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The Gay Divorcee

  • 19341934
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
7.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:17
1 Video
63 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Musical
  • Romance
A woman thinks a flirting man is the co-respondent her lawyer has hired to expedite her divorce.A woman thinks a flirting man is the co-respondent her lawyer has hired to expedite her divorce.A woman thinks a flirting man is the co-respondent her lawyer has hired to expedite her divorce.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
7.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Mark Sandrich
  • Writers
    • Dwight Taylor(from the book by)
    • Kenneth S. Webb(musical adaptation)
    • Samuel Hoffenstein(musical adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Fred Astaire
    • Ginger Rogers
    • Alice Brady
Top credits
  • Director
    • Mark Sandrich
  • Writers
    • Dwight Taylor(from the book by)
    • Kenneth S. Webb(musical adaptation)
    • Samuel Hoffenstein(musical adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Fred Astaire
    • Ginger Rogers
    • Alice Brady
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 73User reviews
    • 45Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Gay Divorcee
    Trailer 1:17
    The Gay Divorcee

    Photos63

    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Lois Lindsay in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Erik Rhodes in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire, Edward Everett Horton, and Paul Porcasi in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)
    Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in The Gay Divorcee (1934)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Fred Astaire
    Fred Astaire
    • Guy Holdenas Guy Holden
    Ginger Rogers
    Ginger Rogers
    • Mimi Glossopas Mimi Glossop
    Alice Brady
    Alice Brady
    • Aunt Hortenseas Aunt Hortense
    Edward Everett Horton
    Edward Everett Horton
    • Egbert 'Pinky' Fitzgeraldas Egbert 'Pinky' Fitzgerald
    Erik Rhodes
    Erik Rhodes
    • Rodolfo Tonettias Rodolfo Tonetti
    Eric Blore
    Eric Blore
    • The Waiteras The Waiter
    Lillian Miles
    • Singer - Continental Numberas Singer - Continental Number
    Charles Coleman
    Charles Coleman
    • Guy's Valetas Guy's Valet
    William Austin
    William Austin
    • Cyril Glossopas Cyril Glossop
    Betty Grable
    Betty Grable
    • Dance Specialty - Knock Kneesas Dance Specialty - Knock Knees
    Norman Ainsley
    • Undetermined Roleas Undetermined Role
    • (uncredited)
    Jimmy Aubrey
    Jimmy Aubrey
    • Undetermined Roleas Undetermined Role
    • (uncredited)
    Finis Barton
    Finis Barton
    • Undetermined Roleas Undetermined Role
    • (uncredited)
    Eleanor Bayley
    Eleanor Bayley
    • Danceras Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    De Don Blunier
    De Don Blunier
    • Chorus Girlas Chorus Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Pokey Champion
    • Danceras Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Chefe
    • Night Club Patronas Night Club Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Cy Clegg
    • Porteras Porter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Mark Sandrich
    • Writers
      • Dwight Taylor(from the book by) (musical play "Gay Divorce")
      • Kenneth S. Webb(musical adaptation)
      • Samuel Hoffenstein(musical adaptation)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The musical number "The Continental" lasts 17 1/2 minutes, the longest number ever in a musical until Gene Kelly's 18 1/2-minute ballet at the end of An American in Paris (1951) 17 years later. It is also the longest musical number in all of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' films together.
    • Goofs
      At one point, as Guy and Mimi are on the balcony, shot from inside the hotel suite, the top of the set wall above the double doors is visible, and above that a whole raft of Klieg lights, pointed down at the balcony.
    • Quotes

      Tonetti: [unable to remember his passphrase "Chance is a fool's name for fate," Tonettie repeatedly muffs it] Chance is the foolish name for fate. / Give me a name for chance and I am a fool. / Fate is a foolish thing to take chances with. / I am a fate to take foolish chances with. / Chances are that fate is foolish. / Fate is the foolish thing. Take a chance.

    • Alternate versions
      In the version of The Gay Divorcee released in Brazil in the 1930s, the Brazilian actor Raul Roulien sang in the musical number "The Continental".
    • Connections
      Edited into Joan of Paris (1942)
    • Soundtracks
      Don't Let It Bother You
      (1934)

      Music and Lyrics by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel

      Dance performed by Fred Astaire

    User reviews73

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Beautiful Music, Dangerous Rhythm
    The Gay Divorcée is the answer to the trivia question of which of Fred Astaire's and Ginger Rogers's is one that Fred Astaire had previously done on Broadway. When Astaire did it on Broadway, the Cole Porter musical had been entitled The Gay Divorce. But that extra 'e' was added on lest anyone get the idea that divorce itself was something frivolous. Imagine anticipating Britney Spears by about 70 years.

    Actually Fred had also done Funny Face and The Bandwagon on stage as well. But on stage The Bandwagon was a revue and Funny Face had an entirely different plot than the musical made by Astaire in the Fifties. Only in The Gay Divorcée was he asked to repeat a stage role.

    The basic plot is still the same, the usual Astaire-Rogers case of mistaken identity. Ginger is the budding divorcée going to London to get a divorce as Aunt Alice Brady hired a professional co-respondent. Ginger mistakes Fred for that co-respondent and it takes a while for Fred to warm her up.

    Fred's an American musical comedy star visiting London with his manager Edward Everett Horton who also happens to know Brady. This gives the excuse for the musical numbers.

    Cole Porter's score was cut completely from the screen other than the immortal Night and Day. In it's place came four songs, three written by Harry Revel&Mack Gordon and one written by Con Conrad&Herb Magdison. Fred and Ginger dance divinely to Night and Day.

    Fred does a solo dance to A Needle in a Haystack and Don't Let It Bother You. Betty Grable got her first notice from the movie going public, singing and dancing in Let's Knock Knees all of which were contributed by Revel&Gordon.

    But it was The Continental number by Con Conrad and Herbert Magdison that got the first Academy Award ever given out for Best Original Song in a motion picture. It's what The Gay Divorcée is remembered for today. It's a rather long, between ten and fifteen minutes of screen time, but as magical as ever

    The Gay Divorce ran for 248 performances on Broadway during the 1932- 1933 season. Sacrificed for romance are Porter's witty lyrics in the rest of the score containing their usual commentary on the social scene. Of all the American musical giants of the era, I would say that Cole Porter wins hands down as the man that Hollywood butchered the most in bringing his work to the screen. Even before The Code was in place, it seemed that the powers that be deemed that his work was way too sophisticated and naughty to be seen and heard as is.

    Still with the film being frothy romance instead of social commentary, The Gay Divorcée is still great entertainment. Also repeating their roles from Broadway are supercilious waiter Eric Blore and the real co-respondent Tonetti who prefers spaghetti, Erik Rhodes.

    Wit for romance, you decide if it was a fair exchange.
    helpful•9
    1
    • bkoganbing
    • Dec 14, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 12, 1934 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • The Gay Divorce
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Monica, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $520,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,253
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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