"Top Hat" was adapted from an Hungarian play, for which Sándor Faragao credited as Alexander Faragó and Aladar Laszlo deserve the credit. The serviceable but slight story-line was also worked on by Károly Nóti, Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor. The main plot may be told in a single paragraph: A dancer comes to London to star in a new show. Annoying a young woman by tap dancing when she is trying to sleep, he meets her, falls in love with her and fails to win her despite her attraction to him because she believes him to be the husband of her best friend instead of only being the star of his show, a man working for him. Complicating the mix are a jealous count for whom the girl works and an opinionated butler working for the impresario, who is then paid by the dancer to spy for him instead. Mark Sandrich directed the goings on in sprightly fashion, with Pandro S. Berman credited as the attractive film's producer and Irving Berlin, with incidental music by Max Steiner, writing the film's above-average score of songs, including "Dancing Cheek to Cheek:, "To Hat" and "The Piccolino", among others. Art Director Van Nest Polglase, Cinematographer David Abel, set dresser Thomas Little and designer of gowns Bernard Newman manage to give the entire production an airy and positive feeling, whether the scene is one set indoors or out. Hermes Pan and Fred Astaire devised the intelligent choreography and half a dozen fine arrangers helped to make the music work. The sunny disposition of the story, with its reliance on a simple misunderstanding, allows the smallish cast to develop their characters unusually fully for a musical. Fred Astaire is lively, young and likable, and his dancing has seldom been better. Ginger Rogers generally seems comfortable with her demanding role as dancer,. singer, confused lover, angry young woman and bewildered participant. Edward Everett Horton is very properly stuffy, Eric Blore as his butler successfully sarcastic, and Helen Broderick makes a delightful and able sarcastic wife in a role that only Eve Arden could have bettered. Eric Rhodes impersonates the irascible Italian count Alberto with power and ability throughout. But ultimately, the film's charm comes down to its simplicity, high style and characters. An intended musical climax to the film, the elaborate "Piccolini", as written by Irving Berlin and sung by Ginger Roger, is a mistake despite its competent arrangement. However it is the only sour note in an otherwise expert trifle, one played winningly and presented beautifully, in my judgment. The opening comedic scene in a London Men's Club, Astaire's first meeting with the butler, the Italian sequences, the stage numbers and the hotel room and hansom scene are all memorable. This film was very popular in 1935 and because of its positive qualities remains a favorite Astaire-Rogers vehicle today. Its elements have often been imitated, but perhaps never bettered,
Review of Top Hat
Top Hat
(1935)
Very positive and spacious Astaire-Rogers entry; genial and quite well-done
22 June 2007