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Yes, it's The Barkleys of Broadway! Fred and Ginger! Together again for the first time (on this blog, anyway)!
We weren't planning for our first Fred and Ginger movie to be their last one, but the day we announced we were doing F&G next, lo and behold, Netflix finally found our new address and this is what showed up in our mail. We took it as a sign. Onward!
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Fred and Ginger play Josh and Dinah Barkley, a highly successful Broadway song and dance team who seemingly have it all: money, fame, money, success, money, love and money.
Despite that horrific thing she's wearing in the opening number, Ginger's wardrobe is divine throughout the movie.
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Having just completed the opening night of their new Broadway show, they head to their opening night party and - what's this? Bitch at each other the whole way there! Ho ho! Apparently, things aren't as rosy with these two as the public thinks!
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At the party, Ginger decides to indulge in a little bulimia to deal with her troubled marriage. Trying to hide her 3rd and 4th helpings behind her back, she meets Jacques Pierre Barredout, who might as well have been named Frenchy McFrencherson.
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Frenchy captivates her by telling her everything she wants to hear about herself, the things that Fred never says to her: she's magnifique, she's talented, she's beautiful, etc., etc.
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After the party, she and Fred have a fight about her shameless flirting.
The days before conditioner were sad ones, weren't they?
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Fred makes a point to mention her flyaway hair and split ends and she throws a shoe at him.
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Instead of having hate sex, they sing and dance in their bedroom.
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The next day, at rehearsals, they meet Shirleen, who the producers have decided to bring
in as an understudy for Ginger since they think the marriage might be in trouble. Despite
the fact she's younger than her and has a penchant for walking around without a skirt on, Ginger readily agrees to have her hired.
Then, they dance:
Unfortunately, this film doesn't really have any dance numbers with the iconic quality of their films of a decade early, but it is a cute number and it's kind of jarring to see Ginger dancing in pants. Especially since her outfit is more masculine than his.
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Later, they attend an art gallery, where one of those snooty, ridiculous "modern" artists unveils a new portrait of them. She's a pancake and he's a frying pan. Unsurprisingly, she's offended by this.
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Later she forces Fred to wear a skirt, since she had to wear pants.
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Still later, they head out for a weekend in the country with their idle rich friends. Among them, Frenchy, who stares longingly at Ginger while she plays tennis naked.
HaHa! Not naked! We just wanted to see if you were still paying attention.
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Frenchy's girlfriend shows off her breasts. She will be playing the lead in his new play about Sarah Bernhardt. He hates her.
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He corners Ginger on a really ugly sofa and makes her read his script. He wants her to play the young Sarah, but she's not sure she's got the acting chops for it.
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Later, at their fabulous Manhattan apartment with its painted backdrop, Fred discovers her reading the script and flies into a rage. Fred's kind of an asshole.
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Wisely, they decide to openly argue about it in front of the paparazzi that live in their apartment with them.
You know what that means:
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Spinning headlines!
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Fred continues on without her:
There's a lot of reasons we don't like this number. First, Fred was always much better with a partner; second, it was of a piece with a trend in musicals that he and Gene Kelly started where they would try to one-up each other by doing these gimmicky dances (like dancing with a cartoon character or a mop or a sheet of newspaper or on a ceiling) and after a while it just gets old. Finally, there's the whole "WTF?" thing. No one knows better than us that you have to really suspend your disbelief when you're watching a musical, but when they do these fantasy sequences where shoes come alive and present it like it's something he's performing on a stage in front of an audience, well...WTF?
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At rehearsals for her new play, Ginger is depressed because every single one of her co-stars hate her and think she's a no-talent whore. Plus, she's prettier than them.
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Fred has drinks with musical director pal Oscar Levant and some blonde in a vagina hat. Oscar tells him that Ginger's having a shitty time in rehearsals because Frenchy doesn't know how to direct her.
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Fred decides to impersonate Frenchy and calls Ginger to give her the kind of direction he knows she needs.
