1936. In the middle of the Depression. These two had magic together and helped to cheer everybody up! Now we're having a Pandemic and it cheered me up!
Because many of the films actors were trained in theatre performance. Many of them were triple threats and it made their films more entertaining. Watching these films feels like you're watching a well crafted stage production, and I love it.
It had to be sheer joy to design Ginger Rogers's dresses for their dance numbers. I LOVE the swirl in her skirts, in a dress that looked like a typical day dress until the dance started. Genius!
That beautiful float in her skirt was thanks to it being made of silk. It's very rare to see anything made of that these days. The costume departments back then kept such a huge inventory of fabrics on hand, that even during wartime rationing, they could continue to make lavish dresses for years. Today even the top ballet companies rely on polyester chiffon and nylon tulle. It's just not the same as real silk.
Beautiful, though, if you ever wore silk, it's terrible when you become hot 😂 it doesn't breathe at all, and stays wet for ages... that's why dancers prefer synthetic fabrics !
Yes it was, but I wonder if it was Foleyed in or recorded live. Must be hard to put taps on Ginger's high heels. Note how rthe tapping fades out near the end.
I've always heard the names Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, always heard of their dancing. But never really saw much of it. This clip is amazing. It is elegant, energetic, entertaining, and quite frankly a little unbelievable to watch. I am awestruck.
Check out other dances; you'll be equally amazed. Top Hat and Swing Time are arguably Fred and Ginger at their best. Also check out Astaire's solo numbers.
The first time I checked this video was when the daily show was joking with a news on deflate gate an say something akin to "If you search talent on the dictionary... you will see a picture of Astaire, he danced like an angel"
One of my favourite sequences from a film ever, Fred and Ginger, the music, the effortless grace, the era, the clothes. They look like they're floating on air. Geniuses both and will never be equalled.
Downhill with all that "farm and industrial gear for walking about in". Young ladies and their gentlemen friends neatly dressed when walking out together.
Ah yes, so glad to have wholesome movies like this, not like the ones enjoyed by kids these days. And never mind the blackface. After all, how bad is racism compared to the natural desires of the human body?
@@jasonrich4940Here we go with another moronic SJW who wants to scream "RACISM!!!!" at the top of his lungs. I've got news for you, buddy -- racism from the right is so dead that you idiots on the left have to attack statues of people who died over a century ago. Racism on the left, however, is alive and thriving. Leftists really believe that black people are so inferior that they cannot possibly get along without welfare, quotas, and other handouts from the government.
@@CCoburn3 You're correct! It sends the message that a black person cannot make it on merit alone without affirmative action because systemic racism is rampant. I think this is the reason that whenever I see Sidney Poitier in a film, for example, and am able to enjoy it so much is that it becomes evident very quickly that the ONLY reason this man is the star of the film is because he is as talented and as charismatic as any other star who was in Hollywood at the time. The same goes for the "Our Gang" comedy series of the 1930s. The ONLY reason the black kids are in that series is because they were as cute and as talented as any of the white kids. There was no such thing as "political correctness" at the time. It was pure "merit," as with Sydney Poitier. I don't always have this feeling today, though. So often today, I feel the reason a black person is in a film or TV series is that the producer wants a black face front and center so as to be "inclusive," with no one able to scream "racism." This, though, prompts the question why does it always have to be a black person to be "inclusive"? Why not an Asian family, for example, in a commercial going into McDonald's for lunch or a Mexican family? Why do leftists---since they're so obessed with being "inclusive"---seem to ignore these groups?
From 45 seconds in that was one take. Kudos to the cameraman who did a great job. The people who witnessed that live had no idea that 80+ years later people would still marvel at the talent the skill and lifelong dedication that made that sequence possible.
Billy Bronco It was probably one take all the way through. And they just broke it up with the cut away. Although the edit(s) was so awkward and glaring (not to mention unfortunate)-maybe they were cutting around something.
It is part of the plot. That guy is Ginger's boss, who was a dancing teacher,.and he was about to fire her because Fred, that was a professional dancer, came up at the school and pretended he did know how to dance just to approach her. And the boss thought she was shooing costumers when she was saying "you better save your money, I cannot teach you anything". Then, to help her, Fred decided to dance as if she had taught him.
neither one wore tap shoes. the taps were always dubbed in later in post production; all musicals did that. Gene Kelly even did an interview about "the man who dubbed my taps"
Oh my God, please bring back the old days of dancing like this! Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers before "Dancing with the Stars," and "Dance Off"and all those other dance shows, *these two* were already doin it!!!!!!!
+ebonics4everyone Tap dancing, the charleston, the lindy hop, the jive, these all came from traditional African dances. So put away the racism, please.
Matt Henderson Dude let's just start all over again lol and I'll begin by saying that I just love old dancing like this, always have... it's just as good to me as the modern dance of today, but to me this is better.
+lorettalynn Davis It was not as easy as it looks. Astaire was a perfectionist who liked working with women who were willing to rehearse a dance dozens of times until they were risking foot injury. You have to give him credit, though, for insisting on recording the dance with a single camera.
They move into and out of closed position with so much ease. They always knew exactly where the other was. That’s what comes from 80 hours of rehearsal on one dance. You won’t see that in a movie today.
I agree that they are a wonderful dance team, but IMHO, Rogers is not in the same category as Rita Hayworth, Also enjoy Astaire, he is so smooooooth and effortless, but my money is on the supremely athletic Gene Kelly. Love these old films with the dance routines ❤❤.
@bill bixby my feet gave a tiny moan when I read that, and I have *not* tortured them with too-tight or too-high shoes. I wore heels but always something I could walk in.
I once had a book on these two. On the upper right corners of each page was a stop motion picture. When you turned the pages real fast, Fred and Ginger can be seen dancing. My heart breaks because whenever I see these two incredibly amazing people dance, I miss them very much. The world was full of happiness, love, spirit and fun when these two put on their dancing shoes and cut a rug. They were that great. Ginger was the very epitome of femininity. Her beauty transcends all time. Simply put, she was stunning, absolutely stunning....... Fred was a mans man. His talent exceeded everything there was. An incredibly talented actor, his dancing routines will never ever be replicated because no one is that great. His charm coupled with his on screen off screen personality was a perfect match for Ginger. Whenever I see them dance I cry they're so beautiful to watch.....I miss them both and will always love them.🌹🌹💃
Yet Fred let people say disparaging things about Ginger. And Ginger had more talent than HE did. He could dance, but that's about it. Ginger could do it all and do it well.
