Rafter Romance
Just uploaded it to youtube
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F7BAEF8E4E51DF7
Just uploaded it to youtube
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6F7BAEF8E4E51DF7
Mary Carroll (Rogers) a working girl is forced to share an apartment with a night watchman, Jack Bacon (Foster), as neither can afford their rent. The two share on a shift basis and so never meet, but communicate in note form. Disgusted by the lifestyles of the other, they grow to hate one another, but in the outside unknowingly meet, with hilarious consequences.
Made in 1933 and co-starring Norman Foster, this movie is very very cute. Its a typical 30s romcom and wouldn't win prizes for originality but both the leads put in lovely performances and there are some very funny moments. The note based correspondance between the two characters is a hoot and being pre-code, the romance scenes are slightly freer than in later Ginger films of this type.
Rating (Ginger Scale)
Plot - 15/20 not very original but adequate!
Importance of Ginger - 17/20
Characters - 17/20
The Ginger Factor - 19/20
"X" Factors - 16/20
Plot - 15/20 not very original but adequate!
Importance of Ginger - 17/20
Characters - 17/20
The Ginger Factor - 19/20
"X" Factors - 16/20
X factors include - amusing caricatures, "goggle eyed spinster", lovely romance scene, interesting political moments with what appears to be earliest recorded reference to nazism in hollywood, funny moments.
Total 84/100
Grade A!!
Grade A!!
...This is really a neat little movie, deserving of some good things to be said about it... I bought it from Turner Classic when they came out with it about a year ago, along with some other 'lost' RKO movies.
ReplyDeleteObviously there was not much of a budget to work with, but it moves along at a nice pace, with good supporting characters, and the Ginger / Norman Foster matchup works well - as it also did in "Professional Sweetheart".
I kinda like the scene where her boss (finally) gets her to go out, and it is obvious he has ulterior motives...as he starts 'pawing' Ginger in the back of the taxi - but the driver starts yaking about just crazy stuff, like making egg sandwiches in the middle of the night...and Ginger chatting along with him, just to keep the boss at bay...
Whenever Ginger starts to get 'upset', it's strangely kinda funny /cool in a weird way - when she starts throwing stuff - yelling "That VILE CREATURE!!!" - maybe the 'beatuiful when angry' rule takes effect...
The 'love scene' in the boat is nice - Ginger is QUITE fetching in this scene...
If there is anything I would 'tweak' about this movie, is to throw in a bit more stuff after they figured out the 'living arrangements' - it seems like the movie seemed to just try to wrap up ASAP after they figured it all out - but I guess all the loose ends are tied up in an adequate manner.
At the end of the day, Ginger is the central character, which is ultimately what matters, yes? So this one is definitely in the top half or so of her career movies, and probably one of the better 'pre-Fred' efforts (well, 'Rio' was before this one, but technically not a 'pure' Ginger / Fred movie), although I have not seen any of her other 1934 movies other than Gay Divorcee, of course.
I concur with the A! AND, the Rating system you have devised is PERFECT! Importance of Ginger and Ginger Factor... that's what it's all about!
I adore Ginger Rogers, have since a small child watching her and Fred Astaire on the TV. They introduced me to romance and to dance, and as a rather lonely sensitive child in an unhappy home I could dream away an hour or two in their lovely world.
ReplyDeleteNow I am a lot older I can still see the magic in their films together, but Ginger was more than dancing feet, she was a intuitive actress with great talent, and I spend many happy hours laughing, crying and appreciating her, even now after 50 years of doing so.