Roberta (1935)

An American jazzman and his buddy woo a Russian princess and a fake countess in Paris.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Jerome Kern (from the play), Otto A. Harbach (book)

Stars:

Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Irene Dunne	...	Stephanie
Fred Astaire	...	Huck Haines
Ginger Rogers	...	Lizzie Gatz aka Tanka Scharwenka
Randolph Scott	...	John Kent
Helen Westley	...	Aunt Minnie ak Roberta
Claire Dodd	...	Sophie Teale
Victor Varconi	...	Prince Ladislaw
Luis Alberni	...	Alexander Petrovitch Moscovitch Voyda
Ferdinand Munier	...	Lord Henry Delves
Torben Meyer	...	Albert
Adrian Rosley	...	Professor
Bodil Rosing	...	Fernande

Storyline

Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie.

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Plot Keywords:

fashion | reference to amelia earhart | paris france | dressmaker | jazz band | 

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Taglines:

A Heart-Load of Maddening Beauties.. In Gasping Gowns.. A Fortune in Furs.. A Ransom in Jewels.. In a Song-Studded Romance of Paris in Lovetime!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lucille Ball, who appears uncredited in this film as a fashion model, would later buy RKO, the studio that made this film. At the height of their success during I Love Lucy (1951), she and Desi Arnaz purchased it and renamed it Desilu Studios.

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Goofs

John is trapped in Roberta's building elevator when it stops between two floors. He calls for help. His upper body is visible and he spreads the gates slightly open suggesting he will climb UP and out. Stephanie hears his calls for help, comes to his rescue, but advises that it is too dangerous to climb UP and out. Stephanie yells in French to the doorman, who is on a lower floor to move the elevator. The scene changes to the doorman who pushes the LOWER or DOWN elevator button. The scene changes back to the floor where John is trapped and Stephanie is standing. The elevator moves UP and John exits.

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Quotes

Huckleberry Haines: Well, so long. Tell the Countess I'll be waiting for her.
John Kent: Where?
Huckleberry Haines: Oh, either on the right-side of the left bank or the left-side of the right bank.

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Connections

Referenced in M*A*S*H: The Abduction of Margaret Houlihan (1976)

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Soundtracks

(Back Home Again In) Indiana
(1917) (uncredited)
Music by James F. Hanley
Performed by The Wabash Indianians

User Reviews

Captivating

What's not to like - Astaire-Rogers dancing to "I Don't Dance, Don't Ask Me", ocean liners crossing the Atlantic, trains racing across northern France, jazz bands rehearsing in Paris clubs, stupendous art deco sets, a couturier's elegant salon, serenading to balalaikas, stunning models privately displaying satin gowns, Russian princes, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" sung by the beautiful Irene Dunne, an elegant Old Russian restaurant with its frescoes, fashion show that incorporates Astaire and Rogers dancing, Irene Dunne's warmth, a witty script, a Broadway smash hit brought to the screen - geez, what a movie! It is only recently that I've begun to enjoy musicals. The ones I like are the light ones - not the ones incorporating social issues which I feel musicals are ill-equipped to handle.

But a light musical comedy - with exquisite dancing, charming leads, swank clothes, elegant sets, witty dialogue - WOW! And this is definitely such a musical - absolutely charming.

The four leads are wonderfully cast. Irene Dunne reminds me of Greer Garson in having a certain soulfulness combined with innate gentility and enormous warmth - Dunne also happens to have had a world-class operatic singing voice (that in later movies, as operettas ceased to be appealing, was seldom heard). There is something so very vulnerable about a wounded Irene Dunne character - and she is wonderful in this part.

Randolph Scott has a big, clean, very handsome, American quality that is also wonderfully suited to this part - one in which his character is candid, straightforward, easily swayed by others who are sophisticated -but at a certain point will act decisively when he comes to realize his judgment has been mistaken.

Fred Astaire's subordinate comic supporting role is suited well by the enormous difference in size between himself and Scott - and obviously his dancing and his easy way with humorous lines is just wonderful.

The 24 year old Ginger Rogers may be the biggest revelation to me - it's not just that she can dance astonishingly well, that she is wonderful (and wonderfully funny) with accents, that she can sing songs equally comically or romantically (and with great gestures), that she is very VERY funny, whip-smart with dialogue,, but she perfectly suits the job of one hustling for jobs, adapting to all circumstances, rough and ready -- and extremely aware at all times.

I think studio heads really saw Rogers' amazing abilities through the end of World War II (after which she was shamefully abandoned) - she seldom played the "classy woman" and we instead find her as a shop girl, prisoner on furlough, society wannabe, entertainer. I would like to have seen her play in her career, a part in which she more deliberately seductive (like Barbara Stanwyck or Joan Crawford, Miriam Hopkins or Bette Davis often did) but alas.

You'll like this - just relax and feel yourself enthralled.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Russian

Release Date:

8 March 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Roberta

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$610,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,493

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1