Pure class! Fascinating how Astaire influenced generations of ballet dancers to be, and still does! Superb dancers, and I don't know how Ginger did it in those heels, but boy, do they do IT.
You got that right. No matter who the artists were in those good old days they simply couldn't beat them. None bad but some are a little better. Somehow I can't help but feel the kids of today are missing so much by not having entertainment like that. My generation had peace and freedom they simply no longer have. Then came that damn war that had a lot to do with changing everything.
Richard Cunningham im not really a kid anymore, but a LOT love this sort of thing, and ARE being entertained by it :) especially when put to our modern music :) all hail youtube!! and not to mention, the dance pairing from heaven!!! :)
marcus allison I'm no kid anymore since I'll be 90 this month but realize things change through time. To me most of the music now is nothing more than loud noise but I recall my parents saying the same thing about what we listened to when I was young. As I think I mentioned before, I feel the young people now days are missing so much in life. Growing up in the '30s we simply seemed to have much more freedom and happiness than they now have. Of course it was a much simpler world then and it was awfully nice to go to a nice place to dance or simply listen to the music of our time.
i think your absolutely right!! and i wish had grown up in the 30's as i will be 18 soon- I'm very jealous of you to be honest!! but make no mistake, a lot of older styles are making a big comeback! but aside from that, of course, we live in a much more restricted health and safety obsessed world now, and it... ahem.... "sucks" - may i also be so bold to say how nice it is to have a normal and nice conversation with someone, with different opinions who docent loose their temper and knows how to actually talk, a rare skill these days, especially online!!! :)
Notice: two cuts in the whole dance sequence and those occur right at the beginning. Most of the dance is done without halting, cutting away, or splicing another take into the sequence. We saw the dance exactly as it was performed on the set. Now contrast that to other dance sequences in which there are multiple cuts and you can never know how much of the dance is due to the dancer's skill and how due do the skills of the editor. Astaire said: "Either the camera will dance or I will." I'm glad he (and Ginger) are doing the dancing here.
And those cuts are arguably not cuts in the dance take itself. While the subject of the camera cut to another character (the boss ?)...there may have been no break in the dance sequence / take itself. Judging from the audio, I don't believe there is any break. IMO the dance performance in the scene is the same take start to finish.
+PackerBronco makes me wonder what happened when a big mistake was made....they reshot the entire dance?! makes it even more impressive now a days if someone messes up they will just digitally fix it in post production....
Fred Astaire made it clear when he danced he wanted the camera to film it all in one take. No cuts. No changes. They make a mistake and they just reshoot the entire scene from the beginning. And try to imagine this being done today. No way in hell would anybody stand for it.
Prompted by a dress discussion below!- I can’t resist to mention that my great aunt worked on Ginger’s dresses (and for other well-known actresses of the day as well) from my great aunt’s NY shop.
Just perfect, from beginning to end. The musicality, the body lines, the rhythmic composition, the feel- perfection. Astaire had so many great dances, it's hard to single out one over others. But this has to be up there among the best pure dance numbers ever committed to film.
I befriended a gentleman some years ago ( he's now deceased ) who told me of stories of how he and Fred Astaire would do impromptu dance routines ( Improv's ) together at nightclubs in New York way back in the heyday of Astaire. When we first started having these conversations, I was thinking to myself " Yeah, right ". Then one night while we were visiting in the lobby area of the hotel where he worked as a desk clerk ( this was no run of the mill Hotel, people, it was a classy joint ) he went up to the suite he lived in at the Hotel and brought down a photo album. As we flipped through the pages there they were together over & over again. My friend and Fred Astaire. There weren't many, but there were also some that had both my friend, Astaire, AND !!! Ginger Rogers. Man, this old boy had some stories. I'd sit on the edge of the leather bound furnishings in the lobby area while gripping a gin & tonic in my hand and listen to him rattle on for hours. Good times.
My mom would rather dance,than eat...in her last 14 years,she was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis.She died in 1989 and I hope your mother will give my mom some dance time,with Fred.God Bless,EdD5...
Charles Dickens I have hoped for years that some actual West Coast Swing dancers had a script written for them like a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire had back then. The dancers I watch are amazing. Jessica Cox is one such beauty.
A. No one said that B. Fred and Ginger were dancers their entire lives and Gosling and Stone had at most a few months to learn to dance. Conclusion: Calm down
If you love the costume design in this number as much as I do - I found a fascinating article about it. I thought I would share the link for others to enjoy, as well. The title of the article is "The Style Essentials--Ginger Rogers Steps Up in Style in 1936's SWING TIME", and it's a great little glimpse behind the curtain of the making of these beautiful dresses for the film (By the way, the dress design from this film has been copied over and over in fashion ever since.. and with good reason!!) www.glamamor.com/2014/07/GingerRogers-SwingTime-BernardNewman.html
The man is a LEGEND. I read that the day after MJ performed Billie Jean on Motown 25, he called to compliment him on the entire performance, and as soon as the conversation ended, MJ had to go to the restroom and...*cough* up. He said he could't take it and it was the best compliment he'd ever gotten. THAT'S how epic Fred Astaire was. RIP!!
You know what Linda Beal, let it go! I am Black and Hispanic and I have two favorite dancers one of them is Fred Astaire. He is one the greatest dancers ever and if he is what you call a student so be it. Black people have to learn how to become great dancers as well, we are not born with a "natural ability." And to add to that in the industry today whites are exploiting whites and blacks are exploiting blacks and vice versa so why mention the past? Move the fk on...
Ginger and Fred make it look so easy, they are absolutely magnificent as everything always comes together. Fred was such a perfectionist and this always came out in his dancing. It's just so enjoyable to watch.
