dancing duo are great with any style. I like Walter Brennan, so it's nice to see him in this film and it also was nice to see Edna May Oliver play a nice character, for a change.The only complaint was the ending was so predictable. You see it coming a mile away. How true this story is, I can't say, but overall it's one of my favorite Astaire-Rogers movies. I am sorry it gets so little attention.