MovieChat Forums > Carefree (1938) Discussion > Why is this film so dreadfully neglected...

Why is this film so dreadfully neglected?

posted 17 years ago by fast_fierce_and_funny
18 replies | jump to latest

Is this film overlooked for the most part? Or is it still considered fairly popular and well-known?

I had never heard of it before viewing it myself. While it's short on dance numbers, (not necessarily a bad thing) the scene where Ginger walks the streets whilst in a hypnotic trance is priceless . I loved the faces she made...and the huge sheet of plate glass she broke with the cop's nightstick!

The film also made me appreciate how beautiful and talented Ginger was. In many of the Rogers-Astaire films, it seems easy for her to be overshadowed by him. In Carefree, though, I think she gets a chance to show her true talent. I'm most familiar with her in her pairings with Astaire, but this film makes me want to seek out her other comedies (though I have seen Monkey Business and loved her in that).

Because it's so short on dance numbers, I can somewhat understand why is might get overlooked when film fans are talking about Fred and Ginger films. Still, I liked it a great deal and thought it had many good points.

you are here with me
you are here with me
you have been here
and you are everything

[–] ladynoir15 17 years ago

I LOVED this movie! It was just so wacky and adorable at the same time. This was one of the lesser Ginger/Fred movies I have heard of. This is the one that I see almost never gets mentioned and I don't know why because it's funny and great and well done just like all the others!

The trouble with her is that she's here today and here tomorrow.
-Marian Webster

[–] swing_gal2 17 years ago

I think it tends to get over-looked because it's not a typical Fred/Ginger movie. It's not really a musical--only 4 numbers, actually. It's more of a comedy with some music thrown in. Don't get me wrong--I love this movie. It had me in stitches!! I agree with you. It SHOULDN'T be neglected, but it is. I think the numbers that ARE in the movie, make up for the over all lack of them.

[–] sarchiorama 16 years ago

I got to see yesterday on bbc4 as part of the dance at xmas season and will probably now make an attempt to investigate the films of rogers/astaire but it was so marvelous to see the talented humour and elegance of this era

[–] Mithol 16 years ago

I love this movie too. It shouldn't be neglected. It's so funny and unique and the song and dance numbers do make up for the lack of much music. My mum had never heard of it before and she liked it too. She said it was amazing finding a Fred and Ginger movie that she had never even heard of before at her age and enjoying it.

~Formerly known as "eowynmaiar".

[–] fashion_freak 16 years ago

It is very marvelous.:]

i love fashion.

[–] bmkz 15 years ago

I wasn't expecting very much since it's one of their lesser-known films, but I thought it was absolutely fantastic. It's now easily one of my favorite Astaire and Rogers movies.

[–] vanityfair_713 15 years ago

I agree completely. Just wondering, did you ever check out any of her other comedies? If so, what did you think?

Personally, I think I have too much bloom. Maybe that's the trouble with me.

[–] mwmtampa 14 years ago

I agree, this was a great movie. Probably my 2nd favorite Astaire/Rogers flick after Gay Divorcee.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] FredAndGingerMad 14 years ago

ive only just watched carefree for the first time tonight as its taken me a fair time to track down, i found top hat, roberta, barkleys of broadway, the gay divorcee, swingtime, shall we dance and follow the fleet easy enough to find and then to get carefree, flying down to rio and the story of vernon and irene castle i ended up having to buy the entire box set so i now have several duplicates, i enjoyed this movie more than i was expecting and even though there are fewer dances, what there was made up for the lack, also i found the change of storyline refreshing, nice to see ginger chasing fred for once rather than fred chasing ginger

[–] urania_fic 12 years ago

Just watched this very recently as they are showing Fred and Ginger movies every week and I was surprised to find that this is one of the ones I've enjoyed more yet I'd never heard it mentioned before. I, too, liked the fact that Ginger got the chance to show her acting talent a lot more, found the supporting cast very funny and the movie entertaining. I think it's less popular than their others as there aren't many dance numbers and Ginger's costumes aren't as spectacular.

[–] FredAndGingerMad 12 years ago

Another reason it may be so neglected sadly is that it is much more a Rogers-Astaire film than Astaire-Rogers, in parts of Europe it was titled Amanda to reflect this, after Top Hat and Swingtime its definitely my favourite Fred and Ginger movie

I've danced with you, I'm never gonna dance again - Lucky to Penny in Swingtime, 1936

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] JackBluegrass 12 years ago

Ginger Rogers' talent in a comedy role comes through loud and clear in Carefree. This is clearly a Rogers-Astaire movie, instead of the reverse. Her ability for almost slapstick comedy probably surprised many viewers. Her close-ups reveal her mugging and perfect timing.

Ginger's hypnotized stroll down the street eventually leading to her breaking the sheet of truck-borne glass was very well done. From our very first image of that glass, we suspect something startling will happen, and it does, only we don't know where or when it will! Director Sandrich got the best out of his talented performers.

The "country club" scenes must have been filmed at the first Busch Gardens in Pasadena (location named in IMDb). A year later, those same Gardens would appear in Gone With the Wind!

Stupid!?! I would never call you stupid! To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people!

[–] Errington_92 11 years ago

I'm with the majority regarding Ginger Rogers performance. She could act better than Fred Astaire and had proven herself in more dramatic roles (Stage Door and Primrose Path for example) along with showing her great sense of comic timing (Monkey Business).

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".