{"id":5118,"date":"2008-01-17T11:50:37","date_gmt":"2008-01-17T18:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5118"},"modified":"2021-01-20T11:43:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T18:43:43","slug":"top-hat-1935","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5118","title":{"rendered":"Top Hat (1935)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;In dealing with a girl or horse, one just lets nature take its course.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1-186x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"186\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-64671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1-186x300.jpg 186w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1-79x128.jpg 79w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1-167x270.jpg 167w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/Top-Hat-Poster-1.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 186px) 100vw, 186px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nConfirmed bachelor Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) &#8212; in London to perform a show, and staying with his wealthy friend Horace (Edward Everett Horton) &#8212; finds himself falling head-over-heels in love with a beautiful young model (Ginger Rogers) living in the room below his. Complications ensue when Rogers mistakenly believes Astaire is Horace, the husband of her best friend Madge (Helen Broderick).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fred Astaire Films<\/li>\n<li>Ginger Rogers Films<\/li>\n<li>Mistaken or Hidden Identities<\/li>\n<li>Musicals<\/li>\n<li>Romantic Comedy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, this &#8220;exceptional Fred Astaire &#8211; Ginger Rogers Depression-escaping musical&#8221; features &#8220;fabulous dancing, a topflight Irving Berlin score, terrific supporting players&#8230; [and] spectacularly stylish Art Deco sets&#8221;. It&#8217;s widely acknowledged as one of the best of Astaire and Rogers&#8217; collaborations together, and it certainly possesses some of the best-loved songs &#8212; most notably &#8220;Cheek to Cheek&#8221; (that feather dress!) and &#8220;Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails&#8221;. The &#8220;typically preposterous plot&#8221; is silly beyond belief but enormous fun once you give in to the cleverly plotted script, which allows the mistaken-identity snafu to go on <em>far<\/em> longer than would ever be expected. There&#8217;s no denying the magic of Astaire and Rogers dancing together (and Astaire dancing alone) &#8212; but I&#8217;ll admit my favorite aspect of <em>Top Hat<\/em> is the truly hilarious banter between the supporting character actors &#8212; most notably Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore; their initial domestic quibble over &#8220;square versus butterfly ties&#8221; is priceless. Watch and enjoy&#8230; <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fred Astaire as Jerry Travers<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-astaire.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-astaire.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5130\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ginger Rogers as Dale Tremont<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-rogers.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-rogers.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5131\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Astaire&#8217;s opening dance number (set to &#8220;No Strings&#8221;) in Horton&#8217;s apartment<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-no-strings.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-no-strings.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5132\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Rogers and Astaire dancing &#8220;Cheek to Cheek&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-cheek-to-cheek.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-cheek-to-cheek.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5133\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Astaire wooing Rogers during the &#8220;Isn&#8217;t It a Lovely Day to Be Caught in the Rain&#8221; number<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-isnt-it-a-lovely-day.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-isnt-it-a-lovely-day.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5134\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Astaire&#8217;s stylish &#8220;Top Hat and Tails&#8221; dance<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-tails.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-tails.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5135\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Edward Everett Horton as Horace<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-horton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-horton.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5136\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Eric Blore as Horton&#8217;s snobby valet<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-blore.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-blore.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5137\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Helen Broderick as Horton&#8217;s &#8220;understanding&#8221; wife, Madge<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-madge.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-madge.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5138\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Erik Rhodes as Beddini, the passionate Italian dress designer: &#8220;Never again will I allow women to wear my dresses!&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-beddini.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-beddini.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5139\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Rogers&#8217; gorgeous gowns<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-gowns.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-gowns.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5140\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The marvelously baroque &#8212; and oh-so-RKO &#8212; art deco set designs<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-sets.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5141\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Hermes Pan and Astaire&#8217;s collaborative choreography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-choreography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-choreography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5144\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The wonderfully unrealistic &#8220;mistaken identities&#8221; screenplay<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-mistaken.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/top-hat-mistaken.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5142\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Irving Berlin&#8217;s classic score\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. This undisputed classic &#8212; widely acknowledged as the archetypal Astaire and Rogers collaboration &#8212; should be seen and enjoyed by all film fanatics. Discussed at length in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?page_id=5986\">Peary&#8217;s <em>Cult Movies<\/em> (1981)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0027125\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1935\/08\/30\/archives\/the-screen-fred-astaire-and-ginger-rogers-in-their-new-song-and.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1692top.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/toph.html\">Greatest Films Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/2293\/top-hat#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;In dealing with a girl or horse, one just lets nature take its course.&#8221; Synopsis: Confirmed bachelor Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) &#8212; in London to perform a show, and staying with his wealthy friend Horace (Edward Everett Horton) &#8212; finds himself falling head-over-heels in love with a beautiful young model (Ginger Rogers) living in the room below his. Complications ensue when Rogers mistakenly believes Astaire is Horace, the husband of her best friend Madge (Helen Broderick). Genres, Themes, Actors, and&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5118\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5118"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64672,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5118\/revisions\/64672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}