Follow the Fleet [Region 2] Mark Sandrich Digital Life DVD

Follow the Fleet [Region 2]
starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard, Astrid Allwyn
directed by: Mark Sandrich

Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
EAN: 3346030008256
Format: PAL
Region Code: 2
Theatrical Release Date: February 20, 1936

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Of the nine films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers completed for RKO Pictures, Follow the Fleet falls short of the top echelon. Coming between series peaks Top Hat and Swing Time, Fleet repeats the mistake (à la Flying Down to Rio and Roberta) of casting Fred and Ginger as the comic couple, while the romantic roles went to Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard (before she went on to fame with her husband, Ozzie Nelson, in Ozzie and Harriet). Fred puts down his top hat to become sailor Bake Baker (yet another of his alliterative screen names), while Ginger plays old flame Sherry Martin. The two are reunited when Fred takes shore leave in San Francisco, and soon their efforts turn to helping Ginger's sister Connie (Hilliard) land Fred's shipmate Bilge (Scott). (Look for Lucille Ball and Betty Grable in small roles.) Too much screen time is spent on Hilliard and Scott, but Fred and Ginger make up for it with plenty of laughs and some classic musical numbers, and Irving Berlin's score is one of the best of the series, with cunning lyrics and melodies that linger in the memory. Highlights include Fred and Ginger in a dance contest, a Ginger solo tap number, and 'I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket,' their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is 'Let's Face the Music and Dance,' a show within a show in which Fred and Ginger don their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of Fred and Ginger's defining moments. --David Horiuchi

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Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Astaire and Rogers back to earth
"Follow the Fleet" is the 5th of the Astaire/Rogers films and while not their best, their presence still puts it ahead of most other musicals. The pluses include:

- Rogers returning to her more sassy roots as a spunky nightclub performer. Both her singing and dancing are better than before and she really socks across "Let Yourself Go" with a very pretty Betty Grable as one of a trio of backup singers.
- Astaire having a lot of fun as a gum chewing sailor and demonstrating his spot on comedy timing particularly in a funny scene when he sets up Astrid Allwyn.
- Lucille Ball in a small supporting role as a tough pal of Rogers and showing hints of the comedian she became.
- Harriet Hilliard in the sappy lead, the sort of mindless part which Ruby Keeler played, but singing in her husky voice the haunting "Get Thee Behind Me Satan" memorably.
- the spellbinding classy dance to "Let's ... Read More

Rating:

- Different!
What I liked most about this Gem is that for once we loose the generally ingratiating pair of shrill characters in Eric Blore and Edward Everet Horton. I guess to some their absense seems almost sacriligious for and A & R film but to me it was most welcomed! Also for "shock" value we get a very young Harriet Nelson aka Harriet Hilliard who to my complete surprise not only holds her own but actually stands out! She exhibits pathos she was never afforded in her role as third star billing in the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Fred and Ginger offer a more earthy and gritty street dancing style rarely utilized in their other films. Except for the final dance number which is elegant and graceful the rest of the dancing on disply in this movie is riproaring! Ginger finally gets her chance to put everybody under the table with an out-of-this-world tap and vocal number complete with Andrew Sisters type backup singers! ... Read More

Rating:

- fine and somewhat underrated Fred and Ginger musical
Follow The Fleet is a solid RKO musical from 1936 that gives us Fred Astaire as Bake Baker, navy seaman and Ginger Rogers as Sherry Martin dancing at their best, even if the plot is rather thin. Look also for a great performance by Randolph Scott as Bilge Smith, Bake's buddy in the navy; and Harriet Hilliard plays Connie Martin, Sherry's sister. The plot and the action move along at a good pace; and the convincing acting was very nicely done.

The action starts when a navy ship carrying Bake Baker and his buddy Bilge Smith come into San Francisco's port. Bake wants to rekindle his old romance with Sherry but for now at least she wants nothing of the sort between them. Bilge soon falls for Sherry's sister Connie; and this provides a subplot even though too much time is spent on Bilge and Connie's relationship, in my opinion.

Bake wants Sherry back very badly--and he even ruins a job or two for ... Read More

Rating:

- They Remeet Cute in This One
"Follow The Fleet," (1936), was the fifth of ten pictures made for RKO Radio Pictures by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It was made after "Top Hat," and is, of course, another romantic musical comedy, this time with a score by Irving Berlin. Once again, its family resemblance to the others is unmistakable, as substantially the same team was utilized behind the camera. It was produced by Pandro S. Berman; directed by Mark Sandrich; choreographed by Hermes Pan; Dwight Taylor and Allan Scott adapted it for the screen from the play "Shore Leave." Van Nest Polglase, in his capacity as art director, again produced the sparkling black and white art deco sets.

The plot's silly as ever, maybe even sillier, as Astaire and Rogers play Bake Baker - again with the alliterative name - and Sherry Martin, the comic couple. Probably, this stems from the play on which the film was based, but you have to ask: what were ... Read More

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