Swing Time [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: George Stevens George Stevens

Overview

The sixth of RKO's Fred Astaire -Ginger Rogers pairings of the 1930s, Swing Time starts off with bandleader Astaire getting cold feet on his wedding day. Astaire's bride-to-be Betty Furness will give him a second chance, providing he proves himself responsible enough to earn $25,000. Astaire naturally tries to avoid earning that amount once he falls in love with dance instructor Ginger Rogers. Numerous complications ensue, leading to the "second time's the charm" climax, with Ginger escaping her own wedding to wealthy Georges Metaxa in order to be reunited with Astaire. The film's most indelible image is that of Fred Astaire, immaculately attired in top hat and tails, hopping a freight car--a perfect encapsulation of the film's Depression-era cheekiness. The Jerome Kern-Dorothy Fields score includes such standards-to-be as "Pick Yourself Up," "A Fine Romance," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Never Gonna Dance" and "Bojangles of Harlem." The peerless supporting cast of Swing Time includes Helen Broderick, Victor Moore, Eric Blore, and Landers Stevens, the actor-father of the film's director, George Stevens.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/11/2019
UPC:	0715515231015
Original Release:	1936
Rating:	NR
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:43:00
Sales rank:	10,481

Special Features

New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack; Audio commentary from 1986 featuring John Mueller, author of Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films; Archival interviews with performers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and choreographer Hermes Pan; New interview with George Stevens Jr.; In Full Swing, a new program on the films's choreography; and soundtrack featuring jazz and film critic Gary Giddins, dance critic Brian Seibert, and Dorothy Fields biographer Deborah Grace Winer; New interview with film scholar Mia Mask on the "Bojangles of Harlem" number

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Fred Astaire	John Garnett
Ginger Rogers	Penelope Carrol
Victor Moore	Dr. Cardetti
Helen Broderick	Mabel Anderson
Eric Blore	Mr. Gordon
Betty Furness	Margaret Watson
George Metaxa	Ricardo Romero,Actor
Landers Stevens	Judge Watson
John Harrington	Dice Raymond
Pierre Watkin	Al Simpson
Abe Reynolds	Schmidt
Gerald Hamer	Eric Facannistrom
Edgar Dearing	Policeman
Harry Bowen	Stagehand
Harry Bernard	Stagehand
Donald Kerr	Dancer
Jack Good	Dancer
Ted O'Shea	Dancer
Frank Edmunds	Dancer
Bill Brand	Dancer
Frank Jenks	Red
Ralph Byrd	Hotel Clerk
Charles D. Hall	Taxi Driver
Jean Perry	Roulette Dealer
Olin Francis	Muggsy
Floyd Schackleford	Romero's Butler
Joey Ray	Announcer
Jack Rice	Wedding Guest
Howard Hickman	1st Minister
Ferdinand Munier	2nd Minister
Fern Emmett	Maid
Frank Mills	Croupier
Dale Van Sickel	Diner
Blanca Vischer	Actor
Sailor Vincent	Actor
Baby Marie Osborne	Actor
Floyd Shackelford	Romero's Butler
Ralph Brooks	Dance Extra
Bess Flowers	Actor
Ferdinand Minuer	2nd Minister
Dennis O'Keefe	Actor
Jerome Kern	Composer
Dorothy Fields	Composer

Technical Credits

Allan Scott

Howard Lindsay

Erwin S. Gelsey

George Stevens	Director
Allan Scott	Screenwriter
Howard Lindsay	Screenwriter
Pandro S. Berman	Producer
Vernon L. Walker	Special Effects,Special Effects
Erwin S. Gelsey	Screenwriter
George Marsh	Sound Effects
Clem Portman	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

Perhaps the perfect example of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers appeal, Swing Time is a charming romantic-fantasy that's almost impossible to resist when its musical set pieces are in motion. The plot, however minimal, only distracts from the classic melodies and entertaining dance sequences. Directed by the venerable George Stevens, Swing Time was the fifth Astaire-Rogers film, and came out during the peak of their popularity; it's of a piece with the duo's other successes, and in fact markedly resembles their earlier hit, 1935's Top Hat. Perhaps the most cherished dance number is "Bojangles of Harlem," during which Astaire dances with shadows and pays tribute to famous dancer Bill Robinson. The stellar score also includes "The Way You Look Tonight" and "A Fine Romance.""

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