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He calls her while she's catching up on her beekeeping, but she's grateful for the wonderful advice he gives her.
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The next day, her co-stars love her! "I don't care if she's thinner than me and fucking the director, she's MARVELOUS!"
Oscar Levant tricks the two of them into performing one of their standards at a hospital benefit:
It's lovely, certainly. And they look just like how Fred and Ginger should look when they're together, but this number was akin to a Rolling Stones concert today. They're just sort of going through the motions and waiting for the applause. They don't have to give it their all because they're FRED AND GINGER, bitches.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOGYLBu_tFQ3dlYzkfIl7qECjka70E5oASFIbQThRrxeBS6uXcarM-tYpqJAJ7t-UT6hIBpJg4hYHdcQW7Xl0nP1HUe8FdEb6DOAuouD7LZ3ZJtfDn-ogqBoinrNm7Cy5A-8P/s400/24.gif)
Anyway, after the dance, Fred's all "Hey, maybe we should -" and Ginger's all "Not a chance in hell, asshole."
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On Ginger's opening night, Fred toasts to her success with Oscar and some other blonde in a vagina hat. Unfortunately...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqBP-Zm9nNMzS8LTf1pwqHNTGVDDYzAXgRbKihi5rKwzhaoraxm947vhn188X78xVqGkfBelQhSsGduZ0e2rueWdND0lXRQ0rwUqilxBaESflv61Ao-1_aoANE-rbkPtacL04/s400/26.gif)
...she sucks. Like, really, really sucks.
But, everyone in the film acts like they've just witnessed the finest actress of her generation, so if we can accept the shoes dancing by themselves, we guess we have to accept this.
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Fred is saddened by her standing ovation because he knows he's lost her for good. Also, because he's kind of an asshole.
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Frenchy declares his love for her backstage, but she's still waiting for Fred to show up.
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Meanwhile, some blonde without a vagina hat is saying things that annoy the fuck out of him.
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He decides to call her one more time as Frenchy and ask her who she really loves, him or...him?
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Which is kind of stupid of him because she's in her dressing room after the show that the real Frenchy wrote and directed. It didn't occur to him that he might still be there?
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Ginger figures it all out and strings Fred along for awhile. She shows up at their apartment that night in a dress clearly made for ballroom dancing, but Fred doesn't get the hint.
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At least not right away.
That couch looks like a skinned muppet, but we'll take those chairs in the background.
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Anyway, all's well that....you know. Could there be any other ending, kittens? And for some reason, Ginger decides to end the show wearing one of Ann Miller's old castoff dresses. Or is that one of Miss Piggy's?
We weren't planning for our first Fred and Ginger movie to be their last one, but the day we announced we were doing F&G next, lo and behold, Netflix finally found our new address and this is what showed up in our mail. We took it as a sign. Onward!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS013sILcz6Vc6JxH4tOELcXHxjveZb8us-tQwM5pW5C_z2Iqw57rEhFE-A_-_Xv6Jx4IV_4sA-0A2SMklCEtrZ2fZxQv7YP4Djmk4xlBXPZQqTr45ZoQnLtfb9f1KGhN1x9cn/s400/1.gif)
Fred and Ginger play Josh and Dinah Barkley, a highly successful Broadway song and dance team who seemingly have it all: money, fame, money, success, money, love and money.
Despite that horrific thing she's wearing in the opening number, Ginger's wardrobe is divine throughout the movie.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxu-zB4G1hHkIHhA5ZrS-Y2Mr9Xm69REIC0hLHmC10mYzPmx3jZfBugji6zn3yJ-FUBBQa3NXY1At0HHao8OGEkd7Ctt4MRGQxJstJyoNKttl9_J2dbo9y6WbiVbDWhpo7J7se/s400/2.gif)
Having just completed the opening night of their new Broadway show, they head to their opening night party and - what's this? Bitch at each other the whole way there! Ho ho! Apparently, things aren't as rosy with these two as the public thinks!
