Shall We Dance (1937) starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore
Synopsis of Shall We Dance
In Shall We Dance, a ballet dancer and a showgirl fake their marriage for publicity purposes before falling in love for real in this delightful musical comedy starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their seventh film together. Numerous mistaken-identity gags ensue.
Cast of characters
- Fred Astaire (Easter Parade, The Band Wagon) … Peter P. Peters, aka. Petrov. The hoofer, whose friend & manager publicizes as the great “Russian” ballet dancer. He falls in love with:
- Ginger Rogers (The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle) as Linda Keene. The American dancer, initially put off by the “obnoxious” Petrov. Although after some dog walking, she begins to fall for Peter.
- Edward Everett Horton (Springtime in the Rockies) as Jeffrey Baird. Peter’s friend & manager. He’s at his likable, stuffed-shirt best here.
- Eric Blore (Flying Down to Rio) as Cecil Flintridge. Jeffrey’s foil, and frenemy.
- Jerome Cowan (Who Done It?;Blondie’s Secret) as Arthur Miller. Linda’s manager, who strikes up a friendship with Jeffrey. And “helps” when Jeffrey’s seasick!
- Ketti Gallian as Lady Denise Tarrington
- William Brisbane (Blondie on a Budget) as Jim Montgomery
- Harriet Hoctor as herself
- Dudley Dickerson as singing crew member in Slap That Bass
Songs in Shall We Dance
- Slap That Bass, Words by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin
- Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, Words by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin
- They Can’t Take That Away from Me, Words by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin
- Shall We Dance, Words by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin
- They All Laughed, Words by Ira Gershwin,Music by George Gershwin
- Beginner’s Luck, Words by Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin
- For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
- The Sidewalks of New York, Music by Charles Lawlor and James W. Blake
- Got a New Lease on Life, Music by Oscar Levant, lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Editorial review of Shall We Dance courtesy of Amazon.com
Shall We Dance (1937) has a complex plot that has Astaire and Rogers actually getting married before the final credits roll, and turns George and Ira Gershwin’s brilliant “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” into a heartbreaking ode. Other great songs include “Slap That Bass,” “They All Laughed,” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” unforgettably performed on roller skates. –David Horiuchi