@@derekthompson3907 »definitely not. Today is pathological situation: you can show on screen brutal morder, but woman body is banned. It is intentional change of ethics.
Well, one shot, maybe, but Fred rehearsed LOTS and lots before getting in front of the camera. I suspect even Ginger couldn't take all the rehearsing . . . she only did, what?, 9 movies with Fred -- and then she quit the team!
It is perfection. Fred had approval of every scene he was in and often shot dance scenes 8-10 times till in fact, it was perfect. Ginger said in one scene her feet were bleeding from so many retakes.
I always thought this was one of Ginger's most attractive daytime outfits. The flowing black skirted dress with a simple white collar. It looks great paired with her lovely blond curls. Ginger's whole look is also a nice match with Fred's more formal suit.
Fred had not yet been nearly knocked out by her heavily beaded dress in Face the Music and Dance. It looked great but the sleeve hit him so hard he said he couldn't remember doing the rest of the dance. And that's the take they used!
littleripper312 Lucille Bremer danced well in heels, too. I don't know why her career didn't take off. Like her counterpart, Vera-Ellen, Bremer is little remembered these days. So sad!
SERIOUSLY!!!! 100% agree. People see a mediocre dance routine and praise it to the hilt because they aren't used to seeing one....but then you come back and see what perfection REALLY looks like! Thanks for supporting and directing people to TRUE talent.
That's an old line and while I will not under appreciate Miss Rodgers' dancing in any way, if one watches this closely it's Mr. Astaire who's the standout in many subtle ways. For example, at points he does several independent moves, spins and turns, then falls perfectly back in step with Miss Rogers. That's not to downplay her dancing at all; she's terrific but, overall, Mr. Astaire is on a level all his own.
ashgreen2080 Don't let these others dissuade the use of that observation, which is obviously older than yourself. One guy says Astaire was more talented, and he did create most of the moves, the choreography rather. But to expect somebody to do the exact same thing in heels as Astaire did front or backwards, well, obviously that's a tall order. I think the best way to put it is, she was his perfect dance partner, to the point where it made not only he look better, but both of them.
This takes many watches to catch everything. So much going on here. I know it will never happen but I wish movies like this would come back. Very little happiness in movies today.
I can't even guess how many times I have watched this video - and keep coming back to see it again and again. LOVE it! And each time you find another speck of magic you never noticed before. :) Glad to hear I'm not alone.
MissAndie FTW, they certainly had talent, but most of what we see here is just skill and long, hard work. It demeans their great effort to perfect their skill when it is dismissed as "talent", as if they just were born to dance like this effortlessly. Too many people who have never accomplished anything worthwhile themselves (not talking about you, just people in general) just assume that those that HAVE accomplished something great were able to do it because they had a special gift. It is usually just not true.
amazing great dancing, and Fred Astaire demanded the routine be perfect, making retakes, and do-overs ! And Ginger Rogers was tap dancing in high heels... she was more amazing than given credit for !!!
Ginger Rogers was so beautiful. I almost drool on her everlasting beauty and her dancing skills was super. God we lost two legends. We love Ginger and Fred for giving us the joy of dancing.
As a child I was bored by scenes like this. Now, I am simply amazed at the strength, skill and grace of Astaire and Rogers to dance in synchrony with each other, a dance that is beautiful and made to look easy. Did anyone else notice that there were no breaks in the filming? The couple danced flawlessly for two and a half minutes straight.
Pure brilliance, no other word for it. Ginger is pure perfection - she doesn't even stop acting when the music and dance sequence begins. She knows that in order for everything to be believable, you continue to act in the scene even though the dialogue has stopped. Love her dress and hair in this video too - it just completes the scene. As for Fred, what else can be said besides class, class, class and sheer, utter greatness. He made everything look effortless and so smooth. These two were one of a kind - never will be any like them ever again. Perfect dance pair, in my opinion!
You're correct. If you notice, the dance plays an integral role to the story. She's looking over at her boss, almost smirking because she was just fired, and yet her student has learned amazing steps from her. Ginger is acting while dancing.
triplethreat017 This is very true. She starts out acting reluctant, then dancing semi-perfunctorily watching her student, then she gradually gets right into it.
A thousand times, "YES!" Check out the horror movie, Mystery of the Wax Museum for the gorgeous white ankle length dress in that one, if you like old dresses ... pretty good movie too, for Halloween!
Dear Samanta! I think you can dance like that if you have a Passion, feel the rhythm and practice enough. You know that practice always makes Perfect...
Astaire and Hermes Pan were the choreographers, but in performance, this pair were absolutely equal. They way they compliment each other, is something to behold. There are other of Fred's partners who were technically superior to Rogers, but none had greater chemistry....not even Charisse, or Hayworth, or Vera Ellen, or Powell. Swing Time is a forever amazing and timeless film. It was on prime time TCM just a few days ago.
I have never been able to wear really high heels. Hurt me even as a teenager. I kept it at about 1.5" to 2" or so. My mom was a shoe horse. I found a photo of her, and she's in a house "frock" (that was the word in 30s) and apron with really knockout high heels on. I had to laugh. She had many pairs of neat shoes to her death at 93!
her dress is amazing and its awesome how she dances in those heels
Ikr? I've never seen anyone dance in heels like her before!
They make it look so easy!!!
She was very good!
Blast Ketchup *cough* *cough* beyonce
Yes, but she was not the only one to do so although she may had started the trend. Ann Margret also danced in high heels.
1936. In the middle of the Depression. These two had magic together and helped to cheer everybody up! Now we're having a Pandemic and it cheered me up!
On point!
This made me cheer up too every morning. So mesmerizing to look at them.
This is my favorite of their dance routines.
Awwwwwww. Totally! Part of the power of art 😊✨💪🌱🥰
not my dad who was working on ccc roads for a dollar a week at 16 years old . no tv or movies there
This is when entertainers were highly entertaining. Their talent and greatness oozed from every pore.
Yes, no instant fame because of an internet rant. I grew-up on these movies
@@joem1070 Precisely. "Stars" nowadays have ZERO star power. They're just celebrities. Sad. Merry Christmas.
