Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Just enjoy it - please!, January 12, 2001
This is one of the most delightful movies, and it preserves the flavor of Burns & Allen. Since we have so little film of Vaudeville, this movie shows us what we missed. The wiskbroom routine surely came from the stage, and the dialogue between Gracie and George and Fred surely came from the stage. Come on folks. Don't compare this film with Ginger and Fred. Its not supposed to be like Top Hat. I personally like Damsel more than Swing Time which doesn't feature enough dancing in the first hour. Sure Joan Fontaine is lost but she's only 19!! Look where she went from here. Get the movie, pop the corn and relax. This is a feel good, just dang fun movie, and you'll be happy you saw it.
|
|
|
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The #1 Fred Astaire movie..., September 5, 1999
Well, that's my opinion. Sure, it was his first to lose money. But that's because the 1937 public had a hard time accepting the genius of a man without Ginger. This film contains great solo dancing by Astaire, and for comical dancing he is joined by George Burns and Gracie Allen. We'll just leave out that outdoor dance he did with Joan Fontaine, though the song was a beaut. We see Astaire pounding away on the drums in every way imaginable for "Nice Work if You Can Get It", avoiding the bobby with "I Can't be Bothered Now", and spending time with George and Gracie in a fun house during "Stiff Upper Lip." Those songs, by George and Ira Gershwin are legendary. "Nice Work if you can Get It" is first sung by a madrigal choir that Astaire introduces to swing. "Things are Looking Up" is a romantic tune Astaire delivers to Joan Fontaine. We also hear "A Foggy Day," George Gershwin's last completed score is a can't miss. Pick this one up as soon as you can. You won't forget Gracie Allen's hilarious line: "Well, I don't blame him, if I were Art I'd object too."
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A comic gem overlooked!, March 27, 2006
There are several things of importance about this film. Most importantly.......it's George Gershwin's LAST COMPLETE score. He did write 1 more song for 38's GOLDWYN FOLLIES but never completed it (Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke did.....OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY) but A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS is choc a bloc with gags and songs and great comic performances. Fred Astaire really seems so much more at ease here than with his former dance partner Ginger Rogers. The storyline is bright and breezy and filled with great character actors Constance Collier,Ray Noble(yes, the British band leader),Reginald Gardner and Harry Watson.The charming if wan Joan Fontaine but most importantly George Burns and Gracie Allen at the top of their game....GB:(criticizing Gracie for her forgetfulness) "Gracie, sometimes I think that their's nothing up here" (indicating his brain)to which Gracie replies: "Ah George , you're self conscious!"
The Gershwin songs are some of his best...A FOGGY DAY, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT,I CAN'T BE BOTHERED NOW and STIFF UPPER LIP
Burns and Allen and Fred Astaire have two dynamite dance numbers as a trio......most impressively is the "fun house" sequence which contains bits from his Broadway days with sister Adele...take note of the "Swiss Miss" section in the fun house! It's the closest thing to actually seeing Fred and Adele Astaire actually dance on film. Point of interest: Adele had retired from the stage and had refused to team up with Fred in films because she met and married British nobility and retired to live in Britain before the start of WWII.
Hermes Pan is credited with the dance direction but you can see Fred Astaire's mark all over the film. This also may have been one of the last films to feature any actual British countryside footage before the blitz!
A charming film, wacky story and hilarious performances and Oh those Gershwin songs! Ok so it didn't have Ginger but it is a great cup of English Musical Comedy tea and crumpets!
When will Turner finally release this on DVD???? Come on guys! This is a classic awaiting rediscovery!
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
![The Sky's the Limit [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SYS292P7L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
VHS ~ Fred Astaire
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
![A Damsel in Distress [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51umRGVC89L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ Fred Astaire
DVD ~ Fred Astaire;Paulette Goddard
