ROBERTA
US, 1935,106 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Helen Westley.
Directed by William A. Seiter.
A very pleasant 30s musical from RKO. Irene Dunne was emerging as a popular musical star as well as a heroine of comedies with actors like Cary Grant and tearjerkers with Charles Boyer and again, Grant. She appeared in Universal's version of Jerome Kern's Show Boat at this time. Her style seems dated now. Randolph Scott is a typical American hero -slightly satirised. He was to appear with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Follow The Fleet.
Astaire and Rogers have some good dances in this film - a very interesting tap dancing dialogue as well as ballroom dancing to Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. However, the thin plot takes up a lot of the action and Irene Dunne has the best Kern songs. The fashion parade was originally filmed in colour. The film was re-made as Lovely To Look At in 1953 by Mervyn Le Roy as a vehicle for Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel and had the dancing of the Champions and Ann Miller.
1. An entertaining musical? The style of the thirties? Jerome Kern's music? Stars? Impact in its time, now?
2. The conventions of the Hollywood musical as established in the thirties? The light plot? Quick and conventional characterisation? The musical score, insertion of songs, dancing routines? Romance? Comedy? Cross-purposes to happy ending?
3. Black and white photography, editing especially for the choreography? The atmosphere of Paris? Americans in Paris? The importance of the world of fashion and the original colour sequence for the fashion parade?
4. The musical comedy plot - plausibility? An American band in Paris, John as hero and his football background, Aunt Minnie? Liz and her passing herself off as a countess? Stephanie and the exiled Russians in Paris? The success of Roberta in the world of fashion? John's inheriting it? Possibility for success? The fairytale elements of the plot?
5. Stephanie as heroine? Irene Dunne's style, dignity? her singing the principal songs? her work with Aunt Minnie? her contribution to the shop? The devotion of her cousin, the prince? The clash with Liz? The encounter with John and his courtesy? Falling in love? The clash with Sophie and selling her the dress in bad taste? The death of Minnie? The question of carrying on at Roberta and doing a deal? The clash with John and a happy reconciliation after the show? Musical comedy heroine?
6. Randolph Scott as John? Americanism, everything being swell? With the band? The contact with Aunt Minnie? Falling in love with Stephanie and courting her? The encounter with Sophie and her snobbery? The clash with the dress? Drinking? Feeling of betrayal? Fearing Stephanie married? His humble apology?
7. Huck and Liz? The band and the musical routines - the painted keyboard hands? Huck and his smooth talking? The success of the band in Paris? Liz and her passing herself off as a countess - with accent? The satirical singing with the accent? Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the variety of their dancing routines, skills? The highlights of the film?
8. Aunt Minnie as the owner of Roberta, her liking for John, her helping Huck? Stephanie and her assistance? her death? Strong character?
9. Sophie and the snobbish American? Coming to Paris, the clash with Stephanie, the selling of the dress, John's reaction and her leaving?
10. The world of business, fashion, romance? Conventional clashes and behaviour - to a happy ending? The basis of the traditions of the American musical comedy?
