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The Gay Divorcee |  | Director: Mark Sandrich
Actors: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $6.70
as of 9/9/2010 03:34 EDT details
You Save: $13.28 (66%)
New (32) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $5.44
Seller: aokmovies2
Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 16400
Format: Full Screen, DVD, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Italian (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Running Time: 107 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.3
MPN: 053939756920
UPC: 053939756920
EAN: 0053939756920
ASIN: B000H6SXTC
Theatrical Release Date: October 12, 1934
Release Date: October 24, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A YOUNG LADY SUSPECTS A SUITOR OF BEING A 'PLANT' BY HERHUSBAND TO GIVE HIM AMMUNITION IN THEIR DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS.
Amazon.com
The year before, in 1933, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had grabbed America's attention in Flying Down to Rio, even though they were the second bananas in that film. The duo had a certain chemistry--Fred with his lighter-than-air elegance, Ginger with her moxie--and studio heads gambled that they could carry a starring vehicle of their own. Nobody guessed there would be another eight movies together after The Gay Divorcee, which turned into a huge success for RKO Pictures. The plot is the usual silliness, with Ginger a divorce-minded gal in England, Fred a dancer whose sincere interest in her is mistaken for something else. But plots never mattered much in these affairs, and this one achieves a kind of free-floating bliss. Astaire had starred in the stage version of the story, titled The Gay Divorce. The censors forced the extra e to be added to the title because surely no divorce could be portrayed as a happy one (this frothy movie's evidence notwithstanding). Only one song was carried over from the stage show, Cole Porter's smash hit "Night and Day," which forms the basis for a sublime pas de deux between Fred and Ginger. A tune, "The Continental," written for this film won the first Oscar ever awarded in the best-song category. --Robert Horton
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
silly and great fred and ginger musical April 1, 2010
B. Pocker
Hard not to love a classic Fred and Ginger musical. Great supporting cast, great costumes and wonderful sets...and all songs are hum-able. This is part of their triumvirate of winning films. The other two are Top Hat and Swing Time. If you are sad or blue or just need to escape things for an hour or two and visit a beautiful world populated by dancing angels, try it. Lots of fun!
A totally silly wonderful movie for a rainy day February 12, 2010
J. Charne (Santa Monica, CA USA)
Great music and dance routines. Great character actors in supporting roles. They do not make 'em like this anymore!
The Best Fred and Ginger Movie Ever January 22, 2010
Sue (Vienna, VA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
With Fred and Ginger dancing the seductive Night and Day, the full 17 minute Continental, and even Betty Grable and Edward Everett Horton K-nocking k-nees, what's not to like? In my opinion, this is the best of all Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. This DVD appears to be complete and a good reproduction. Skip the bonus features, though. They're the pits.
Gay Divorcee January 18, 2010
M. A. Cervantes (San Gabriel, CA. United States)
You couldn't ask for a more fun film than Gay Divorcee. In many ways it is a portal to another world. One much gentler than exist today. Fred and Ginger were first starting out in this film as the main stars. It is a classic. A place of smiles, songs, and romance. What could a person ask for?
Wonderful! Astaire and Rogers are simply wonderful and also a solid DVD release! January 4, 2010
Dennis A. Amith (kndy) (California)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The RKO Radio Pictures years, known for its musicals starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the mid-to-late 1930's and later featuring other well known talent such as Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum and several others.
But it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers that help put RKO Pictures on the map with their ten films they did together from 1933-1939, 1949. Although the two were featured in the 1933 film "Flying Down to Rio", the two received fifth billing but it was due to that film, the two would receive top billing in "The Gay Divorcee". Beginning with this film, Astaire who was granted the rare opportunity for complete autonomy over how dancing was featured on his films would lead him to become the innovator of having the stationary camera to film a dance routine in a single shot and that the song and dance routines were integrated into the plot of the film. Very different from what Busby Berkeley was doing at the time.
"The Gay Divorcee" was directed by Mark Sandrich ("Top Hat", "Shall We Dance", "Everything's Ducky") that is based on an un-produced play by J. Hartley Manners and a screenplay by George Marion Jr., Dorothy Yost and Edward Kaufman. The film would be nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Picture", "Best Music, Score", "Best Sound, Recording" and "Best Art Direction". The film would win "Best Music, Original Song" for "The Continental".