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At the party, Ginger decides to indulge in a little bulimia to deal with her troubled marriage. Trying to hide her 3rd and 4th helpings behind her back, she meets Jacques Pierre Barredout, who might as well have been named Frenchy McFrencherson.
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Frenchy captivates her by telling her everything she wants to hear about herself, the things that Fred never says to her: she's magnifique, she's talented, she's beautiful, etc., etc.
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After the party, she and Fred have a fight about her shameless flirting.
The days before conditioner were sad ones, weren't they?
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Fred makes a point to mention her flyaway hair and split ends and she throws a shoe at him.
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Instead of having hate sex, they sing and dance in their bedroom.
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The next day, at rehearsals, they meet Shirleen, who the producers have decided to bring
in as an understudy for Ginger since they think the marriage might be in trouble. Despite
the fact she's younger than her and has a penchant for walking around without a skirt on, Ginger readily agrees to have her hired.
Then, they dance:
Unfortunately, this film doesn't really have any dance numbers with the iconic quality of their films of a decade early, but it is a cute number and it's kind of jarring to see Ginger dancing in pants. Especially since her outfit is more masculine than his.
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Later, they attend an art gallery, where one of those snooty, ridiculous "modern" artists unveils a new portrait of them. She's a pancake and he's a frying pan. Unsurprisingly, she's offended by this.
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Later she forces Fred to wear a skirt, since she had to wear pants.
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Still later, they head out for a weekend in the country with their idle rich friends. Among them, Frenchy, who stares longingly at Ginger while she plays tennis naked.
HaHa! Not naked! We just wanted to see if you were still paying attention.
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Frenchy's girlfriend shows off her breasts. She will be playing the lead in his new play about Sarah Bernhardt. He hates her.
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He corners Ginger on a really ugly sofa and makes her read his script. He wants her to play the young Sarah, but she's not sure she's got the acting chops for it.
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Later, at their fabulous Manhattan apartment with its painted backdrop, Fred discovers her reading the script and flies into a rage. Fred's kind of an asshole.
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Wisely, they decide to openly argue about it in front of the paparazzi that live in their apartment with them.
You know what that means:
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Spinning headlines!
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Fred continues on without her:
There's a lot of reasons we don't like this number. First, Fred was always much better with a partner; second, it was of a piece with a trend in musicals that he and Gene Kelly started where they would try to one-up each other by doing these gimmicky dances (like dancing with a cartoon character or a mop or a sheet of newspaper or on a ceiling) and after a while it just gets old. Finally, there's the whole "WTF?" thing. No one knows better than us that you have to really suspend your disbelief when you're watching a musical, but when they do these fantasy sequences where shoes come alive and present it like it's something he's performing on a stage in front of an audience, well...WTF?
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At rehearsals for her new play, Ginger is depressed because every single one of her co-stars hate her and think she's a no-talent whore. Plus, she's prettier than them.
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Fred has drinks with musical director pal Oscar Levant and some blonde in a vagina hat. Oscar tells him that Ginger's having a shitty time in rehearsals because Frenchy doesn't know how to direct her.
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Fred decides to impersonate Frenchy and calls Ginger to give her the kind of direction he knows she needs.
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He calls her while she's catching up on her beekeeping, but she's grateful for the wonderful advice he gives her.
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The next day, her co-stars love her! "I don't care if she's thinner than me and fucking the director, she's MARVELOUS!"
Oscar Levant tricks the two of them into performing one of their standards at a hospital benefit:
It's lovely, certainly. And they look just like how Fred and Ginger should look when they're together, but this number was akin to a Rolling Stones concert today. They're just sort of going through the motions and waiting for the applause. They don't have to give it their all because they're FRED AND GINGER, bitches.
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Anyway, after the dance, Fred's all "Hey, maybe we should -" and Ginger's all "Not a chance in hell, asshole."
