The black face homage was recorded long before people took exception to such scenes. Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor had been doing similar for years by 1936.
I guess I'm a fountain of trivia for F/G films, but anyway Fred's fiancée was played by Betty Furness, later to star in ,the '50's on TV in live commercials for refrigerators. Enjoy your series.
We know about Grapes of Wrath but many films deal with people on the road. Many, many people riding the rails. My father was in Hobbs, NM. in 1930. He went shooting and killed a jack rabbit. He was taking it home to cook for support. He was superintend of a small drilling company and was just doing this for relaxation. On the way home he crossed the railroad tracts near where a hobo camp had been set up by a gas flare that gave warmth on a chilly day. A young man dressed in a suit came up to him and asked if he could buy the rabbit. for a quarter. My Dad looked at him and noted that he wore good shoes, Said, no, you can have it. Then he asked where he was headed. West to California, that he had family waiting there. Came from back east. People;e of every sort, from, the homeless type but a wide range.Road freight cars because companies got to looking the other way. All depend on the train managers, of course, and most people just worked their way across. Would hitch a short ride then work to get passenger money. Lots came to Hobbs where wages were good.
SWING TIME IS MY FAVORITE too *except for* the blackface scene. I don't even like to say it's my favorite because it is horrible to explain. I first saw it when I was like 7 or 8 so I have been obsessed for like 13 years. Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in this one. How do you feel about the Fred and Ginger biopic that is in the works? I should be excited but something in me doesn't want it to happen! Also, I thought I read somewhere that Fred, before his death, asked no movies to be made about him...? Maybe that's untrue.
Thanks As you can tell from the video, I am a little obsessed with this movie as well. I will admit that biopics aren't my thing -- most of the time you have to fake up drama to make the plot work, when the main story of Astaire & Rogers is "They worked hard. They didn't have an affair. They kept their fingers on the pulse of their careers and ended the series when they should." Admirable, and not dramatic at all because they were both deadly serious professionals.
P.S. I fell in love with these at about that same age -- albeit 30 years earlier than you! There was a marathon of F&G movies on the Australian Broadcasting Channel, the only network we got at the time. Apparently 8 or 9 years old is the perfect time to dive into these movies.
@@paulthomas3247 yes absolutely! As a kid, I was entranced because they were the most beautiful films I had ever seen. However, at that time, I could not understand why films were black and white and why modern people were not as beautiful as they were back in 1936 lol. Fred and Ginger remain my favorites to this day. Thank you for your videos! From a new subscriber :)
@@paulthomas3247 They dated for 9 months before Ginger went into films Ginger was the moth and Fred the flame Ginger tried to down play her affection for Fred in her book but Fred's book gives a little more
thank you so much for your reviews! With this movie I completely agree with all of your opinions and critiques, but it continues to be my favourite one:)
Many thanks! It's by far my favorite of them all too, even if the "right answer" is usually Top Hat or Gay Divorcee. Swingtime has the most heart of any of their movies.
I just completed watching all 10 of this series. I also do videos on Fred and Ginger. I agree on some points, differ on others, but that is normal. I very much enjoyed wathing them all. Thank you.
Gotta add, these were the first videos I ever did, and some of it hasn't aged well. And I didn't expect anybody to actually watch any of them, it began (and still is) mostly a way of stretching my skills. But I really appreciate the people who do watch.
The human emotion combined with comedy that you mention at around 6:50 is attributable, I think, to the direction of George Stevens, who was a better and more versatile director than Mark Sandrich
I'm not attacking anybody. I simply said that as a person living today, it's hard to watch Fred's good-natured tribute to Robinson without noticing a few elements from some really ugly traditions, and that makes me uncomfortable. He wasn't being malicious, but that doesn't stop me from being uncomfortable.
Interesting. The plot is actually what hooks me in with Swing Time. It's a lot more expansive, i.e. less tight, than Top Hat. I don't know any Fred & Ginger fans who would call Top Hat anything less than their most perfect film, even if it's not their personal favorite.
Please let Fred off the hook for blackface. I always think of intent when it comes to things like this and I doubt very seriously that Fred meant any harm.
Thanks. I am SURE it was meant as a well-intended tribute. As I mention in the video, Fred had high regard for Robinson, and talks in his memoirs about Robinson as a mentor. My point is that it's difficult to separate this scene (which culminates in that awesome three-shadow special effect) from the US history of mocking Black people in minstrel shows, as a modern person. There's a few elements in this that harken back to that tradition, so it's a little jarring to me.
