FOLLOW THE FLEET
US, 1936, 110 minutes, Black and white.
Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard, Astrid Allwyn, Harry Beresford. Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Tony Martin.
Directed by Mark Sandrich.
Follow The Fleet is one of the many Rogers/Astaire musicals of the 30s. Having made an impact in Flying Down To Rio, they starred in such vehicles as Top Hat and Swingtime. The plots were very similar and related very much to the popular stage comedies of the time. Generally they concerned marriages and divorces and mistaken identities in a wealthy world. This screenplay rather reverses the situation although the plot ingredients are similar: the American Navy and two nice girls in San Francisco. Direction is by Mark Sandrich who directed a good number of these musicals. Both the stars are in good form and Astaire controls the film. The score is by Irving Berlin who also did the score for Top Hat. Randolph Scott’s rather stodgy co-hero. Harriet Hilliard is an attractive co-heroine (she was to become Harriet Nelson of the Nelson Family). Lucille Ball appears in a minor role and Betty Grable is to be seen in the trio who are the chorus. Entertaining in its conventional way.
1. The popularity of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as a team in the 30s? Their impact then, now? The perennial attraction of their singing and dancing? Irving Berlin's score?
2. The production values of the 30s, studio, artificial sets? The atmosphere of San Francisco and the Navy?
3. The attractive songs and their contribution to the plot? Choreography? The theme of 'Let Yourself Go' and Sherry's singing it? The style of 'Let's Face the Music and Dance? The humour of 'I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket'? The sailors and 'We Saw The Sea' and 'I'd Rather Lead a Band?' Connie and her plaintive songs ? 'Get Thee Behind Me, Satan' and 'Here Am I But Where Are You'?
4. The atmosphere of the Navy? the opening song, the way of life on the ship, reasons for joining the Navy, work, promotions, inspections etc.? The atmosphere of the armed services in the 30s?
5. Fred Astaire and his performance as Bake? His reasons for joining the Navy, friendship with Bilge, his love for Sherry and their past partnership, the wanting to be married? His skill as a dancer and the variety of Astaire's styles? choreography, tap-dancing, ballroom dancing? His trying to shape Sherry's career? His sabotaging her interview? His help with Bilge and Connie? Tricking Iris Manning into showing up her designs on Bilge? His putting on the show to raise the money? The fights, the defiance of the Navy, the happy ending? Sufficient characterisation for the hero of this kind of musical comedy?
6. Sherry and her partnership with Bake, her not wanting to marry him, her career? Her dancing at the dance hall for the sailors? Her ambitions? Her getting the sack, believing Bake? His spoiling the audition? Her love for Connie? Her revenge on Bake at the party? The show and the happy ending? Her dancing with Astaire?
7. Bilge as the American sailor type. tall, dark and handsome? His aims for shore leave. his infatuation with Connie after initially rejecting her? The infatuation with Iris? His promotion, clash with Bake, disillusionment with Iris, disappointing of Connie, letting Bake go and put on the show, the happy ending?
8. Connie and her plainness, her transformation, her aims with the boat. the dinner for Bilge and his not coming. her disappointment and decision to return? The happy ending? Her songs and their plaintive tone?
9. The presentation of the sailors and their world?
10. The occasions for songs, dances? Humour, style, exhilaration?
11. Traditional themes of romance, love, niceness, happy endings?
