MovieChat Forums > The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) Discussion > Ginger at her mature best

Ginger at her mature best

posted 16 years ago by heathentart
5 replies | jump to latest

Technicolor was Ginger Roger's best friend, IMO. Ms. Rogers is at her luminous best in The Barkleys of Broadway. The way they lit her (and Fred Astaire) in the "They Can't Take That Away From Me" number is magnificent... she absolutely glows. The dance numbers in this film showed off all of her grace and charm, as her earlier musicals showed off her athleticism and bubbliness.

Ginger Rogers has always been an idol of mine, and her performance in this movie solidifies that feeling even more.

[–] flan99 16 years ago

I agree completely.

Thanks to TCM, I've recently seen a lot of Ginger films that were before or after her famous 'Fred and Ginger Ten.'

The lady could do it all - madcap comedy, drama, sing, dance, sexy, innocent ...

Right up there with the true stars.

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

hot

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] gbennett5 14 years ago

Agree one hundred percent. I'm a major Garland fan, and believe Rogers
was the better actress suited for the role.

[–] lottapaws 13 years ago

Miss Rogers appeared to have far more confidence in this pairing with Mr. Astaire. It is never more apparent than in the early tap dance routine where she is thoroughly enjoying the duet. This is absolutely her best tap routine, and in the top three of all her dance performces.

In prior movies, her dance routines were wonderful, but in this movie, there is just such an ease that only comes from within when one has a confidence, a self awareness that she no longer needs to prove her worth - she arrived. I understand that Miss Rogers worked "bloody" hard, literally, to ensure her routines were perfect especially since it had been such a long time from her last onscreen dance with Mr. Astaire. But Miss Rogers was a perfectionist in her craft, and she would never settle for anything less than her best.

Miss Rogers was a consumate actress, talented and bewitching. There is certainly no one today who would or could compare.

[–] liscarkat (16530) 4 years ago

She was thirty-seven when this movie was filmed in the summer and fall of 1948, and beautiful.