What is a pore? A woman that is pour.
@@robertkat Look it up. Pathetic.
Because many of the films actors were trained in theatre performance. Many of them were triple threats and it made their films more entertaining. Watching these films feels like you're watching a well crafted stage production, and I love it.
It had to be sheer joy to design Ginger Rogers's dresses for their dance numbers. I LOVE the swirl in her skirts, in a dress that looked like a typical day dress until the dance started. Genius!
That beautiful float in her skirt was thanks to it being made of silk. It's very rare to see anything made of that these days. The costume departments back then kept such a huge inventory of fabrics on hand, that even during wartime rationing, they could continue to make lavish dresses for years. Today even the top ballet companies rely on polyester chiffon and nylon tulle. It's just not the same as real silk.
I love your post. I watch this clip frequently just to marvel at the skirt on her dress floating out as she dances.
Beautiful, though, if you ever wore silk, it's terrible when you become hot 😂 it doesn't breathe at all, and stays wet for ages... that's why dancers prefer synthetic fabrics !
@@starababa1985muy interesante tu comentario
Anybody else find the tapping noise extremely satisfying?
yes
Yes it was, but I wonder if it was Foleyed in or recorded live. Must be hard to put taps on Ginger's high heels. Note how rthe tapping fades out near the end.
As much as bursting the bubbles of a bubble wrap.
Yes
That's why I stayed doing tap classes. (Also because flexibility isn't required and I'm as flexible as a brick)
I don’t think people realize how physically fit you need to be to do something like that . its amazing
Fit is the least of it, the skill is a lot more impressive to me and the memory
You ain't kidding! Just watching them makes me catch my breath!!
th-cam.com/video/Eco4z98nIQY/w-d-xo.html
Ginger said something like 'I do everything Fred does - but backwards and in high heels'.
Oh ya, and good feet and balance
This looks so easy.. which means it's incredibly difficult
They were amazing
Lol. That’s the same with amazing pairs skating. They make it look so easy
Oh yes
Or, and stay with me here, they rehearsed and it was done in several takes.
Sprezzatura.
I've always heard the names Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, always heard of their dancing. But never really saw much of it. This clip is amazing. It is elegant, energetic, entertaining, and quite frankly a little unbelievable to watch. I am awestruck.
Check out other dances; you'll be equally amazed. Top Hat and Swing Time are arguably Fred and Ginger at their best. Also check out Astaire's solo numbers.
Check the whole films, not only the dancing clips. Delicious comedies. You will see they have such a chemistry.
The first time I checked this video was when the daily show was joking with a news on deflate gate an say something akin to "If you search talent on the dictionary... you will see a picture of Astaire, he danced like an angel"
@@0Clewi0And Ginger was his perfect match. None better. Never too flamboyant, always just right.
One of my favourite sequences from a film ever, Fred and Ginger, the music, the effortless grace, the era, the clothes. They look like they're floating on air. Geniuses both and will never be equalled.
WELL SAID SUSAN THEY WERE BRILLIANT THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER FRED AND GINGER 👠👠👠👠🎩🎩🎩👠👠👠🎩🎩🎩
My favorite dancing duo ✨️
Downhill with all that "farm and industrial gear for walking about in".
Young ladies and their gentlemen friends neatly dressed when walking out together.
She is so beautiful and he's handsome. They look so good dancing together. All without foul language and nudity. Love to watch it. Thanks for sharing.
Actually a sex scene would have been great. Ginger was so fucking hot
They didn't think that they had to shock people in order to get attention. They let their TALENT do the talking, and that's all it took.
Ah yes, so glad to have wholesome movies like this, not like the ones enjoyed by kids these days. And never mind the blackface. After all, how bad is racism compared to the natural desires of the human body?
@@jasonrich4940Here we go with another moronic SJW who wants to scream "RACISM!!!!" at the top of his lungs. I've got news for you, buddy -- racism from the right is so dead that you idiots on the left have to attack statues of people who died over a century ago. Racism on the left, however, is alive and thriving. Leftists really believe that black people are so inferior that they cannot possibly get along without welfare, quotas, and other handouts from the government.
@@CCoburn3
You're correct! It sends the message that a black person cannot make it on merit alone without affirmative action because systemic racism is rampant.
I think this is the reason that whenever I see Sidney Poitier in a film, for example, and am able to enjoy it so much is that it becomes evident very quickly that the ONLY reason this man is the star of the film is because he is as talented and as charismatic as any other star who was in Hollywood at the time.
The same goes for the "Our Gang" comedy series of the 1930s. The ONLY reason the black kids are in that series is because they were as cute and as talented as any of the white kids. There was no such thing as "political correctness" at the time. It was pure "merit," as with Sydney Poitier.
I don't always have this feeling today, though. So often today, I feel the reason a black person is in a film or TV series is that the producer wants a black face front and center so as to be "inclusive," with no one able to scream "racism."
This, though, prompts the question why does it always have to be a black person to be "inclusive"? Why not an Asian family, for example, in a commercial going into McDonald's for lunch or a Mexican family? Why do leftists---since they're so obessed with being "inclusive"---seem to ignore these groups?
A hundred years from now people will be watching them dance. Real talent never goes out of style.
👁😉👍😍🇫🇷
Oui même les 👽apprécieront 😉😀
It's nearly a hundred years since they performed this number. And we're still transfixed.
From 45 seconds in that was one take. Kudos to the cameraman who did a great job.
The people who witnessed that live had no idea that 80+ years later people would still marvel at the talent the skill and lifelong dedication that made that sequence possible.
Billy Bronco It was probably one take all the way through. And they just broke it up with the cut away. Although the edit(s) was so awkward and glaring (not to mention unfortunate)-maybe they were cutting around something.
It is part of the plot. That guy is Ginger's boss, who was a dancing teacher,.and he was about to fire her because Fred, that was a professional dancer, came up at the school and pretended he did know how to dance just to approach her. And the boss thought she was shooing costumers when she was saying "you better save your money, I cannot teach you anything". Then, to help her, Fred decided to dance as if she had taught him.
Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels.
It's remarkable. Ginger doesn't get enough credit.