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On Ginger's opening night, Fred toasts to her success with Oscar and some other blonde in a vagina hat. Unfortunately...
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...she sucks. Like, really, really sucks.
But, everyone in the film acts like they've just witnessed the finest actress of her generation, so if we can accept the shoes dancing by themselves, we guess we have to accept this.
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Fred is saddened by her standing ovation because he knows he's lost her for good. Also, because he's kind of an asshole.
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Frenchy declares his love for her backstage, but she's still waiting for Fred to show up.
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Meanwhile, some blonde without a vagina hat is saying things that annoy the fuck out of him.
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He decides to call her one more time as Frenchy and ask her who she really loves, him or...him?
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Which is kind of stupid of him because she's in her dressing room after the show that the real Frenchy wrote and directed. It didn't occur to him that he might still be there?
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Ginger figures it all out and strings Fred along for awhile. She shows up at their apartment that night in a dress clearly made for ballroom dancing, but Fred doesn't get the hint.
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At least not right away.
That couch looks like a skinned muppet, but we'll take those chairs in the background.
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Anyway, all's well that....you know. Could there be any other ending, kittens? And for some reason, Ginger decides to end the show wearing one of Ann Miller's old castoff dresses. Or is that one of Miss Piggy's?
46 comments:
I predict: That last (Miss Piggy) dress will find it's way into the SATC movie. Carrie will be wearing it on her honeymoon.
--Gotham Tomato
"He calls her while she's catching up on her beekeeping" - LOL! You killed me with that one, T&L.
What can I say? Never saw this one and am not a Fred & Ginger fan. For once, I have nothing to say!
I still think Miss Piggy "shoulda been a contendah" in the Hair Harpy Matches, but I digress.
I have never seen the "Fred and Ginger" movies so I loved this Musical Monday! Now I know what I haven't been missing.
People sitting around in fancy clothes, or dancing in fancy clothes or being happy/sad/miserable/angry/in love in fancy clothes. Got it! Thanks!
I thought you were going to say he calls her while she's doing her nails - but bookkeeping is even better!
In real life, I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Rogers in 1991. She was a lovely, lovely lady. She had her hair done the same way (long) as in the pants-dance number. Even though she was wheelchair bound, she was still Ginger. She was gracious and funny, and she looked much the same as in this movie. It still brings a smile to my face.
Sorry folks - LarryGinBeantown was me. I have to remember to tell my DH to stay the hell off my Mac!
Personally I love that first dress. I think it highlights her coloring well.
But yeah, they're just going through the motions through most of this movie. Love the fact that you picked F&G, but did you have to pick this one?
You should have done Top Hat. That was my favorite Fred and Ginger movie. Last year they had a Fred and Ginger marathon on TCM so I have seen quite a few, but I never heard of this one.
Yay Oscar!
In a garcons & hommes match, I'd pick Oscar over Maurice any day.
I like this movie pretty much for the number where Ginger's in pants... I think it's adorable, and it kinda reminds me about why I like about Fred and Ginger. I read somewhere that Ginger was not Fred's most technically proficient dance partner, though she was pretty good, but the thing that made her his best partner was just that she seemed to enjoy the hell out of whatever she was doing.
And watching that number, well, it's difficult for me to watch Fred for more than a second before going back to Ginger.
You know you're gay when you're shopping for furniture while watching the movie. I should know...I do it all the time.
"...catching up on her beekeeping"! LOL!!
This is why I love you guys!
Actually the history of this film is rather ironic. Originally it was suppose to be a film with Judy Garland. Ginger ended up replacing her as a favor to Fred after Judy couldn't continue for the obvious Judy Garland reasons back then.
The subtext of the story actually works better with ginger since it directly reflects alot of myth about her working relationship with Fred.
The story in the Barkelys talks up how Fred's character is like Svengali and completely responsible for her success as a performer. The myth in hollywood is that Ginger was regarded as Fred's show piece while he and Hermes Pan did all the work in choreographing their dance numbers. Lore also says that she left after getting fedup with not getting enough recognition for her contributions to the dance team. And that baically he was the Svengali of the duo.
