MovieChat Forums > Top Hat (1935) Discussion > 4/10. Here's why:

4/10. Here's why:

posted 8 years ago by IMDB_Vits
2 replies | jump to latest

I know that the rule during the Golden Age of Hollywood was that script had to be written for certain stars. TOP HAT felt that way, but I wanted to check if the script had been written that way just in case. I was right. The result is a plot that manages to be bland, convoluted and boring at the same time. I was shocked, because it was made in the 1930s: The peak of screwaball comedies. I still wanted to keep an open mind. I mean, what the audience really wanted (specially during the Great Depression) was to see Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers dancing. They’re amazing! We get some musical numbers that are good in a nostalgic way (like TOP HAT, WHITE TIE AND TAILS) and some numbers that are good in a timeless way (like CHEEK TO CHEEK), but also some numbers that are forgettable (like ISN’T THIS A LOVELY DAY?).

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Any thoughts?

[–] dave_matthews79 8 years ago

Top Hat's strengths - you've either completely missed or they don't interest you. The draw card is - it's a romantic comedy of the 30s. We all know the boy will meet the girl; get the girl; and then lose the girl. It's our job as an audience to barrack for him to win her back. Also, musicals like this are magical types of narratives because they substitute normal human connection (dialogue; physical attraction etc) with dance. We don't really question why someone as pretty as Ginger would be interested in someone as odd looking as Fred. Once they dance we just get it - those two can't be anything but in love. Can you imagine how awesome Before Sunrise would have been if it were a musical? We wouldn't have had to have listened to those two *beep* talk and talk and talk *beep* to believe they had fallen in love. Top Hat is one of my favourite F&G musicals. It's a 10/10 and deserves nothing less.

[–] dave_matthews79 8 years ago

PS: Those two beeps were a$$holes and s@#t.