Fred wore darkened high heels, too.
She does less steps and didn't wear tap shoes so she didn't have to do all the taps but still extremely hard to do what she does.
neither one wore tap shoes. the taps were always dubbed in later in post production; all musicals did that. Gene Kelly even did an interview about "the man who dubbed my taps"
Not true, look at the video closely. they both do the same steps in this one because it's mostly side by side
Oh my God, please bring back the old days of dancing like this! Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers before "Dancing with the Stars," and "Dance Off"and all those other dance shows, *these two* were already doin it!!!!!!!
+ebonics4everyone Tap dancing, the charleston, the lindy hop, the jive, these all came from traditional African dances. So put away the racism, please.
Matt Henderson Dude let's just start all over again lol and I'll begin by saying that I just love old dancing like this, always have... it's just as good to me as the modern dance of today, but to me this is better.
lorettalynn Davis It's no trouble, I definitely agree.
Matt Henderson You got good taste Matt :)
+lorettalynn Davis It was not as easy as it looks. Astaire was a perfectionist who liked working with women who were willing to rehearse a dance dozens of times until they were risking foot injury. You have to give him credit, though, for insisting on recording the dance with a single camera.
when it's 2017 but you wanna learn to swing dance...
trashboat . . . and my parents were swing dancers !
trashboat same
I dance like this and I'm 65; can you?
David Howell I'm 20 and yes. Let's dance and see who calls it quits first. My bet is on you ☺️
I know!
Man, they’re just so smooth. Makes the moves and spins look effortless.
They move into and out of closed position with so much ease. They always knew exactly where the other was. That’s what comes from 80 hours of rehearsal on one dance. You won’t see that in a movie today.
I could watch these two all day. Absolute perfection - timing, grace, rhythm, looks!!
They make it look so easy. I never get tired of watching them. The greatest dance duo of all time.
I agree that they are a wonderful dance team, but IMHO, Rogers is not in the same category as Rita Hayworth, Also enjoy Astaire, he is so smooooooth and effortless, but my money is on the supremely athletic Gene Kelly. Love these old films with the dance routines ❤❤.
and she did it all in heels.
👏👏
Tina Turner danced wearing mega high heels.
@bill bixby my feet gave a tiny moan when I read that, and I have *not* tortured them with too-tight or too-high shoes. I wore heels but always something I could walk in.
I once had a book on these two. On the upper right corners of each page was a stop motion picture. When you turned the pages real fast, Fred and Ginger can be seen dancing. My heart breaks because whenever I see these two incredibly amazing people dance, I miss them very much. The world was full of happiness, love, spirit and fun when these two put on their dancing shoes and cut a rug. They were that great. Ginger was the very epitome of femininity. Her beauty transcends all time. Simply put, she was stunning, absolutely stunning.......
Fred was a mans man. His talent exceeded everything there was. An incredibly talented actor, his dancing routines will never ever be replicated because no one is that great. His charm coupled with his on screen off screen personality was a perfect match for Ginger.
Whenever I see them dance I cry they're so beautiful to watch.....I miss them both and will always love them.🌹🌹💃
Yes! by Arlene Croce. Bought it 30+ years ago and I still have it.
Yet Fred let people say disparaging things about Ginger. And Ginger had more talent than HE did. He could dance, but that's about it. Ginger could do it all and do it well.
@@djinnko So do I!
Love this!
Pure class! Fascinating how Astaire influenced generations of ballet dancers to be, and still does! Superb dancers, and I don't know how Ginger did it in those heels, but boy, do they do IT.
You got that right. No matter who the artists were in those good old days they simply couldn't beat them. None bad but some are a little better. Somehow I can't help but feel the kids of today are missing so much by not having entertainment like that. My generation had peace and freedom they simply no longer have. Then came that damn war that had a lot to do with changing everything.
Richard Cunningham im not really a kid anymore, but a LOT love this sort of thing, and ARE being entertained by it :) especially when put to our modern music :) all hail youtube!! and not to mention, the dance pairing from heaven!!! :)
marcus allison I'm no kid anymore since I'll be 90 this month but realize things change through time. To me most of the music now is nothing more than loud noise but I recall my parents saying the same thing about what we listened to when I was young. As I think I mentioned before, I feel the young people now days are missing so much in life. Growing up in the '30s we simply seemed to have much more freedom and happiness than they now have. Of course it was a much simpler world then and it was awfully nice to go to a nice place to dance or simply listen to the music of our time.
i think your absolutely right!! and i wish had grown up in the 30's as i will be 18 soon- I'm very jealous of you to be honest!! but make no mistake, a lot of older styles are making a big comeback! but aside from that, of course, we live in a much more restricted health and safety obsessed world now, and it... ahem.... "sucks" - may i also be so bold to say how nice it is to have a normal and nice conversation with someone, with different opinions who docent loose their temper and knows how to actually talk, a rare skill these days, especially online!!! :)
Richard Cunningham What a beautiful comment. Thank you for making it.
Notice: two cuts in the whole dance sequence and those occur right at the beginning. Most of the dance is done without halting, cutting away, or splicing another take into the sequence. We saw the dance exactly as it was performed on the set.
Now contrast that to other dance sequences in which there are multiple cuts and you can never know how much of the dance is due to the dancer's skill and how due do the skills of the editor.
Astaire said: "Either the camera will dance or I will." I'm glad he (and Ginger) are doing the dancing here.
And those cuts are arguably not cuts in the dance take itself. While the subject of the camera cut to another character (the boss ?)...there may have been no break in the dance sequence / take itself. Judging from the audio, I don't believe there is any break. IMO the dance performance in the scene is the same take start to finish.
+PackerBronco makes me wonder what happened when a big mistake was made....they reshot the entire dance?! makes it even more impressive now a days if someone messes up they will just digitally fix it in post production....
Yes. They reshot. Fred wanted the dances to be done in one complete take.
Yup, same as most movies that time. Look up the dance scene in Hellzapoppin'.. that was also 1 complete take of the whole routine. :)
Fred Astaire made it clear when he danced he wanted the camera to film it all in one take. No cuts. No changes. They make a mistake and they just reshoot the entire scene from the beginning.
