The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Irene Castle (stories)
Oscar Hammerstein II (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

29 March 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Musical | Romance | War

Plot:

This is the film version of Vernon and Irene Castle, sensational ballroom dancers prior to World War I.

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | France | Marriage | Plane Crash | Beautiful Woman

Cast

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

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Spain:7

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Last Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film for 10 years, until The Barkleys of Broadway (1949).

Goofs:

Factual errors: Walter, the Foote's and later the Castle's servant/ factotum, was in reality a black man.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fred Astaire: Puttin' on His Top Hat (1980) (TV)

Soundtrack:

ROW, ROW, ROW

Vernon and Irene Castle: King and Queen of Ballroom Dancing

THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (RKO Radio, 1939), directed by H.C. Potter, marked the ninth screen teaming of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and what a better way to end their cycle of successful musical comedies together than in having the most popular dance team of the 1930s in an autobiographical film portraying the most famous dancers of twenty years ago. The couple who made "The Continental" a dancing craze of the 1930s, were now reintroducing once popular dances such as "The Fox Trot." Based on the books "My Husband" and "My Memories of Vernon Castle" by Irene Castle, who was technical adviser of this production, the movie itself centers on an ordinary girl named Irene Foote of New Rochelle and her marriage to a dancer named Vernon Castle of England who was content into playing a comic stooge on the American stage.

The story begins in 1911. Vaudeville was at its height. Vernon Castle (Fred Astaire) is an stage performer working as part of "The Barber Shop" comedy act with the legendary Lew Fields (Lew Fields). He is in love with Claire Ford (Frances Mercer), a leading lady who shows no interest with an actor whose name is listed on the bottom of the casting credits. Vernon makes a date to meet with her on the beach of Coney Island, but of course, Claire breaks her date. Disappointed, Vernon finds himself throwing a stick for a stray dog to run out and catch. Throwing it far into the water, the dog swims out to retrieve it. Thinking the dog in trouble as it struggles to swim through the waves, Vernon immediately jumps in to save it. At the same time, Irene Foote (Ginger Rogers) jumps from her row boat to save the dog. As the couple swim, their heads clunk together, thus a start of a beautiful friendship, thanks to the dog who is taken in and adopted by Irene. However, Walter Ashe (Walter Brennan), the family servant, disapproves of Vernon, but finds himself taking Vernon into the boat and back home with them so he could rest up, make the acquaintance with Irene's parents (Robert Strange and Janet Beecher) while his clothes are taken out to dry. After learning Vernon Castle is a theatrical actor, Irene auditions for him. Before they part company at the train station, Vernon demonstrates his talent for dancing when he joins in with a group of musicians playing "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," and stealing the spotlight from its solo dancer (Sonny Lamont). Later on, when Irene comes to the theater with her girlfriends to watch Vernon dance, she becomes disappointed and upset to watch him in an unfunny comedy sketch where he sits in a barber's chair to get fire set to his hair by its star comedian, Lew Fields. Irene then confronts Vernon in his dressing room to tell him how he's wasting his gifted talent. Eventually, Vernon takes her advice, marries Irene and the two, following months of financial trouble and professional struggle during their stay in Paris, develop into the world's most popular dance team, thanks to Maggie Sutton (Edna May Oliver), who discoveres the pair and gives them their first tryout at the Cafe de Paree. Their success is soon cut short with the outbreak of the World War in which Vernon enlists in the Royal Flying Corps with Walter. During that time, Irene corresponds with Vernon, appears in motion pictures and does her part in the war effort.

The songs selected in this production from the 1911-1917 era, whether as background music or dance numbers performed by Astaire and Rogers, include: "Glow Little Glow Worm," "By the Beautiful Sea," "Row, Row, Row," "The Yama, Yama Man" (Sung by Ginger Rogers); "Come Josephine in My Flying Machine," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" (reprise); "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," "The Darktown Strutters Ball" (sung in French); "Too Much Mustard," "Rose Room/The Tango," "Tres Jolie Waltz," "When They Were Dancing Around," "Little Brown Jug," "Maxine Dengozo," "You're Here and I'm Here," "Chicago," "Hello, Frisco, Hello," "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," "Take Me Back to New York Town," "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," "Who's Your Lady Friend" (sung and danced by Fred Astaire); "The Destiny Waltz," "Nights of Gladness," and "The Missouri Waltz." Of the songs used, only one, "Only When You're in My Arms," was a new score written for the film, sung by Astaire to Rogers, and heard as background, opening and closing credit score, making this the Vernon and Irene Castle theme song, even though no such song existed during their collaboration together.

While THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE was reportedly not a successful film when released, it has gained some status in later years due frequent revivals during its many reruns on commercial television. Thanks to this movie alone, if it weren't for this autobiographical production, the names of Vernon and Irene Castle would definitely be forgotten. While they are almost virtually forgotten, their names in the title would help them remain somewhat notable to future generations to come, for as long as this movie continues to be available for viewing. THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE is not only part of the Astaire and Rogers series, it's also a part of them. A sad film in many ways, particularly with its unhappy ending, it was an end of the Astaire and Rogers era, and they knew it. One can actually feel it by watching their performance. Astaire and Rogers show warmth in their infrequent kissing scenes, and Rogers herself is altogether excellent in her performance from a youngster in the early portion of the story to her devoted and mature wife towards the end. The costumes and everything else used in this production, as close to accuracy as possible, recaptured the bygone 1910 era. The musical interludes, while plentiful, are actually very brief, with one segment done in a ten minute montage featuring a handful of instrumental dance music. All this and many more help this production another one of the best presented by Astaire and Rogers. While not their last, the team would be reunited in one more musical ten years later, THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY (MGM, 1949), once again playing a husband and wife dance team, but this time as fictional characters.

Also seen in the supporting cast are Etienne Girardot as Papa Aubel; Victor Varconi as The Grand Duke; Rolfe Sedal as Emil Aubel; Donald MacBride as the Hotel Manager; and in cameo, actor Roy D'Arcy as himself, appearing in the Hollywood segment in which Irene Castle stars in a silent motion picture, PATRIA. Walter Brennan and Edna May Oliver are an added asset in both tender moments and comedy as the middle-aged other couple acting part as both friends and agents to the Castles.

THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE is available on video cassette, and plays from time to time on Turner Classic Movies. It was once a frequent replay on American Movie Classics. In recent years, the movie includes restored footage, such as one of a French vocalist singing and sounding like Maurice Chevalier to the tune "Darktown Strutters Ball," which was usually abscent from commercial TV, as well as the removal of the opening MOVIETIME or C&C Television title cards, replaced by its original RKO Radio logo, along with the closing cast credits. While not 100 percent acurate, with some character names being fictitious, the movie itself is straight forward, right to the point, and at 94 minutes, hardly has any time to bore its viewers.