IMDb > The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.9/10   766 votes
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Director:
Writers:
Irene Castle (stories)
Oscar Hammerstein II (adaptation) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 March 1939 (USA) more
Plot:
This is the film version of Vernon and Irene Castle, sensational ballroom dancers prior to World War I. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
A fine war-time bio-pic more (22 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Fred Astaire ... Vernon Castle

Ginger Rogers ... Irene Castle nee Foote
Edna May Oliver ... Maggie Sutton

Walter Brennan ... Walter Ash
Lew Fields ... Lew Fields
Etienne Girardot ... Papa Aubel
Janet Beecher ... Mrs. Foote
Rolfe Sedan ... Emile Aubel
Leonid Kinskey ... Artist
Robert Strange ... Dr. Hubert Foote
Douglas Walton ... Student Pilot
Clarence Derwent ... Papa Louis
Sonny Lamont ... Charlie, Tap Dancer
Frances Mercer ... Claire Ford
Victor Varconi ... Grand Duke
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Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Victor System)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Jean Sablon refused the part of the French singer played by Louis Mercier because he thought it too small, but his voice is used on the soundtrack. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: Walter, the Foote's and later the Castle's servant/ factotum, was in reality a black man. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Fred Astaire: Puttin' on His Top Hat (1980) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
OH, YOU BEAUTIFUL DOLL more

FAQ

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
A fine war-time bio-pic, 9 November 2006
7/10
Author: catmydogs from Maryland, USA

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is the last of the 9 RKO musicals Astaire did with Rogers. However, from a story point-of-view, it is their best film by a mile. The contest isn't even close, IMO.

It's not their best musical. This film is really a drama with a few musical interludes, whereas most of the other Astaire-Rogers films were musical comedies. Those other films had flimsy plots at best and were saved only by their songs and dances. BUT - "Vernon and Irene" could easily stands alone without any songs or dances. It even has some action sequences as is typical of war-time films (WWI, in this case).

The film is a bio-pic about the Castles, who in their heyday were even bigger than Astaire and Rogers. The choreography is more attuned to 1910's sensibilities than the usual Astaire and Rogers film, but that's okay. Astaire and Rogers dance just well as always.

As the dancing duo's last RKO film, V&C is quite classy and a fine close to a great RKO dancing career for the two.

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Message Boards

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The Least Known vernvaquer
Walter + Maggie katydid579
Interesting change of pace cnb
help with music demonwarhead
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