I love this movie mostly because I couldn't stop laughing. It's such a funny movie, the dialogue, the acting, everything is funny. The music is good too, but I never expected this movie to be as funny as it was. Great movie!
By the way, who is the better dancer Fred Astair, or Gene Kelly?
PHIL: "Ned, I would love to stay here and talk with you... but I'm not going to."
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What makes most of the Fred and Ginger musicals great is not only the superb dancing, but the great supporting cast. Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, Erik Rhodes, and Helen Broderick help make this movie a total delight.
It's difficult to say who was better between Fred and Gene. Though I'm not the biggest fan of musicals, I can watch their films all day.
"Dry your eyes baby, it's out of character."
Edward Everett Horton is alway good. Too bad they didn't have supporting that year
shareI missed Edward Everett Horton in Swing Time. Victor Moore was pretty good in it, but he couldn't fill Horton's shoes. Horton was also great in Holiday.
"Dry your eyes baby, it's out of character."
For the above reason, I'll always take this film over Swing Time. Though the dances/songs may be somewhat superior in Swing Time (and more consistent--let's fact it, the Piccolino stinks), Victor Moore and Georges Metaxa are a poor exchange for the loss of Blore, Rhodes, and--abvove all--Edward Everett Horton. This makes much of the time between numbers in Swing Time tedious, while Top Hat sparkles.
shareFred and Gene had different styles so it's rather impossible to compare them. But both gave 100% all the time and enriched the movie musical from behind the camera as well as the front.
As for the movie, someone mentioned the word "sparkle". And of all the great Fred and Ginger films, Top Hat had the most of it. Everything came together here -- cast, script, sets, music and choreography.
"Top Hat" is hilarious ! One of my favorite movies ! Really had a great time watching it ...
Kelly and Astaire were both the best in their dance-styles ...
I love top hat as well and it is probably my favourite film. Most people tend to think that while gene kelly brought some wonderful ideas to the movie musical and contributed enormously ya just cant beat fred astaire. I think that many of genes dances are quite similar as he is quite often very balaic and jumps around a lot while fred is more foot orientated. I prefer the fred and ginger musicals above many other colour mgm musicals anyway and although gene and fred are both equally good dancers talent wise i would vote for fred first any day.
shareI agree...this movie was great. I watched it in my hollywood film class and I fell in love with it :D I didn't think I would like it, but I just got it and I can't stop watching it. The dancing and singing is amazing and to "top" it off, it's funny. Fred Astaire is wonderful!
shareOlivabt, don't forgret that Fred Astaire brought loads to the movie musical too.
I love Top Hat. The first time I watched it I laughed like an idiot all the way through. I think the Gay Divorcee is funny like it as well.
~Formerly known as "eowynmaiar".
Yes of corse he did. He revolutionized the musical genre. I was just pointing out the difference between Gene and Fred and why I would vote for Fred first. If I was to go on about how great Fred was and his achievements I would go on forever!
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I just watched Top Hat yesterday, and it was HILARIOUS. So many great lines, and the man who played Bates was just fantastic lol :D And Fred is just so cute ^_^ Ahhhh, it's one of my favourite films now.
*The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades*
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Beddini is hilarious.
"My father once killed a man -- just before I was born."
lol
I didn't understand this witticism. Can anyone explain it to me? A thought occurred that maybe when his father discovered his wife was preggers (at the 9th month!) he went out and shot the man presumably who had cuckolded him.
shareBeddini is indeed hilarious. "Who eez sending you theez horsey shoe?!"
Edward Everett Horton is great as Horace Hardwick too, the way he keeps correcting himself...
- Why couldn't she have just slapped me?
- I didn't know you liked that sort of thing Horace...
- Oh I do, immensely, uh NO!
LOL I loved Eric Blore as Bates in this movie.
Bates: "May we make a personal observation sir?"
Jerry, "Well, not too personal."
Bates: "Oh no sir it's just that we feel compelled to compliment you on your choice in TIES!" The look he gives Edward Everett Horton after that comment is priceless! LOL I watched that this morning on TCM & died laughing in bed. I slightly woke my husband up I was laughing so hard. Of course I love Eric Blore in anything!
Ray, am I using you...yes...shutup!-Rainman
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This film is full of wonderful wisecracks, puns and double-takes. And a lot of what makes it is the delivery.
Other than typing out the whole screenplay, it's impossible to choose, but, off the top of my head, two that I love:
Beddini: For the woman the kiss, for the man, the sword!
Dale (after a beat, and very drily): What have you got for the children?
And:
Dale: Can't you go any faster?
Jerry: Lord love a duck, miss, I can, but I'm not allowed to leave the 'orse.
Dale: I meant the horse, of course.
(Jerry goes on about how the horse is a racer, and that his sire was Man O' War)
Dale: Who was his dam?
Jerry: Beg pardon, miss?
Dale: I said, who was his dam?
Jerry: I don't know miss, he didn't give :::SLAM::: (the door closes)
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Fred is "white collar;" Gene is "blue collar."
Fred is "aristocracy;" Gene is "common working-man."
Both men were peerless in their style and appeal, but I'm going with Fred Astaire as the greatest song-and-dance man of all time--and Fred & Ginger as the silver screen's greatest dancing couple!
BTW, I knew "Top Hat" cast member Erik Rhodes in his old age and until he died; I was a home delivery milkman in the 1980's and had dropped off a couple quarts of milk and a pint of half-and-half at the house of his sister for several years, until she began to ail and her brother, Erik, moved in to care for her. I continued to deliver after his sister's demise and Mr Rhodes continued dwelling in his late sister's home until he, too, passed away.
Secret Message, HERE!-->CONGRATULATIONS!!! You've discovered the Secret Message!
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TOP HAT is a hilarious movie, a movie that never tires no matter how often viewed. A good part of it's hilarity is how droll the whole thing is. A piece of fluff suitable for the depression era where serious matters were droll--you had to laugh or you couldn't survive the depression. The comedy of the movie and its success is that drollery. The actors know this is a movie/unreal--the audience knows this is a movie/unreal, and that the lines were best delivered in a low mode. It is not the slapstick of the Marx Brothers, not the broad humor of Max Sennet or Charlie Chaplin; it is situation comedy and it still is funny whith every showing.
shareIn terms of storyline I found Top Hat (along with Follow the Fleet) to be my favorite collaborations between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from the six collaborations I've seen. It has to go down to the screwball comedy element of mistaken identity causing all sorts of humorous trouble along with the musical sequences 'Isn't This a Lovely Day?' and especially 'Cheek to Cheek' which is an great tune. No wonder it has gone on to be a classic.
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".