And try to imagine this being done today. No way in hell would anybody stand for it.
Prompted by a dress discussion below!- I can’t resist to mention that my great aunt worked on Ginger’s dresses (and for other well-known actresses of the day as well) from my great aunt’s NY shop.
These were the real stars. Back in the day you had to give 120% every time.
"That's impossible. No one can give more than 100%.
By definition, that is the most anyone can give."
@@victorbruant389 Simpsons reference, I presume.
Talent and class, half of which we see in a pair of heels. Hats off to Astaire and Rogers.
Their dancing was so classy. Most people now wouldn't know class if it hit them in the face.
So true!
Classic elegance and manners impossible to find these days
Just perfect, from beginning to end. The musicality, the body lines, the rhythmic composition, the feel- perfection. Astaire had so many great dances, it's hard to single out one over others. But this has to be up there among the best pure dance numbers ever committed to film.
+berkeleybernie Swing Time is my favorite of the Rogers and Astaire movies, and this opening dance is one of the reasons why.
I never ever tire of watching this. Just faaaaaaabulous .
I befriended a gentleman some years ago ( he's now deceased ) who told me of stories of how he and Fred Astaire would do impromptu dance routines ( Improv's ) together at nightclubs in New York way back in the heyday of Astaire. When we first started having these conversations, I was thinking to myself " Yeah, right ". Then one night while we were visiting in the lobby area of the hotel where he worked as a desk clerk ( this was no run of the mill Hotel, people, it was a classy joint ) he went up to the suite he lived in at the Hotel and brought down a photo album. As we flipped through the pages there they were together over & over again. My friend and Fred Astaire. There weren't many, but there were also some that had both my friend, Astaire, AND !!! Ginger Rogers. Man, this old boy had some stories. I'd sit on the edge of the leather bound furnishings in the lobby area while gripping a gin & tonic in my hand and listen to him rattle on for hours. Good times.
***** No, but I always graded high as an essayist in both high school & college.
Beautifully written :) love anecdotes like that. You were lucky to have a friend like that!
wow
Splendid
Wow! That's great, thanks for sharing. I feel like I was there, too.
Let's remember why Rogers and Astaire are legendary.
My mother said more than once that her dream-come-true would be to have one dance with Fred Astaire. I hope now they have.
EdD5 Made me tear up bro, nice comment though.
EdD5 as Sinatra said about Astaire and his partners, "you can wait around and hope, but you will never see the likes of this again". He was right.
Patricia: I really like the quote.
My mom would rather dance,than eat...in her last 14 years,she was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis.She died in 1989 and I hope your mother will give my mom some dance time,with Fred.God Bless,EdD5...
We three have that in common, but i wish we didn't. It's been since 01 for me. Love your mothers people, cause you only get one of those.
I laugh at how modern actors are called 'stars' when they're not even minor asteroids in comparison to this.
I totally agree! Well, they have to make themselves sound like something special!
Mediocrity rules, unfortunately.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Charles Dickens I have hoped for years that some actual West Coast Swing dancers had a script written for them like a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire had back then. The dancers I watch are amazing. Jessica Cox is one such beauty.
back when stars didnt have to pad their resumes, they really were triple threats - act, sing and dance. and all at the same time
And they say Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land are the new Rogers/Astaire.
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
NOT. EVEN. CLOSE!!!
A. No one said that
B. Fred and Ginger were dancers their entire lives and Gosling and Stone had at most a few months to learn to dance.
Conclusion: Calm down
18h15 Music I thought Gosling and Stone were embarrassing.
@@culraven7573 thanks
YEAH..... RIGHT!!!!
the way her skirt swishes around is mesmerising, their dancing seems so effortless
If you love the costume design in this number as much as I do - I found a fascinating article about it. I thought I would share the link for others to enjoy, as well. The title of the article is "The Style Essentials--Ginger Rogers Steps Up in Style in 1936's SWING TIME", and it's a great little glimpse behind the curtain of the making of these beautiful dresses for the film (By the way, the dress design from this film has been copied over and over in fashion ever since.. and with good reason!!) www.glamamor.com/2014/07/GingerRogers-SwingTime-BernardNewman.html
The man is a LEGEND. I read that the day after MJ performed Billie Jean on Motown 25, he called to compliment him on the entire performance, and as soon as the conversation ended, MJ had to go to the restroom and...*cough* up. He said he could't take it and it was the best compliment he'd ever gotten. THAT'S how epic Fred Astaire was. RIP!!
class
Don't forget tho... Ginger did it all in High Heels and Backwards :)
You know what Linda Beal, let it go! I am Black and Hispanic and I have two favorite dancers one of them is Fred Astaire. He is one the greatest dancers ever and if he is what you call a student so be it. Black people have to learn how to become great dancers as well, we are not born with a "natural ability." And to add to that in the industry today whites are exploiting whites and blacks are exploiting blacks and vice versa so why mention the past? Move the fk on...
Linda Beal get over it. Nobody cares
Total b.s.
Ginger and Fred make it look so easy, they are absolutely magnificent as everything always comes together. Fred was such a perfectionist and this always came out in his dancing. It's just so enjoyable to watch.
Oh yeah, this was when talent was required to be in the industry.
@@derekthompson3907 »definitely not. Today is pathological situation: you can show on screen brutal morder, but woman body is banned. It is intentional change of ethics.
@K.E.H. At last ! someone who can see straight !
Talento en estado puro
True!!!
This was probably a 'one shot' showing these two totally outstanding performers at their very best!
I believe you are absolutely right. This was one shot from start to finish!
I read they had to do so many takes on this that Ginger's feet were bleeding into her high heels.
Well, one shot, maybe, but Fred rehearsed LOTS and lots before getting in front of the camera. I suspect even Ginger couldn't take all the rehearsing . . . she only did, what?, 9 movies with Fred -- and then she quit the team!
I can't get enough of this. It's beyond perfection.
It is perfection. Fred had approval of every scene he was in and often shot dance scenes 8-10 times till in fact, it was perfect. Ginger said in one scene her feet were bleeding from so many retakes.