She quickly went on to grab an oscar for a dramtic turn in Kitty Foyle which reflects the plot of the Barkelye concerning playing Sarah Bernheart.
She contradicted the stories in an interview stating she was happy to leave the choreography to Fred and Hermes and later learn them from Mr Pan. It allowed her a lot of time to do other movies besides musicals. By the late 30s she was 1 of the biggest female stars of the time, so there's some credence to that I believe.
then again there have been rumors that Fred resenting her rising success independent of their team. An easy story to propagate since by the 40s she was still a big star and his status was diminished until years later.
Frank
"And never forget that Ginger Rogers did every single step Fred Astaire did but BACKWARDS AND IN HIGH HEELS!"
Can't remember where that line comes from, but I love it.
and to throw in some Katharine Hepburn about G&F being good for each other: "... she gave him sex and he gave her class..."
Holy crap! The lady with the red boots in the shoe number is my aunt, Roberta Stevenson! I never saw this movie and didn't know she was in it.
Thanks, gayboys!
oh, and you should have done Top Hat or The Gay Divorcee instead of bitching that they were past their prime.
Juliann it could have been from 'La Cage Aux Folles', but I'm not sure if it was in turn quoting some other person/show. During 'With you on my Arm' Albin and George are dancing when Albin says:
"I'll say to you what Ginger Rodgers said to Fred Astaire-Anything you can do, I can do backwards.AND IN HEELS"
George: "And do you know what Fred said? Shut up and Dance."
Juliann
Then Texas governer Ann Richards said it as part of a keynote at the Democratic National Convention years ago. Unfortunately she has since passed away.
gag. I get the whole netflix thing, but you guys really should give us some serious, in-their-prime, Fred&Ginger after all these many Musical Mondays. What a let down. I vote for "Shall We Dance" because you already put the rollerskate clip for the deathmatch and come on...that was a classic.
Fred's kind of an asshole
Isn't that the case in most of his films?
Loved the tap number. They're finally on equal ground and I thought Ginger was actually the better dancer in it. More precise footwork, better arm positions.
And my fantasy still is to wear one of those floaty chiffon dresses with the weights in the hem so I can twirl around like Ginger. Sigh.
-- rain brain
Ahhh, thanks Trish and Kevin for the info!
And my fantasy still is to wear one of those floaty chiffon dresses with the weights in the hem so I can twirl around like Ginger.
I dunno. Deborah Kerr's ballgown in the King and I still strikes me as being a lot of fun, but I think you'd have to more swirl in that than twirl.
I think that "Barkleys" was the last F&G. The older, black and white ones are lots better. Not nearly enough feathers in this one!!! You will get around to them eventually and I look forward to it!
I was just trying to look around the net, and the "backwards and in heels" quote is variously attributed to a Frank and Ernst cartoon from 1982 and to Faith Whittlesey (feminist) but there seems to be some dispute. It has been used many many times to great effect. Can it really only be 25 years since somebody thought of that? It's so brilliant, really!
I never really understood vagina hats with veils - is it an extra level of vaginal protection?
They weren't giving it their all? Please. They were pushing 40 and 50, respectively, bitches. Otherwise, loved the recap. Beekeeping, indeed.
I never noticed before that Fred wore a pinky ring. Huh.
I've never been a fan of Fred. I guess that's why I never have seen most of their movies. He always seemed to play a smug asshole. Case in point: "Holiday Inn." Or "Easter Parade."
He was a wonderful dancer, yes. But just blah otherwise. Just my opinion, of course.
But a great Musical Monday. Whatever will you boys come up with for next week?
Meg said...
They weren't giving it their all? Please. They were pushing 40 and 50, respectively, bitches.
