Top Hat (1935)

100% of critics liked it
(37 reviews)
88% of users liked it
(8,702 ratings)

One of the best of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals, Top Hat centers on a typical mistaken-identity plot, with wealthy Dale Tremont (Rogers), on holiday in London and Venice, assuming that American entertainer Jerry Travers (Astaire) is the husband of her friend Madge (Helen Broderick) --… More One of the best of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals, Top Hat centers on a typical mistaken-identity plot, with wealthy Dale Tremont (Rogers), on holiday in London and Venice, assuming that American entertainer Jerry Travers (Astaire) is the husband of her friend Madge (Helen Broderick) -- who's actually the wife of Jerry's business manager Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton). Complicating matters is Dale's jealous suitor Beddini (Erik Rhodes), whose motto is "For the woman the kiss -- for the man the sword." Beddini is disposed of by some last-minute chicanery on the part of Jerry's faithful valet Bates (Eric Blore), paving the way for the happy ending everyone knew was coming from the opening scene. The Irving Berlin score includes "Cheek to Cheek," "Isn't it a Lovely Day?," and the jaunty title song. The charisma of the stars, the chemistry of the supporting players, the white-telephone art direction of Van Nest Polglaise, the superlative choreography by Astaire and Hermes Pan, and the effervescent direction of Mark Sandrich all combine to make Top Hat a winner. Originally released at 101 minutes, the film was for many years available only in its 93-minute reissue form; it has since been restored archivally to 99 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Mark Sandrich
Written By: Allan Scott, Dwight Taylor
Genres: Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 6, 1935 Wide
On DVD: Aug 16, 2005
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
Finally, thanks more to Fred Astaire than any other single influence, the character of musicomedy in the cinema has now completely changed.
Variety Staff, Variety
This one can't miss and the reasons are three -- Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin's 11 songs and sufficient comedy between numbers to hold the film together.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
This 1935 musical finds Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers at the top of their form.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Because we are bound by gravity and the limitations of our bodies, because we live in a world where the news is often bad and the prospects disturbing, there is a need for another world somewhere, a world where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers live.
Douglas Pratt, Hollywood Reporter
The plot is involving, especially as it builds to its seemingly impossible-to-solve finale.
Andre Sennwald, New York Times
All the minor players are such skilled comedians that they are able to extract merriment from this none too original comedy of errors.
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt
Most of what I liked about Top Hat centers around its two stars: full of energy and grace, they breathe life into the film whenever it threatens to lose its luster.
, Film4
Arguably the classiest and funniest of the RKO Astaire-Rogers musicals.
, Empire Magazine
If you want only one Astaire-Rogers musical, Top Hat is obligatory.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The fourth pairing of Astaire-Rogers is one of their best and RKO top grosser of the year.
Derek Smith, Cinematic Reflections
Top Hat does not glorify wealth or upper class status - if anything it continually pokes fun at it.
Tom Milne, Time Out
The third Astaire-Rogers movie and one of the best.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The music is ceaselessly delightful, and thanks to Astaire it sometimes springs out of nowhere. (TCM Greatest Classic Films Four-Movie Set)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...even after seventy years, the same elements delight us all over again. Good songs, good dancing, and good stars never go out of style.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
An essential film.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
Every musical number works, and the mistaken identity plot is pleasant enough, even if there's too much emphatic dithering from the supporting players towards the end.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
One of the best of the Astaire-Rogers best.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
Fred and Ginger's best.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Saskia D

Probably a classic in it's genre, but this rating is purely based on my personal taste. The balance between movie and music is excellent, the chemistry between Fred and Ginger is great. But I just didn't feel it. The decor and the clothing were hideous, and the movie a… More
Probably a classic in it's genre, but this rating is purely based on my personal taste. The balance between movie and music is excellent, the chemistry between Fred and Ginger is great. But I just didn't feel it. The decor and the clothing were hideous, and the movie a little too theatrical for my taste. This is my first and probably my last dance movie.
AJ V

This is a funny movie of mistaken identity, starring Fred and Ginger, and including some dance numbers as usual, but I liked the comedy best.
Randy T

It's all about the dance, and oh what a dance it is! Astaire and Rogers and choreography that defies gravity. Classic.
Stella D

fred and ginger's best. the usual convoluted and frothy plot reaches dazzling heights. :D
Jennifer X

I savor the moments when Fred and Ginger dance together. Their chemistry is unforgettable. This cannot get any classier. Unexpectedly hilarious as well.
Lanning :

Horace Hardwick: You mean to sit there and tell me that that girl slapped your face in front of all those people for nothing? Jerry Travers: Well, what would you have done? Sold tickets? Really, friends, is there any better dance duo in screen history than Rogers… More
Horace Hardwick: You mean to sit there and tell me that that girl slapped your face in front of all those people for nothing? Jerry Travers: Well, what would you have done? Sold tickets? Really, friends, is there any better dance duo in screen history than Rogers and Astaire? It is difficult to believe that this move is over 70 years old. Aside, obviously, from the visual look of the film due to technological reasons, this could have been made yesterday. The chemistry between the two is mesmerizing, even though they apparently were not great friends. They dance like they're in love; it's a wonder they didn't end up together. Just to throw some balance into the flixster synopsis. I personally don't find the story "silly." The word I would use is charming. Charming in the tradition of a comedy of manners. That chemistry between Rogers and Astaire carries over into their non-dancing moments as well. They can exchange lines, looks, and gestures with the best actors, and that fine acting carries the whole story to a higher level per force. Special praise for the performances of Erik Rhodes and, especially, Eric Blore as the butler of all butlers. And of course, flixsters, it's Irving Berlin. What could be better?
Matthew Y

Not an Astaire fan and not a fan of dance movies at all. So it's difficult to judge a film this historically significant and universally loved through unbiased eyes. "Cheeck to Cheeck" and whatever the last song was, were pretty good. Most musicals pre-The Wizard of… More
Not an Astaire fan and not a fan of dance movies at all. So it's difficult to judge a film this historically significant and universally loved through unbiased eyes. "Cheeck to Cheeck" and whatever the last song was, were pretty good. Most musicals pre-The Wizard of Oz don't often get it done in the song department but this one gets by. Some lighthearted humor keeps the film interesting and a great performance from Helen Broderick were able to elevate this beyond just film-buff homework.
Dannielle A

Really funny movie. Great costumes and great dancing. Fun. Funny lines: Beddini: "Will you marry me? Why not? I am young, I am pretty." Beddini: "I am Beddini, I kill him for you!" Jerry: Do you need rescuing?" Dale: "No thank you I prefer to be in… More
Really funny movie. Great costumes and great dancing. Fun. Funny lines: Beddini: "Will you marry me? Why not? I am young, I am pretty." Beddini: "I am Beddini, I kill him for you!" Jerry: Do you need rescuing?" Dale: "No thank you I prefer to be in distress." The only thing I didn't like was how Dale married Beddini when she wasn't in love with him, and then decided she would divorce him to marry Jerry.
Andrew F

Though this was my first Ginger Rogers-Fred Astaire experience, I can't say that I'm that impressed. Some of the dancing was cool though.