One critic described this scene as "The most joyful two minutes ever put on film."
As much as I love and admire Astaire, I can never take my eyes off Ginger.
She was such an extraordinary beauty with talent to match :)
Me too, can't take my eyes off Ginger, she was so captivating.
Same foot work as Astaire but in heels. Amazing.
Sara Johansson and backwards
She follows him, matches his moves, and looks so gorgeous.
I always thought this was one of Ginger's most attractive daytime outfits. The flowing black skirted dress with a simple white collar. It looks great paired with her lovely blond curls. Ginger's whole look is also a nice match with Fred's more formal suit.
Fred had not yet been nearly knocked out by her heavily beaded dress in Face the Music and Dance. It looked great but the sleeve hit him so hard he said he couldn't remember doing the rest of the dance. And that's the take they used!
I love that dress too!
@@leoniepattison3081 i wish this kind of dress comes back
Ginger’s dancing dresses had weights sewn into the hems to get that effect. Made them quite heavy to wear but looked fabulous when she turned.
How does she dance so well in heels!? Amazing women!
littleripper312 Lucille Bremer danced well in heels, too. I don't know why her career didn't take off. Like her counterpart, Vera-Ellen, Bremer is little remembered these days. So sad!
+littleripper312 ....going by your username - are you Australian? I'm Australian.
+littleripper312 In heels and backwards
I wondered exactly the same thing.
Practice, practice, practice.
Days like this will never come around again. These two were amazing together! Real talent!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Yep, true.
Yes, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were amazing together 😊
And she did that in heels!
@bill bixby Uphill both ways?
Because?
And backwards
@bill bixby why would you do this? Your choice, of course, but you will have problems with your feet and back later in life.
bill bixby Impressive!! But at the same time your skill in heels doesn't equate to an absence of Ginger's :)
best exit ever
Like a boss.
Ginger Rogers was at the very top of her game in this clip.
My, how hard she must have worked.....
So amazing, they made it look so easy! They always seemed like they were floating on a cloud when they danced, such talents...timeless
Wow...just wow....Fred and Ginger surely had to be the BEST EVER....amazing to watch. He was such a perfectionist.....she was wonderful. PERFECT x
whenever I see someone praise the dance scene in LaLa Land I always direct them to this.
SERIOUSLY!!!! 100% agree. People see a mediocre dance routine and praise it to the hilt because they aren't used to seeing one....but then you come back and see what perfection REALLY looks like! Thanks for supporting and directing people to TRUE talent.
You need to learn to let people enjoy things. Both of you.
Gods...just because this is amazing, doesn't mean La la land is bad or unworthy of praise.
@@olua.7812 Lowering expectations because something isn't quite bad isn't a mentality i can ever stand behind.
Emma and Ryan can barely dance this two been dancing since they were kids
*I CAN'T EVEN WALK IN HIGH HEELS*
Yeah good luck with this
Zea: Geez, neither can I, my gf always has them on, lmao.
H I G H heel H I G H
NOW GAVE ME AGOOD LAUGH!!!YA BUT I AM WILLING TO BET YOUR HELL ON ANY DANCE FLOOR,,, ( THE OLD SALTY DOG!!!🌹🦋🌹🙈🦋🌹🙈💃💃💃💃
@JIJI so true she was something special.
The fact he incorporated tap dancing and swing together is amazing. Something I want to add into my swing routines when I go to the studio
Backwards and in heels--Ginger was perfection.
Don't know much about this, do you?
That's an old line and while I will not under appreciate Miss Rodgers' dancing in any way, if one watches this closely it's Mr. Astaire who's the standout in many subtle ways. For example, at points he does several independent moves, spins and turns, then falls perfectly back in step with Miss Rogers. That's not to downplay her dancing at all; she's terrific but, overall, Mr. Astaire is on a level all his own.
have you ever worn heelz? Her feet must be fked up
ashgreen2080 Don't let these others dissuade the use of that observation, which is obviously older than yourself. One guy says Astaire was more talented, and he did create most of the moves, the choreography rather. But to expect somebody to do the exact same thing in heels as Astaire did front or backwards, well, obviously that's a tall order. I think the best way to put it is, she was his perfect dance partner, to the point where it made not only he look better, but both of them.
that's not exactly an original comment on an Astaire/Rogers video, is it?
This takes many watches to catch everything. So much going on here. I know it will never happen but I wish movies like this would come back. Very little happiness in movies today.
I can't even guess how many times I have watched this video - and keep coming back to see it again and again. LOVE it!
And each time you find another speck of magic you never noticed before.
:) Glad to hear I'm not alone.
This is talent, this is amazing.
Grew up watching them. There will never be anything like this again...sad
@@helenakatic1690 no
@Unkraut60 no
MissAndie FTW, they certainly had talent, but most of what we see here is just skill and long, hard work. It demeans their great effort to perfect their skill when it is dismissed as "talent", as if they just were born to dance like this effortlessly.
Too many people who have never accomplished anything worthwhile themselves (not talking about you, just people in general) just assume that those that HAVE accomplished something great were able to do it because they had a special gift. It is usually just not true.
Talent and CLASS.
amazing great dancing, and Fred Astaire demanded the routine be perfect, making retakes, and do-overs ! And Ginger Rogers was tap dancing in high heels... she was more amazing than given credit for !!!
Every time I see Fred and Ginger, I'm speechless. So I'm not going to say anything.
I agree!! The timing the beat everything is perfect as only these two could make it seem like dancing on air!!! Perfection at it's finest!!!
@@andreadesalvo3000 What is caled this movie? I have never seen it
@@НатальяТаещё-ы1е swing time
You must have said all of this, and then watched the video and then became speechless. It's good you said your piece first.
They were sublime together. They make it look so effortless, enjoyable and supremely elegant.
Female role models like Ginger Rogers no longer exist. Such a magnificent, talented lady. The likes of which we have not yet seen.
Q maravilla, me kedo sin palabras, los mejores, el cine y sus bailes antiguos, lo mejor, de lo mejor !!!!
+Rocco Sophie You should watch Jessica Cox of West Coast Swing Dance.