Pushing 40 and 50 is old? Excuse me, but there are lots of 60 and 70 year olds out there who can cut a rug. I can still do a mean polka at 62, and my vintage dance group has some 80 years olds who can still keep up. (Vintage in more ways than one, perhaps!) And there are lots of senior Olympians who can do amazing things. Okay, now I will get down off my aging soapbox! :-)
Perhaps Fred's last blonde was trying to bring the vagina hairdo into vogue?
"That couch looks like a skinned muppet"
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!
i might be laughing about this for the rest of my life.
i love Ginger's hair in those early screen shots, when it's all looped back with braids.
Regarding the Highland Attire:
Sporran in gaelic is translated as "furry purse" I believe.....
Now look *down there* at both of them...
Fred has only a plain brown sporran over his kilt, while Ginger has Black, Silver Trim, and BIG white fringe tassels....
So WHO has the bigger balls?
The "living shoes" sequence is rather humorously mocked in the recent French animated movie "The Triplets of Belleville." During a dance sequence involving "Fred," his shoes come alive and eat him. If only that had happened here.
Lots of fun, guys, and the skinned muppet line is golden, but if there's no Edward Everett Horton, its just not a "Fred and Ginger" film - it's just a film with Fred and Ginger in it.
We're a fickle lot, aren't we?
AES
Bop said...
The "living shoes" sequence is rather humorously mocked in the recent French animated movie "The Triplets of Belleville." During a dance sequence involving "Fred," his shoes come alive and eat him. If only that had happened here.
I LOVED "The Triplets of Bellevile"! T&L, I hope you have added it to your Netflicks queue. don't review - just enjoy.
Thanks Bop!
Now I have that fabulous number from the frog eating sisters in my head. Off subject but one of the best animated films ever.
After reconsidering, there are parts of this musical I really do love (the dreaded kilt number not being among them.) That tap number, while not classic F&G, is actually one of my favorite numbers of theirs. To agree with one of the Anons, Ginger looks like she's relaxed and just having fun, and I think it may be the one time she just completely outdances her supposedly more talented other half.
AES
It's odd but alot of Fred's movies seem to have musical numbers set on a stage away from the plot,rather than advancing it. Those seemed to have died around the 1940's/50's- 'Funny Face' had more songs that at least were tied into the action, even if some of them still made no sense at all.
Oh, PS: Do MAME!!!!
Am I seeing things, or was the second blonde in the vagina hat Jean Hagen of Singing in the Rain fame?
On one of the commentaries of the earlier F&G movies, it was said that while Fred dubbed his own taps, Hermes Pan dubbed in Ginger's. That seemed to minimize Ginger's contribution to me (although I couldn't dance my way out of my bedroom slippers).
Oh dear, my ribs hurt. But you can't be right about Ginger in her pants; I thought this was her best outfit and the one in which she looked most comfortable throughout the film.
Why don't you do "Gay Divorce"?
Sublime and classy commentary. I love you guys.
Screw Fred, it's all about Ginger for me. God I just love her! I prefer her work sans Fred like "Having Wonderful Time," "Stage Door" and my all time fave "Vivacious Lady."
I have this movie in my F&G boxset but have never been able to watch it. I may have to settle in for a Sunday when other-Eric is rocking his Project Runway blog or something. He won't stand for all that technicolor.
Catching up on reading these Musical Mondays is cracking me up. Your comments about her gold opening number dress reminded me that in the foreward to the book "Glamorous Musicals," Ginger proudly states that SHE designed that particular dress. I don't think it's a bad gown. However, Ginger's middle and late period grandness is apparent in ever post "Kitty Foyle" move she ever made and every book foreward she ever "wrote."
Just re-read this and as much as I love Fred the "he's an asshole" line cracked me up. This being one of my favorite movies it was easy for me to read this and laugh.
I agree with a previous poster. Would love for you guys to watch the F&G film Top Hat and talk about the infamous feather dress. A great story behind it too. Infact I would LOVE it if you guys would do a post going over all of Ginger's fabulous gowns - I could supply pictures!
Thanks again!
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