@@wavesofwoodenlegs That *is* a good question. I'm not a social historian, but two similar examples pop to mind that say both yes and no: the "Abraham" number in Holiday Inn (a film I otherwise quite enjoy) and "the Minstrel Show Number" in White Christmas, which was planned as its sequel. Holiday Inn uses blackface as a plot device (disguising the heroine) whereas White Christmas keeps all the minstrel show tropes but skips the blackface. So both *could* be done around that era. I don't find Astaire's makeup in Swingtime offensive, but I do wonder if it was meant to be comic that he confronts his fiancee and the gangster club owners when still in makeup. And the surrounding minstrel show imagery hearkens back to a tradition that was not kind to our African American brothers and sisters. The dance number is obviously meant as a tribute to a man Astaire knew and admired, as I said in the video; Robinson's own participation in the minstrel tradition is a whole difficult ball of wax, but he's clearly a major contributor to the American theater & cinema. When preparing this, I talked to quite a few Black friends from earlier generations because I wasn't sure what to say. All of them said, "You can't skip over this." So in it went. On retrospect, I should have embedded those comments later in the video, because they seem to have triggered several people, and because so much of this movie is absolutely impeccable. This is seriously one of my favorite films of all time, but I can only view it as a (fairly well educated) person nearly 100 years later and try not to judge.
I must be the only person who hates Swing Time. Im ok with that because the reasons i loathe this movie will never change. By the way, just because George Stevens directed it doesnt automatically make it great.
Hey we all have our reasons to like and dislike. For me, it's the expansive scope of the movie, which gives more space for the Fred & Ginger relationship to grow of all their films, except for George & Irene Castle. Even if you hate it, let's face it - you're giving a movie a shot 90 years after it came out, which means it's better than 99% of the movies since then!
Its why you don't see a lot of older films on broadcast television. Either you were Caucasian or you were some exaggerated stereotype, if you were shown at all. To this day I can't understand watching Breakfast at Tiffany's without throwing a shoe at Mickey Rooney's blatantly racist Asian imitation.
Thanks for watching. I wouldn't personally put the Bojangles scene in Swing Time in the same category as Mickey Rooney in Tiffany's. This was good natured but clueless, whereas the Mickey Rooney scenes are maliciously offensive. But you are right, several of my favorite classics (including both of those you mention) have some cringe-worthy stuff in them. I suppose there's just so much else these movies have going for them that I look at context and keep my critical thinking hat on. And try to humbly remember that I've made plenty of bad decisions myself.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Never Gonna Dance is transcendent. It's story told in dance. It's perfect.
Totally agree with you! Never gonna dance is agonisingly beautiful. Pick yourself up in contrast is the sweetest, most addictive confection.
The black face homage was recorded long before people took exception to such scenes. Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor had been doing similar for years by 1936.
I agree. Youve found the perfect words to describe it. Love this series.
Thanks! I appreciate you watching.
I guess I'm a fountain of trivia for F/G films, but anyway Fred's fiancée was played by Betty Furness, later to star in ,the '50's on TV in live commercials for refrigerators. Enjoy your series.
You're the best!
We know about Grapes of Wrath but many films deal with people on the road. Many, many people riding the rails. My father was in Hobbs, NM. in 1930. He went shooting and killed a jack rabbit. He was taking it home to cook for support. He was superintend of a small drilling company and was just doing this for relaxation. On the way home he crossed the railroad tracts near where a hobo camp had been set up by a gas flare that gave warmth on a chilly day. A young man dressed in a suit came up to him and asked if he could buy the rabbit. for a quarter. My Dad looked at him and noted that he wore good shoes, Said, no, you can have it. Then he asked where he was headed. West to California, that he had family waiting there. Came from back east. People;e of every sort, from, the homeless type but a wide range.Road freight cars because companies got to looking the other way. All depend on the train managers, of course, and most people just worked their way across. Would hitch a short ride then work to get passenger money. Lots came to Hobbs where wages were good.
Sounds like my grandparents experienced a lot of the same as your father.
SWING TIME IS MY FAVORITE too *except for* the blackface scene. I don't even like to say it's my favorite because it is horrible to explain. I first saw it when I was like 7 or 8 so I have been obsessed for like 13 years. Ginger is absolutely gorgeous in this one. How do you feel about the Fred and Ginger biopic that is in the works? I should be excited but something in me doesn't want it to happen! Also, I thought I read somewhere that Fred, before his death, asked no movies to be made about him...? Maybe that's untrue.
Thanks As you can tell from the video, I am a little obsessed with this movie as well. I will admit that biopics aren't my thing -- most of the time you have to fake up drama to make the plot work, when the main story of Astaire & Rogers is "They worked hard. They didn't have an affair. They kept their fingers on the pulse of their careers and ended the series when they should." Admirable, and not dramatic at all because they were both deadly serious professionals.
P.S. I fell in love with these at about that same age -- albeit 30 years earlier than you! There was a marathon of F&G movies on the Australian Broadcasting Channel, the only network we got at the time. Apparently 8 or 9 years old is the perfect time to dive into these movies.
@@paulthomas3247 yes absolutely! As a kid, I was entranced because they were the most beautiful films I had ever seen. However, at that time, I could not understand why films were black and white and why modern people were not as beautiful as they were back in 1936 lol. Fred and Ginger remain my favorites to this day. Thank you for your videos! From a new subscriber :)
@@paulthomas3247 They dated for 9 months before Ginger went into films Ginger was the moth and Fred the flame Ginger tried to down play her affection for Fred in her book but Fred's book gives a little more
thank you so much for your reviews! With this movie I completely agree with all of your opinions and critiques, but it continues to be my favourite one:)
Many thanks! It's by far my favorite of them all too, even if the "right answer" is usually Top Hat or Gay Divorcee. Swingtime has the most heart of any of their movies.