Quiero una cancion de amistades peligrosas
Vale
@Valerie Mac Fair What age? I remember seeing her on television in her late years. She danced through middle age. Not sure what you're talking about.
Ginger Rogers was so beautiful. I almost drool on her everlasting beauty and her dancing skills was super. God we lost two legends. We love Ginger and Fred for giving us the joy of dancing.
Could watch this over and over again. It never gets old.
Now that’s dancing... so elegant, and such beauty. I could sit for hours on end, and watch over, and over👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Now that is #puretalent🤞🏻💯♥️
As a child I was bored by scenes like this. Now, I am simply amazed at the strength, skill and grace of Astaire and Rogers to dance in synchrony with each other, a dance that is beautiful and made to look easy. Did anyone else notice that there were no breaks in the filming? The couple danced flawlessly for two and a half minutes straight.
Awesome couple! If not for youtube these videos would be lost forever! Amazing performance by this amazing couple!
I think it amazing how Ginger Rogers a danced in those 2" pumps.
Oops! lol!
I was so just thinking that...
Man, Hollywood don't make 'em like they used to, that's for sure.
When I was a kid, I watched Fred dance in all of these movies. Now, I watch Ginger and realize how awesome she was.
Me too❤️
Pure brilliance, no other word for it. Ginger is pure perfection - she doesn't even stop acting when the music and dance sequence begins. She knows that in order for everything to be believable, you continue to act in the scene even though the dialogue has stopped. Love her dress and hair in this video too - it just completes the scene. As for Fred, what else can be said besides class, class, class and sheer, utter greatness. He made everything look effortless and so smooth. These two were one of a kind - never will be any like them ever again. Perfect dance pair, in my opinion!
I have to agree with you they are a great dancing couple I love the movies they starred in together
You're correct. If you notice, the dance plays an integral role to the story. She's looking over at her boss, almost smirking because she was just fired, and yet her student has learned amazing steps from her. Ginger is acting while dancing.
triplethreat017 This is very true. She starts out acting reluctant, then dancing semi-perfunctorily watching her student, then she gradually gets right into it.
Mr. Astaire was pure study. His dance looked like he was on air. The mans was pure talent.
The one and only Fred Astaire and the great Ginger Rogers. Now thats pure talent at its best.
Literally humans find tap satisfying to watch because it goes with the beat and rhythm of the music. Like how can you not find that satisfying!?
Dynamic Duo....none other like them...God rest your blessed souls.
What a pure delight to watch these pros dance. Fred and Ginger were the stuff that legends are made of.
Still some of the most beautiful footage I've seen.
This amazing performance made my day. Brilliant.
So awesomely danced n so light n smooth going.Perfect coordination.
7-1-2019. Watching the old films never ever gets old.
Such talent!!
GINGER SAID SWINGTIME WAS HER FAVORITE MOVIE ❤️ THE DUO IS THE GREATEST DANCERS WITH SUCH CHEMISTRY❗️
Mr Astaire dances as if he’s ice skating, now that’s skill
Fred Astaire - one and only. No one before him, nor after him, was such a extraordinary dancer as he was...🙌
Fred Astaire was George Balanchine's favorite dancer. No lie!
I want to see the spirit of THIS America return. Come on, Yanks, you can do it ! !
Simple y sencillamente, espectacular,.!!!!! Esto es bailar y no las corrientadas de banda, Reguetón y perreo.
You know someone's good when they that kind of scene look easy. Such talent!
Has there ever been anyone so good, so light on his feet and so perfect?
This one of my all-time favorite dance scenes;
talk about fabulous! SO good! Thanks!
If only we had class and greatness like this in 2020.
have you ever watch Jamie Berry?
They were so light on their feet. Almost floated
who loves her dress?!?!?!?
+rikka takanashi I do love it. But why those soft, rippled, broad yet stylish, non-adherent, below the knees skirts are no longer trendy? Why...?????
A thousand times, "YES!" Check out the horror movie, Mystery of the Wax Museum for the gorgeous white ankle length dress in that one, if you like old dresses ... pretty good movie too, for Halloween!
They make it look so graceful and easy
I couldn't WALK 20 feet in high heels, yet jump over a fence, SPIN, and land without breaking even the slightest of stride.
Seeing this video made me realize that I can't dance. Lovely by the way.
samantha provido lol
Have you seen the Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway ?
yes, u can. u just have to feel the music and go with it
I feel like your brain has to physically change to do that though, at least that is what mine needs lol
Dear Samanta! I think you can dance like that if you have a Passion, feel the rhythm and practice enough. You know that practice always makes Perfect...
People back then: courageous, classy, and courteous. May we have all of these wonderful traits and more. Stay classy folks, this generation needs it.
Wow ! That's magic . Ginger & Fred were unique .
Astaire and Hermes Pan were the choreographers, but in performance, this pair were absolutely equal. They way they compliment each other, is something to behold. There are other of Fred's partners who were technically superior to Rogers, but none had greater chemistry....not even Charisse, or Hayworth, or Vera Ellen, or Powell. Swing Time is a forever amazing and timeless film. It was on prime time TCM just a few days ago.
I am more impressed with the woman who can do that stuff wearing heels. I mean damn, that must be hard.
Not really. All in the balance and right heel ;)
And women dance backward too. LOL!
Donna Lindsay Can you point out exactly where in this number Ginger dances backwards any more than Fred?
I have never been able to wear really high heels. Hurt me even as a teenager. I kept it at about 1.5" to 2" or so. My mom was a shoe horse. I found a photo of her, and she's in a house "frock" (that was the word in 30s) and apron with really knockout high heels on. I had to laugh. She had many pairs of neat shoes to her death at 93!
--->
Pure elegance, this is real style. Absolutely fantastic
Wow! What skill what a treat to watch that they were fantastic ♥️
They made look perfection effortless as no others did.
One cut. that's how good they were back in the days.
Who else is watching this during coronavirus 😄 one take!!! Wow
Wow
Wow
I have just been thinking how it would lighten up the executions but I would like to have Choral Dance played as the Democrats enter.
Me and my daughter!
🙋🏻♀️