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"The Gay Divorcee" is featured in standard 4×3 (1:33:1 aspect ratio) and featured in black and white. Warner Brothers did a great job in featuring this classic film digitally remastered. The film looks very good for a 75-year-old film and there is occasional dust that can be seen and there is a fine layer of grain. But blacks are nice and deep and grays and whites come out quite nicely. There is some flickering due to the original source negative but for the most part, it is not too distracting. Overall, picture quality for this film is quite good and you can tell how this film fares compared to the 1934 short films included on this DVD. "The Gay Divorcee" looks very good!
As for the audio, audio is presented in monaural Dolby Digital. So, it's pretty much a Dolby Digital 1.0 center channel driven film. Dialogue is clear but personally, if you have a modern receiver and a pretty good audio setup, some may prefer to watch the film with audio directed to all audio channels.
Subtitles for the film are presented in English, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"The Gay Divorcee" comes with the following special features:
* Show Kids - (19:58) A colorful short film from 1935 in which the Palace Theater owned by Mr. Jenkins is trying to stay afloat during the Depression and may close. But his 12-year-old son tries to bring in audiences with his own show.
* Star Night at the Coconut Grove - (19:33) A festive color short from 1934 featuring MGM performers such as Bing Crosby, The Debutantes and special guest Mary Pickford and Eduardo Durant and many more.
* Classic Cartoon "Shake Your Powder Puff"- (5:59) A black and white animated cartoon from 1934 directed by Friz Freleng. Featuring animals, the composer tries to conduct his vaudeville show
* Audio-Only Bonus: "Hollywood on the Air" Radio Promo - (13:46) An audio radio promo for "The Gay Divorcee".
* Theatrical Trailer - (1:18) The original theatrical trailer in its original glory with all scratches and dust galore.
JUDGMENT CALL:
I am making an effort to watch all Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films and the film I decided to start out with is their first major film together "The Gay Divorcee" from 1934 and what a fantastic film this one turned out to be. For one, the choreography of the dancing is remarkable. From the first initial dance number from Fred Astaire, you know you're in for a visual treat and this film does not disappoint.
The comedy and storyline are coherent and immediately, you can't help but be amazed by the amazing chemistry between both Astaire and Rogers. Despite the two not wanting to create this "musical team", I can see why audiences wanted to see these two together. They both click and as Astaire is fantastic with his dance moves, Rogers compliments him. Also, there is such class and grace between these two performers that it shows onscreen and makes you appreciate their dancing. It's really enjoyable to watch.
Of course, for many people "The Gay Divorcee" is famous for its dance numbers.
From Astaire's solo performance of "Needle in a Haystack" in which he dances and sings to "Let's K-nock K-nees" featuring Betty Grable (pre-World War II pinup girl) and Edward Everett Horton was enjoyable. Although, Horton is not much of a dancer, Grable's addition for this short segment was quite refreshing to see. But this is the first choreographed number with a number of people on the beach boardwalk and is fun to watch.
But it's when you see the two together, that is when you see the magic of these two individuals. Their performance of Cole Porter's "Night and Day" was delightful and perfectly choreographed and you can't help but admire their dance performance. Classy and sexy, a wonderful scene.
But of course, the scene that will just make the viewer watch in awe and literally be mesmerized is the 20-minute performance of "The Continental". Wonderful choreography and also cinematography for this scene alone. Absolutely fantastic!
And we go back to the actual acting. Astaire's dancing definitely adds flair to the film but he does a good job with playing the dapper Guy Holden and a man in love. Ginger Rogers compliments Astaire's dancing but it's her acting that truly shines and just the look on Mimi's face after the first dance with Guy is quite romantic. And of course, the supporting roles by the talent such as Alice Brady as the perky but naive Aunt Hortense, Edward Everett Horton playing the forgetful lawyer and Erik Rhodes playing the hilarious Italian Roldolfo Tonetti. A charming cast and a memorable film. Overall, "The Gay Divorcee" is a fantastic film and a film definitely worth watching.
It's important to note that all ten Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films can be found in the "Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Ultimate Collector's Edition" which is highly recommended! Otherwise, you can find "The Gay Divorcee" DVD (and other popular Astaire and Rogers films) quite cheap these days.
"The Gay Divorcee" is highly recommended!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
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