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Why, oh WHY is this the first time I have seen this movie?!?!

I grew up watching Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies, but somehow Top Hat escaped me. And it's the best one of theirs I've seen. The story begins when Astaire's character, Jerry, spontaneously tap dances late at night in the hotel room above Dale's (Rogers) room. She calls management to complain, he comes down, and he falls for her instantly. He woos her over the next couple of days and she falls for him too. The only problem is an identity mix-up: a series of misunderstandings leads her to believe he's the husband of a close friend of hers.

The movie is awesome. With great supporting roles from Edward Everrett Horton, Helen Broderick, Eric Blore, and Erik Rhodes, the entertainment never ends. Both Astaire and Rogers are at the top of their game here, not just in playful acting, but in the amazing dance numbers they whip out. I don't think I've ever seen such complicated dance numbers, and so many opportunities for variety in their numbers as well. Dancing in the rain, dancing on sand from a cigarette tray, and dancing on some of the most elaborate sets I've seen in older movies, I was constantly surprised at the quality of production. Both move in ways it's sometimes impossible for non-dancers to comprehend, and it's all so swift and smooth as well. And, as Rogers once noted, her achievement is particularly special, because since Astaire got to lead, she had to perform all of the dance numbers backwards and in heels.

The most famous scene is probably that in which the couple dance to "Cheek to Cheek", which was nominated for an Oscar for best song (the movie was also nominated for Art Direction, Dance Direction, and Best Picture). Sometimes it's funny for me to see a movie where a famous song originated - a song like Cheek to Cheek seems like it's just always been around, but to see it where it was born is very special.

This is definitely one of those movies in which music and dance are spontaneously interjected into a regular conversation. It may be awkward in today's standards, but it's delightful as well. It's also got a brighter, smarter dialogue, full of unexpected quips that made me laugh quite a bit.

Well, enough gushing for now. Between acting, costumes, sets, overall choreography, and actual dancing, I thought it was quite a spectacle to behold, and a fun one at that.