The Gay Divorcee ***** (1934, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore) – Classic Movie Review 2955

Director Mark Sandrich’s enchanting 1934 musical stars the magical duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who are an unalloyed delight in their initial star pairing after their success together in supporting roles in Flying Down to Rio (1933). That makes it the second of their ten film dancing partnership.

Fussily camp lawyer Egbert ‘Pinky’ Fitzgerald (Edward Everett Horton) and interfering relative Aunt Hortense (Alice Brady) conspire to win a divorce for her niece Mimi Glossop (Rogers) by employing professional co-respondent Rodolfo Tonetti (Erik Rhodes) to play apparent infidelity. However, then Mimi mistakes Tonetti for visiting amorous American dancer Guy Holden (Astaire) at an English seaside hotel in Brightbourne, aka Brighton.

The daft plot is straight out of French farce. But it allows plenty of bubbly, expert comedy from Horton, Brady, Rhodes and Eric Blore as the waiter. Rhodes is perhaps the funniest of all of them as the divorce case client.

With all this elaborate comedy, there’s not quite enough dancing. But the outstanding score includes Cole Porter’s ‘Night and Day’, the 1935 Oscar-winning Best Song ‘The Continental’ (music by Con Conrad, lyrics by Herb Magidson) and Don’t Let It Bother You (music and lyrics by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel).

It is based on a Broadway hit by Dwight Taylor, Kenneth Webb and Samuel Hoffenstein. The US censorship Production Code wouldn’t let RKO use the show’s title of The Gay Divorce because they said divorce was a serious matter!

Also in the cast are Lillian Miles, Betty Grable, E E Clive and William Austin.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2955

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