MartinHafer Because I am a retired history teacher, I have got to point out that this film is mostly fiction. The opening says it's 'BASED on the lives and music of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby'. While there was a real life song writing duo of Kalmar and Ruby, much of what you see in the film was pure hogwash. The duo actually LIKED each other and none of the friction between them in the film actually existed in real life. HOWEVER, even though I know this, I still had to watch the film for one reason--it stars Fred Astaire! Heck, I'd watch him in any movie...period. It's not just his dancing and singing that I like, but it's his classy persona in films. It's hard not to like the guy and want to see him in ALL his movies! This movie was an interesting experience for me. Usually, I watch old MGM musicals on my own because my family thinks these sorts of films are silly. Well, recently I got my oldest to watch a few of these films but tonight I was surprised when my wife also sat down to watch. And, my youngest joined in to see the film. And, surprisingly, they all had a great time watching it. Now it's not surprising I'd like it--but the rest of my family, too! Overall, we had a great time--even if the story was pretty much fictionalized.A couple things to look for in the film is the baby dance (you'll love it when they start tossing the kid about) as well as the rather offensive Kalmar-Ruby tune about the Japanese.

mark.waltz The third of MGM's songwriter bios (after "Till the Clouds Roll By" and "Words and Music") is no different than the first two with one major exception-outstanding performances by the leads. I can't say if there is any resemblance between Kalmar and Ruby and the two men who play them here-Fred Astaire and Red Skelton, but unlike Robert Walker (who played Jerome Kern), Tom Drake (Richard Rodgers) and Mickey Rooney (a very Andy Hardy like Lorenz Hart), they are certainly much more convincing as members of the music industry during the heyday of Tin Pan Alley. In films like this, it is the songs which count, and there are loads of them. Debbie Reynolds briefly gets to "poo poo pee doo" as the real-life Helen Kane, singing "I Want to Be Loved By You". You won't hear the future Molly Brown's real singing voice; The real Miss Kane energetically re-recorded the song, convincingly lipsinked by Debbie. She practically molests Carleton Carpenter in the on-stage version of that song.The beautiful "Nevertheless" and "Thinking of You" are love themes for Astaire and his leading lady, Vera-Ellen. VE isn't convincing in the acting scenes, but is of course, one of the loveliest and most graceful dancers of the golden age of movie musicals. Like fellow MGM dancer Cyd Charisse, her singing was dubbed, here by Anita Ellis. Not dubbed are Gale Robbins as Skelton's social-climbing girlfriend (singing "All Alone Monday"), Gloria DeHaven (playing her real-life mother, singing "Who's Sorry Now?"), and the exquisitely beautiful Arlene Dahl singing "I Love You So Much". See the Wheeler and Woolsey musical comedy "The Cuckoos" (RKO, 1930) for a very funny rendition of that song performed by Bert Wheeler and Dorothy Lee. Astaire briefly sings a verse of "Horray For Captain Spaulding" from "Animal Crackers". Little known songs such as "Where Did You Get That Girl?", "So Long, Ooh Long", and "My Sunny Tennessee" are also performed and worthy of being included in the film.It is the title song, however, which holds the film together. With music by Skelton's Ruby, he keeps playing it over and over, annoying Astaire's Kalmar right up to the very end. ("You Are a Dope", he sings to his music after Astaire storms out after telling Skelton, "I'm going to tell you in three little words. You're a dope.") Also amusing is a magic act used to introduce the two men that resembles sequences in the musical bios "Star!" and "Funny Lady" where everything that can go wrong on stage does.As I stated, I can't confirm any resemblance between the real life songwriting team and the stars, but Astaire and Skelton are outstanding. Skelton totally underplays the comedy for one of the only times in his film career, and it really works. That resulted in him winning one of the first Golden Globes. The chemistry between Astaire and Vera-Ellen really only comes to life when they dance. She was one of only a few other women (Rita Hayworth, Lucille Bremer, Cyd Charisse) who would work in more than one film opposite the dancing maestro. When they dance, it's equal to Fred and Ginger at their best, but considering that such talented dancers as Eleanor Powell, Ann Miller and Judy Garland only got him once, it is an odd decision for them to work together twice when he had much more chemistry in the non-musical scenes with those performers.Ms. Dahl, never the star she should have been, is along with Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth and Maureen O'Hara, one of the best looking redhead in films. Technicolor loves her, and she is absolutely charming in the few scenes she has. Just try not to forget the image of her on the staircase revealing her loveliness (and beauty spot) after pulling down the feathered fan. Keenan Wynn, giving his typically gruff but somewhat tender performance as their determined agent, is excellent as always.Kalmar and Ruby, while not as well known by name as the other men MGM did bio's on (Sigmund Romberg in "Deep in My Heart" was the other), wrote many songs which are classics today, and this is a great video song book to present them in. The film is not quite excellent, but the chemistry between Astaire and Skelton is really nice. The ending with the title song is a nice little twist and is quite moving.

lpersons-2 You have to love a movie with dance and song! I had never heard of this movie but received it as a Christmas gift by a good friend who knew my love for old movies of this genre. I also love movies about real people and historical things. This movie is based on the lives of two song people from the early 1900's. Lot's of good music to listen to and great dance to watch, with a nice plot line. The movie featured an all star cast including Fred Astaire and Red Skeleton. I only knew Red as a comedian so it was fun to see him take on the role of a somewhat serious nature. Vera Ellen was quite glamorous and was fun to watch in the dance numbers. Hairdo's, clothing, sets all very interesting to see, a glimpse from the past.. Very enjoyable way to spend an evening.

ccthemovieman-1 This was a wonderful, feel-good movie with tons of songs, many of them appealing. There also were some great dancing scenes, no surprise there since Fred Astaire is one of the stars. Astaire and Vera-Ellen paired up well for those numbers.This is one of the few films, even in the musicals, in which all the characters were nice people. In other words, there were no villains, no nasty people, which is refreshing to see now and then. It is supposedly the true-life account of songwriters Bert Kalmar (Astaire) and Harry Ruby (Red Skelton). Ruby is good at writing tunes, but not with lyrics. Kalmar supplies the lyrics and dance. Skelton also shows he had a decent singing voice.The only unhappy moments in the movie are the squabbles between the two leading men, but that's not overdone and sometimes it's humorous. Skelton's character is the nicer of the two.The leading ladies are wholesome-looking beautiful women. Vera-Ellen is a Shirley Jones-type pretty blonde with a great dancer's body. She's enjoyable to watch. Arlene Dahl, who was stunning, is the other leading female but her role was minor, unfortunately.The movie is a good mixture of song, dance, comedy and drama and is an underrated film in that it that doesn't get a lot of publicity. Astaire was quoted as saying this was his favorite film. I agree. It's my favorite of his, too.