Carefree

( 1 )

Overview

It's more Ginger Rogers than Fred Astaire, and more comedy than singing and dancing in Carefree, an Astaire-Rogers entry into the screwball comedy sweepstakes which features a top-of-the-line Irving Berlin score "Change Partners," "I Used to be Color Blind," "The Night is Filled with Music". Fred Astaire plays Dr. Tony Flagg, a psychiatrist, who enters the psyche of Amanda Cooper Ginger Rogers, a radio singer whom Tony's friend Stephen Arden Ralph Bellamy takes to see him. It seems Arden thinks that Amanda needs ...
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Overview

It's more Ginger Rogers than Fred Astaire, and more comedy than singing and dancing in Carefree, an Astaire-Rogers entry into the screwball comedy sweepstakes which features a top-of-the-line Irving Berlin score "Change Partners," "I Used to be Color Blind," "The Night is Filled with Music". Fred Astaire plays Dr. Tony Flagg, a psychiatrist, who enters the psyche of Amanda Cooper Ginger Rogers, a radio singer whom Tony's friend Stephen Arden Ralph Bellamy takes to see him. It seems Arden thinks that Amanda needs psychiatric help since she can't reach a decision regarding Stephen's proposal of marriage to her. As Tony explores her subconscious dream life, she falls in love with him. Tony feels that her love is temporary -- merely a sign of transference. To channel her love in the right direction, Tony hypnotizes her to believe that she is in love with Stephen. But then things become more complicated when Tony comes to realize that he, in fact, is in love with Amanda himself. He now has to figure out a way to bring her out of her hypnosis and get her back to normal so that they can both fall into the clinch.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
The Astaire-Rogers unit at RKO deserves credit for trying something different with Carefree. By 1938, the duo's pictures had fallen into a repetitious formula, and this film attempted to alter that formula a bit. As a result, there's less music and more comedy, less emphasis on Fred and more on Ginger, the suburbs substitute for the City, and Ginger (at least initially) chases Fred. Unfortunately, rather than making the film seem fresh, this all makes it seem disjointed; the pieces just don't fit together as naturally as they should. The dialogue is also not strong enough, a crucial factor when there's less music to enjoy. Irving Berlin's mini-score is quite good, with "Change Partners" a standout, and the "I Used to Be Colorblind" sequence is memorable, slow-motion photography and all. Astaire still gets a big dance solo, displaying his facility with a golf club; it's entertaining, but not his best. His performance overall is fine, but this time it's Rogers who gets to shine. Her drunken binge is especially noteworthy, a beautifully calibrated comedy. Carefree is fun and enjoyable, but one (perhaps unfairly) expects more from the screen's most celebrated dance team.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/4/1999
  • UPC: 053939203936
  • Original Release: 1938

    • Rating:

  • Source: TURNER HOME ENT
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Fred Astaire Tony Flagg
Ginger Rogers Amanda Cooper
Ralph Bellamy Stephen Arden
Luella Gear Aunt Cora
Jack Carson Connors
Clarence Kolb Judge Travers
Franklin Pangborn Roland Hunter
Walter Kingsford Dr. Powers
Kay Sutton Miss Adams
Jack Arnold Elevator Operator
Harry A. Bailey Sponsor
The Bob Mitchell Boy Choir
James P. Burtis Truck Driver
Charles Coleman Doorman
James Finlayson Man at Golf Course
Edward Gargan
Paul Guilfoyle Elevator Starter
Grace Hayle
Phyllis Kennedy
Richard Lane Henry
Hattie McDaniel Hattie
Harold Minjir Radio Announcer
Frank Moran Cab Driver
Robert B. Mitchell & His St. Brendan's
Tom Tully Policeman
Technical Credits
Mark Sandrich Director
Fred Astaire Choreography
Victor Baravalle Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
Irving Berlin Score Composer, Songwriter
Pandro S. Berman Producer
Mel Burns Makeup
Carroll Clark Art Director
Robert de Grasse Cinematographer
Howard Greer Costumes/Costume Designer
Willaim Hamilton Editor
Hugh McDowell Jr. Sound/Sound Designer
Argyle Nelson Asst. Director
Dudley Nichols Original Story
Ernest Pagano Screenwriter
Hermes Pan Choreography
Van Nest Polglase Art Director
Allan G. Scott Screenwriter
Darrell Silvera Set Decoration/Design
Edward Stevenson Costumes/Costume Designer
Vernon Walker Special Effects
Hagar Wilde Original Story
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 26, 2009

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