@@paulthomas3247 About the minstrel shows, they were not as cruel as you might think.
@@JRobbySh omg Judy were you there gf?
I just completed watching all 10 of this series. I also do videos on Fred and Ginger. I agree on some points, differ on others, but that is normal. I very much enjoyed wathing them all. Thank you.
I need to check out your series! I love agreeing and disagreeing with other fans - honestly, it's just nice to connect with other fans.
Gotta add, these were the first videos I ever did, and some of it hasn't aged well. And I didn't expect anybody to actually watch any of them, it began (and still is) mostly a way of stretching my skills. But I really appreciate the people who do watch.
The human emotion combined with comedy that you mention at around 6:50 is attributable, I think, to the direction of George Stevens, who was a better and more versatile director than Mark Sandrich
I love your comments. Keep 'em coming! I love learning more about these films from fellow fans.
Time for all to forget and criticize things done in the past with opinions from the present. Should we attract the Italians for what the Romans did?
I'm not attacking anybody. I simply said that as a person living today, it's hard to watch Fred's good-natured tribute to Robinson without noticing a few elements from some really ugly traditions, and that makes me uncomfortable. He wasn't being malicious, but that doesn't stop me from being uncomfortable.
If you want just great dancing, SWING TIME wins. But if you need a reasonably good plot to go along with great dancing, TOP HAT wins.
Interesting. The plot is actually what hooks me in with Swing Time. It's a lot more expansive, i.e. less tight, than Top Hat. I don't know any Fred & Ginger fans who would call Top Hat anything less than their most perfect film, even if it's not their personal favorite.
Please let Fred off the hook for blackface. I always think of intent when it comes to things like this and I doubt very seriously that Fred meant any harm.
Thanks. I am SURE it was meant as a well-intended tribute. As I mention in the video, Fred had high regard for Robinson, and talks in his memoirs about Robinson as a mentor. My point is that it's difficult to separate this scene (which culminates in that awesome three-shadow special effect) from the US history of mocking Black people in minstrel shows, as a modern person. There's a few elements in this that harken back to that tradition, so it's a little jarring to me.
@@paulthomas3247 I’m glad we’re all able to express our views with respect. Thank you.
@@MareShoop Absolutely. And what sort of boring world would this be if we couldn't learn from others? Thanks for the conversation.
@@paulthomas3247 This brings up an interesting question: could Fred have done it without the blackface at that time?
@@wavesofwoodenlegs That *is* a good question. I'm not a social historian, but two similar examples pop to mind that say both yes and no: the "Abraham" number in Holiday Inn (a film I otherwise quite enjoy) and "the Minstrel Show Number" in White Christmas, which was planned as its sequel. Holiday Inn uses blackface as a plot device (disguising the heroine) whereas White Christmas keeps all the minstrel show tropes but skips the blackface. So both *could* be done around that era.
I don't find Astaire's makeup in Swingtime offensive, but I do wonder if it was meant to be comic that he confronts his fiancee and the gangster club owners when still in makeup. And the surrounding minstrel show imagery hearkens back to a tradition that was not kind to our African American brothers and sisters.
The dance number is obviously meant as a tribute to a man Astaire knew and admired, as I said in the video; Robinson's own participation in the minstrel tradition is a whole difficult ball of wax, but he's clearly a major contributor to the American theater & cinema.
When preparing this, I talked to quite a few Black friends from earlier generations because I wasn't sure what to say. All of them said, "You can't skip over this." So in it went. On retrospect, I should have embedded those comments later in the video, because they seem to have triggered several people, and because so much of this movie is absolutely impeccable. This is seriously one of my favorite films of all time, but I can only view it as a (fairly well educated) person nearly 100 years later and try not to judge.
I must be the only person who hates Swing Time. Im ok with that because the reasons i loathe this movie will never change. By the way, just because George Stevens directed it doesnt automatically make it great.
Hey we all have our reasons to like and dislike. For me, it's the expansive scope of the movie, which gives more space for the Fred & Ginger relationship to grow of all their films, except for George & Irene Castle. Even if you hate it, let's face it - you're giving a movie a shot 90 years after it came out, which means it's better than 99% of the movies since then!
Its why you don't see a lot of older films on broadcast television. Either you were Caucasian or you were some exaggerated stereotype, if you were shown at all. To this day I can't understand watching Breakfast at Tiffany's without throwing a shoe at Mickey Rooney's blatantly racist Asian imitation.
Thanks for watching. I wouldn't personally put the Bojangles scene in Swing Time in the same category as Mickey Rooney in Tiffany's. This was good natured but clueless, whereas the Mickey Rooney scenes are maliciously offensive. But you are right, several of my favorite classics (including both of those you mention) have some cringe-worthy stuff in them. I suppose there's just so much else these movies have going for them that I look at context and keep my critical thinking hat on. And try to humbly remember that I've made plenty of bad decisions myself.