Hello. I just saw Roberta, and it was fabulous! I was just wondering, was Irene Dunne fluent in French? She sounds awfully fluent. Anyone know?
Getting involved is so... so... involving.
Should I say this? I thought her French was pretty shaky (correct but with a noticeable American accent), but forgave her since after all she was a Russian expat. Obviously her excellent American English came from all those years with Aunt Minnie.
Now, Ginger's Polish....
"Now, Ginger's Polish...."
...was hilarious. It was supposed to be funny and Ginger played that so well. She was awesome in this whole movie, in my opinion. She and Fred really seemed to be having a good time. In some of their later films, they waste too much time hating each other (especially Ginger). I loved that in this movie they were obviously attracted to each other, they just wouldn't really admit it until the end. They played off of each other so well. I just wish they were in the movie a little more.
I agree--they were great together in this movie--so happy with each other and with what they were doing. True happiness, relaxed and loving their jobs. They should not have bothered with Irene Ryan's phony soprano opera numbers that had no place. We could have had Fred and Ginger have some alone time like couples in Paris usually get...
share'Now, Ginger's Polish....'
That was a tribute to Lynda Roberti who played the role on broadway who was Polish, from what i can tell from the people who live above me who are also Polish Ginger's accent wasn't that bad!
I've danced with you, I'm never gonna dance again - Lucky to Penny in Swingtime, 1936
It was Lyda Roberti, not Lynda, but she did indeed play the role on Broadway. I'm a big fan of Lyda's (pronounced Leeda) even though she died at 32 and was only in a few films and made but a handful of records. She was very talented and Ginger definitely was doing a Lyda imitation when she 'played' the Countess and did it very well.
sharejshoaf says > I thought her French was pretty shaky (correct but with a noticeable American accent), but forgave her since after all she was a Russian expat.Um, not exactly - Stephanie does say a few words in French upon first encountering John in the elevator but it sounds like she's saying the words phonetically; not speaking it fluently. The other times, when she speaks to Stanislav about the elevator and the first time she sings to Aunt Minnie, that's Russian.
Obviously her excellent American English came from all those years with Aunt Minnie.She tells John she learned to speak English while attending boarding school in England. I suppose she could have picked up the American accent from Aunt Minnie but I think they just didn't bother to have Irene do an accent. That was often the case in movies of that time.
Now, Ginger's Polish....I thought Ginger's accent held up. I can't speak to the accuracy of it but it sounds good and the consistency is there. I don't think Ginger ever got as much credit as she was due. These days certain actors do horrible accents that they fail to maintain and a lot is made of how 'good' they are. Ginger kept it up throughout; even while singing.
You´re right, Irene´s French was oh-so-American! But Ginger was simply great!
shareHer French was pretty bad. She could never pass for a real French speaker in a million years.
Actually, no French character spoke a passable French in the whole movie.