Swing Time (1936)
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100% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
86% of users liked it
(7,004 ratings)
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… More 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. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- George Stevens
- Written By
- Howard Lindsay
- Genres
- Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics
- In Theaters
- Sep 4, 1936 Limited
- Studio
- RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
Another winner for the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers combo. It's smart, modern, and impressive in every respect, from its boy-loses-girl background to its tunefulness, dancipation, production quality and general high standards.
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Don Druker, Chicago Reader
One of the best of the Astaire-Rogers musicals, and one that shouldn't have worked as well as it did.
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Stephen Garrett, Time Out
The score by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields is peerless.
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Frank S. Nugent, New York Times
Nothing so intangible as a disappointing musical score should deter you from enjoying them to the Astaire-Rogers limit.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Of all of the places the movies have created, one of the most magical and enduring is the universe of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Fred Astaire
as John "Lucky" Garnett
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Ginger Rogers
as Penelope "Penny" Carrol
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Victor Moore
as Pop
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Helen Broderick
as Mabel Anderson
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Eric Blore
as Mr. Gordon
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Betty Furness
as Margaret Watson
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George Metaxa
as Ricardo Romero
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Landers Stevens
as Judge Watson
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John Harrington
as Dice Raymond
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Pierre Watkin
as Al Simpson
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Abe Reynolds
as Tailor
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Gerald Hamer
as Eric Facannistrom
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Harry Bowen
as first stage hand
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Harry Bernard
as Stagehand
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Frank Jenks
as Red
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Jack Good
as dancer
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Donald Kerr
as dancer
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Ted O'Shea
as dancer
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Ralph Byrd
as Hotel Clerk
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Charlie Hall
as Taxi Driver
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Jean Perry
as Roulette Dealer
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Olin Francis
as Tough Mug
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Floyd Shackelford
as Romero's Butler
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Joey Ray
as Announcer
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Ralph Brooks
as Dance Extra
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Edgar Dearing
as Policeman
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Fern Emmett
as Maid
- Bess Flowers
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Howard Hickman
as 1st Minister
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Ferdinand Minuer
as 2nd Minister
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Jack Rice
as Wedding Guest
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Dale Van Sickel
as Diner
- Blanca Vischer
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Frank Mills
as Croupier
- Dennis O'Keefe
- Baby Marie Osborne
- Sailor Vincent