Roberta (1935 film)
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| Roberta | |
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 Movie poster |
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| Directed by | William A. Seiter |
| Produced by | Pandro S. Berman |
| Written by | Jerome Kern Otto Harbach (musical Roberta) Alice Duer Miller (novel Gowns by Roberta) |
| Starring | Irene Dunne Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers Randolph Scott |
| Music by | Jerome Kern, conducted by Max Steiner |
| Cinematography | Edward Cronjager |
| Editing by | William Hamilton |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 8, 1935 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 106 min |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Roberta is a 1935 musical film by RKO starring Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Randolph Scott. It was an adaptation of a Broadway theatre musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the novel Gowns by Roberta by Alice Duer Miller.
The film kept the famed songs "Yesterdays" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" from the play, along with a third song, "I'll Be Hard to Handle". But it replaced two others ("The Touch of Your Hand" and "You're Devastating") with Jerome Kern's "I Won't Dance" and "Lovely to Look At", which became so popular that they are now always included in revivals and recordings of Roberta. Other songs from the show were omitted from the film.
Roberta is the only Astaire-Rogers film to be remade with other actors. MGM did so in 1952, entitling the new Technicolor version Lovely to Look At.
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[edit] The Story
John Kent (Randolph Scott), a famous football player goes to Paris with his pal Huck (Fred Astaire) and the latter's dance band. Voyda (Luis Alberni) has booked the band, but refuses to let them play when he finds the members are not Red Indians, as he expected, but are from Indiana.
As the band is stuck for both work and money, John goes to his Aunt Minnie (Helen Westley), who own the famous "Roberta" gown shop. Her head designer is Stephanie (Irene Dunne). John doesn't know that Stephanie is a princess of Russia. He does learn that she has a voice like an angel when he hears her sing at Aunt Minnie's informal afternoon teas.
Huck strikes luck when the tempermental "Countess Scharwenka" he meets in Roberta's proves to be his hometown friend Lizzie Gatz (Ginger Rogers). Scharwenka gets Huck's band an engagement at the nightclub where she is a featured entertainer. She and Huck bowl the Parisians over with their dancing.
Two things worry John. One is Ladislaw (Victor Varconi), the handsome Russian doorman who seems so interested in Stephanie. The other is memories of Sophie (Claire Dodd), the snobbish, conceited girl he left behind after a quarrel over his lack of sophistication and polish.
Aunt Minnie dies suddenly and John inherits the shop. he persuades Stephanie to remain as his partner. Correspondents flock to hear what a football player has to say about feminine fashions. Huck gives the answers, making a lot of weird statements about the fashion innovations John's going to introduce.
Sophie arrives in Paris, attracted by John's good fortune. Huck persuades her to choose a gown that john has discarded as too vampish for high class trade When John sees her in it there is another quarrel. This time it's final.
John reproches Stephanie for letting Sophie choose such a gown. Stephanie is terribly hurt and the partners cease speaking, although the remorseful John realizes that at last he is really in love.
All the Paris style arbiters turn out for "Roberta's" fashion display, prepared to laugh. They remain to cheer. Working behind locked doors, Stephanie has transformed Huck's crazy ideas into brilliant creations. The show is a triumph, helped by the entertaining of Huck and Scharwenka. The closing sensation is a gown modeled by Stephanie herself. Stephanie sings and everyone adores her, most of all John, but he believes that she has married Ladislaw and every one calls her Princess.
Misunderstandings are swept away, however, when John learns that Ladislaw is merely Stephanie's cousin and that the title is her own. Everything ends happily, with a suggestion of a double wedding.
- "Roberta Campaign Book"
[edit] The Players
- Stephanie: Irene Dunne
- Huck: Fred Astaire
- Scharwenka: Ginger Rogers
- John Kent: Randolph Scott
- Roberta: Helen Westley
- Ladislaw: Victor Varconi
- Sophie: Claire Dodd
- Voyda: Luis Alberni
- Lord Delves: Ferdinand Munier
- Albert: Torben Meyer
- Professor: Adrian Rosley
- Fernando: Bodil Rosing
[edit] Musical Highlights
The Pipe Organ Number: Astaire performing on the hands of his band arranged as a keyboard.
"Let's Begin": Great comedy song and dance number by Astaire, "Candy" Candido and Gene Sheldon, with band.
"Yesterday": Sung by Miss Dunne to guitar and string bass accompaniment.
"I'll be Hard to Handle": Double dance by Astaire and Miss Rogers, a hot tap number in which they "talk with their feet." (Repartee expressed in dance steps.)
"Lovely to Look At": Solo by Miss Dunne
"I Won't Dance": Song by Miss Rogers, Astaire at piano; followed with a solo dance to the melody by Astaire
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes": Double dance by Astaire and Miss Rogers. Sung by Irene Dunne
Russian Refrain: Sung by Miss Dunne with Balalaika orchestra. Cafe Russe
Fashion Pageant: Lavish, spectacular, manniquin review to music, with Astaire as master of ceremonies; special modeling of a sport costume and an evening dress by Miss Dunne and a cocktail gown by Miss Rogers. Beauty parade of manniquins in a bewildering array of costumes. Medley of song numbers.
"Touch of Your Hand": Sung by Miss Dunne
Finale Dance: Astaire and Miss Rogers
-"Roberta Campaign Book"
[edit] External links
- Roberta at IMDB
- Roberta Film Page, Reel Classics - info, photos, sound clips
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