One of the best examples of Depression-era musicals. After a brief twirl together in FLYING DOWN TO RIO, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers hooked up again, and so captivated filmgoers that this costarring vehicle would be only the first of many for cinema's most famous dance team.
Modern gal Mimi Glossop (Rogers) wants a divorce, but to get it she must venture to an English seaside resort where her lawyer (Horton) has arranged for her to be witnessed having an assignation with a professional correspondent, thus providing the necessary grounds for her divorce--infidelity.
Matters become confused, however, when Mimi mistakes Guy Holden (Astaire), an American dancer who has taken a serious interest in her, for the correspondent and treats him disdainfully. Several songs and cases of mistaken identity later, Guy and Mimi end up in each other's arms for good.
Although in hindsight it seems incredible, the producers of THE GAY DIVORCEE weren't certain that Astaire and Rogers could carry the movie on their own, so they "insured" the success of the film by including several of the best second bananas around--Horton and Eric Blore among them. As a result
the film is loaded with laughs and energetic performances. Moreover, its sets are superb, Max Steiner's orchestrations are a marvel, and the choreography by Dave Gould is excellent. If Astaire and Rogers had never danced a lick after the frustrated seduction of "Night and Day", they still would
have been screen immortals. leave a comment
