Three years ago, we took apart “Never Gonna Dance,” the song and dance by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1936 movie “Swing Time.” I think we pretty well figured out its meaning.
Now The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay critiques admiringly what Astaire and Rogers did with “Night and Day” in the film “The Gay Divorcee.” He also goes on to review the most notable books about Fred and Ginger’s miracles of choreography and grace.
Macaulay remembers Rogers in “Swing Time,” too:
Two years after the “Gay Divorcee” Rogers reached her apogee in “Swing Time” .... By now she has a dancer’s body as beautiful as any the screen has ever seen. The glimpses of her legs in their “Pick Yourself Up” number (her calf-length skirts fly as they tap) are enough to make you gasp. Her spine can now arch and bend in many ways, all apparently full of feeling; the slenderness of her waist is always ravishing.
Great choice of words, Alastair. The whole piece is worth reading.
Frank Warner
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Note: I looked on YouTube at "Night and Day" and "Waltz in Swing Time," which Macaulay says are tops. They are impressive, but I don't think they come close in power to "Never Gonna Dance." Unfortunately, because of a copyright claim, you can't see "Never Gonna Dance" on YouTube.
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